Emotional intelligence

My CP is constantly harping and nagging…ahem, I mean gently reminding me about the need to infuse my writing with more emotion. And, she’s right. In my head, the characters are going through such turmoil and angst, but I often forget to pour that emotion onto the page for the reader to see.

Some of this probably stems from the dominance of my left brain. Hello? Programmer/engineer here. I once looked back through an old diary that I kept sporadically in middle and high school. It read like a catalog of events rather than an emotion-filled life. BO-RING.

Fictionalized example: “XY [the boy I had a crush on for five years who never noticed my existence] started dating XX today. I broke my finger at soccer practice, and then we had lasagna for dinner.” Seriously? Aren’t teenaged girls supposed to be the queens of drama?

Good grief. What am I, a robot? When I think back on those moments, many of them were very emotional for me. Why the heck didn’t I put it on paper? I’m sure I could analyze the reasons for you ad nauseam (yes that’s spelled right), but I’ll spare you.

What my diary should have been like: “XY smiled at me yesterday when I loaned him a piece of paper in Chem. He’s so gorgeous. I wish I was brave enough to flirt with him, but he only likes the popular girls. My heart cracked in two when I found out he’s dating XX. I wanted to throw up because she’s such a bitch and he deserves better than her.”

Sigh. All I know is that I’m now combing through Counting on You and Floater, looking for those important scenes where my writing fell flat.

My stomach is clenching at the thought, my head spinning with ideas as I eagerly scroll through the pages…

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The Daily Squirrel: wedding ring

Mike pawed through the dresser drawer like a dog digging a fresh hole. The bride’s ring had to be in there somewhere. Sweat dripped down his forehead and stung his eyes. Ben had trusted him for the first time in years, and he’d screwed it up. Again. Socks and underwear flew through the air, littering the floor and the bed as Mike dug deeper. Finally, his hand closed around a small, velvet box stuck against the back of the drawer. He let out the breath he’d been holding and collapsed to the floor, the box tucked tightly against his pounding heart. Even if he had to sleep with it, the ring would not leave his sight again until he put it into Ben’s hand.

My first request

Today I got my first agent request for a partial (first 3 chapters & synopsis). Insert “woo hoo” and a happy dance here. Very exciting! The timing seems serendipitous since I recently blogged about revising the manuscript for just such an event. I didn’t expect to have to jump into it today, but I was more than happy to tackle it.

In the scheme of things, a request doesn’t mean publication is imminent. I know plenty of writers who’ve been getting requests for partials and completes for years, and are not yet published. Still, I’m excited because my query letter generated some interest, and that’s the first step.

Knowing that I’m doing my best to get in the game keeps me motivated to move forward, and forces me to do the hard work (like revisions). I learn more about the art and business of writing every day, and when the call does come, I plan to be ready.

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The Daily Squirrel: goodbye

The ballpoint pen left ink blots on the paper as she wrote out words of goodbye. Or badbye. If badbye were a word, that would more accurately describe this parting. Badbye to the angry outbursts and sarcastic remarks. Badbye to the forgotten anniversaries and birthdays. Badbye to the whole damn waste of three years. Her heart lifted and she smiled. “Badbye, Gary.”

Off the hook

A writer’s life is filled with hooks. The first scene, page, paragraph–heck, the first sentence–must grab the reader/editor if you want them to keep reading. But, don’t forget the hook at the end of each chapter or scene, the hook in your query letter, synopsis, website blurb, back cover copy…

Well, I’m apparently hook-challenged. (I never was cut out for marketing.) I have a tendency to wrap up each scene and tie it off with a bow, instead of leaving the reader with a mystery or a situation they can’t wait to read more about.

My CP recently read my entire manuscript (thank you, thank you!!), and so many of the scenes ended with the comment “Hook?” that I felt like I was reading Peter Pan. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)  There were several scene-endings she did like, so I’m getting a feel for the difference, but in the heat of writing, I have a hard time figuring out what’s an effective hook and what’s not.

I’ll have to see if I can find a good book to address this, because if I can master the art of the hook, it will improve so many areas of my writing. If you have any ideas for books to read, or guidelines for writing good hooks, I’d love to hear them.

How do you hook your readers?

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The Daily Squirrel: Wool

The rough wool of the sweater made her arms itch, and she clenched her hands to control the urge to scratch. She hadn’t worn a long-sleeved shirt underneath because it wasn’t cold enough, but she regretted her decision to wear the lovely sweater. It accentuated the green of her eyes, and the moderate V-neck flattered her bosom without revealing too much, but no matter how good she looked, acting like a kid with chicken pox wasn’t going to impress her date.

The End is just the beginning

Most non-writers believe that once you type “The End”, you’re done. Hah! Far from it. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve revised Counting on You (a.k.a. COY) since I “finished” it.

The first couple of revisions were based on things I’d learned (through workshops, books on writing, and experience) since starting the book. When I let a few trusted people read it, I got feedback about plot issues and unanswered questions. Back to the keyboard.

Later, I found a critique partner, entered a couple of contests…more (very helpful) feedback. Back to the…well you get the idea.

As much as I love my story, and mostly agree with the feedback I’ve received, the writer in me has moved on. I’m about halfway through Floater. That’s where my brain is focused, and where I want to spend my time.

On the other hand, I’m hoping to get a request for the complete manuscript of COY from an agent or editor one of these days. If I do, I won’t have time to go back and fix it then.

Should I be lucky enough to get a publication contract for COY (hey, one can dream), the editor will surely require more revisions. Truly, to be a writer, is to be a re-writer.

If I want to be a published author, I have to figure out how to deal with this now. The more experience and feedback I get, the better I am at avoiding the amateur mistakes from the beginning, but even the best writers–yes, even Nora Roberts and Ken Follett–have to revise their work before it’s ready for publication.

I guess it’s just a fact of writing life.

The End…for now.

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The Daily Squirrel: composure

Standing behind the curtain, she cursed her shaky hands, the adrenaline flooding her veins, and the sweat trickling down her back. She should be used to this by now, but it never changed. Once on stage, she’d be fine, but the minutes leading up to her speech were pure torture. Finally, the emcee called her name. She took a deep breath, stood up straight, and smiled. Cool composure settled over her like a veil, and she walked onto the stage with her head held high. If only her parents could see her now.

Happy Thanksgiving

In honor of the holiday, here’s an acrostic representing some of the things I’m thankful for in my life.

T – Time to write and work on the things that are important in my life

H – Husband who is the love of my life and my best friend

A – Air Force lifestyle that lets us live all over the country and feed our need for travel

N – New writing friends who have taught me so much and been an incredible source of support

K – Kids: two boys who grow more caring, intelligent, and handsome every year

S – Stories that come to me when I least expect them

This day wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t thank all of my family for their love and support, and friends old and new for being so great.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Cult of personality

Have you ever met a person who rubbed you the wrong way, but you couldn’t figure out why? Have you ever had a boss or coworker you didn’t know how to deal with? Did you ever wonder how two siblings raised by the same parents could be so different (like my own boys)?

It’s all in the personality.

Understanding your personality style can be valuable for determining career choices and understanding why you act the way you do. Recognizing others’ personality styles can help you get along better with the people you deal with every day.

But as a writer, you can use an understanding of personality styles to craft complex characters who act in a consistent and believable way. Besides knowing your character’s goals and motivation, choosing a personality style for her will help you create a believable reaction when she meets an obstacle.

Using The Platinum Rule™ Behavioral Styles developed by Dr. Tony Alessandra, here are four potential responses for your character when she’s faced with an obstacle:

• The Thinker might gather information, make a list of pros and cons, and plan a response, finally acting when she has as much information as possible. Her response will probably be timely, but not immediate.
• The Socializer would probably make a decision based on impulse. Leap then look.
• The Relater would worry about the problem, try to avoid it, ask for other’s opinions, and hope that someone else would take care of it. Head in the sand.
• The Director would quickly size up the options, make a decision, and execute it, even if others think it’s the wrong choice.

It should be clear that the type of character you choose can have a great effect on your story. Each of the four options above could take the same story in a different direction.

If you’d like to find out more, here are some of the popular personality assessments you might want to check out. Take a quiz as yourself, and then take a quiz as your character. You might be surprised what you learn.

• The Platinum Rule™ Behavioral Styles quiz on Brian Tracy’s website
• The Shapes Personality Test created by Dr. Susan E. Dellinger – includes a 5th style, for people in transition
• The Jung Typology Test based on the work by Dr. Carl Jung (a.k.a. the Myers Briggs test)

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The Daily Squirrel: acrobat

In her dreams, she was an acrobat, flying high above the circus floor while the audience looked on with awe. The gasps of the crowd filled her ears, the wind ruffled her hair and cooled her face as she flew from swing to swing. She could smell the popcorn and cotton candy mingled with the scent of hay and animals. With a sudden bang on her bedroom door, the dream vanished, slipping through her fingers like sand. She stared at the loose drywall tape on the ceiling of her ordinary bedroom, in an ordinary house, where her boring, ordinary life took place.

The written word…without Word

You’re probably intimately familiar with some sort of word processing software, especially if you’re a writer. But, while Microsoft Word and similar programs are great for formatting a finished manuscript, business letters, and other documents, they may not be the best software for writing a story.

There are several programs out there for writers, and there’s a good reason for it. Traditional word processors force you to write linearly, or cobble together multiple documents if you don’t.  Good writing software can free you to write in the way that works best for you.

At a friend’s suggestion, I tried Scrivener (for Macs only) and ended up buying it well before the free trial ended. Each writing project is organized as a collection of files, all accessible from the same screen, much like being in Finder (or Windows Explorer).

I can write a scene–or an outline of a scene–when inspiration strikes, and save it for later (see Unused Scenes below). I can easily move scenes around, create scene cards for them, search for terms across all scenes, search by keywords, keep project and scene notes, import research documents and web sites, and so much more. I don’t know how I ever lived without it!

I use the Resources section to hold links to research web sites, a file where I keep track of my daily productivity, a character list, photos of places or character inspirations, character questionnaires, and most important of all, a folder called Unused Scenes, where I store cut scenes to scavenge for useful bits, and potential future scenes.

For those who are easily distracted, Scrivener even offers a full screen mode. And, in the end, you can export the whole project to Word, or another program, either fully formatted, or ready to format.

If you’re serious about writing, consider switching to software that works with your writing style, not against it.

The main writing screen…

 

 

Resources Section…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Writing! (No Daily Squirrel today, this post is already long enough…)

An idea whose time has come

My ideas usually come not at my desk writing, but in the midst of living.  ~Anais Nin

People often ask writers where their ideas come from. I even find myself wondering the same thing after I read a great book. The answers? Everywhere, nowhere, hard work.

We get them from things we see in our daily lives, that is, everywhere. Places we go, people we meet, new stories, and personal experiences all have the power to generate the seed of an idea. Many authors become intrigued by the “what if?” and pursue that until they have a story.

But, they can also come out of nowhere. For example, I often think of storyline bits, or plot ideas right after I wake up in the morning. I’m not actively trying to work on anything, it just comes. I keep a pen and paper by my bed for this reason, because if I don’t write it down, I’ll surely lose it.

Sometimes, a writer just has to work at it. There are all sorts of techniques for generating new ideas. I even wrote about one of Einstein’s creativity methods for the Southern Magic blog a while back.

For me, often the key is to give myself permission to let the ideas flow. I sometimes have this sense that ideas are waiting for me if I would just stop whatever I’m doing and let them out. At those times, I sit down with plenty of paper, and start taking notes.

No matter how a writer generates ideas, the real trick is to put in the time, day after day, writing them down. Some will turn into a story, some won’t, but all the best ideas in the world won’t make you a writer if you don’t put fingers to keyboard and write.

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The Daily Squirrel: nose

Amelie stared at her nose in the mirror. The purple bruising had turned more green and yellow over the last few days, but at least the swelling had gone down. She touched it gently and winced. Stupid John and his flailing racquet. That ball had been hers. She knew one thing for sure: she was never going to play doubles tennis again.

Harlequin: Surely, you jest

Harlequin Enterprises, one of the most well-known and respected names in romance publishing, caused quite a furor a few days ago with its announcement of a self-publishing venture, Harlequin Horizons.

This has authors and agents ranting about predatory practices toward uninformed wannabes, and tarnishing the Harlequin brand for its paid authors. For great level-headed coverage and an explanation of the whole ordeal, check out the pubrants blog.

My inbox has been overflowing with emails from the author loops I’m on, with every reaction from mild disappointment to downright fear. Especially since RWA and the Mystery Writers of America both revoked Harlequin’s status as a legitimate publisher.

Right now, the situation is still fluid, and I’m guessing that in a few weeks–when the emotions aren’t running so high–everyone’s questions will be answered, and some sort of compromise will be reached that satisfies both sides.

In the latest round, Harlequin has decided to remove its name from the venture, but the conflict of interest still exists, so the controversy isn’t over yet.

I’m not in the Chicken Little camp, but I’m not ready to let Harlequin off the hook, either.

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The Daily Squirrel: Arizona

It was hot. The scorched, dry air stole her breath as she stepped out of the air-conditioned building onto the soft asphalt of the parking lot. Immediately, sweat trickled down her back and beaded on her nose. Her legs felt baked as if she were standing next to an open oven door. It might be a dry heat, but it didn’t matter. Dry or not, it was stinkin’ hot.

Writing Pageantry

My baby, Counting on You, is finally on its way to Texas to be judged against everyone else’s baby in the most prestigious pageant for unpublished romance authors, The Golden Heart. (Insert huge sigh of relief here.)

Frankly, my chances of making it to the finals are slim. Almost 1000 writers entered last year, and no more than eight from each category will make it to the finals. But, the attempt is worth it. While there’s no guarantee a finalist will garner a publisher’s attention, chances are very good.

A writer who makes it to the final round (or wins!) can feel confident that her work is competitive among some of the best unpublished romance authors out there. Granted, the judging is subjective. Preliminary judges are other authors, both published and unpublished. But, the whole industry is subjective.

Writing contests are like the current spate of talent shows on TV…um, except not on TV. Most people won’t make it to the top 20. Some will confirm they royally suck, others will learn that they’re good but need more work, and a few will realize their dream.

Of course–like everyone else–I’m hoping to realize my dream, but until then, I’ll just keep pounding the keys.

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The Daily Squirrel: green (one of my favorite colors)

The color green screamed so loud from the walls and furnishings of the tiny room that her eyes hurt. She could almost feel the weight of it on her shoulders. Green had always been her favorite. The color of the forest, the jungle, a field of grass. But this…this was too much, even for her.