Watch Out For That Tree!

Drafting a novel can be magical. Beautiful. Like a new relationship, your head is in the clouds with the amazingness that is your story.

You’re going along all innocent and happy with your new shiny WIP, excited about the project that you’re sure all the agents and editors and readers are going to love… but after a few weeks the words start coming out slower and slower. Excitement is waning. You don’t know what scene to write next. Maybe you don’t even feel like writing at all.

*Cue chorus of “oooohs”*

This is something I like to call the mid novel lull. The reasons vary, but somehow there always seems to be a spot right in the middle of the drafting process where everything comes to a crashing halt.

First of all, remember: This is normal! You are absolutely not alone in this. Are there some people who don’t even blink an eye while drafting? Yes. There are also people who win lotteries and can eat a whole chocolate cakes every week without gaining a pound. Don’t worry about them, this is you. I go through this every sing time and I've learned something-- this is something we can overcome.

Here are some suggestions on how to get back on that vine and swing away: 

1. Remember what you loved your story in the first place

This is best for when inspiration or motivation is lacking but can also work if you’re stuck plotting wise because getting back to the root of what you loved about this story in the first place, can give you a whole new perspective for the middle of the novel.

There are a few different methods for getting back into the swing of things

 A pitch or a query

One of the things I love to do when planning a novel is to write a pitch or a query. Low pressure, doesn’t have to be perfect or really even pretty because no one but me will see it. One, it helps me see the novel in a new light, helps bring any pesky plotting problems to the surface, and two… for when I get stuck.

Just one quick read through an old pitch or query makes me want to start writing again.

A query is written to make someone want to read your novel. Those early queries do something similar, they make me want to *write* it.

Reread your notes

Most people at least write down a tid-bit or two in a journal before writing a novel. Even if you don’t outline, those seemingly random notes about the story in general can help spark that inspiration you’re missing. Maybe it was the first thing you wrote down after you had a dream about this story. Or the spark that took a small idea and turned it into a glorious one. Sometimes you write down a line or two for later (we writers think in narrative sometimes, no?) Most likely there is something there to remind you why you decided to write this story in the first place.

Music- Was there a song that inspired you? It doesn’t even have to be for the whole MS, maybe it was just one scene. Maybe it was a song that just reminded you of your character. Go back and listen to it, maybe even put it on repeat as you write (or put the song into Pandora and listen to similar music)

Reread what you’ve already written. And I don’t mean that last scene. Most likely, if you’re stuck or bored, that last scene won’t help. It might even be the problem. Go back to a particularly fun scene, or the first scene when you were teeming with excitement. Don’t worry about how good the writing is, or how many typos there are—that’s not the point here—the point is reliving the passion. The inspiration. Read it for the emotions and the excitement, and that alone.

2. Plan

Some people won’t like this one and that’s okay. I don’t always like this one. But it does help keep your mind on track and not get too lost in the muck (some people like the muck, there are hidden jewels in there I’m sure, but a lot of people also drown there so tread carefully).

As writers (and therefor inherently insane folks,) our minds get overwhelmed on occasion. “I don’t know what to do next!” you say to no one in particular. Chill and take a moment to sit down and plan what you are going to do next. Now you can look at the empty paper in front of you, that blasted blinking cursor and have a clear mind, a clear idea of what you want out of this story.

3. Write even when you don't want to

This pesky little problem is actually one of the reasons I love novel writing marathons like nanowrimo and campnano, it pushes you not to indulge in the idea of putting the novel away until a later date. Most likely, you’ll push past the barrier at some point, but it might not happen for months if you let yourself take the easy route. Don’t stop. Keep fighting.

I can’t even count the amount of times that word sprints have saved a deadline for me. When I get stuck I try the steps above but sometimes the words still come out SLOW. There is something amazing about sitting down and forcing your fingers to type whatever is going to come next. So long as I’ve done the steps above, I feel good about my story again and have at least some idea of what’s going to happen next, word sprints have never failed me. Even when there was no one on the other end to sprint with me. I set a time, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, doesn't matter. I just write. Write, write, write. At the end of that sprint, it’s like the whole world has opened up for me and things feel so much clearer.

At this point, I am completely over my writing slump. I may hit another bump (or tree) but for right now I’m a happy, happy camper.

Writing is hard. Novel writing is insane. There are always going to be those moments when nothing makes sense and everything feels like its falling apart, like you’ll never make it and this whole thing is a waste of time. Never, ever, indulge in those doubts because the moment when you type “The End” on a new novel is an incredible feeling (and it doesn’t matter if this is your first or 50^th novel.) It is totally worth the tears and missing patches of hair. Even if you’re pretty sure what you wrote is crap—who cares! It’s yours. Once it’s on paper you can fix whatever you need to. You can’t fix what doesn’t exist. So cross that finish line and worry about what that next step AFTER you’ve celebrated profusely.

How do you get over those writing slumps? If there something in particular you do when you start feeling down about your WIP?

Enter the Subplot

A few weeks back I talked about Healthy Ways to Expand your Story and I briefly mentioned the subplot. But what is a subplot and how do you effectively use one?

You've got this great shiny new idea. Your main character has a journey, but what about the supporting cast? What do they want? How do you add to your story in a healthy way without making things too confusing or deviating too far from your main plot?

Enter the subplot, a supporting side story that ultimately contributes to the main plot arc.

Now let’s dive into more detail about how these come about.

1.) The supporting cast.

You main character has a journey but they are almost never alone. Often additional characters will enter the story that will help your main character develop. This could be a romantic interest, a friend, an enemy, or some other interaction. And from those interactions side stories can develop. Ultimately you want to look at these relationships and see how they are influencing your story. Is the character there to help or hurt your main character? How are they a part of the overall journey?

Ex: The Hunger Games (slight spoilers ahead): When Katniss enters the arena she befriends a young tribute named Rue. They work together and form an alliance. But when Rue is brutally killed Katniss takes it hard. She even goes as far as to provide Rue with a proper send off. Because of Katniss’s loyalty to Rue, Thresh, Rue’s fellow district 11 tribute, later saves Katniss’s life. 

 This is an example of how a character can start as a subplot but eventually be pulled into the main story arc.

2.) World influences

Your main character lives in a world and a lot of things will happen in that world. Most won’t affect your main character. But every once in a while, something will happen in that world that will enter onto your main character’s radar. This event may or may not directly influence the main plot but may be something that affects your character’s arc. This can ultimately change them so they are better able to deal with the main conflict.

Ex: The Hunger Games (slight spoilers ahead): Peeta is the other tribute in district 12 opposite the heroine Katniss. Peeta’s family owns a bakery and one of his specialties is decorating cakes. He is able to translate this skill into an incredible ability to camouflage himself. Now this seemingly has nothing to do with the main plot until Katniss and Peeta are in the arena and the rules change. Katniss needs Peeta as her ally, but she has to find him. He’s been injured and hidden for days, and if it wasn’t for Peeta’s expert camouflage skills, the other tributes may have found him and killed him. 

This is a perfect example of something that starts out not really affecting the main plot but ultimately gets tied into the main story arc.

Many subplots are planned, but as you write, some subplots will spring up both through relationships you build and situations you infuse into your story. Hopefully those subplots contribute to the overall plot as you go. Ultimately though they can develop organically and unplanned.

Some additional tips about subplots:

• They should link to your main plot even if it is a loose connection
• They should be resolved at the end of the story or successfully tied into the main arc
• They should serve a specific purpose. Subplots should not be floating out in space without a tie in
• They should expand your story i.e. reveal necessary information that deepens the main plot
• They should help the story progress

How do you develop your subplot? Does it come as you write, or do you go in with subplots in mind?

Let's Talk About Sex

No, really, let's not. Not ever.

Years ago, I read a Middle Grade novel that sort of freaked me out. The general story, main character, writing was all solidly MG. But one thing was not, the way the Main Character described the girl he liked.

It was all, well, a little bit...





CREEPY.

One of the general unwritten rules of MG is that it's much less focused on romantic relationships than YA. But of course, its not like boys and girls only start liking each other in high school. Although kids are unique, most, if not all, kids like other kids way, way earlier than high school. Often, they just don't tell anybody. They keep it to themselves.

And probably, kids sometimes think things romantically about others that if put down on the page, would seem pretty damn William Dafoe.

So the question is, when it comes to things like Romance, bad language, anything like that...what responsibility does the author have to "tell it like it is" and what responsibility does the author have to act like a filter of un-creepiness?

Since I know that most MG writers drink while they write you may...what....you don't?



Well, if you do drink while you write MG or if you ever feel like you've crossed the line into Dafoe territory, give your MS to somebody with the instructions, "let me know if anything in here is a little too Ewww". Your job? Purge Dafoe from your work. Instead, up the tension. Purge Dafoe, create more laughs. Purge Dafoe, create more compelling characters. Your MS will be better the less creep you have.

Happy Writing and have a great weekend!

Liberty Belle - A new MG book coming in August

Meeting people will continue to be one of my favorite experiences of this new writing addiction. With Twitter contests and a fantastic network of writers online, it's easy for a newer writer to learn and grow.

Since I'm still somewhat uncomfortable trying to pass off writer related advice, I find myself welcoming the chance to review a middle grade book here and there - or introduce a debut writer.

With that, I'm pleased to introduce Emily Ungar and her debut novel, Liberty Belle. She recently inked a deal with Anaiah Press, a new Christian publisher. She kindly answered a few questions for me, which I've posted below.

How long have you been writing?

As a kid, I connected instantly to MG. I started writing my own projects in notebooks when I was 7 or so. Most of my “books” were about botched sleepovers and lost rabbits. As I evolved through my teen years, I wrote less. But I’ve been writing steadily now for the past 8 years (after I graduated college).

 

Do you only write MG?

I do have a few women’s fiction projects going as well.

 

Who’s a favorite author or character?

Louis Sachar and Ann M. Martin were always my go-to authors growing up.  And in terms of character, I really connected to Harriet the Spy. I loved when Harriet hid in the dumbwaiter to do her spying. To this day, I can’t think about dumbwaiters without thinking of her. (Not that I think of dumbwaiters often.)

 

Will you sign a copy of LIBERTY BELLE if I pay postage both ways?

Absolutely! I would be honored.

Cake, ice cream, or cookies?

Um, all of the above? Haha. But if I had to choose—it would be cake with buttercream icing. Birthday cake tastes the best!

 

 

Cats or dogs?

Dogs! I feel like many writers prefer cats, but I’m a sucker for a big slobbery basset hound.

While you write, do you prefer noise or quiet? (I know you have two little boys running around there. 😊)

It’s funny—when I first started writing, I had to have music to help me think. I had a playlist for each project. But now, I prefer the quiet. I think because I do have additional sounds in my life (i.e. my little boys!!) the quiet really helps me ground my thoughts. It’s almost like a keyboard meditation.

 

 

Good Luck Emily, Liberty Belle, and Anaiah Press! I hope you find many enthusiastic readers!

 

Liberty Belle by Emily Ungar

On the same day she turns twelve years old, Savannah moves away from everything she’s known in sweet, sunny Georgia to preppy Washington D.C. Not only will she miss her best friends Katie and Tessa, Savannah will start a new school. She soon discovers that her schoolmates love to brag—about their clothes, their parents’ governmental connections, and even who has the in with the school authorities.
 

Unhappy and lonely, Savannah decides if she can’t make life better, she can at least make it sound that way. Soon she is living in the childhood home of George Washington, riding in the limo of the vice president’s daughter, and even moving into the former Luxembourg embassy.

All is well until she learns that her true friends from Georgia are coming for a visit. Now Savannah must create the life she’s been talking about in her letters—and fast! Will Savannah find herself or lose her friends?

 Release Date:

12th August 2014

Trailer: Available from Youtube: http://youtu.be/DMo2A-LLCbQ

 

Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21802855-liberty-belle

Anaiah Press: http://www.anaiahpress.com

 

Emily Ungar is a graduate of Indiana University, where she majored in journalism. After living in seven different U.S. states by the time she finished college, she now lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, with her husband and very curious twin toddlers. When she isn’t chasing after her twin boys, Emily loves to curl up in a chaise lounge with a book in one hand and a lemon cupcake in the other. Emily loves connecting with her readers, so she welcomes you to say hi on her blog at emilyungar.com.

Twitter: @emilyungar

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/emilyungar/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13863166-emily-ungar 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilyungarauthor

Taking Criticism - no, I'm sorry, your manuscript isn't perfect....

I hate to break it to you...but that new manuscript you've been slaving away over, probably isn't perfect. I'm going to hit you hard, and I'm going to hit you quick. Pull it off like a band-aid. But you need to be told this. You've got some work to do, my friend, and you need someone to set you straight.

Oh come on. Don't cry. It's not that bad. Every writer needs to be told this.

I know, I know. You finish your manuscript, and you think it's the best thing since sliced bread...side note..depending on the sliced bread it's actually not that good for you. AVOID THAT HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP AND WHITE BREAD! Whole wheat is the way to go!

Ahem - where was I?

Yeah, so your fresh new manuscript. The idea may be amazing, and you may have had the words flowing from your mouth when you banged it out, but here's the thing. You have been blinded by your own creative juices! BEWARE THE NEW MANUSCRIPT BUG! It kills writers! And this is where your closest, and most honest colleagues come into play.

If you haven't done so already. Grab yourself a beta reader and critique partner. Now this can be your friend, or family member, but I'm warning you. This isn't always the best idea. Friends and family have a tendency to "sugarcoat" things. And as a writer, trying to perfect your craft that's the last thing you need. You need someone to tell you "Hey, um. This line sucks." or "This doesn't make any sense." or "I'm confused." or "Are you sure you're in the right line of work?" - Okay maybe that last one is a little harsh, if someone says that to you whack em over the head.

But in all seriousness, this needs to happen. You can't expect to get any better, if everyone keeps telling you that you're amazing. My parents for instance....oh, boy....I can't send them anything without them saying "OH MY GOD, TOM THIS IS YOUR BEST WORK YET I CANT WAIT TO SEE IT ON SHELVES" - seriously? Did you even read it? I can probably put in things that don't make any sense and they'll still love it...I NEED YOU TO TELL ME YOU HATE IT!!!! YOU DESPISE IT!!! RIP IT A NEW ONE!!!

I went to art school, and one of the things we learned in our classrooms is how to critique each others work and handle criticism. Criticism is meant to improve your work, and it's not meant to insult. We would hang our work up on the wall, and everyone, and I MEAN EVERYONE, would go around and we would take turns ripping each others artwork to pieces.

But guess what? We learned from these critique sessions. We learned what we were doing wrong, and the next time we had to do a similar project, we didn't make the same mistakes.The same goes for writing. If you have someone tell you that you are doing something wrong, you're not going to find yourself trapped in an endless cycle of producing the same errors over and over again. You're going to learn from it.

If you take criticism as an insult, you are not ready for this industry. People are going to hate your work, no mater how many other people love it. People are going to say your work is horrible. Now if those people don't give reasons, then they are just trolling. But if someone says to you "I don't like this, because I feel it does this...." or "I think you can do this...", you need to be open to the suggestion.

I just finished editing my latest MG manuscript thanks to the work of some great beta readers. And you know what? each of them ripped it apart to the next level. Now I look at my manuscript, and I think it's shiny like a newborn baby booty.

So take it from me, handle the criticism and take advantage of what people may think or suggest. If you find the right person to help, you'll find an invaluable person to assist you on your quest to becoming a writer.

Just don't take it personally. And if you do? Well, shake it off. Welcome to being a writer.

Book Review: The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Title: The 13th Sign Author: Kristin O'Donnell Tubb Genre: MG Fantasy Pages: 272 Publication date: 2013 Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Website: kristintubb.com My rating: 4.5 spitwads / 5

From Goodreads:

What if there was a 13th zodiac sign?

You’re no longer Sagittarius, but Ophiuchus, the healer, the 13th sign.

Your personality has changed. So has your mom’s and your best friend’s.

What about the rest of the world?

What if you were the one who accidentally unlocked the 13th sign, causing this world-altering change, and infuriating the other 12 signs?

Jalen did it, and now she must use every ounce of her strength and cunning to send the signs back where they belong. Lives, including her own, depend upon it.

***

I had the pleasure of meeting Kristin at the 2013 Midsouth SCBWI conference. I was even luckier to get my copy of The 13th Sign signed by her.

So why do I like this book so much?

Tons of reasons!

1) The hook. The 13th Sign is a totally unique concept. Sure there are books out there dealing with the Zodiac, but this is the first one I've ever read about someone unlocking a thirteenth sign that throws the entire world out of zodiacal whack. I mean, come on! How cool is that? Answer: very cool.

2) The pacing. Kristin does an amazing job jumping into the action without sacrificing that emotional exposition that the reader needs to connect with the character. The MC, Jalen, transforms into a much needed heroine once the worldwide personality shifts occur. And it's at that moment when we discover the true awesomeness of the take-charge-and-kick-some-astrology Jalen.

3) The villains. Every amazing hero needs an equally amazing villain. This book has twelve. And they each come with their own strengths, weaknesses, and personalities. Kristin plugs a lot of humor into the manifestations of the signs, and the trials Jalen encounters with each one is pretty epic. I'm talking this-needs-to-be-a-movie-right-now level of epicosity.

4) The voice. Jalen's thirteen. She's going through some personal crap. Now she's unleashed a whole new astrological sign that turns the world on its head. And Kristin does a killer job of injecting those action packed moments of butt-kickery with some of the more emotional gems that make Jalen's thoughts, words, actions, and motivations so genuine and fun to read.

So should you pick this book up and read it for yourself? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then I would say you totally should.

1. Do you enjoy fantasy?
2. Do you like mythology?
3. Do you dig astrology?
4. Do you love strong female characters?
5. Do you read books?

Question. Answered. You're welcome.

Happy reading!

A world as diverse as ours deserves books that represent it

Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/16/opinion/sunday/the-apartheid-of-childrens-literature.html

Over the past few months there has been lots of talk about diversity in publishing. Readers, reviews, writers and even agents are calling for more diversity in books.

 

There is a call to stop “white washing” book covers, stop having the token diverse friends who bring nothing to the story, stop the stereotypes and most of all give us more. There are lots of kinds of diversity. It’s not just race. It’s sexual orientation, culture, religion, physical and mental disabilities etc. Anything that makes someone *different*

Now, even publishers are joining in on the call.

Here’s the problem. Publishing is a business and as much as publishers are hopeful that things will change, that there will be books that represent our world in a meaningful way, if the books don’t sell… they won’t be bought by publishers.

We need things to change.

So, there are two things we can do to help this problem.

    1. Support the diverse kid lit already out there. 

http://www.katemessner.com/more-than-words-a-challenge-for-everyone-whos-been-asking-for-more-diversity-in-kids-books/

This week I found this post by MG author Shannon Messenger about a specific book coming out this month that she wants to see do well. It features a diverse set of characters including a black main character. I haven’t read this book, I don’t know how good it is or how well it represents diversity, but Shannon is on the right track here. We need to support the books we think deserve more attention. The more support give, the better the chances of that book doing what this industry desperately needs—selling!

So talk about the diverse books you come across. Buy them. Read them. Review them. Give them to kids. Give them to teachers. Support them.

  

            2. Write great books with diverse characters. 

               If all the great books being written are about non-diverse characters than that is the kind of books that will gain the most interest and sell the most. Even if publishers *want* to find books that represent our diverse word, they won’t publish books of sub par quality. So it’s our duty to write incredible books that deserve to be published and represent our incredible diverse world, full of all kinds of people. 

Writing diversity isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t fit the same demographic. So do your research. I suggest finding people who are like your characters. Writing with a Muslim character? Find a Muslim friend or fellow writer and ask questions. Let them read your book and see what they think. Writing about a blind character? Find someone to give you some advice.

You don’t have to build a plot around a diverse character, write your story but make sure you look at it with an open mind and look at it like the real world. The real world has people of all  colors, backgrounds, and cultures so remember that when you’re writing.

Our world is beautifully diverse and our literature deserves to be the same.

And if you're on twitter, use the #WeneedDiverseBooks hashtag to get the word out even more. Why do you think we need diverse books? Tweet it!