Pet Peeve: Words Have Weight

"Word have weight." 

                                 ---Holly Lisle

Today I am going to talk about a pet peeve of mine. Since most of my readers are also writers, I am going to be preaching to the choir on this one, but I figure some of you might not have thought about things this way. If you have, well then join me in the comments section and we can complain about it. :D

Today I read a funny article on Cracked.com about subjects people love to talk about, but most people don't want to hear about. Number one on the list was your book/script/screenplay. I rather enjoyed the article, especially since Daniel O'Brian made the caveat that most writers like to talk to other writers about their ideas. And most of the time, if you have a book or something to show for your efforts, "normal" "non-writer" people usually like to hear about your book because you have something to show for it.

I am going to add to that statement and say in my experience, even IF you have a book to show for your efforts, most people don't want to listen to you breathlessly talking about your space adventure cowboy romance between a sentient tree and a hamster. Short, interesting pitch sentences, yes. When my co-workers ask about what I am writing, I use that as an opportunity to practice my pitching skills. 

"It's a retelling of Snow White on a tundra, about an exorcist who promises her mother on her deathbed that she'll stop a demon summoning before the winter solstice, but she winds up discovering her mother's secret life in the cult." (that's the basic plot of my book, The Heart's Remains, in case I haven't mentioned it before).

See, that was short and sweet. I can gauge how interesting the story is (to some people) by their reaction. I can also choose to include different details to see what people seem to respond best to. When they ask for more information, I expound, but I usually don't go on at length about my book. 

I think a lot of people like the idea that you're a writer more than actually hearing about your book in detail. We're interested because it's our book, but most people really couldn't care.

I used to ramble on and on and on. It wasn't pretty. I would deluge the hapless sap who asked me about my book with details. "It's about this girl who's mother is sick from an unknown illness, and right before she dies she tells Sera, the main character, about a demon summoning that a secret cult is doing, and Sera promises to stop them, but then she finds out it's hard to find proof of the cult, and she gets sick herself, and she has a twin sister, and her friend gets possessed, and...."

To most people it's just a bunch of details. It doesn't make sense to them. 

But that's not my pet peeve. I have made my peace that 99% of the population is not rabidly excited about my book ideas.

In the comments section a lot of people disagreed with the author's statement that you need to have tangible results, like half a book, in order for most people to be interested in your book/film. Lots of people said that ideas were just as good, if not better, because you can see where the book is going.

I've also seen this basic sentiment prevalent on forums everywhere and in real life. How many people have you met that say they had a book idea? And it's going to be the best thing since Twilight/The Da Vinci Code/The Bible. Yet they have nothing to show for the idea.

I am not saying these people are lazy posers and need to write that idea down. Not everyone is a writer, after all. It's a lot of work. It's just really annoying to me when people act like having an idea is the same exact thing as actually writing a book.

I know I should be more understanding. They don't know, because they haven't written the book yet. They don't actually know how hard it is to get from the beginning to the end, and then to edit the sucker within an inch of it's life, and then...

The other thing these people don't seem to understand is words have weight.  Having an idea is great. It's the first step. But anyone who's ever had an idea and then wrote that out into a book knows that no idea remains completely intact from when you first had it. The words you're writing have weight. Even if you have an idea come to you and everything is laid out perfectly, and you write the book and barely a thing changes, the book still feels different than your idea. There's layers to it. Nuances and subtleties that you didn't conceive of intially.

That's okay. Normal. What's supposed to happen. But that's why I get annoyed when people try to compare having an idea to writing a book. It's not as easy as simply jotting the idea on paper and selling it for millions of dollars.  

If it was, everyone would have a book out there.

So there. That's my rant. I'll stop foaming at the mouth.

So what do you guys think? Am I nuts? Or does that burn your biscuits too?

The Sound of Music

Wikiommons and I are BFF.

Okay guys, going to go on a bit of a excited rant today, but I just have to share.

You know how when you finish a rough draft, and like a good little writer, you wait a while to start revision? Only now as you're trying to revise, you can't remember why you loved this idea in the first place. Writing the book seems so long ago. It would be easier to just start another book, and leave this one out in the cold to die of exposure.

At least, that's what that evil voice inside your head is telling you.

The trick is to find a way to fall in love with your story all over again. You might have different methods, but for me I always go back to what made me fall in love with the story in the first place. 

Usually, it's the initial idea coupled with music. I guess it's just how my subconscious articulates my story ideas to me, but I've always made elaborate playlists for the book in general and characters specifically. Through listening to songs I can feel what my character feels, and even get images of scenes.

During writing, it keeps me going when I lose track of why I started the book. During revision, it has the extra benefit of reminding me why I love the book so much.  All I have to do is play a certain song, and I am right back to the first love. 


Elizabeth Davis showed me this awesome little widget called Grooveshark, where you can load music into a little mini playlist. Naturally I spent a few hours loading music so you guys could hear some of the songs that inspired me while I was writing "The Heart's Remains".  You should be proud of the restraint I showed; my first impulse was to put, like, a hundred songs into that bad boy. Then I thought, "Wait, no one is going to actually listen to this. Simmer down."

I was very, very impressed with Grooveshark's music selection. I have...varied music tastes. Songs are basically little books to me, so I've heard a lot of weird and strange songs. Rock, pop, symphonic metal, and indie are my favorite, but I have a little bit of everything in my music library. 


But Grooveshark came through for me. For example, Iced Earth, while well known in some circles, isn't exactly as popular as Lady Gaga. Also, the particular song of Iced Earth's that I wanted wasn't their most popular. But Grooveshark had both the album and live version, which makes me oh so happy because "A Question of Heaven" is one of the top three songs that fueled my inspiration. I wanted you guys to have the chance to hear if it the urge struck you. 

Word to the Wikicommons.

Even more obscure than Iced Earth are songs from "Dance of the Vampires". Here's the story behind "Dance of the Vampires" and where I show you what a geek I truly am.

"Dance of the Vampires" is a Broadway adaptation of a film called "The Fearless Vampire Hunters, or Excuse Me, but Your Fangs are in My Neck" directed by none other than Roman Polanski (Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown). It's every bit as campy and creepy as you would expect from the name. Then for some reason they thought it would make a great musical, and so it was made into a German musical, "Tanz Der Vampire". Jim Steinman, the guy that wrote Meat Loaf's music before they had a falling out, wrote the songs for the musical, so many of score sounds vaguely familiar.

THEN they decided to adapt it for Broadway. Michael Crawford himself took the lead, but after lots of creative problems, they canceled the shows and lost tons of money. Despite the problems the show had, the songs are awesome. If you're writing about vampires, doomed heroes, or just want to add some gothic horror to your mood music, this soundtrack is for you. The songs I found are "Endless Appetite", "Original Sin,", and "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Steve Barton and "Seize the Night" by Kyle Gordon. 


If you like those songs, there are two songs I couldn't find on Grooveshark that are amazing: "Braver than We Are" and "Dance of the Vampires." (note, "Dance of the Vampires" is the German version because I cannot find the English version on Youtube. But the German version is also awesome so you're not missing out. Elaine Caswell sings in the English version, so if you want to go spelunking on the Internets, my hat's off to you.)


Also, to highlight some awesome songs since I did load lots of them in there:


"Snuff" by Slipknot. I know, I know. You're thinking you hate heavy metal. But this song is slower and has less thrashing than you would think. Also, the lyrics are friggin' amazing, most notably "If I can change, I hope I never know." Seriously, this song just tears my heart out. Tragic villain, anyone?


Also, if you're looking for more villain/antagonist type songs, "Talons" by Bloc Party is a good choice. "I have been wicked. I have been arrogant." Sings the band, and so might your characters!


Oh yeah, HIM! HIM and I go way back. Yes, I went through a goth phase in high school, how did you know? The thing I like about HIM is their lyrics are very, very over the top. I mean, stuff like "Have no fear, there are wounds that are not meant to heal." But Valo, the lead singer, has a smooth, upbeat voice. So it's almost like he's giving you the thumbs up while he's talking about being sad. It takes the edge off for what could be too much melodrama. At least, that's my opinion. I've gone back and forth with some friends about how effective their songs are because of the melodramatic lyrics.


Nick Cave! Surely you guys have heard of him. He is one of the greatest male vocalists today, in my very humble opinion. I resisted the urge to upload five or six more of his songs in my Grooveshark player, just so you know. *pats self on the back*


Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Sarah McLachlin's "Do What You Have to Do" called "Track 5" in Grooveshark. It's an amazing song. "I had the sense, to recognize that I don't know how to let you go." Maaaaaaaaan. 


So yeah. I give unto you a smidgen of my playlist for "The Heart's Remains." I have to stop talking about the songs right now, or this post is going to go on forever. (*Is hasn't already?* Someone snarks in the back. I heard you.)

PSA: Goals, Motivation, and Conflict

Just as a helpful reminder to all of you out there who are diligently writing, it's really great for your book if the main character has clear goals, motivation, and conflict. What would be equally great is having GMC through the entire book, and not just a few scenes here and there.

ALSO, if the stakes were clearly stated. That helps oodles. This way the really awesome twists and turns of your plot can fully be appreciated, because the reader knows exactly how the latest turn of events affects the character.

What's that? Why do I sound so sarcastic? No real reason, other than me realizing that I blatantly ignored the above advice during the first draft of "The Heart's Remains", that's all. The book starts with plot, and then subplot, and then the rest of the time is vaguely connected subplot, and then he ending comes along like a party crasher.


Yeah, I have some work to do. But that's okay. Because I love this idea (who doesn't love the idea of a steampunk setting and a demon summoning? Good times.) and I already have some ideas on how to fix things. I've also learned that I don't do very well with writing by the seat of my pants. 


I regret nothing. I have some great scenes in this book, now I just have to connect them in a way that makes sense. Sometimes the books you mess up the most in the first draft are the ones you learn lots from. 


This is going to be one of those times. Good for you and me, and fun for all.


So yeah, I just thought I would throw that helpful reminder out there for you guys.

A Bittersweet End

I finished my rough draft titled "The Ghosts Between Us" on this past Wednesday. 

This was met with a curious feeling. I was glad to be finished, but I didn't have that elated this-is-the-greatest-book-EVAR feeling either. It was more like, "Well, that's done for now."

I didn't get on the Internets to Tweet and blog about how I finished. I actually waited a little while before I mentioned it on Twitter, and even when I did I felt a little guilty. Because I knew I wasn't done-done. I mean, yes, the rough draft was done, but that was just one step in a long journey.

Having been through two grueling revisions, I knew in no uncertain terms what lay ahead of me. Revision. Both fun and nightmarish. So while I was happy to be done, I knew it was definitely "for now." Major emphasis on the "for now" part.

At first I worried there was something wrong with me, or worse, the book. Maybe my lack of jubilation was because I broke the book and my subconscious knew it. But after speaking to Liz, she reassured me that it's totally normally. As she put it, "you're stopping for a glass of water while climbing up a mountain." 

Yeah, that's exactly what it feels like. I am taking a break from "The Ghosts Between Us" to revise the rough draft I finished a few months ago, "The Heart's Remains."

Then it's back to "The Ghosts Between Us", and like the ghosts in the book (see what I did there?) the mistakes and plot holes I created will come back to haunt me. But that's okay. The really awesome thing about revision is it's your do-over button. You constantly get to say "re-do" until you get it right.

Which might be the greatest thing about writing. 

What about you? Do you always feel excited when you finish a rough draft? Or have you always felt somewhat deflated?

It's the End of the World As We Know It (I Feel Fine)

Go ahead and play that R.E.M. song up there...it's an excellent anthem, especially for a Friday. So after a long, gruelling morning wrestling with my current work in progress, I have officially come to the conclusion that I am done with the first draft.

I know, it sounds odd to not really know if I am done with the first draft yet or not. But this book has been...shall we say, a problem child. I've had three false starts, and one major stall in the middle. The book is now a Frankenstein book, where there are tangents that need to be cut, scenes that are missing, and a whole lot of steps in the middle that I had to skip out of necessity. Confused yet? I was this morning!

I was going to write some of those missing scenes, but in order to know the context (Is this before or after she discovered the secret plot? After she found out the Big Secret?), I would have to know exactly what happened in the beginning. The beginning of the book is where some of the biggest changes were made, and I have lost all manner of objectivity with this first draft. So I decided that this will be a good place to stop tinkering with the first draft, and just call it done. I will have plenty of time to find my plot holes in revision. It feels really anticlimactic to write a book like this. There's no clear "Okay, I wrote the end. Now I am done, huzzah!" to it. But I am come as far as I can with this first draft. The next step would be to start tearing the book apart and figuring out what to cut and what to keep.

Hey guys, anyone want to do "Swan Lake"?

And that is very clearly revision. So hence my decision to call it done.

I am tired, too. I've been working hard on this book since December, and working hard on first drafts since October. Before that, I was working hard with developing these two projects. In between my own work, I'd also beta read four plus books. So yeah, tired.

Playing Guitar Hero with my twin brother yesterday, and reading the awesome comments on the post really put some things into perspective for me. When all you do is go to the day job and write, with very few things in between, writing can feel like an all consuming task. You loose some perspective on it, because it's all you're doing. A rejection feels like the end of the world. A stalled scene feels like utter failure.

But it's not. It's business as usual. Sure, this first draft is a hot mess, but that's no big deal. I can fix it, it's not completely broken. I have as long as I need to make it the best book I know it can be. So do you.

So after a week of hard posts, let's all take a collective sigh. It's going to be okay--really it is. It feels like a world changing problem, but it's not.

Do something fun this weekend! Shake things up! Paint the dog! Bathe the cat! Get lost on purpose!

And then come tell us about the fun you had.

What do you like to do for fun? 

I would so go walking there if I could right now.

*thank you, Free Digital Pictures for making this post prettier.

Past the Point of No Return

It is a lovely Friday to behold!

I am still in love with my novel. It feels perfect and wonderful and I have a great feel for the voice of my characters and love the story. Needless to say, I am approaching the middle. Soon I will be posting dark thoughts about burning the book and dancing on it's ashes, but for now, the romance is still young. Ahh young love.


I have been getting migraines recently, which is hindering the writing process. I have really bad TMJ problems as I have previously mentioned and I am working with an oral surgeon to correct the problem. In the meantime...migraines!


Writing is helping me in the sense that it gives me something to focus on other than the feeling that I have mistakenly placed my head in a vice. Sort of like a two for one: I get a novel, and a distraction from my headaches. 

I am really enjoying writing steampunk. It's my first foray into the genre, and I have to tell you: it's a lot of fun. I've also woven some gothic elements into the novel, which seems to fit really naturally with steampunk, given the Neo-Victorian era was the time frame for both. 

I really enjoyed Rachelle Gardner's post today. She talked about coming to the end of herself, and just when she thought she couldn't go on, she found that she had more to give. Writing is like that for me. I start the book, excited about the plot and characters but eventually I loose steam (see what I did there? Huh? Huh? Anyone? *cricket*). 

I worry about the characters, the setting. I think that it's the worst thing I have ever written and no one could ever love it. I should go back to doing...something else (my inner critic has a hard time with this insult because I have always wanted to be a writer. I have my day job to support my writing. So there's really not a profession for me to go back to. But that doesn't stop her from insulting me!).


But then I reach down deep into myself and realize that there's more to give. I am invested more than ever in this story being told. I find the strength to continue on. This strength helps me through the revision process, it helps me through the critiquing process, and it's going to help me through the query process.


Oh yeah, the Rejectionist has this post today with a funny cat video. I have watched it a bajillion times already. I keep rooting for that cat...


So, have you ever reached a point where you thought you couldn't go on...and then discovered in fact you can?

Birthday Blogfest!

The day has come! Today is the one year anniversary of my blog, and as a celebration we're having a blogfest.

I tried to get my Linky widget onto this page so the rest of the entries would be here, but after looking at it I am afraid I will break the rest of the links. So here is the link to the other bloggers: 

Birthday Blogfest!

Be sure to check out everyone else's entries! I am so excited to see what every one else wrote!

Here is my own entry. It's about twins!

Dear Aurora,

            I am really sorry about what happened at our birthday party. I don’t know how things got so out of hand. Our celebration started out like any other. People congratulated us on finally coming of age, and Uncle Senu made lots of embarrassing jokes. So pretty much a normal family gathering for us.

            I tried to stop Dad from bringing up our matchmaking charts. You know how much it embarrasses me. You shouldn’t feel bad about scoring so low—you can’t help that you were born with red hair any more than I can help being born with black hair. I love how you’re interested in alchemy no matter what the rest of society thinks. I wish I could be that free sometimes. You scoff when I say that, but it’s true. No one expects you to marry a duke or a prince so you get to study and do whatever you want.

            It just really hurts my feelings when you act like I enjoy this attention, because I don’t. Everyone is making all of these wild assumptions about the men who will court me, and I feel like I have to singlehandedly make an amazing match or the family is going to starve to death. Sometimes I lay awake at night and worry about it.

            Even if I do match a good match, so what? It will be based on something I didn’t do—I was born with the gift of beauty. It’s such a shallow trait to be praised for. It really is uncomfortable when the ladies make a big deal about it. I didn’t earn it.

No one tells me what a good exorcist I am, even though I try as hard as I can. You feel bad about being compared to me, but I also feel bad being compared to you. Like the only use I have is to marry for money and bring in a large dowry. You’re free to pursue your dreams, and the man that does court you, will court you because he loves your personality—and looks—as much as I do.

Because we’re twins, we share our destinies. So when Aunt Reneska wants to know why you didn’t score higher on your matchmaking chart, I also feel humiliated. I wish you wouldn’t shut me out, because I do understand what you are going through. I really do.

I wrote you this letter because I wanted to tell you I love you, and I am sorry. It will get better, I swear. We’ll figure out some way to solve our courting problems. In the meantime, we can go back to playing pranks on Thasana. You’re always up for that.

All my best, always,

Sera

 

Book Trance

Isn't it strange how the days just merge together? It doesn't help that my day job has me working evenings with strange days off (Wednesday and Sunday). Sometimes it takes a minute for me to remember what day it is. 

I am in a routine of get up, shower and dress, and sit in front of the computer until it's time to go to work. I don't think very hard about the day of the week except to keep track of when I have a day off coming up. 

Keeping track of the days is even harder now that I am in that trance state. If you've been in the middle of a first draft, you know what I am talking about. That feeling of being disconnected with reality. I go through the motions of eating, driving, and working, but it feels like my spirit is somewhere else. Inside my book, thinking and breathing my characters.

It's a good feeling, because for this book in particular the characters were a long time coming. I used to wish I was one of those writers who came up with plots first, and then characters. But with my current work in progress, The Heart's Remains, I came up with the premise first. It's been really different to work backwards, but the good news is I finally feel like I am in the mind set of my characters. I guess that's what I get for thinking writers who come up with the plot first have it "easier". There is no easier, there's just a different approach. 


I am really glad I have the Internet to meet other writers with. Truly. I am a social person, and I don't usually have a hard time interacting with other people. But sometimes, like now, when I experience something outside the normal, like my book trance, I feel alone. My co-workers comment I seem spacier than normal. And how can I explain? I am spacing out because I am picturing my book, my characters? I am thinking about what they eat for dinner, and which side of the bed my main character prefers to sleep on? I actually tried to explain to a coworker once, but got a lot of strange looks after that. So I simply smile now, and say I am daydreaming.


At no other time is the inherent "weirdness", that strangeness that marks me as a writer, more obvious than when I am a book trance. It seems ironic that one of the markers of being a writer should also be one of my favorite aspects of it. I LOVE the feeling of being far away, in book land. But it can be very lonely.

It's actually hard for me to reconnect with the real world sometimes. It takes a certain mental concentration to pay attention to what people are saying that I don't normally have to work for. But when my heart is in the book, it's a struggle to pay attention to people. 


Even if I can connect with people in real life, I still feel like an outsider. They wouldn't understand if I tried to explain to them that I am in the story world right now. Which is why I am glad I have the Internet, and other writers. Maybe you guys don't leave the real world behind exactly in the same manner I do, but you still understand where I am coming from. Or rather, where I am going. Because you've been there before too.


I just wanted to thank all of my followers and people who stop by my blog for making this writer's life a little less solitary. 


Do you ever feel removed from "normal" people? How do you deal with that? Does it bother you?