It Gets Crowded in There

I enjoyed Michele's post on people-watching as a way of developing your characterization skills, so I think I'll just continue on that same line. Creating living, breathing, flesh-and-blood characters is one of the top skills a novelist has to learn. In my book, it's the most important skill of all. As I was told early on in my career: "It doesn't matter if you've got the greatest, most fascinating plot in the world. If readers don't care enough about your characters to turn the page, they'll stop reading." Good advice.

Of course, I write "character-driven" books. They may be mysteries, but the characters drive the story. For me, it's all about characters. They're the ones who bring me the stories in the first place.

I know it sounds weird, but that's how it happens for me. These characters just show up inside my head. Where do they come from? Who knows? Probably a lifetime of people-watching and a lifetime of being around people. Let's face it, unless we're hermits, we're around people most of the time. So, everything we see and hear and read and smell and touch goes inside our little heads and down into that great big "stew" of imagination that's always cooking on our mental stove. Feel free to use your own metaphor of choice, if stew doesn't do it for you. I like to picture that big pot bubbling while we stir it, different things popping to the surface. (Was that a boot? )

I've been writing mysteries for several years now, but before that I wrote sprawling historicals for years and years. It doesn't matter what I write. The same thing happens. The characters show up inside my head first. Whether I've invited them or not. They don't ask, they just show up. Suddenly, there they are. Believe me, it can get crowded sometimes.

I realize that we novelists are terminally weird, and this probably sounds strange to normal people, but. . . we wouldn't have it any other way. Those characters are the lifeblood of our stories. And for me. . .that's why I write. In fact, it's the only way I can get them to shut up.

People Watching

Since J.B. touched on research, I'll add to it. I agree, we are an odd bunch--researching poisons, explosives, and other ways to knock off people. Hey, someone has to do it.

But there is another aspect to research that I really enjoy, and that is studying human nature. As writers, we create a slew of characters from the recesses of our mind. Each character is a real person (sort of--you know what I mean). They have to come across as real. They need real faults, real positives, real vulnerabilities, real families or real reasons why they don't have a family and real backgrounds, even if those backgrouonds are not included in your story. You as an author, need to develop them, because if you know everything there is to know about your characters, then what happens on the page for the reader is realism. At least realism in the belief of the character. Sure the plot might sometimes be off, like let's be REAL (word of the day)--how many of us are going to go out and solve a murder? Yeah--me either. But a reader can put that thought aside, because the characters are real to them. And, readers start to care and they want to know what is going to happen next with the characters and their lives. You create characters, your plot will follow nicely. You create poor characters, it doesn't matter how great the plot.

So, one thing I like to do is--people watch, and listen. I am such the eavesdropper, and I've learned to do it well. I can actually multi-task at this. I can be out with my husband who is telling me about his work, and at the same time watch a couple and notice their body language. Oh sure at times, my hubby has to say, "Are you listening?" He's learned to accept that as a writer, my mind is in about 100,000 places at once. Anyway, the best way to do this people watching thing is go down to the local Starbucks or wine bar, or favorite restaurant, and pick out a few tables in your head. Then watch and "listen" if you can to the people there. Try not to be obvious as this does seem to irritate people. Take notes on their body language, tone, physical descriptions, the way they move. As you do this, you will be able to take it back home and put it on the page. You won't neceassrily put the same people on the page, but you will get a lesson in human behavior and actions and you can utilize that in every character that you write about, or you can combine images that you see.

And, heck, if for nothing else, at least you had a good excuse to write-off that dinner. You were researching. Oh, I sure hope no one form the IRS reads this.

Have a wonderful week,and if you see me staring at you ever--I am not a freak (maybe), I am simply researching human behavior. Who knows, maybe you'll pop up on one of my pages.

Cheers,
Michele

Mystery Chicks Have All The Fun

Mystery writers have so much fun! We do oddball research that can range from how a .22 caliber gun shoots at close range to the Latin names of cattle vaccines to recipes for authentic chicken enchiladas.

It must be strange to live with a mystery writer. We are always killing people in print and when we’re not writing a "death chapter", we’re planning on snuffing someone in the near future. We scheme on behalf of our villains and leave our victims with little chance of survival. We stab, shoot, poison, suffocate, and commit vehicular manslaughter on a regular basis.

I often call my father-in-law in Utah (he is an expert on certain dangerous drugs) to ask him for advice on deadly dosages, side effects, and the appearance of cadavers. My husband listens to these conversations with a smirk on his face. He knows how much I enjoy coming up with original murder scenarios and how much his father enjoys pontificating over the negative uses of opiates. What a family!

The other night, I was looking for something on the Internet when I suddenly blurted, “There just isn’t enough clip art of poisons in cyberspace!” My husband replied, “Isn’t that a good thing?” I scowled and continued to complain. “And all the clip art showing murderers and felons shooting guns are drawings of men! Women kill people too.” This comment was followed by my husband swiveling around on his desk chair to ask, “Are we having dinner soon?”

So here we are—the Cozy Chicks. We cook, clean, care for children, and do a little harmless killing. A reader once asked me how I come up with character traits for my villains. Easy. I think back to those who did me wrong in high school, junior high, and even in grade school. I change their names and imagine what they’d look like as grown-ups, and then they end up as victims or go to jail in my books. The thing is, I’ve run out of those folks, so I’ve been asking strangers to recollect a person who really mistreated them in the past and to tell me what the miscreant was like. As long as I write, I can even up the score for nice people a bit in print! Fun, huh?

What is your favorite part about being a writer?

Why I should never go into a warehouse store

So I cleaned out my pantry the other day. And guess how many jars of peanut butter I found?

Nine.

Cans of garbanzo beans?

Seventeen.

Bottles of Hershey's Syrup?

Four.

You see where I'm going with this, don't you?

I'm a hoarder. And a sucker for a 'good deal'. Which means I will buy 150 packages of a breakfast cookie my kids have never tried, because it's a 'bargain'. Of course, more often than not they sample one and decide it's not to their liking. But I've been a smart shopper! I've gotten a deal! Right?

And at least I always have something to give when the Food Bank comes calling.

Lately, however, I have been cutting down on some of my excess. Which means lots of trips to shelters and Goodwill -- and food banks, naturally. (And a lot less time at Costco and Sam's Club.) But I've wondered where this tendency comes from. Is it just my nature? Is it genetic? Or somehow... somewhere... a learned behavior? I mean, this started early. I remember stashing bags of granola in my room -- 'just in case' -- when I was in fourth grade. Just in case of what? That the ceiling might cave in down the hall and prevent me from reaching the kitchen?

The source of all of this became a little bit clearer when my mother came over the other day. On the counter was a sheet set I bought four (perhaps five) years ago and never opened. Its destination? Goodwill, or SafePlace, a local shelter for battered women and children. When I bought the set, I think I briefly entertained some fantasy about making curtains for Abby's room. (Har, har, har. What was I thinking?) The sheets matched the comforter my daughter had at the time, but the comforter has since had two disastrous encounters -- one with our house rabbit's teeth, and one with a purple permanent pen -- and has since been replaced.

But my mother spotted the sheets and lit up. "Oh, you found some more sheets with this pattern! I LOVE this pattern!"

I said, "Actually, I was going to give them away. They don't fit Abby's bed, and the comforter died years ago."

My mother came back with "Oh, that would be such a shame. They're brand new. Won't they work on the trundle?" (Which has had the same yellow sheet on it for five years and has been used exactly twice.)

After that, of course, I couldn't give them away. And now they're taking up space in my linen closet. Next to some blue and white striped sheets I remember sleeping on 30 years ago, actually. And the green and white ones in the same pattern.

Hm. Maybe it is genetic.

Any other pack rats out there? Any former pack rats?

-- Karen (who is attempting to reform)

And the nominees are...

Heading for the Malice Domestic Mystery Conference this year? If so you probably already received your ballot for the Agatha Award, and you're probably trying to remember all the terrific books you read in 2006 and whether any of them are eligible.

Well, the good news is ANY cozy or traditional mystery that was first published in 2006 is eligible for nomination. All you have to do is write the name of the book and author on your ballot. The Agatha Awards are truly fan-based, so that means that the books with the most nominations, final--regardless of whether publishers remembered to submit books or not.

That means each and every one of the Cozy Chicks has a book eligible for nomination this year, so we're hoping for some kind of Crazy Cozy Sweep!

For Best First Novel, both J.B and Karen are eligibile. Karen's MURDER ON THE ROCKS is the first book about Maine inkeeper Natalie Barnes.



JB has two eligible books!

CARBS AND CADAVERS, first book in the new Supper Club mystery series.



And A KILLER COLLECTION, first in the Collectible Mystery series.




And then there are the rest of us old timers vying for Best Novel ... in alphabetical order:

Laura Durham's FOR BETTER OR HEARSE, second book in the Annabelle Archer Wedding Planner series.



Diana Killian's SONNET OF THE SPHINX, third book in the Poetic Death series set in the English Lake District.



Michele Scott also has two books: MURDER UNCORKED and SADDLED WITH TROUBLE. SADDLED IS THE FIRST IN HER NEW QUARTER HORSE series.





DEADLY YARN is the third book in Maggie Sefton's popular knitting series:



And last but never least, previous Agatha-nominee Heather Webber is again eligible with DIGGING UP TROUBLE.



ALL of the Cozy Chicks will be at Malice, and we're looking forward to meeting you! Be sure to drop by and say hi!

Mid-Winter Blahs

If you're like me, you start off the new year with lots of big plans and the best of intentions--and right now I'm still on that high. The proof being that I'm about a third way through re-organizing my office.

Progress is slow partly because I'm working on my office after the day's writing is done, and partly because I HATE sorting papers. It's so much easier to put everything away the minute I open the envelope, but at a certain point each year, I start letting the papers pile up. And up. And up.

So I'm discovering everything from a couple of cards I forgot to give my husband (hey, it's the thought that counts, right) to letters from a former publisher giving me rights back on an old project. Scary.

Needless to say I don't feel in the position to give anyone advice on organizing her office space. Instead, I'm going to give you my never-fail recipe for treating yourself and beating the mid-winter blues. This works best if you feel self-righteous following a day of Getting Stuff Done.

My recipe actually consists of two recipes.

My favorite winter beverage is called Pimm's Cup. You Anglophiles are probably familiar with it, although it is considered a summer beverage in Britain. Anyway, this is California and compared to Britain, it's always summer. Even when it's snowing. So, after years of experimenting, I think I've got the perfect Pimms Cup recipe down cold.

Take a Pilsner glass and rim the edge with lemon juice and sugar. Fill the glass three quarters full of gingerale (Seven Up will do, but I prefer gingerale) and top the glass with Pimm's No. 1 (which is gin, quinine and a top secret mixture of herbs). Add a squirt of lime and garnish with a slice of same.

And to snack on: Clam Dip. This is our ancient family recipe. I understand that my great-great-greats were munching on this when the other Pilgrims were eating pemmican.

Take a 8 oz. bar of cream cheese, soften it up. Mince in one clove of garlic, add a teaspoon of Worchester sauce, a dash of lemon juice, a bit of clam broth and a can of clams. Get a nice big bag of dip chips.

Finally, grab a stack of books you've been longing to read or rent a stack of DVDs you've wanted to see...and enjoy yourself. You deserve it!

Writers' Groups Revisited

I definitely agree with Laura about MWA. It is a great writers' organization and if you're interested in writing mysteries, joining is a must. I joined MWA before I was pubbed in mystery, same for Sisters in Crime.

But----I have some additional advice. By the time I joined MWA & SinC, I had been a participating member of a "regular" fiction writers' organization for over ten years. Not just one fiction writers' organization, but THREE. Yep. You heard right. These organizations were not focused on one genre of fiction. They concentrated on teaching you the CRAFT of fiction and everything involved in the business of creating commercial fiction from plotting to marketing and everything in between.

For those of you who are already writing fiction, planning to write fiction someday, or thinking about planning to write fiction someday----I strongly suggest you join a professional writers' organization and start learning. Fiction is a craft and like it or not, we all have to apprentice in the craft. Very few people just sit down at the computer one day and start cranking out good, solid, marketable novels. We learn how to do that. And there's no place better to learn than a professional writers' organization.

A professional writers' group will offer monthly meetings with speakers who address some aspect of craft. Also, a monthly newsletter with articles on craft topics. And most of those articles will not be just interviews with writers talking about their books (even though they have that as well), most speakers and articles will be focused on teaching. Believe me, there is an immense difference in listening to someone talk about their novels and someone talking about how to CREATE a novel. Again, it comes down to focus. The focus of professional writers' groups is on teaching. Yes, the genre groups do some of that as well, but the writers' groups do a whole lot more of it. So----your progress in the craft is accelereated.

Of course, the networking opportunities of the groups is another huge reason to join. You meet other people who share your interests, who are learning just like you, and you help each other. And----this is a biggie----the professional writers' groups usually have group-sanctioned critique groups in all genres: sci fi, fantasy, mystery, romance, historical, and others. Well-run critique groups are invaluable in improving in the craft. You learn what your strengths and weaknesses are in a supportive atmosphere. Most of us who are pubbed now would have taken much longer to get there if we hadn't gotten honest, fair, constructive feedback on our stories early on.

And---here's another big reason to join: yearly conferences. Some of the best regional writers' groups have yearly conferences where authors, editors, agents, specialists (like CSI investigators), and other experts in their field present workshops over a long weekend. It's an intense experience, but priceless. You get to network with your fellow writers, meet new writers, discover authors you never knew about, meet your favorite authors, and listen to them telling you HOW to improve your own fiction----with specific details.

Those conferences also have another huge selling point: editor and agent appointments. You can sign up for individual 10-minute appts with an editor or agent of your choice so you can pitch your finished novel. Believe me, folks----this is invaluable. Having a few minutes alone with an editor or agent beats the heck out of trying to get a moment of their attention in a group of people. Again---the focus is on helping the writer get published.

How do you find these writers' groups? Writers' Digest has lists. Also, you can Google "writers' groups" in your geographical area. Some of the best ones are regional, like two of the ones I belong to here in the Rocky Mountain West: Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers in Denver, CO, and Pikes Peak Writers in Colorado Springs, CO. Both offer two of the best yearly conferences in the US. (www.rmfw.org) & (www.ppwc.org).

Another great group which offers a dynamite national conference each year is Romance Writers of America (RWA). Ostensibly, its focus is on romance novels. But in actuality, RWA is one of the best "equal opportunity" writers' organizations around. It doesn't matter what kind of novel you're writing. RWA's craft workshops will help you write it better. There are local chapters all over the country too. I can personally attest to the quality of their workshops, because it was the third writers' group that I joined once I became serious about writing years ago.

I hope this has been helpful to those of you who are serious about writing fiction. Good luck.

In the Kitchen, Baby!

I have a handful of passions other than writing--my kids, meditating (I'm really sleeping--HA!), reading, walking, horses, and cooking. I love to cook! I hate to clean--wish i had someone to follow behind me because I am seriously not the neatest cook in the kitchen. In fact, the first Thanksgiving my husband joined my family with (lucky he still wanted to marry me after), was brilliantly tasteful, but when John walked into my house/kitchen mid-stream that day, I had bowls everywhere, and even flour in my hair, and on my face. Yes--it was like a sitcom. The food came out great, if I do say so myself--granted I was using a Julia Child's cookbook. And, somehow we got the house pulled together before the rest of the crew arrived.

Typically you will not find me using a cookbook. I scour them for ideas, but as I'm reading them, or if I'm watching Rachael Ray or Food Network, I always add my own twist. I think, oh a little jalapeno in there would be good, etc. We like it spicy around here. I like being creative with my cooking, and you'll be hard pressed to ever get the same exact meal around here, because once I've made it, well, that's it. I may use some of the same flavors together again, but I'm always switching it up. Of course, I have to get the recipes down when doing a wine lover's mystery. That's the hardest part of writing the books for me.

Yesterday, I decided to try out a new recipe on my mom, sister, and husband, and got the thumbs up to put it into the next book.

Here's a preview. Shrimp Quesadillas!

1 lb shrimp--clean, peel and deveined (med. to large shrimp), place in medium bowl
a big splash or three of tequila. I chose the three splashes.
1 tbsp honey
1 serrano or jalapeno pepper
1 cup cilantro
small jar of salsa (1- 1/1/2 cups), or crushed tomatoes, if you want less spice. I like the Frontera or Herdez brands of Salsa. I use them a lot when making marinades or in cooking. It's cheating (I know). I could make my own salsa. But these days, there are some great store bought ones that cut down on your cooking time, and with a big family, it helps a lot. I don't have two hours to spend in the kitchen. My guess is, neither do you.
1/2 cup lime juice

Mix all the ingredients together, and let it marinade for up to 2 hours. I marinated for about thirty minutes. Then, you can either skewer your shrimp and put them on the barbie (I always wanted to say that--shrimp on the barbie), or if you don't have a grill, or it's too damn cold to go outside to the grill right now (it's even cold in So. Ca (30 at night): I know, you're thinking I'm a wuss. Hey, I was born and raised here. Anyway, if you don't want to grill them shrimpies, put them in the pan, let them pink up, and viola, you are ready for the next step.

1/2 cup jack cheese
1/2 cup cheddar

You can really use any kind of cheese you want. It's all a matter of taste. You can even get super fancy and get a smoked gouda, do some carmelized onions and mushrooms, and you've gone all gourmet. But for our purposes, this quesadille was for Sunday afternoon football watching.

Spray a shot of cooking spray into a pan, place one tortilla down, put one cup of cheese onto the tortilla, then put your shrimp down, then your next cup of cheese, top tortilla down, cook on each side for a out a minute or two, flip and finish cooking. Slice into six pieces. YUMMY! If you want you can add salsa or guacamole, whatever suits your fancy, but we enjoyed it as is. The marinade on the shrimp is very flavorful, and could also be used with chicken.

So, there you have it-- a little sneak into a possible recipe for the next book. I am always open to hearing new recipes, so if you have something to send this way, please do. Who knows, maybe you'll find it in a wine lover's mystery with your name attached. Example: Karen MacInerney's Pecan Crusted Pork Chops. Don't know if she makes those, but they sound good.

Cheers,
Michele

Power in Numbers

I just returned from a weekend in NYC with a bunch of other crazy mystery writers. All crazy enough to agree to be on the National Board of MWA (Mystery Writers of America), that is. Despite moments of misgiving about the time it will take (one more things to add to the mix), it was nice to be reminded of the benefits of writers' organizations.

MWA and Sisters in Crime are both fabulous organizations for published authors and pre-published alike. I know that I have met wonderful friends and some pretty incredible writers through our own chapter of MWA. And for those of you hoping to get published, meeting writers, editors and agents is what it is all about. I know I found my agent, not by query letters, but through an author friend. At the board meeting this weekend, two members reported that they found their agents (who then sold their books) at the MWA Agents and Editors cocktail party during Edgar Week. What could be better?

If you are serious about getting published, you should seriouly consider getting involved in a writer's organization. Almost half of MWA's members are pre-published and many become published after joining. Go to the meetings, meet the writers (I promise we don't bite), and take advantage of every benefit. You will find information on everything from the craft of writing to forensics to promotion. If you're really ready to pitch to the big boys, treat yourself to Edgar week in New York. There are amazing symposiums with big authors (including Stephen King) and a party just to meet agents and editors.

Who knows? You could be telling your success story at the MWA Board meeting in a few years. Wouldn't that be cool?

Tucking In

I love it when my son’s bedtime approaches. Sure, it’s because I can look forward to having only one child left to care for until my daughter goes to bed somewhere around nine o’clock, but I also love these moments because I get to tuck him in. Tucking him in means that we both squeeze into his twin bed, which is pushed up against one wall, and get under the covers.

For a while, Owen (my son) wanted to hear such classics as Goodnight Moon and Pajama Time, but these days his tastes are focused on all things car related. So, instead of happily doing the voices of Dora the Explorer or Little Bear or Steve from Blue’s Clues, I am now patiently reviewing fifteen pages of road signs every night. His favorites are the construction signs and now, as we zip around town, he shouts out every sign he sees from Road Work Ahead to Yield to No Parking.

That’s what a three-and-a-half-year-old taught me about books and stories. Certain ones fit at certain times. I thought by now we’d be reading Make Way for Ducklings or Bread and Jam for Francis at night, but I’m thrilled that Owen’s sign book has given me reason to explain the importance of the No Smoking sign. And every night, I get to laugh my tail off as he giggles over the Clean Up After Your Dog sign.

I recently finished John Connolly’s Book of Lost Things, which is essentially a retelling of several classic fairy tales set against a backdrop of World War II. Now, this book isn’t for everyone. The fairy tales are like those by the Grimm brothers. They are harsh and bloody and attempt to teach life-lessons to a boy on the verge of entering adulthood. Yet, this book is stuffed with beauty too. I loved the sense of adventure, the courage of the young boy, and the magic sprinkled throughout. I haven’t read a fairy tale in years and years, and I fell into the pages like I had jumped into a very, very deep pool. It was the right time for me to read that book. I had just finished one of my own and wanted to read something totally different from what I write. Bingo! The story helped fresh words and images buzz around in my head and I finished it just before falling asleep. It was just what I wanted: a terrific tale that tucked me in. (Try saying that three times fast)

What were the favorite bedtime stories for your kids or yourself?

Who me? Mature?

I remember the first time I felt old. Well, older, at least.

I'd been in the aisle at Home Depot looking at new toilet seats, and was happy, yes happy, to be getting a new one.

It had been a long haul through potty training, and the bathroom had needed sprucing, and there I was admiring American Standards’ best while trying to figure out if I should go plastic or wood, cutesy (dolphins) or high brow (solid wood). I went practical, as any mom of three young ones should do (though the dolphins almost swayed me).

This past Christmas I experienced a similar feeling. I’d asked for, and received, a set of anodized pots and pans. And was/am thrilled with them. I love them, and can’t believe I’d been cooking in the scratched, dented set I’d had since I got married over 15 years ago.

But that morning I realized something. It takes a certain level of maturity to ask for cookware and be thrilled to get it. It’s as though I’m reaching a new stage in life that’s gauged on practical gifts.

First married: Sheets and towels.

Young parents: New toilet seats, maybe a fresh shower curtain.

Been there, done that parents: New furniture.

Kids will be flying the coop soon: Quality pots and pans.

Hmmm. There may be a nonfiction book in this!

I guess this goes to show that I’m a practical kind of girl. Which leaves me wondering what I’ll ask for next year. The vacuum is on the fritz, the kitchen table is so sad it should be euthanized, but new carpet would be nice….

So, tell me. What’s the most practical gift you’ve ever received and loved?

~heather

Blank Screen Syndrome

Since we're talking so much about writing lately, I thought I'd mention my technique for overcoming Blank Screen Syndrome. You know, where you sit down at the computer all full of righteous self-discipline and maybe even a few ideas, and then find yourself twiddling your thumbs, cleaning your keyboard and eventually slinking off to empty the dishwasher in defeat?

Well, I'm going to help you get over that.

My first -- and perhaps the most effective -- way of dealing with this is that quota I was talking about a week or two ago. I park my derriere into my writing chair and inform it that it may not budge (with the exception of bathroom breaks) until I have written X words. If you sit in the same location at the same time regularly, this is a wonderful way to train your brain to start churning out words. Because the alternative is starvation... and perhaps even bedsores from sitting so long. :)

The second line of defense is to have some idea of where you -- or at least your characters -- need to go on a particular day. Now, that doesn't mean you have to have every little thing mapped out -- although for some writers, this can be helpful. For me, I just need to know what events need to happen (X needs to go to Y and find out about Z) in the next scene I'm writing. And then I go to it.

Sometimes the events extend the writing past my quota. That's great. But other times, I get through the scene in about 60 percent of my quota. Or alternatively, I really have no idea what needs to happen next.

So what then?

I punt. I figure out what would logically happen next and then start typing until I reach my quota. If the story's going down the wrong path, I'll probably worry at it mentally for the next 24 hours and fix it the next time I sit down. If not, then I may end up moving in an exciting new direction. (Some of my characters have ended up unexpectedly dating because of this approach to writing. Jury's out on whether that's a good thing. ;))

Of course, it helps to know the ultimate theoretical destination of your story, so the new events you create can help push your characters toward that goal. I also like to keep a list of 'things that need to happen' -- in fact, I used to try having the next few chapters mapped out, so I'd know where the story was heading. I'm a little looser with that now, although at times I do lay it out on paper to make sure I tie everything up.

If you know what you're supposed to do and have a quota and STILL can't think of a thing to write, you might consider taking the first twenty minutes to do a quick edit of yesterday's work. I do this as a matter of course, actually. It helps me pick up the threads and maintain continuity.

And if worse comes to worst, just write something anyway. Stick to that quota, and do your best.

It'll probably read much better tomorrow, and if not, you can always delete it anyway!

Speaking of which, now that I've reached my 500 word quota, I'm off to do laundry... ;)

ALL THE FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS

Here at Cozy Chicks we've been talking a lot about writing, about the discipline and persistence required in order to complete a book--and to go the distance in this sometimes discouraging field.

But what happens when the first book doesn't sell (as Karen mentioned in her post about writing a series before you've sold it)? Or when you realize the current project just isn't going to cut it.

It happens. Most first books don't sell. Which is why it's important to write a lot. And keep honing your craft.

I'm guessing almost all of us have started projects that, for whatever reason, we didn't finish.

Granted, once you're working to a deadline and selling from proposals, you have less leeway for starting projects that don't get finished. But it's not impossible. Especially when you're between projects. Between projects we percolate, as Laura mentioned earlier, but not everything we percolate turns into a fine brew. Sometimes...well...sometimes despite our best efforts what comes out is sludge.

And even if we still believe it's black gold rather than sludge, every smart and well-written book doesn't sell. I know. That's discouraging. Sometimes you're too far ahead of the curve and sometimes you're too far behind it. And sometimes your book just may not seem commercial enough, or a potential agent or editor may not quite know how to market you.

No, it's not fair. One of the first things you need to accept in this business--well, in life--is that It's Not Fair.

So what happens to those unsellable or half-started manuscripts? Well, I suggest hanging on to them. Not because they will all be sellable once you hit the big time and publishers want to pay big money for your grocery lists, but because the chances are good that you'll find bits and pieces that you can use later on.

Maybe it's a character you really liked but had to eliminate or condense into another character, or maybe it's a setting, or some great dialog, or a plot twist. Very rarely is there nothing salvagable in an old manuscript.

Sometimes when you revist old works there's a real pay-off: you see where you went wrong and how a bit of rewriting will give you a whole new book. Usually that's not the case, but it does happen. Time gives you clarity of vision, and what seemed unworkable three or four years earlier, maybe be a relatively easy fix now that you're more experienced.

You know the adage about "killing your darlings?" Well, it's easier to do if you take those dead--okay, comatose--darlings and put them into suspended animation in your file cabinet or hard drive. It's easier to let go of some really snappy dialog that doesn't further the plot or drive your story forward, when you know you'll probably be able to use it somewhere down the line.

"Waste not, want not," as the philosophers say. Actually, I think it was my mother who said it, but she's got a point. Hang on to the really really good stuff, and when the time comes for brainstorming, take a look at some of these old discarded ideas. You may find you've got some treasures in with what you've trashed.

Gone to Higher Ground

Hey, folks----Sorry for the brevity, but my youngest of four daughters is finally home on a visit after being out of the country for four years. She and I are heading up into Colorado's High Country---up into the mountains to one of our family's favorite ski resorts. Daughter Serena is flying in the following day to join us for several days.

We'll be frolicking in the snow, hot tubs, sleigh rides, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The girls will no doubt do some ice skating and some tubing and also try out the ski slopes. As I've mentioned before, I'm not much of a skier so I enjoy a good book + hot chocolate by the fire in the lodge. Much more fun. We all might try snow shoeing (sp??).

So---go out and do something fun and enjoyable with friends or family, folks. Enjoy! I'll be in touch next week.

How to get The Breakout Book

Starting out writing you may think "know" that you have the next "Big" bestseller. You have a Da Vinci Code on your hands. Maybe so, and I'm not here to discourage you, just hopefully (maybe) guide you. Then, there may be some of you who have not come up with "that" idea yet. So, this advice will work on both types of writers.

To the Da Vinci Coders: This one took me years to "get"--ten to be exact. When I started "seriously" pursuing a career in writing over 15 years ago, I came up with a "Big" idea. I had no clue how to write it. I ordered a correspondence course from Writer's Digest and got to it. I did finish the book, started the rounds as a newbie with queries, etc. I even had a decent response by a biggie agent who said that if I made some changes, he'd have another look. Did I listen? No. I was in my stupid head thinking that I didn't need to change anything. That is ego and being 22 for you. I have learned a little bit since then. So, instead of heeding anyone's advice, I wrote another "Big" book. Ten years later, I finally figured out that maybe I should change my approach. I looked at some of the bestselling women authors of the day and saw a pattern. Janet Evonovich, Sandra Brown, Iris Johansen, Catherine Coulter, NORA ROBERTS all started out writing genre books. They wrote in the romance category. I looked at that and wasn't too sure that I could write romance. I worked on a romantic comedy, because I figured if I was going to give it a shot, I would have to have some humor in it. I wrote half of the book, and maybe I'll finish it one day, but dammit, I needed murder. I know, I am somewhat twisted. That's about the time I had been up in Napa and Nikki Sands (my heroine for the wine mysteries) came to me and I knew that I had to create a grown up, sort of Nancy Drew. I had also recently read one of Kate White's books and I loved the voice, the style, etc. There was a combination of things that guided me to start out with the mystery genre book. I'm happy that I did.

Do I still have my big books? You betcha. Will I write more "Big" books? I sure in the heck hope and plan to. But, right now, when i get those "Big" ideas, I write a paragraph or a page on it, and tuck it away in a file.

See, I have a plan and so should you as a writer, it is about the writing, but it also about a career (if you so CHOOSE it to be), and having a plan is smart. In my plan I am creating mysteries that i enjoy writing and having series characters grow. In that process through marketing and what i hope readers feel are good books that I will earn a readership that will warrant me to put the breakout or big book out there.

When you think in terms of writing within a genre, think about things you love or are interested in. Think about niche markets. Look at the writers on this blog--we all have niches. It is sad in a way, but true that publishers will look to see if and how your book is marketable. If it has a built in audience, you have a better shot. That does not mean that just because you have a great passion or expertise within a niche market that the book will sell. Bottom line will always be the writing. If the writing is lacking it won't matter how much of an expert you are, or how passionate you are--it won't sell. However, if you have a passion, expertise, and you have studied, practiced, written a lot, give this idea a shot. Think about it. Remember too that gowing a readership is also about being willing to talk about your books, find innovative ways to market, and be willing to work REALLY HARD.

Getting the breakout book is never an easy process, in my opinion. It's a nice goal, and I am still working on it. In the meantime, I am writing something that I love and growing a readership that I hope will stick with me through the years. While I write within my genre and sell books, I am always thinking of "Big Ideas" and plotting them out in my head or even on paper at times. When the timing is right and time permits that is when I will focus on that book. For now, I am content.

Have a WONDERFUL week.

Michele

Percolating

I have to agree wholeheartedly with everything my fellow Cozy Chicks have said about writing. Writers write, and it takes discipline to finish a book. I love being in the zone (also called being on deadline) and hammering out a chapter at a time. There is comfort to sitting at my writing desk every morning.

With that said, I have a confession to make. There are times when I have been a complete slug. Right after I finish a book and FedEx it off to my editor, I don't always faithfully return to my desk. I know I should and I know that writers write every day, but sometimes I need to recharge.

I am a big fan of percolating. Of letting new ideas bounce around while I take a walk or when I'm in the car. I like the process of developing these ideas in my head even before they end up on paper. It's how my brain recharges after the discipline of writing a novel.

Recently, one of my writing buddies confided that she burned out after three solid years of turning out a book every nine months and promoting them heavily. She got an extension on her new book and took a solid month off. No writing. But since she is at heart a writer, ideas were always percolating. By the time she got back into the groove she was excited about her new book and couldn't wait to get going.

Now, don't get me wrong. If you've been "percolating" ideas for a novel for the past twenty years, it's time to get your tush in the chair and write it down. Because writers do write. But every once in a while, it's okay to let yourself recharge enough to remember why you love writing so much in the first place.

Building a Writing Resume

Many of our current blogs have been geared toward motivating inspiring writers to set aside time for writing, how to begin a major project, and how to stay focused and dedicated on becoming a published writer.

Still, there are likely those of you who think: Well, I’m not ready to wrote a novel right now. I’d like to build up to it. Is there a way to see if my writing is any good?

Now there’s a terrific question. Great ideas are abundant, but expressing them well is a gift. Short of taking a class and having a professor tell you what your strengths and weaknesses are, there’s no way to test your skill until you try to get published. It’s a good idea to build a writing résumé, so that when the time comes for you to query agents in an attempt to find a publisher, you can list several writing successes in your biography paragraph.

Even if you’re planning on writing a work of fiction, it doesn’t hurt to get non-fiction pieces published. Everyone has free press papers where they live. These folks are often on the lookout for both story ideas and freelance writers. You may not get paid, but being able to add short journalism pieces to your writing résumé is worth as much as the cash.

Once you’ve written articles for a while, try approaching the editors of a bigger newspaper or magazine. I write quarterly antique articles for our city magazine and not only do I enjoy taking a break from working on my books to roam around the city gathering information, but I like to see my name in print on those glossy pages. Plus, the extra money doesn’t hurt.

If non-fiction just isn’t something you want to write, then start entering short story and poetry contests. If you win or are given honorable mentions, then you know you can write and literary agents will pay attention to awards from known sources. Here are some resources:

http://www.writers-editors.com/Writers/Contests/contests.htm

http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/

http://www.writing.com/

Of course, academic journals are always an option—especially for poets—but I think it is challenging to make it into some of these hallowed pages, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t succeed.

Please post any other questions you have about writing and publishing or share the first time you saw your name in print.

Research Addict

I’m a research junkie. I love it. Could spend hours doing it every day.

Thank goodness.

You see, my brand spankin’ new proposal is set in Boston. Sure, I grew up 20 minutes south of Boston, but it took working on this book to realize just how little I knew about the city.

That’d be quite little.

So I’ve been researching my little heart out, getting lost for hours in maps of the city, on Mapquest, figuring out how long it will take to get to point a from point b. I’ve been googling everything from the MBTA to Cheers to realtors to Old North Church. And I’m having a blast.

Half the stuff I learn I’ll never use—it always works out that way, but the stuff I will be using will give the story the flavor it needs. Now I have to sit down and put it into the text.

The best part? Hopefully I’ll be able to swing a trip to Boston soon to do a little on-the-spot research. Road trip!

~heather

If at first you don't succeed... write something different!

Hope everyone's having a fabulous week... I am, because I just turned in the first book in the Sophie Garou series! (The working title is Diary of an Urban Werewolf.) I'm taking myself to a matinee tomorrow to celebrate. Anyone know what I should see?

But on to the topic at hand. I've been thinking a lot about a phenomenon I've noticed among pre-published series authors, and decided it's worth talking about here.

Many authors I know write the first book of an unsold series. Then, while they're shopping that book, they write the second. When the first book in the series doesn't sell, they shop the second. And while they're shopping the second? They're writing the third. The third book in the unsold series, that is.

Now, when I was shopping Murder on the Rocks, I did work on the sequel. And after a few months, I decided to put it aside and work on something else. Now, why did I do that?

Because in general, if the first book in a series doesn't sell, odds are excellent that books two, three, four, etc. in that series won't sell either. As it turned out, the first Gray Whale Inn mystery did sell; but I was already halfway through the first book of another series when it happened.

We do fall in love with our characters. Sometimes, however, we love them so much that they blind us to other possibilities. Or sometimes it's just too scary to strike out in a new direction!

I've had those post-book moments -- when I have no idea what I'm going to write next -- and I find them highly unpleasant, to say the least. So now, even when I'm deep in a story, part of my brain stays open to other possibilities. I know I'll be writing more books in the future, and there are a million unformed ideas out there, just waiting for me to run across them. If you need inspiration, look at a prolific author like Nora Roberts, who occupies three full bookshelves in my library (I know; I checked today), and has written about more characters than most people have in their entire extended families. You have access to the same idea source she does. So go for it! Let your brain churn out whatever it will. And if the first book doesn't sell, write something different! You may find yourself surprised with what you come up with... heck, you might even find yourself with a new book contract!

So keep writing, keep reading, keep dreaming... and please, let me know what movie you think I should see tomorrow!

IN THE BAG!

Last week I promised to share a publishing success story from my friend and critique partner Dorothy Howell. I've known Dorothy for about three years now. I first met her when she dropped by the mystery-writing workshop I hold at our local Barnes and Noble. Way back then Dorothy was working on moving from her highly successful career in romance writing to mystery writing. At the time I didn't realize just how successful Dorothy was in her own field--she's so very modest! When it did sink in finally I was a little dismayed. You would surely think that someone with Dorothy's writing credentials (meaning a proven track record) would have no problem landing a new agent and/or a publisher.

That was not the case. Dorothy has been writing and submitting mystery proposals to agents (and the occasional publisher) since we first met three years ago. Last October her persistence and hard work finally paid off.

***************************************************************

First of all, many thanks to Diana Killian for allowing me this opportunity to share my good news. Finally, after many years of trying, I’m a mystery author! And I’m honored to be in the company of wonderful writers such as Diana.

But even after selling 22 historical romance novels (under the pen name Judith Stacy), and with over 2 millions copies sold worldwide, breaking into the mystery market didn’t come easy.






I wrote a number of mystery/suspense manuscripts over several years before I finally hit on a winning idea, and thus was born THE WORKING GIRL’S GUIDE TO HANDBAGS AND HOMICIDE. I was fortunate to find a great agent who made the sale in only four days, a 3-book series that will launch in hardback.

Now I have the opportunity to write books that feature my passion – or, according to my husband, my crazed obsession – for handbags.

Why make the change to mystery with such a successful romance career? I was just ready for something different. I still love romance and may write more. Who knows?

How did I keep going when breaking into mystery seemed so elusive? Because, honestly, I believe that accomplishing anything worthwhile in life will be hard.

And life really gets hard for Haley Randolph, my amateur sleuth in Handbags. Her passion for designer purses lands her in the middle of a murder investigation after she’s fired from her prestigious job, takes a second job at a less-than-glamorous department store so she can buy a Louis Vuitton bag she’s willing to kill for, then finds a dead body in the stock room.

So I’m starting out the New Year with a new book series and a new challenge. This calls for – what else – a new handbag!

I’m going shopping!

****************************************************************************

Dorothy makes it sound so easy, doesn't she?

I thought you might have some additional questions--I did. So I asked Dorothy the following:

1) About how many mystery proposals did you put together before you came up with the one that sold?

I wrote a complete mystery manuscript, a mystery proposal, and two
complete suspense manuscripts before I came up with the Handbags
idea--all while I was writing 2 or 3 romances a year.

Now you know why I think Dorothy's related to Wonder Woman!

2) Did you submit to publishers as well as agents or just agents? Was there a reason for that choice?

Since I wanted to sell this as a mystery I had to query only agents.

By this Dorothy means that she had no rep in the mystery field, and in order to gain access to the major NY houses she needed an agent.

3) What kind of rejection notes did you get? Did you get any good advice? Did you take any of the suggestions? How did you deal with rejection? (Meaning what did you do to stay focused?)


The rejections I received included everything from a tight mystery
market, to needing a stronger main character. I couldn't do anything
about the mystery market, but I could certainly improve my characters,
which is one of the reasons I think the Handbags series sold. The main
character is out there -- way out there.

I continued to pursue the mystery market despite years of rejection
because I truly felt this was the next step in my writing career. I'd
written lots of romances, and loved every one of them, but needed to
accomplish something new.


4) How did you come up with the idea for the handbag series? Did you study the market? Read a lot of other mysteries?

I love mysteries and read them all the time. It's my favorite genre.
But I didn't look at them just as entertainment, rather as a tool to
see inside the market. How were the books set up for pacing, plotting,
secondary characters, that sort of thing. I got the idea to use a
character obsessed with handbags simply because I'm obsessed with
handbags. I used to run a purse business online, plus hosted purse
parties, which were so much fun! I knew the handbag theme in the
mysteries was something I'd have a great time promoting.

Tip: Dorothy wrote about what she knew and loved. It makes it easier!

5) What are you working on now?

Since I sold the series on a proposal, I now have to actually write the
book! So I'm working on that, plus thinking ahead to the second book.

6) What's your advice for aspiring (perspiring) writers?


My advice to aspiring writers is to keep learning and keep trying.
Every author has something unique to say, something special to offer
the world. Please don't let the rest of us do without hearing your special
voice.


Thanks very much to Dorothy for sharing her insight and experiences!

The Secret to Writing Success

Yes, there is a secret, and you're not going to like hearing it. For those of you who've been apprenticing in the writing craft for a few years, you already know what it is. For those of you circling the edges, sniffing around, wondering if you'd like to try your hand at writing novels, you won't like what I have to say. Too bad. It's the truth. Those that are serious will say "Amen" or "Got that right," put their heads down, and keep moving forward. For those who aren't serious or who discover that real work is involved will drop away---like those "January fitness buffs" who fill the workout machines for the first two weeks of every New Year----then fade away.

Sound harsh? I don't mean to be. But I am trying to be honest. I'm an "empowerer" by nature, but I've also been writing novels for over 25 years and I've seen a LOT of writers come and go. Most of them go. Just like those 2-week January wonders. Why? Because they found out that writing novels--like losing weight--requires discipline. Lots of discipline.

Yep, discipline's the secret. It's how all of us learn how to write, learn what it takes to craft a good novel, learn how to write regularly in order to PRODUCE a completed novel, and how to KEEP PRODUCING good novels. That's how all of us ultimately become published.

And once we become published, that's when the writing discipline really comes into play. Discipline is how we continue to produce good novels. And it's harder once we become published because there are all sorts of demands on our time that didn't exist when we were trying to grab the brass ring. Now that we've got it, there are revisions, copy edits, galleys, writers conferences, seminars, booksignings, and various promotional endeavors we're involved in. All time-consuming and energy demanding.

And that's just the business part of our lives. Unless you've chosen to be a hermit or are antisocial by nature, you've got a family or a network of friends who are important in your life. You may still have small/medium/large children at home (no, spouses don't count). I have raised my kids but most of those 25 years were spent writing while still being a mother, a wife, a grad student, then accountant---all while trying to find time to write those characters that were in my head.

Was it hard to find the time? Damn right. That part hasn't changed for any of us. Families demand our time and our loving attention. And there are only so many hours in each day (and night). But it doesn't matter. If you're serious about learning your craft and becoming a successful published novelist, you'll FIND THE TIME TO WRITE. At least five days a week. Even if it's only a page. As we've said on this blog several times, one page a day produces a 365 page novel in a year. It can be done. BUT----only if you commit yourself to doing it. And that's where discipline is key.

Writing has to become a priority in your life or you will never succeed. So, it's up to you to find the time. No one else will do it for you. Other writers like the Cozy Chicks will offer ideas and suggestions, but it's up to you to implement them. Or not. Remember those January wonders at the gym? I see them every year, clogging the machines when I show up early to do my workout. And yes----they really are gone by the third week.

I'll end by just offering some of the various ways (wild and weird) I found to create time to write over the years when I was juggling kids, marriage, school, and careers. If nothing else, they're good for a laugh----

----When babies 3 & 4 were still toddlers and taking naps and daughters 1 &2 were in elementary, baby naptime was my "sacred writing" time. I had approximately two hours before Christine and Melissa returned from the neighborhood school, so I made sure nothing interfered. I even took the phone off the hook so as not to be disturbed by solicitors;
-----I took a spiral notebook with me to the accounting firm every day and drove a few blocks away to a nearby park w/my bag lunch so I could write while I munched;
----As recently as three years ago, I used to keep a pile of white note pad paper on my desk so that when I was working on the computer on the client accounts and a "story idea" would come to me in the midst of the numbers, I'd steal five to ten minutes and write down the scene ideas, plus any lines of dialogue that surfaced, then toss the paper into a "story file" I kept in the drawer;
-----And back when I was in grad school and trying to juggle all those family demands plus homework, daily writing time disappeared, so I created time at night. One of my more intriguing ways was to do my homework until ten thirty at night, then make a pot of espresso coffee (you know those little Italian coffeepots?). I'd drink the entire little pot (approx three espresso cups worth) at eleven o'clock at night, thereby guaranteeing at least three to four hours of insomnia so I could write into the wee hours. I alternated the days (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday nights) so I wouldn't get "too worn down." Doncha love the reasoning? I did that for six months so I could keep the novel going.

Keep telling the story. That's what storytellers do.

A Writer's Schedule

Okay, first off, I totally owe everyone here an apology. I completely fell off the radar over the holidays. COMPLETELY. I have tons of excuses--tons. Not sure anyone wants to "hear" them, but I'll give you a few--strep throaters (3) in my house over the holidays! New book out, another book due, and the holidays, oh yeah, and I will admit it, hate to admit it, wanted to strangle myself on New Years Day--your wine loving mystery author had a tad too much champagne on the eve before and her head felt like lead--I won't even discuss how her stomach felt. Notice how I am writing about myself as a she or her? Yes, I feel much better if I can think of that silly nut who couldn't get her ass (sorry, but true) off the couch last Monday. It's all a blur now, so maybe she really wasn't me after all. Ha! She is now detoxing with all sorts of green foods and teas and some water called cell water. Yummy!

So, I read what everyone is interested in "hearing" about on the writer's end of this blog. I can't "speak" for the other chicks, but I can give you my day to day experience. I'll start with one at a time--the consensus. The consensus seems to be that you are all interested in schedules and how to balance the kids, life, etc with the writing. I have no freaking clue. If anyone out there knows, please tell me! I'm done for today. Thanks for checking in. LOL.

No, not really. Here is what I do and here is what I know or have learned. What I have learned is that I can not do it all, and I now know that is okay. So, if the house is a mess when I drop everyone off, and the house is a mess by the time they get home--then the house is a mess, but I have written! KEY point--writing comes first or you will lose your sanity, if you are a writer. Here is the great thing about writing though--writing comes in many forms. I can have my eyes closed while on the couch (sans lead head--sounds better than hangover) and everyone around me may be thinkng I am doing nothing, but on the contrary--I am writing! Yep. I am in my head at almost all times and I am writing, plotting, thinking of new characters, about old characters, about scenes, dialogue and in a series--where will she go next, what will she do (heroine), how will life change or remain the same? Some say, well don't you need to write it down? For me, I've learned that if it is a good thought, a good scene, good sentence--whatever--it sticks. Not so good, it blows away. Therefore, I don't write it all down.

I am "writing" in the car a lot of the time because I do a ton of driving. So now we get into the nitty gritty of my schedule. Mon-Fri--Up at 6 a.m. trying to move that back for more "me" time--how sad is that? Got to get up before the sun, to get "me" time. LOL). I wake kids at 6:45, feed them, give them orders, hug them and watch one head out on a skateboard to middle school, I drop the little one off at 7:50. On Weds, Thurs, & Fri we turn that clock back almost an hour as I have to drop youngest at 7:20 because I drive my oldest and two other (Very chatty) teenage boys to school. Now, those of you who have been around teenage boys know I'm being just slightly sarcastic when I say that they are very chatty. In my car on those mornings, it is like the sound effect you hear sometimes when all you hear is crickets, and you know that it's supposed to be dead of night and everyone is zonked out. Yep--my car from 7:20-8:00 on those days. But once they are out of the car, I am all about Jane's Addiction and Pearl Jam! Ha! And, they don't think I'm cool.

Okay, so then I try super hard to get some walking in after everyone has gone their ways. It is vital to me to get my head clear and plan out my day. I am in the writing seat by 9:30 coffee in hand, some toast and maybe a piece of fruit. I know--boring. I check my e-mails, check amazon rankings, check bn.com rankings, check my e-mail again. Then I write solid for ten minutes, check e-mail again, get up and heat up coffee, check e-mail and write for ten more minutes. Not really--well, sometimes. I do check that e-mail a lot though. I am not sure what I'm expecting exactly. I don't know if I'm thinking that maybe someday I'll open it and there will be an e-mail from Oprah saying she wants me on her show. I really don't know, but I keep checking.

I typically write until lunch (12:30) which I bring back to my desk and guess what I do? Yep--you got it--seeing if that letter from O made it through yet. After a quick bite, I am back on to writing until 3. Then, it's time for pick-ups. The youngest first, the middle one is easy--skateboards home. The oldest--that is tough. He gets out at 5:30 because he wrestles. Now when I get the little one home, I will go back in to my office after she gets a snack, and I will the answer e-mails and handle anything I need to on the business end of things. Then she and I head out at 5 to go get big brother and we get back home at 6:15 (He goes to school a half an hour away--and it's up the 5 freeway, which if any of you know the 5 in So. Cal at 5:00, well it's BRUTAL. But--it's not so bad, because as the little one listens to her Hillary Duff or Highschool Musical CD, I am back in my head--WRITING!

After all that, I get home, make dinner, supervise homework, make sure the little one has her shower--the boys are on their own there--read a story to her, tuck her in, check e-mail, tell boys to get in bed, me--get ready for bed, get in bed, kiss hubby good night, read for an hour, turn off lights at eleven, usually fall asleep saying my prayers, but I do think God understands. I try to make up for it in the morning with Him and start my day off with a prayer of gratitude. So, there you have it-- that's my schedule, my day, and how I balance, or don't balance it. The bills are usually late because I've got to squeeze those in somewhere, and the house, well, I'll clean it of you come to visit--PROMISE!

Cheers,
Michele

P.S. Happy New Year!

I Beg To Differ

There is a school of thought that women are more hysterical than men. I am fully convinced that this idea was advanced by men. My father is notoriously melodramatic when he gets sick and can stretch out a cold almost an entire winter while my mother could run carpool with the flu. And is it just my husband who wants to rush our baby to the emergency room when she has the sniffles?

Now, don't get me wrong. I worry. And, of course, being a relatively new mom I worry about many more things than I ever did before. My days of unencumbered boldness are well behind me. Baby magazines and 60 Minutes have me convinced that around every corner is a potential death trap. I feel like a daredevil just leaving my house. Oh, wait. Don't most accidents happen in the home? You see my dilemma.

But I do try to stay level-headed. I was not the one who had to be convinced that an emergency room visit (and almost certainly long wait) would only make our sniffling baby more miserable. Our doctor was able to calm my better half down when she assured him that it was only a cold. Of course I can't blame him for being a concerned father.

But I realized that perhaps he is the more emotional one when our cat (well, really my cat that my husband--a dog person-- inherited) came in after a cat fight with a small cut on his foot. I washed it and didn't think it looked too bad (and the cat seemed oblivious), but my husband became nearly distraught and began searching the phone book for emergency vets. To appease him (and because I was beginning to feel callous), kitty and I trotted off to a 24-hour vet clinic at 11 o'clock at night. After a couple of hours and a nearly $200 bill to have his foot professionally washed, I returned with the cat and an inkling that perhaps women aren't always the dramatic ones.

When did we who patch a million scrapes and can heal almost anything with Tylenol, band-aids and a kiss get labeled hysterical? I smell a conspiracy.

Make a Scheduling Resolution

Last Saturday’s post was about getting started on your novel or other major writing project. Many of you might be as gung-ho about your writing dreams as you are about your new diet or about commencing a new exercise routine.

Here’s the thing: so many people have losing weight or sticking to an exercise routine as one of their main resolutions. However, by February, most have let go of these goals in some way. The YMCA where I work out (which is code for “where I pedal on the elliptical so that I can read in peace for thirty minutes”) has been jam-packed over the last week and I actually had to wait for a cardio machine. The woman beside me, who is in disgustingly phenomenal shape after having three kids in four years, snorted and said, “I give ‘em two weeks. We’ll have the gym back by then.” I nodded mutely and mulled over the truth of her comment. I thought about how that failure to launch will likely apply to other long-term goals as well

Like exercise and dieting, becoming a writer takes discipline. I know you’ve got a job, kids, a house, leaking washing machines, cars the need servicing, animals that have to go the vet, ten pounds to lose…I know, I know. Me too! But if you want to do this thing – be a writer, that is – you’ve got to get going. You’ve got to work like you’re ALREADY published and this is who you are. You're a writer. Give yourself a year to write a book and start now.

I’ve heard different stories about how much writers get accomplished each day. Some want to write 1,000-2,000 words and some try to knock off three pages. I try to complete a task, such as a scene within a chapter or editing a single chapter plus plotting out the next one. Like I said last week, I don’t outline the whole book, but will often add to an ongoing outline as I complete chapters. However, if I am falling behind, which happens to us all, I don’t try to make up for it the next day. Just write that day off or writing will become too much of a chore. You wanna take it seriously without becoming uptight, right?

Get a separate calendar for your writing project. Give yourself a few weeks to sketch your characters and outline the first three chapters. Then, mark your calendar with some goals. Let’s say that you’ll have fifty pages done by the first day of spring. If you succeed, then celebrate on March 21^st with a huge cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. Why not, you’re not still on that diet, are you?

I write in the mornings because my mental abilities start declining after five p.m. Even a margarita can’t perk me up enough to complete anything worthwhile. Try to find your good times to write and if that silly job or household responsibilities interfere with your ideal time, try to beg, borrow, or steal minutes away each week to devote to your project. It’s worth it, I promise you! This is your year. Make the time, mark the calendar, and prepare to become a professional writer.

We’re all cheering for you on this end!

Pet Crazy

I’d intended to blog today about my love of researching new novels. But then I went and read the blog of a friend whose miniature dachshund recently had surgery and how the dog (doing well, by the way) is such a part of her family.

And it got me thinking.

It’s amazing to me the bond between people and their pets. It’s something unique and hard to describe unless you’re a pet owner yourself, whether you have a cat or dog or iguana or pig or hermit crab or other pet. The relationship is really the epitome of unconditional love.

For my family it’s hamsters.

Last year we took mercy on our son who’d been begging for a hamster for nearly a decade. For his birthday we bought him a cutey-pie hamster. He promptly named him Trot (of Trot Nixon fame for you fellow Red Sox fans), and he became an immediate member of our family.

Seems silly, doesn’t it? To be so attached to a rodent? He was fed every day, his cage cleaned every week, treats given all the time.

Unfortunately, as hamsters tend to do, he passed on 6 months after we got him. I think some of us are still traumatized.

Fortunately, by that time we had Dewey (he loved honeydew melon), my daughter’s hamster. And when my son finally recovered six months after Trot’s death we trekked to PetSmart and picked out Remy (also a name you’ll recognize if you’re a Red Sox fan).

So far, knock wood, both Dewey (a year old) and Remy (7 months) are doing well. Sweet, good-natured, adorable.

So, maybe I’ll get to the research blog next week, but suddenly I feel the need to go play with the hamsters. Of course, I’ll have to wake them up since they’re nocturnal, but they’re used to that. It helps if I bribe them with a Cheerio (worked for my kids when they were little too).

Enjoy your pets today, and if you don’t have any—think about adopting one. They’re worth it. Really.

~heather

Organization, schmorganization. (And my calendar technique.)

So with the new year I've set up all kinds of things to keep my world on track (sometimes there are so many trains running through my life it feels like a pile-up is imminent). I've cleared mounds of clutter, made two trips to Goodwill and one to the Battered Women's Shelter (with donations, not needs, fortunately), and even attacked my children's closets. I've made a schedule for myself, and am even planning meals a week in advance in an attempt to cut my grocery bills.

So last night, as I'm dozing off, I'm congratulating myself on my excellent organization skills.

And then I realize it's Thursday at midnight, and I've forgotten to blog.

Ah, well...

Anyway, last week I promised to post my calendar technique for getting a book done in a reasonable amount of time. And as promised, here it is...

When I teach my writing classes, I have everyone sit down and write something freehand -- a scene, free writing, what they had for breakfast -- anything at all -- for twenty minutes. Then I have them count their words and triple them. Usually the number they come up with is anywhere from five hundred words to fifteen hundred words. (I even ask them to read their work out loud, and it's usually pretty darned good!)

When you've done that, you have your approximate hourly writing rate.

Now, an average mystery (as an example) runs betwen 65 and 85K; I shoot for a word count of 75K. If you're running MS Word, here's a handy tip: you can check your word count under the 'Tools' dropdown menu in Word. It allows you to get the word count for a selected section of text (just highlight the text), or for the whole document. (Also, in my version, the document's word count appears at the bottom of the page at all times; if you can remember what the word count was when you started out, it's handy for reference.)

The reason this is relevant is that if you write at 500 words/hr., it should take you 150 hours to write a book. At 1000 words an hour, that's a mere 75 hours.

A lot less than you thought, right?

At any rate, your next step is to organize your writing schedule; figure out how many days and hours a week you can commit to writing, and figure out what a reasonable 'quota' is for those days. My mantra is 1000 words a day, 5 days a week, which is 1.5-2 hours a morning, Monday through Friday. That's my goal, anyway; the reality is, it usually takes me rather longer because things (like sick children and page proofs) get in the way. Also, sometimes I need to cut a section, or rearrange what I've done.

So now that you know your hourly writing rate and have an idea of your writing schedule, you get your calendar out, mark the days you plan to write, and then pick two numbers: a low weekly word count target and a high weekly word count target. For me, a high target is 5K words a week; a low would be 3K words per week, but that's just me.

Then, on my handy-dandy writing calendar, every Friday, starting from the first week of writing, I put my word count targets. For me it would look like this: Week one: 4K (low), 5K (high. Week two: 8K (low), 10K (high). I write this out until I hit 80K for both targets; then I can see exactly how long it will take me to get through the book (usually just a couple of months), and can say "Best case scenario, this will be finished on X day. But even if things are going more slowly, I know that by X date, I will be done."

It's very empowering to see an end-date. And I find that if I start falling behind, I'm motivated to catch up to my target number.

I recommend you not push yourself toward a target that's unreasonably high -- and if you're just starting with this whole writing thing, you may have to revise your goals as you go. (You may find that your words per day -- assuming you're making time for writing -- aren't coming as quickly as you thought.) But I do recommend that you set yourself a word count goal for each time you write, and not get up until you've accomplished your goal. Even if my goal is 1000 words and I'm at 993, I will write until I reach my goal -- often, in cases like that, I find myself slipping in another 100 words accidentally. And feel free to reward yourself! (I work at a coffee house near a bookstore; often my reward for finishing is to browse the shelves next door.)

I read a quote I loved once, and I think of it often: "You be responsible for the quantity, and let God be responsible for the quality." Isn't that liberating? Now, that doesn't mean you write carelessly -- I always try to do my best work. But sometimes you just have to plow through a tough scene and let the chips fall where they may. (And hope they're not buffalo chips, if you know what I mean.) I usually start my writing sessions by reviewing and editing yesterday's work, and I often find it's better than I thought it was. The daily revision process takes about 15 minutes, gets me into the flow of the story, and helps me to fix errors that are hard to see when I first write them. It also decreases the rewrite time at the end of the manuscript. So if something's not quite right today