Sacrifice

I'm going to talk about sacrifice today. No, not the kind where you find a virgin and sacrifice her to appease the angry Gods so the harvest will be bountiful. I'm talking about the kind of sacrifice that I, as a writer, make in my life.

First - I gladly make the sacrifice and wouldn't have it any other way!

The sacrifice I'm talking about is . . . time, or, rather in this instance, social interaction with others.

There is only so much time in a day. I'm not one of the lucky ones that do not have to work for a living. I have to go to work, five days per week, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Okay, I normally go into work a bit earlier than that, but . . . My evenings, well, depending on the day of the week, my evenings are chaotic.

A normal evening:

• Get home and give Squeaky (my whiny cat) a treat. She's on a diet and she's not happy, not at all, not at all!
• Pay attention to the boyz (Jesse and James) - just a bit, not too much, because there's only so much time.
• If Frank is awake, chat with him. If he's asleep - woo-hoo, a few minutes just for me! : )
• Walk the boyz.
• Cook dinner.
• Eat dinner.
• Clean up dinner.
• Dry the dishes that Frank has washed and put them away.
• Send Frank off to work.
• Write!!!!
• Bond with Jesse, James, and Squeaky.
• Let the boyz out.
• Go to bed!

This is my normal routine. Some nights, I don't have to cook dinner and I can start writing a bit earlier.

Second - I'm not complaining, not one bit.

So, this week, I received a phone call about subbing in a card group. I turned down the opportunity because . . . well, it would be time away from writing, in the evening, during the week, which is not something I want to do right now. The words are flowing on the new project and, well, I just want to write. I don't want to socialize - well, Friday nights are the exceptions, margaritas, and all that jazz - or do anything, except write.

So, for my writing, I sacrifice the social interaction, the chance to catch up with friends, acquaintances, play cards (which I love doing), try some new food (always good), and just get out of the house.

I think we all, as aspiring or otherwise writers, make such sacrifices and do so, for the most part, willingly.

We - day jobs, kids, families, pets, other obligations - don't have the leisure to do everything we want to do and still write as much as we, sometimes, want to write.

That doesn't mean that we (I) should turn down all invites during the week or on the weekend. Heck, if I didn't go out every now and then, where would I get great inspiration? It wouldn't happen. I just think that, when accepting or turning down invitations, we (I) really need to consider what we are sacrificing - social interaction, extra writing time - or whatever. There comes a time and place when we sacrifice too much and lose out in the process.

So, the rambling point of this post: consider carefully what you are and are not willing to sacrifice on this crazy path to publication, and beyond. Don't give up everything, because you might find, at the end of the road, that you have nothing!

This week, yeah, I turned down one chance at social interaction. I'm giving in to my passion to write, but I know, that next week, I might be willing to sacrifice some writing time for some social interaction. In the end, things happen when they are meant to happen, not when I want them to happen, and that without balance . . . well, someone ends up with their butt suddenly on the ground!!

S

Actions . . . Denied??

Over at the kt literary blog, there was a post about "Smirk", and other words to avoid. Yes, you know the drill, click, read, and then back here, otherwise you won't understand a thing I'm going to post about. Okay, you will understand, but still, common courtesy . . .

The main point of the post was the overuse of the word smirk and Daphne (blog writer) made the following comment: But "smirk" is just one of those words that gets used a log, along with "shrugged" and "nodded", at least as far as I've noticed.

So, here's my comment:

If characters aren’t allowed to laugh, shrug, smirk, nod, shake, or whatever, then what to they do during a conversation? I mean, my sister couldn’t have a complete conversation if you tied her hands behind her back. Come to think of it, neither could I. So, how are such things conveyed in a novel without consider such words (i.e., actions) as overused?

I mean, seriously, people don't just stand, ramrod straight, not moving, blinking, nodding, smiling, smirking, arching an eyebrow or twenty, while they have a conversation. People do all those things, and more, when talking with each other.

So, if, as writers, we shouldn't overuse such words/actions, then how do we convey such actions with our characters. Are the nods, smirks, shrugs, shakes, twitches, winks, smiles, etc., just not important? Are these actions so insignificant not to matter at all?

Since I don't have the answers, though perhaps by the time this post posts Daphne will have answered my question, I'm leaving them up to you, dear readers. Have at it!!

S

APOLOGY

I interrupt today's regular post to . . . APOLOGIZE!! You see, the other day I linked to a great post on Behler Blog about plot versus character query letters. I quoted from the blog, mentioned the blogger, and pretty much raved about the post because, well, it just clarified everything for me and made working on my current query letter so much easier.

Well, in all my excitement, perhaps lack of caffeine, perhaps lack of margaritas, I made a major, major error in the post. I referred to the blogger as Lynn Behler!

Imagine my embarrassment when I received a comment from Lynn (done quite nicely, btw) informing me that her last name is not Behler! OMG! I know this! I read her blog religiously . . . okay, not religiously, but I follow her blog, have commented back and forth with her, and dang well know that her last name is not Behler, but . . . PRICE!

So, I've been making the rounds - the original post on my blog (which, btw, has been corrected to reflect Lynn's actual last name), over at her blog, and now, here, formal, all in CAPS in this post - apologizing for my mistake.

Yes, dear readers, I too make mistakes, often on a daily basis. In fact, you should have seen the mistake I, and my sisters, all made with our hair one year when we all got perms. We call it The Christmas of the Big Hair. The photo - nope, no way, no how, am I going to post that sucker - is hysterical, and sad, oh, so, very, very sad. So, mistakes are made, and I'm one to own up to my mistakes.

But, there is an important lesson to be learned by what I did: pay close attention to everything, not only in your blog posts, but your query letters as well. Make. Sure. You. Get. The. Agents. Last. Name. Right!!!!! Luckily for me, this didn't happen in a query letter, but it is still a bit embarassing.

So, Lynn Price, please accept my apologies for screwing up your last name. There truly are no excuses for this mistake on my part. I could blame it on lack of caffeine, margaritas, the fact that I'm no longer (sob) in my 20s, or 30s (double sob) for that matter, my excitement at having a clear vision of how to complete my query - thanks for that, btw - or so many other reasons. The plain and simple fact is . . . I screwed up. I'll try my best not to let it happen again.

S

Query: Character vs. Plot

Yes, I know, I know, I know, I'm supposed to be unplugged. Really, I am unplugged - well, one of my personalities is, but I can't speak for the others!

I've been in the process lately of attempting to work on my query . . . and not go totally insane in the process. Last night I had a breakdown . . . .ooops, meant a breakthrough!! I finally, finally, finally pieced together the opening paragraph of the query. Yeah, only the opening, but it's a start.

Today I've been mulling over the next part of the query and, lo and behold, I come across this post by Lynn Price. Check. It. Out.

According to Lynn (who has a fabulous Beagle that makes margaritas), when writing a query, the writer should consider whether their brilliant piece of fiction is plot or character driven. Who knew? I certainly didn't.

So, first, some definitions, as provided by Ms. Price . . .

Plot Driven is about the movement of events within a story and how the characters influence those invents. Go here to read more.

Character Driven is all about the characters and it is they who are the main dish in your personal banquet . . . their personalities, motives, and desires are the yin and yang to the plot, and their actions are a driving force to influencing the story.

Who knew? I certainly didn't, nor did I know that (at least according to Lynn) the plot can be on the thin side because it's secondary to the character(s).

The things I learn on a daily visit to the blogsphere.

With a character driven story, the query should focus on the characters rather than the plot. This is where voice plays a big role because you need to make them come to life and make us (agents/editors/et al) care about them.

This little tidbit of knowledge has, to me, been a gift of great immensity because Margarita Nights is all about the characters. Yes, there is plot, major plot, but the characters - their thoughts, desires, actions - are what drive the story forward.

So, since my story is character driven, I am going to heed Lynn's advice as I continue working on my query and let potential agents see, feel, empathize, and understand (my) characters! The reason: the aforementioned, according to Lynn, is the difference between "send me pages," and "no thanks".

On that note . . . wait, hold on, you did check the post out, didn't you? C'mon, sources of great knowledge are worth checking out!

Now . . . have a great day!

S

P.s. - all italicized sections in this post are taken directly and/or paraphrased from this post found on the Behler Blog.

New Site

Okay, found a new site. Yes, I know, I'm supposed to be unplugged. I am. I'm not. Heck, I'm still in beach withdrawal! I'm allowed.

Write It Sideways is a site I discovered through Nathan Bransford's blog. Go check it out. It has some great info, and we all know that great info is the key to great writing! Well, that and a few pitchers of margaritas!

S

Unplugged, but . . .

Well, I'm back from vacation in Ft. Lauderdale, FL! Sad, sad, sad that I'm back to the real world of work! Geesh! Lucky for me, my return coincides with unplugged week. Woo-hoo!

So, I'm somewhat unplugging, lurking in the shadows, may post, may not post, and all that wonderful jazz.

But . . . before I go to start digging out my desk at work, I want to share two links . . .

First, Rick over at The Public Query Slushpile is recommending critXchange. What is critXchange, well, click on the link to find out, or . . . the goal for critXchange is for writers to post a short description of their book, similar to a query, but instead of querying agents it is a solicitation for other writers and readers to provide feedback on the manuscript. So, hop on over to both blogs, read up, and have fun.

Second, Janet Reid has created a handy-dandy little list that tells writers - fiction, memoir, and non-fiction exactly what they need before they query. So, click here and learn!

S

Dialogue . . .

. . . as a beginning! Yes, a beginning. Yesterday I linked to Nicola Morgan's blog and her post about beginnings. If you haven't checked it out, do so now, and check out the comments, which have provided the inspiration for this post.

One commenter asked about starting a book with (gasp, the horrors, shudder, somebody get the smelling salts) . . . dialogue. Nicola's response is below:

Sam - I'm delighted you asked that question, actually. First, I had vaguely heard that unpubbed writers worried about this but I have no idea where it came from. I have never, in all my conversations with dozens/hundreds of novelists, heard anyone say it or discuss it. It would, frankly, be beneath our dignity to make or stick to such a ridiculous rule. rules must have reasons and this has none (except see the end of this comment.)

If you want one single example of why this rule simply cannot be taken seriously, look no further than the first line of one of the most successful AND respected contemporary novels of our time, Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses. I could find more but I can't be bothered!

The only conceivable reasons to avoid dialogue as your first sentence are a) that it's difficult to do well and b) that it's difficult to convey enough of the tone etc of the whole story. But that latter reason doesn't really hold, because you're going to go on to do that in the following sentences.

So, definitely a rule to ignore! If dialogue IS the best way to start your story, it is.

The above italicized section is from Nicola Morgan's blog: Help! I Need A Publisher! and was gleaned from the comments section of this post.

Now, for my enlightened thoughts on the subject matter: Hooray for Nicola!!

I've always thought that the right piece of dialogue could be the best start to a novel. Okay, haven't always thought that, but it sounded good as I was blithely typing along.

"Oh, dear, so sorry I shot you three times in the chest, it really was an accident." Marie casually wiped her fingerprints off the gun and stepped over her husband's dead body.

or . . .

"You're not George Bailey, and this isn't A Wonderful Life."

or . . .

Well the examples from my depraved mind could go on and on. The thing with dialogue as a beginning is it has to be done right and set the tone of the novel. A bland, pithy (don't ask, it just sounded right, and I've been using the word a lot lately) piece of dialogue just isn't going to cut it.

So, have you ever opened your novels of brilliance with dialogue? Did you keep the dialogue through the various revision stages? Care to share your brilliant dialogue that set the tone of the novel?


And, now to Work in Progress Wednesday . . . I've been mulling over three ideas for the last month or so, and just couldn't decide which one I wanted to delve into as my new writing project for 2010. In an effort to be fair to all three children of my supreme brilliance (sorry, a bit more snarky than usual today - sincerest apologies), I've been working on all three projects in the hopes that one would sprint forward ahead of the others. Well, one did, and I'm happy to report that in the past few days I've . . .

• Begun and Completed the Rough of Part I
• Started Part II
• Written 12, 500 words!

Can I hear a big WOO-HOO!!!!

I don't know why this project, versus the others, has taken the lead in my imagination. It just has, I'm not complaining, and I'm just going with the flow of words. Everything is just falling into place with this project, though I can hear the others breathing heavily (no, they're not making obscene phone calls) in my mind, trying to catch up to the project in the lead. They're determined, those wonderful little projects not content to wait in the wings of the darkness of my mind!

S