The DI-5

Who's on your DI-5?

For those of you wondering what the heck I'm talking about, DI-5 stands for Desert Island 5, or the five people in your life, you wouldn't mind being stuck on a desert island with.

Recently, a new guy started at my husbands work. I asked him if the newbie qualified for his co-worker DI-5 (And yes, we do have strange conversations such as this). He's not quite sure yet, but declared it as potential.

Since my hubby is an obvious choice for my DI-5, after all, I am married to the most awesome man...although Kirk is a close second in awesomeness...I will tell you that Donna is also on my DI-5. I have to list her, mostly because I know she reads this blog and might divulge my mischief if I don't give her DI-5 status.

So tell me. Who is at least one person on your list, and why?

And the Grammy goes to...

Since Donna and I were the only ones who played my game from last week (you know, rewrite the lyrics to Firework by Katy Perry to tell the story of a frustrated writer trying to finish something), I know you're all dying to see the final product. After all, we could become the next Lennon/McCartney and you would be witnesses to our first triumph. So, without further adieu, here it is -

"Finished Work"

Do you ever feel like a total sham

Don't know what to write
Throw in the towel again

Do you ever feel, feel you cannot win
It will not get done
Don't pick up the pen

Do you ever feel you should just give up sleep
It's the only way
you'll beat the clock and be complete

Do you know that there's a shot for you
No reason to be blue

You just gotta sit and write
and fight the doubt
Take back your chance
Make your keyboard dance.

Cause you crave a finished work
Stand up, show 'em what your worth
Make the world ooh, ah, ah
as your books fly of the shelf-elf-elf

Babe you've gotta finished work
Let your words change the earth
Can't you see them ooh, ah, ah
As you build a plot that ro-o-ocks

You don't have to feel like a wannabe
You've got talent too, a contract waits for you
If you never try, it will never be
After reje-e-ctions, there is still hope

Maybe you're your own worst enemy
So stop it with the can't and find a way to live your dream
Even if it's a no, you've reached your goal
And then you never know

You just gotta sit and write
and fight the doubt
Take back your chance
Make your keyboard dance.

Cause you crave a finished work
Stand up, show 'em what your worth
Make the world ooh, ah, ah
as your books fly of the shelf-elf-elf

Babe you've gotta finished work
Let your words change the earth
Can't you see them ooh, ah, ah
As you build a plot that ro-o-ocks

Boom, boom, boom
So much better than doom, doom, doom
It's always been a do, do, do
And now it's time to see it through-oo-oo

Cause babe you've gotta finished work
Let your words change the earth
Can't you see them ooh, ah, ah
As you build a plot that ro-o-ocks

Babe you've gotta finished work
Let your words change the earth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em wanting "more, more, more!"

Boom, boom, boom
So much better than doom, doom, doom
Boom, boom, boom
So much better than doom, doom, doom

The Not So Grand Opening

"It was a dark and stormy night. The wind howled like a pack of dogs and the rain pelted the windsheild of the racing car. Darkness shrouded the forest in mystery and...yeah I stopped reading at the first 'was'!

Whoever decided to teach children to write fiction by starting with a prompt like "It was a dark and stormy night" should be drowned in their own ink.

Nathan Bransford, former literary agent and current author and guru, posted a blog contest this week offering tantalizing prizes for a great opening paragraph. Over a 1,500 paragraphs appeared in his comments. HERE is the blog post.

Of the 500 or more that I read there were probably 8 of them that stood out. It is an excellent exercise in being a literary agent and seeing what comes into the inbox everyday. Check out the openings and see if you can spot the ones worthy of being finalists.

Also note the similarity in the threads on the market right now. Are you writing a ghost book? Is your main character dead? Hmmm.

Castle

This week I was thinking about Castle  . . .

No, not this Castle,

But THESE castles.

I was trying to remember a few scene's from some middle grade books that I read.

As I thought on the village and castle scenes I realized that I was confusing several books into one.

And then it hit me: When I read a book that has castles and villages in them, I always picture the same village and castle.  The one I've dreamed of since I was 5.

So now, I can't remember which story I am trying to recall.  They've all become jumbled.

How do we make a fresh castle?  How do we help our readers create a unique setting for our story?

You say forest and everyone will come up with their own image.  Arizona forests are very different from Seattle forests.  Heck, the forests twenty miles apart in the Northwest are different.

We can't control what images our readers create, but we can create something different.  We can create a "feel" for our setting, so even though it happens in the same castle as every other book our reader has read, there is something unique and something of a flavor that makes it memorable for them. 

And who doesn't want to be remembered?

Two Space or Not Two Space...

So, a friend of mine posted this link on her Facebook page and I brought it up with my spouse because I thought it was funny that anyone could think otherwise. The subject in question is this: How many spaces belong at the end of a sentence? One? Two? Ten? My answer: One. Scott's answer: Two.

Wait. Two? Who ARE you? How have we been married all of these years without me knowing that you're a TWO spacer?! Thankfully, we ended the discussion without it becoming too heated...but I maintain that I am right. :)

So, I put it to you Inkers. What is the correct number of spaces after a sentence? And don't forget to ask your friends and spouses. You might be shocked at how many of them are living in a fantasy land. :)

Happy Ending

I don't always love a happy ending. The journey of a story is only half the fun, and as we watch the characters struggle, suffer, and bleed (either literally or metaphorically), if the payoff isn't worth it, than the story could be ruined. The opposite is also true. If you have characters who don't sufficiently struggle, who never suffer, and rarely bleed, tying the resolution in a bow of feel goodiness is the dollar store version of high-priced writing. I want to see characters earn their happy ending.

A fellow Inker spoke to me about her resolution in a new project. She was worried a little because her story doesn't end on a traditional "happily ever after" complete with Prince Charming, white horse, picket fence, yadda, yadda, yadda. But it's good. Really good.

Many of us read because we like to escape, and sometimes having a happy ending is part of the fun. But I can say that my favorite books, the stories that have truly moved me, don't always end happily.

I remember as a young 16 year old high school student reading "1984" and feeling a sense of shock at the end. It wasn't happy. It wasn't tied in a bow of back pats and smiles. And I loved it. I thought of it often. The book made me look at things in a different way. That, my friends, is a STORY!

What endings do you love. Are there any resolutions that made you stop and go, wow? What endings have you not liked?

Lyrical Moment

I was disappointed this week to realize the deadline to submit lyrics for the LDS Storymakers conference's music video lyrics contest was January 1. It was something I thought would be fun to do - take a popular song and change the lyrics to fit something related to writing. The Storymakers will film a music video to the revised lyrics and play it at the conference. I even toyed with the idea of asking the Inkers if they wanted to collaborate on something. Que sera sera.

Just for fun, here are the lyrics to the Katy Perry hit "Firework". Maybe whoever would like to participate can contribute revised lyrics to tell the tale of a writer who is struggling to finish their novel and dares to dream of it being published (hmmm, sounds strangely familiar). My suggested title - "Finished Work"

Firework - Lyrics by: Katy Perry, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Sandy Vee, & Ester Dean

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting throught the wind
Wanting to start again

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards
One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel already buried deep
Six feet under scream
But no one seems to hear a thing

Do you know that there's still a chance for you
Cause there's a spark in you

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe you're the reason why all the doors are closed
So you can open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on slet your colors burst
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em goin "Oh, oh, oh!"

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

If you write a stanza that repeats, whoever follows please make sure to repeat the same stanza where it fits in the song. I am not a professional songwriter, but this seems to make sense.

I will kick things off:

Do you ever feel like a total sham
Don't know what to write
Throw in the towel again

Do you ever feel, feel you cannot win
It will not get done
Don't pick up the pen

Do you ever feel you should just give up sleep
It's the only way
you'll beat the clock and be complete

Favorite Epic Fantasy Novels

I'm curious what everyone thinks is their favorite (not necessarily the general best) fantasy epic of all time, so I'm opening up the polls. I'm going to disqualify one series right off the bat, so we don't have everyone voting for that one: Lord of the Rings is off the table, folks. The more variety, the better, so maybe try to recognize one that isn't as well-known to people (e.g., everyone knows Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time). I'll be following up with one of my recent favorites next week, because I don't want to bias anyone.

Let's recognize some great novels here!

Good manners aren't dead, they're living at the Ritz

“Good morning, Madam, how may I be of service?” How long has it been since someone called you Madam or Sir? How long has it been since someone assisting you at a bank or other business made you feel like the most important person they met all day?
In an age of instant messages, texts and tweets with no salutations, it is easy to lose track of our common courtesy. I’m as guilty of this as anyone, but I recently had a reminder of the power of good manners.

In a recent business class, our instructor had a fascinating amount of information on how the Ritz Carlton Hotels all over the world train their staff, including the small trifold paper carried by staff members reminding them of the rules. A warm greeting, assistance with a smile, and a fond farewell are all required.
Employees at the hotel are required to address everyone as “Madam or Sir” and have sample phrases such as, “It would be my pleasure to assist you.” The impression is that whether you are the Princess of Genovia or a businessman attending a convention or Joe Plumber, as soon as you step through their door, you become royalty in the world of the Ritz.
Manners and mannerisms can cast a character so quickly. As I work on my current project, I'm trying to remember the quiet courtesy of the Korean people. It is a challenge in my current fast paced, fast tracked communication world. But its important to the feel of the story to pay attention to the manners of the people.

How do good or bad manners play into your characters or stories?

Scaredy Cat

(Again, a pic of me so no one else is sadled with my insanity)

I am an admitted scaredy cat.  My fellow Inkers protect me on potential media that might prove a bit scary for me.  Oddly enough I am currently writing a suspense/thriller ghost story.

The other night my husband had a dream (which is odd in itself).  In it someone was trying to break into our home.  My husband pretended to be asleep and when the theif got close he dug his elbow into the bad guy.

Unfortunately, my face happened to be right where the bad guy should have been.  I let out a pathetically weak scream and then my husband started appologizing. 

I was shaking and tears were streaming down my face.  I was completely startled and adrenalin was coursing through my body.  Then, oh foolish brain, I started thinking about my WIP.  I was terrified.  I decided then and there I could no longer work on it.  It was too scary.  Things went bump and I jumped.  I pulled the blankets to my chin and didn't move.  I was frozen in terror.

In the light of day, I can handle it.  I am still working on my scary story.  But its kinda funny that with a good dose of "fight or flight" things can turn from good to BAD quick.

Blah!

I had a lot of plans for today, but hit a wall at about 1 p.m. Feeling a bit nauseated and icky. I hope the rest of you had a better day. :)

Suspense Account

Ah, suspense. The lovely buildup of tension that makes us claw at our palms and hold our collective breath in anticipation. I love suspense, but why is it often so hard to do?

Dan Wells, genius author, made a statement about suspense that I loved (and that I may have shared previously, but I'm the blogger here, so deal with it!). He said that suspense isn't about a bomb exploding under a kitchen table, suspense is knowing the bomb is there, seeing the family sitting down to eat dinner, looking at the lovely turtle cheesecake right in the center of the table...okay, so he didn't say the bit about the cheesecake, but the sentiment is the same. Suspense isn't about the inciting action, but rather the lack of action.

A movie that did this well, in my opinion, is Inception. There was a lot of palm clawing and breath holding, but I'll cite one instance in particular. Spoilers ahead...for those who haven't seen the movie:

The character Saito gets shot in the first level dream, and we know as they travel deeper and deeper, that his condition is worsening. We get flashes of Saito, reminders that his situation is dire. Was the gunshot itself suspenseful? No. Was waiting for Saito to slowly bleed to death as they went further and further into the dreams suspenseful? Absolutely!

I love a story with great suspense. What are movies/books/TV shows that you think have done this well? How about ones that post a big FAIL in the suspense category?

The answer is?

What can I say? It's been a long week and it didn't register until after I wrote this post that I'm making essentially the same point Debbie made on Monday. So, I'm just going to call this extended commentary...

The book I'm currently reading is one of those where the author leaves the big question unanswered, left up to the reader's interpretation. Although the writing itself is well done, it's made me realize how much this type of story bothers me. I want answers. I like knowing what the author intended. I'm a fairly creative person who loves to write, but I don't want to be left to finish the story myself.

What does this say about me? I don't know. Does anyone else feel the same, or do you enjoy being left to figure it all out?

I seem to handle the open-ended story better in movie form - take Inception for instance. But in that story I could tolerate it better because it dealt with alternate realities. I like my true-to-life stories with a clear cut resolution. The end.

Pressure!!

This is the setting for my new WIP (work in progress) I've committed to meeting with an agent and pitching this book in 3.5 months. 1/2 the time it usually takes me to write a novel. I'm not counting the 6.5 months I've spent outlining and plotting and hoping that I could like the story enough to write it because until January 4th when inspiration finally struck and the whole thing became clear. I hadn't seriously started writing.

Pressure. If capturing the awesome beauty of South Korea were not enough pressure to put on myself, I've added this seemingly impossible deadline.

What pressure do you put on yourself when you write? I know we're feeling it. What's your pressure?

The Starter Not the Finisher

(I thought I'd add a pic of me when I post, so you know who's talking--I wouldn't want anyone else saddled with my ideas or insanity.)

I am a great starter.  I am superb at creating a setting and defining characters.  I suck my readers in with promises of great adventure and excitiment.  People are dying to read the rest . . .

But I never deliver. 

In January I am going to revisit all those fabulous starts.  I am going to reread everything that I've written (well, maybe not everything) and see if any of it strikes my fancy.

So, for 2011, I want to finish something.  I want to write regularly, even if its just  10 minutes writing a journal entry.

What nasty habit are you overcoming this year?  Is 2011 the year you get a contract?  Or is it the year you fight a grizzly bear and polar bear?

Patterns

I heard a bit of wisdom on Sunday that I thought I'd share. Don't worry. It's quick. Here it is:

Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice makes a pattern.

This idea really hit home for me because it strikes at the heart of most of my writing woes. How do you write a novel? One word at a time. But, if you never give yourself time to sit down and get at it, it will never get done. It doesn't have to be perfect. The first draft certainly won't be. But if you can get it on paper, then you have something to work with and edit.

So! Work on that pattern. Perfection can come later. :)

Don't Be A Holdout

This morning, Inker Donna and I were talking about withholding information in writing. We all want our readers to have surprises, we all like to cast a fog of intrigue. But when does withholding the information become more of an annoyance than an enjoyment?

I think of these holdout's in terms of TV as well. I recently finished a one series TV show that I watched off Netflix. The show left some holes, a few questions, but all in all, was pretty good and I enjoyed it.

These are my thoughts on shows that have done well, and not so well, in the information holdout (keep in mind, these examples are ONLY for the seasons listed.)

GOOD EXAMPLE: Heroes, season 1. It was a great story from week to week, keeping the viewer engaged, having a beginning, midpoint and end. I watched every week, and anxiously waited for the next week. Save the cheerleader, save the world.

BAD EXAMPLE: Lost, season 1. Don't get me wrong. I LOVED Lost. I watched every week, and anxiously waited for the next week. But it's hard to set up so many questions, with answering so few. After a while (say season 3) it gets more frustrating than intriguing.

The moral of the story is this. Think about why you are withholding information. If it's only to have the reader asking more questions, consider divulging the information and seeing where that leads.

What are your thoughts on this. What shows do you think do this well, or poorly. How about books?

Hungry for an 'R' Rating?

I found this article after we had some discussion among the Inkers earlier this week about whether or not the Hunger Games movie would be rated 'R'.

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/01/07/hunger-games-gary-ross-rating-twilight/

I'm a little surprised so many people are clamoring for an 'R' rating. I'm glad to see the director's perspective on this because I don't think blood and gore is the point.

There is more of the interview with Gary Ross under the "Read More" heading at the bottom if you're interested.

Grizzly Bear vs. Polar Bear

So here's the question of the week. In an arena battle, with all things being equal for both "contestants," would a grizzly bear beat a polar bear, or vice versa? Again, let's assume both bears are reasonably in the same size range and are going into the fight fully fed, injury-free, etc.

OK, everyone, let's vote! Please add any insights into why you're voting one way or another.

Bear in mind this has real application, since there might be a large-mammal fight circuit starting up sometime soon. I don't want to suffer from unbearable losses when I place my bets.

Arizona Dreaming

Had to come to Arizona for work this week. Who's jealous? Wish I had more time for sunsets, but its still nice to be out of the cold for a few days.

Where would you go if you could wish yourself there? Australia anyone? Teleportation would be sooo cool.

Winter

Winter is here.  December winter is a soft, fluffy winter.  January, on the other hand, is hard-core.  The snow is more ice than powder.  The cold sticks to your bones.  And there is very little to anticipate in January.  The Holidays make the snow bearable, but once they end, all that is left is ice and cold.

But January is a perfect time to snuggle in and breathe deep.  Read a good book, write a great book, eat some warm food, enjoy hot cocoa or cider, wrap up in that new blanket or sweater or scarf.  Or invite a few friends over to play all those games you got for Christmas.

How do you cope with January?

Holding Pattern

Ever feel like you're in a holding pattern, hovering around your goals but never really landing to tackle them? That's how I feel about writing right now. Boy, I'd really love to get something done this year, like getting that novel written. So, why does it seem like I'm hovering around it and never really taking it on? Could it be that I haven't really set the time aside? Maybe I haven't put my heart into it? Am I too distracted counting down to the release of The Dark Knight Rises? (July 20th, 2012, by the way. I'll be going to the midnight showing.) I think all of these reasons are pretty close to the truth. So, this year my goal is to set actual time aside to write. Thanks to my writing group for keeping me in the game. Here's to a productive writing year. :)

Calling On Creativity

Hello to all my creative friends. I need your help. My daughter is turning ten and I have a really fun birthday planned (well, sort of planned) and I could use some assistance to fill in all the details. So if you're creative (which I know you are) and willing to help someone in need (which I know you should be) then give up a shout.

Here's the scenario. Rainbow (my daughter) is celebrating her birthday with her famous rock band, Colors Of The Rainbow. It's a mystery party and one of the guests has stolen the birthday cake. What I need are ideas for clues to leave that will lead to the culprit. I've thought of a cake receipt, a video clue of the cake maker, perhaps a copy of the insurance policy...you get the idea.

Help me out here, folks. The party is Friday, so time is of the essence. I know there are some great suggestions out there, just waiting to be used.

Memories 2010

Winter
baby walking
novel growing
snow fun with hubby & sons

Spring
a 5 year-old!
myself another year older, wiser?
work, work, work
writers conference :)
novel growing by small increments

Summer
family staycation
walks with the boys
baby talk
still writing

Fall
first day of kindergarten
carmel apples
Halloween fun
Thanksgiving feasting
writing bits

Winter
baby talking lots
brothers playing
Christmas joy
family, friends
snow, snow, and more snow
writing more!

Forecast 2011 - That darn novel will FINALLY be finished!

Please share your own reflections on this past year or goals for 2011. Happy New Year!!