UPDATE – AMERICA’S NEXT BEST CELLER CONTEST

As of Monday Nov. 16th, the field of contestants in America’s Next Best Celler contest have been narrowed down to ten.

Finalists are, in no particular order:

Enchanted Season by Alicia Pace

Stay by Candi Wall

How to Lose a Demon in 10 Days by Saranna DeWylde

Confessions of the World’s Oldest Shotgun Bride by Gail Hart

The Hooded Man by Courtney Sheets

Primitive Nights by Candi Wall

Courting Demons by Kerri Nelson

Tossing the Gloves by Christy Finn

Vampire Vacation by C. J. Ellisson 

Muse Struck by Liane Gentry Skye

 

I’m ecstatic that both STAY and PRIMITIVE NIGHTS made the cut!

OMG – I’m a double finalist!!!

(YEP, serious shocked gasping came with the announcement, then I called hubby who thought something was majorly wrong since he couldn’t make sense of my screeching.)

 

But on a more serious note, this is by far the most intense contest I’ve been in since taking my writing career seriously.

Maybe if I had nails like this I’d have some left!

The pressure and waiting is incredible, as one of my writing partners said,

“It’s that excited, scared feeling that gets the adrenaline pumping and the mind doing all kinds of crazy thoughts.”

 

But I’ve learned so much from this contest, both about myself as a person, and as a writer.

I’ve learned that as much as I always thought I was an introvert – I’m not.

As much as I love to write, I love the whole process that goes with it!

I work well under pressure. Who knew?

 

But the best thing to come from this contest thus far are the incredible connections I’ve made with other talented, amazing writers. It was very difficult to see some of these stories not go on to the next round. Incredible stories that I’ve followed as the contest progressed, that truly humble me. More than that, the ladies and gents behind these works are amazing, supportive people who I count lucky to have as friends and colleagues.

You can read any of their works here: TEXTNOVEL

I have no doubt that numerous novels I’ve had the pleasure to read at Texnovel, will someday sit on my bookshelf. I hope too, that anyone of you decide to join. It’s a great way to network, and a fantastic place to find support, encouragement and even just the added push you need to keep writing.

 

Now I get to enter the next phase of this contest.

Jacket Copy edits.

We’ll spend the next few days revamping, cleaning, and pretty much tearing apart the 10 or so lines that are supposed to hook the reader right off the shelf.

The 10 finalists will then post their revised Jacket Copies at Textnovel and Dorchester Publishing for YOU, the public and fellow writers to vote on for your favorite. Fan Favorite voting will run from Nov.23rd – Nov.30th and the FAN FAV will be announced on Dec. 4th!

• On December 11th the contestants will be whittled down to YIKES Five!
• On December 18th The fifth place winner will be announced
• On January 4th The fourth place winner will be announced
• On January 8th The third place winner will be announced

And on January 15th both the runner-up and the winner of America’s Next Best Celler Contest will be announced!

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for still being in the running come Jan. 15th, but every contestant I’m competing against has something to offer, a well written novel and a professional presence. Even before the 21 Semi-finalists were announced, the competition was amazingly good! Of the 21 Semi-finalists, I have no doubt we’ll be seeing many of them do great things in the near future.

And the other top ten, well let’s just say they are an amazing group of writers, and I’m beyond proud to be their fellow writer. 

 

Hope to see you all vote and comment on the jacket copies.

You can vote and comment at TEXTNOVEL now

or at DORCHESTER PUBLISHING starting on Nov. 23rd.

We’re all working hard!

Thanks for your support thus far.

Candi

C. L. Wilson on Worldbuilding for Every Author

We are thrilled today to host New York Times Bestselling fantasy author C.L. Wilson! I have just started to read her first in the Taren Soul series and I am sold. I love her writing. In matter of second, she managed to transport me in a magical world that I cannot forget. I am thrilled to know this series has four books out with the fifth coming soon.

And what better author to share her tips on worldbuilding!

Please, don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a cool little journal from the Harlequin Notable collection!

Marie-Claude

Worldbuilding for Every Author

by C.L. Wilson

As a fantasy romance author, I’m frequently asked to speak on the topic of worldbuilding.  Many  authors who write historical or contemporary fiction, however, erroneously assume worldbuilding doesn’t apply to them.

 Au contraire.  

Worldbuilding—including the tools and techniques used to create believable worlds—is an essential requirement of every fictional story.  Every time I say this, I see some raised eyebrows and furrowed brows, but I assure you, it’s true.  Let me explain.

Beyond the necessity of writing a good story, one of the main jobs of an author (of any kind of story) is to create the suspension of disbelief in the reader’s mind.  Fiction writing is basically glorified lying.  The events in the book are not real.  The characters don’t exist, and their actions are entirely made up.  Readers know this, so it is incumbent upon the author to create a world in which the characters you wish to write about could actually exist, in which the story problems they face could reasonably occur, in which their actions and the ramifications of their actions make sense to the reader in such a way as to have the ring of truth.  The world should also be directly and inextricably tied to the plot, and (where possible) showcase the themes of your work to provide the reader the richest possible reading experience.

Simply put, worldbuilding is the craft of building a believable world in which the events of your story can unfold to the best effect.

Worldbuilding for every novel includes the following basics:

• Setting.   At its most minimal, setting (the physical locations where the events of the story take place) must be appropriate to the story you wish to tell and to the specific events in that story.  If you are writing a novel about cowboys and Indians, for instance, the big battle between the cowboys and the Indians should not take place in the ballrooms of Regency England, for instance.  At its best, setting should underscore, contrast, or conflict the themes of your novel, and provide an environment that can aid and/or challenge your characters in their story quest.

Tips: Understand the look, feel, mood of your setting.  Draw maps to keep yourself honest.  (map rooms in houses, city blocks, continents, whatever you need).  Ask yourself one very important question: “Is this the best place for my story to take place?”  If you cannot answer this question with a resounding “Yes!” consider changing your setting.

• Cultures.  The society we grow up in profoundly impacts every part of our lives: our values, our views, our expectations, our way of approaching obstacles and living life.   Irish policemen in Boston, for instance, have a completely different cultural and societal mores than ranchers in Texas or fashion designers in Manhattan. At a minimum, you need to understand your character’s history and what shaped his outlook on life.  At its best, the culture, society, belief systems in your novel will directly underscore, contrast or challenge the emotional and/or physical journey your characters undertake.

Tips:  Ask yourself cultural questions that impact your characters’ internal (emotional) and external (physical quest) story arcs.  How educated are the members of this culture? What does this culture value the most (money, honor, truth, freedom, power, etc.)?  What will they do to protect this value? What are the traditions and taboos in this culture?   Ask yourself: “What is it about this character that makes him/her the best—or, better yet, the only—person who could tell this story?”

• Language.   In many novels, language in worldbuilding is less about what actual language a character speaks than what accent / colloquialisms / manners of speech do your characters employ. The way your characters speak says volumes about them.  Your character’s use of language should be commensurate with his/her education and background. (i.e., an uneducated tenant farmer in South Georgia in the 1890’s is unlikely to speak with a British accent or use words like “indubitably”).

Tips:  Do your characters have accents? Do they employ certain “catch phrases,” slang, or gestures?  If you’re writing a story in deep Point of View (POV), everything in your novel will be described through your characters’ eyes.  The way they look at the world and the terms they use to describe must be true to the person they are.

• Government, Technology. Government and technology impact the rules characters operate under and the feats they are capable of.  Even outside traditional government, societal pecking orders are a form of governance. 

Tips: What type of government exists in your story world? How does it impact your characters lives? Do they operate inside or out of the law. What level of technology is available to your characters? What problems/solutions does technology provide in your story?

The above is not meant to be an all inclusive list.  It’s just the tip of the worldbuilding iceberg.  The best worldbuilding tools any author has are questions: who, what, when, where, how…and mostly importantly…why.

As you ask yourself questions and build the world in which your characters live, keep the following in mind…how can I use this aspect of my world to enhance, illuminate or challenge the plots and themes of this book? If you keep that goal in mind and worldbuild accordingly, in the end you will end up with a vibrant story built on a world so solid it feels completely real to your characters and your readers.

So happy worldbuilding!  May the words flow, the pages accumulate, and the story be good.

Thank you so much for your great tips C.L. My steampunk story is calling to me, and now my mind is swirling with so many ideas and elements I’ll have to juggle and keep track of!

Please leave C. L. a comment or question for your chance to win a cool vintage looking journal from the  Harlequin Notable collection where you can jot down all your worldbuilding ideas!

Writer Inspiration: Anthea Lawson

by Marie-Claude Bourque

AND OUR WINNER IS…. Chassily Wakefield! Congrats Chassily 

Hi everyone,

I am delighted to have here at Musetrack today, historical romance author Anthea Lawson aka writer couple Anthea and Lawson. They are kind enough to giveaway a copy of their first novel PASSIONATE to one lucky commenter so please comment away and ask questions! 

FIVE ESSENTIAL STEPS ON THE PATH TO PUBLICATION

Getting a novel published can be a big challenge, but there are some things an aspiring author can do to increase their chances of seeing their work in print. Here are five essentials. If you’ve already done some of these, then you’re on your way!

1. FINISH YOUR BOOK

To sell your book, you must have a book to sell. It seems obvious, but it’s essential if you are serious about seeing your work in print. If you find yourself procrastinating, find some outside support: a critique partner who will hold you accountable, NaNoWriMo, or other external motivators. Many people dream of writing a book “someday.” Some actually start writing. A very few keep going all the way to the end. Put yourself among that select group of finishers.      

2. GET SOME FEEDBACK AND LEARN HOW TO SELF-EDIT

The next step is taking your completed manuscript and making it good. There are a lot of exceptional writing craft books out there. One of our favorites is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Browne and King. We went back to it over and over as we were working on our first novel, Passionate. Critique groups can be helpful for some, and writing contests provide valuable feedback. Accept that your manuscript will need work and polish if it is to find a home with a publisher. The internet is full of advice and instruction for writers. Keep learning and find what works for YOU.

3. FIND AN AGENT/EDITOR

 A hidden part of this essential step is learning how to write synopses and query letters. There are whole books on this subject and some important conventions everyone seeking to sell a novel should take the time to learn. One of the most challenging tasks during this process is distilling your entire novel down into just a couple snappy sentences that will capture the interest of an editor or agent–it’s called “high concept.” Here’s an example — An ordinary boy discovers he has magical powers, and a powerful enemy, and is sent to wizardry school to learn the skills that could save his life—and the world. Harry Potter in a nutshell. Work on figuring out the nutshell of your story.

Here are some excellent online resources for finding an agent. Preditors and Editors includes listings of legitimate agents, as well as who NOT to work with, Agent Research & Evaluation provide information about the top agents in the various fields, and Publishers Marketplace features profiles on almost every agent working. Each year updated guides to agents and editors are published — check the writing section of your bookstore to find them.

Use conferences and contests to get your work in front of agents and acquiring editors, too. And keep trying. It only takes one person to love your work for that SOLD call to happen!

4. NETWORK AND CONNECT

 Fiction writers are lucky to have some great writers organizations available. No matter your genre, you can find a network — Authorlink.com has a great comprehensive listing. One of the biggest (and best) organizations is Romance Writers of America (rwanational.org). RWA and its local chapters provide a wealth of support and insider information about the publishing industry. Consider joining RWA even if you don’t write romance. Best-selling author (and RWA member) Bob Meyer has said it’s an invaluable organization for any fiction writer to be a part of.

You can also connect with other writers by joining online writing classes, attending writer’s conferences, visiting blogs (like this one), writing your own blog — the key thing is to get involved with a community of other writers. From there, you may find a critique group or partner, share some of the tribulations along the way, and know that you’re not alone.

5. PERSEVERE

Accept that things move sloooooowly in publishing. Don’t give up, and celebrate every victory that comes your way. It is a great time to be writing. We live in a literate age, word processors ease the drudgery of producing a manuscript, the internet brings a wealth of writing resources right into your home, e-books are changing the landscape of publishing, and the world is as hungry as ever for great stories told with humanity and skill.

We hope yours will be one of them.

Anthea Lawson is the pseudonym for a husband-wife team who write spicy Victorian romance. Their debut novel, PASSIONATE, was nominated for a Best First Book RITA in 2009, and their newest book, ALL HE DESIRES, hit the shelves on November 3^rd.

Comment below to win a copy of their first book, PASSIONATE. Tell us -What’s the best (or worst!) writing advice you’ve ever received?

Thank you so much Anthea and Lawson! Congratulations on the brand new release!

Research Steampunk Style! Encounter with Tim Powers

by Marie-Claude Bourque

with my brand new steampunk googles!

Some of you know I was at Steamcon last week in Seattle. Now it was not all about me squeezing into a corset and searching for the perfect pair of googles (did that thought! Awesome googles!).

No I also attended two great pannels/meeting with Steampunk authors that got my brain in gear. The first was with Tim Powers (author of  the classic novel THE ANUBIS GATE) who basically took all kinds of questions from the audience. The second included Cherie Priest author of the latest steampunk novel BONESHAKER who discussed the post-apocaliptic nature of some Steampunk stories.

Cherie was quite frank. First, she said, if you are not having fun while writing your steampunk novel, then you’re not writing steampunk. And she was also very open about the liberty she took in rewriting history a little bit. This is fantasy. Her civil war is a little longer than reality and that’s ok.

In fact, “Steampunk needs historical accurracy like an airship needs a goldfish” was the motto at Steamcon (and I have the t-shirt to prove it!)

Tim Powers however had a great method for his research and inspiration and it was quite different.

Author Tim Powers at Steamcon 09

In fact, Powers told us that he loves to read biographies. He just keeps reading all kinds of biography from interesting people and with an eye on the quirky, looking for small details that may be unusual and… perhaps caused by some supernatural or “spooky” little glitch somewhere.

Then his imagination does the rest.

The next step is what caught my attention and fascinated me. Once he found the biography of interest, say Einstein, and some key events of interest in the life of his subject, he researches what is going at the time, day by day. Let say Einstein makes a particular discovery one day, then Powers will look at all that was happening in the world on that day, and perhaps that time period (or even at the hour timescale if applicable.

He may add some contemporary of Einstein and line up the dates. Then he makes connections. So and so had a accident on that day, another important person died on that day and so.

Then it’s only a matter of connection the dots and with a little imagination, all these events are not random, but caused by one thing.

I thought that was particularly clever. I am not so good at research (unlike our own research queen Jenn) and I am paralyzed at the though of writing historical romance. But I though Powers methid might be one more tool for the writer’s tool box.

Hope this sparks your imagination as well!

Notable links of last week!

• At Witchy Chicks, a good take on Nanowrimo with “Not now, write more”
• Scott Eagan on Teacups and Toasts!
• How not to act as an author/writer by Susan Adrian
• A really sweet candid must-read about the whole Angela James saga (from Samhain to Quarter and her great new job!) In her own words at Dear Author
• and of course support our own Candi, if you like her stories, please please go tell Leah Hultenschmidt at Romantic Reads to help Candi make the cut as a finalist in the Best-Celler Dorchester contest!

I’m Branding today…

Hello All,

I’m guest blogging at Texting Between The Sheets today.

What is Author Branding?

I’ve got my Brand in the works.

Come on over.

Writer Inspiration: Robin D. Owens

by Marie-Claude Bourque

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS TO JUDI PHILLIPS!!!

Hi everyone,

I am thrilled to welcome Robin D. Owens, award-winning author of futuristic fantasy romantic fiction, who will discuss the writer’s environment. For me, whose writing space consist of a laptop and nothing else (my son jumping on my bed as I type this), that is a topic that makes me dream!

Robin’s latest release HEART CHANGE is out in November and  she has kindly offered to give away any book of your choice  from her bookshelf (including HEART CHANGE) to one lucky commenter, so don’t forget to say hi!

Today I’m going to talk about a writer’s physical environment.  Naturally different people have different wants and needs.  For instance I have friends who like to write in the family room on their laptops when their family watches television.  That would drive me crazy.  My writing area was a corner of my bedroom for a long time, but I always needed (and continue to need) a desk.

Think about your space.  Where do you write best?  Do you need tidiness or a certain level of mess to be comfortable?  Is a big chair and a laptop fine with you, or do you need some sort of table/desk/surface?  Find your space and claim it.

LIGHT:

What sort of light do you have for your office space?  And what sort of light do you prefer to
work by?

I have a window (that looks out on my neighbor’s house about 10 feet away) and an overhead light fixture with 2 bulbs.  My office is about 10 x 12 and I write at night.  My overhead fixture is bad for writing so I have three small lights – one for my desk, one focused near my keyboard, and another for my credenza — that I use when writing.  This helps my eyes.

I have the overhead on when I do email, chats, etc. TURNING OFF THE OVERHEAD LIGHT AND TURNING ON THE SMALL LIGHTS “NOTIFIES” MY SUBCONSCIOUS THAT I AM READY TO WRITE.

So, first, check your light.

TIDINESS:

Do you like clutter around you or not?  How tidy does your desk, writing space, need to be?  I once was able to handle more clutter than I can now.  Give yourself “permission” to spend a reasonable amount of time cleaning up when messiness starts to bother you.

Make sure your “tools” are within easy reach.  For me these are dictionaries, baby namer, thesaurus, reference books, The Artist’s Way, and Walking on Alligators.  I also like my journal/appointment book, The Sacred Journal, near as well as the critiqued pages of the chapter I’m working on.  Supplies: pens, paper, computer floppies.

POSITION OF COMPUTER, DESK, CHAIR, KEYBOARD:

Be aware of your personal needs.  Do you need desk space to write/edit on as well as your computer?  Is your chair comfortable enough, ergonomic?  What about your keyboard and monitor?  It took a while, but now I have a computer arm that will let me swing my computer around to a couple of  locations.  I have a keyboard stand that will do the same.  Have NOTHING in your space that makes you physically uncomfortable: light that glares in your eyes, a chair that makes you stiff, a keyboard set where you have to strain to use it.

COMPUTER SCREEN:

How many of you work with a computer on your day job?  I did.  One thing that I found was NEGATIVE for me was that the computer screen at my day job included the same COLORS as that on my home.

I literally walked into my office one night and thought “I can’t face that cream-colored screen.” Yes, dabbling around with the colors (and sounds) of your writing computer can “waste” a time.  For me, this is making my environment suite me.  Again, I really believe that having the same color of computer screen for your day job and your writing is NEGATIVE.  You begin to visually associate your writing with your day job.  Also, BY BOOTING UP A DIFFERENT COLORED SCREEN YOU NOTIFY YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS THAT IT IS TIME TO WRITE.

I change the screen colors when I tire of them or I find myself thinking “I can’t face that xxx colored screen.”  I know some people who change the screen when they hope for inspiration – such as a darker colored screen for more emotional writing.  You can save various display colors/desktop themes and access them easily.  I have a shortcut to “Display” on my toolbar so it is a click away.

My entire computer is completely personalized for me.  I have a cursor which is a fountain pen.  my “waiting” cursors are a blue-green die (dice) that is rolling, and a scroll opening and closing or a book with a bubble rising from it.  I have sounds that encourage.  When I turn off my work computer, I have applause – for me because I did my work.

So look around you and see what your writing environment is, what easy things you can do to change it so it fits YOU!

May all your writing dreams come true.
Robin
http://www.robindowens.com (excerpts on the READS page)
Blog on Writing and Publishing:   http://robindowens.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much for your great advice, Robin!

 And everyone, don’t forget to comment for your chance to win a copy of one of Robin’s novel!

NaNoWriMo Lite

Song of the day: I Dare You by Shinedown

This week marks the beginning of National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo.

Unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo? In short, NaNoWriMo is a crash and burn approach to writing. The goal is to pen out a 175 page or 50,000 word novel in 30 days. From midnight November 1^st to midnight November 30^th, writers and would-be authors the world over lose all touch of reality and frenetically become full-fledged novelists. 

Does the idea of writing 50,000 words in such little time scare the bejeepers out of you? Does failure seem imminent? This is no doubt a daunting task ripe with disaster. Or is it?

I first NaNo-ed last year. I took up the challenge knowing that there was no way I could complete it. Did I shoot myself in the foot before I even typed my first word by believing I would be unsuccessful?

Not at all.

I wasn’t ready as a writer for such a test. I knew that. Still wet behind the ears, I was learning how to manage and discipline my writing time and responsibilities, and honing the craft. I fell far short of the 50,000 words mark. I don’t recall my exact pitiful word count, but I do remember that I managed four chapters. I’m a notoriously slow writer. Four chapters in four weeks was a monumental feat for me. Although I didn’t meet the NaNo goal, I had a real sense of accomplishment.

That’s part of the experience. To feel accomplished.

NaNo boldly suggests purging on the page, emphasizing quantity or quality. After all, December is for editing, right? How I wish I could upchuck the stories I want to tell. By now I would have all six of my WIP finished. Sadly, I have not yet been able to discipline myself to write in such a way. I scrutinize over every action, every bit of dialogue, and every visual apparatus to paint for the reader. I stare at the computer screen, thumb through my thesaurus and consult my research books enough to whittle away precious hurling time.

If you are like me, aware that you may not finish a full length novel in a month, let me share my thoughts on how to be a successful NaNo participant.

First, set attainable goals, no matter how small.

The dynamics of my household changed with the recent addition of my youngest daughter – now 8 weeks old. No way will I be able to give a good deal time to writing, much less finishing, a novel. Even as I type this blog, she sits in my lap, fussy and kicking at the keyboard. <sigh> With that in mind, I am aiming low. My goal is to write 10,000 words. Even that may be too lofty. However, reaching that goal will be sweet.

If you reach your objective before the final buzzer, set another one. Just think of how awesome you will feel by not only completing your goal but surpassing it!

Here’s a tip that goes against the NaNo rules. Start before you start.

Huh?  Let me explain.

The beginning of a novel can be the toughest part. And it’s a terrible place to get hung up when participating in a marathon. It can derail your best intentions before you really get under way and taint the mindset for success.  NaNo is about writing with intensity and it doesn’t matter if you jot down sheer crap. But once again, I cannot function under those terms. By creating the opening scene before the starting gun you can give yourself the momentum you need out the starting gate. Just don’t add those words to your counter. You’d be cheating yourself from a gratifying triumph.

Got a project you are already working on? How about that forsaken WIP sitting in your bottom desk drawer collecting paper clips and dust? Maybe you have an idea for a story in a genre you don’t normally write. Want to murder someone with a meat cleaver? Have a hot, sexy forbidden romp? Stage a gunfight at high noon or hunt down flesh-eating zombies? Why not give it a whirl and use NaNo as a tool to jumpstart or finish that endeavor?

As an added bonus, this can be great practice should you want to participate in NaNoWriMo next year. You will be better prepared to tackle NaNo on its official terms.

Find local NaNo writing buddies.

Buddies hold one another accountable. It’s natural to want to excel toward your set goals when others are “watching”.  In turn, word counts increase faster when there is accountability as a motivator.

Stage a write-in. Get together with fellow Nano-ers for a night of blitz writing.

A good friend and fellow Nano-er graciously opened her home last year for such a write-in. Participants were asked to bring food, cheap “white elephant” gifts and their laptops. Prizes were given for the most words written and the most intriguing sentence. Fun drawings for unique and wacky gifts were during break times. There was a smorgasbord of great food and greater company. And best of all, the event was extremely productive. I penned out more words that night than in a whole NaNo week. The night was so successful for all that a few months later, another write-in had been scheduled. A session with a masseuse for the weary had been added to the mix. Ahhh…..a little more to the left. Rejuvenated muscles, rejuvenated minds.

Now here comes the disclaimer. These suggestions and comments are solely mine. NaNoWriMo does not endorse them in any way. At least that’s what I assume.

Visit the NaNo website.

 http://www.nanowrimo.org/

It’s not too late to sign up and join in the fun and excitement.

Brainstorming Time!

by Marie-Claude Bourque

Career Track: Frantically writing away to finish Nanowrimo (hopes: career author!); Volunteering at the local high school (hopes: High School Math teacher!); catering and running after two little boys (reality: mom!)

Let’s Brainstorm! So here we are all of us Candi, Jenn and I attempting to write 50,000 words in 30 days during the National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo). It is my first and if I am not wrong it is also a first for both Candi and Jenn (although every month is Nano month for our very prolific Candi it seems!)

To prepare for the month, I spend last week brainstorming. And even though I am a very analytical (polite way of saying anal) plotter, my brainstorming is anything but organized. I crank up the music (Nine Inch Nails and Tool work real well for me), walk around Seattle and daydream!

And I make lists, scene lists usually.

It is still a shock to me that I sold my fist manuscript but I have to say that if I hadn’t found THE brainstorming weapon, that manuscript mat have turned pretty flat. My favorite brainstorming tool is Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by agent Donald Maass. And I specify the workbook because that is what is most useful to me. Tons and tons of page full of questionnaire from how to make your character bigger then life to how he/she sees the settings and how to create more tension.

The workbook is also a great tool to define all your plot, plot layers and subplot. I never realized what all those meant until I read and work with this book.

So there I was last week, taking the path of least resistance and just answering question.

Last month, I wished I had more of those types of chart to fill out and, miracle, Mary Buckman and Dianna Love new book Break into Fiction came out. With a foreword from Sherrilynn Kenyon, I knew I couldn’t go wrong. I took some workshop with Mary (she is awesome!) and her workbook really didn’t deceived. I love it.

It starts with questionnaires on characters and conflict and move on to climax and turning point. I found it a great complement to the Donald Maass book. So if you are like me (slightly lazy) I do recommend starting with Breaking into Fiction, then moving on to Writing the Breakout Novel. It’s easy, it’s fun and you might get some real cool ideas!

SOME USEFUL READS FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE, LAST WEEK:

• On themes by agent Nathan Bradford
• Why agents ask only for 3 chapters by agent Scott Eagan
• How Unpublished Authors Can Build Name Recognition by editor Leah Hultenschmidt at Romance University
• How not to act by writer Susan Adrian

 

MUSETRACKERS NANO STATS – Nov 2th:

• Jenn (The Bruised Sky): 413 (Hey, she just had a baby!)
• Candi: (On Lupine Ridge): 4,227
• Marie-Claude (Ancient Secrets): 3,017

Writer Inspiration: Jessa Slade

by Marie-Claude Bourque

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!! CONGRATULATION KERRI NELSON!!!

Hi everyone,

This business of writing, trying to get published and remain published can be quite daunting. That is why I started to ask authors how they do it, how they survive, what was their journey or just some tips to help us writers that are trying to get there. I am thrilled to have as a guest today, paranormal romance author Jessa Slade who will share some of her thoughts on writing and publication.

My thanks to Marie-Claude for allowing me to visit today.  Since my debut urban fantasy romance, SEDUCED BY SHADOWS, has been loose on the shelves of bookstores for three weeks now, I wanted to muse a little about the transition from writer to author.  

Weirdly enough, writers are not born knowing how to become authors.  You’d think it’d be instinctive, like it is for caterpillars. 

Not that a caterpillar can become an author, nor would it want to, but writers go through many of the same steps as caterpillars.  We munch our way through many leaves—words, in our case, words from books in our genre, bestselling books, craft books, submission guidelines, the Publishers Weekly deals column.  We crawl out onto the spindly branches of hope, pursuing every possible word and maybe soaking in a few rays of warm encouragement along the way.  We grow pudgy with the accumulated weight of our efforts, and finally we spin ourselves up in a tiny, isolated cocoon—whether it be a writer’s garret or some cheap coffee shop—weaving thread upon thread, struggling to become what we were meant to be….

 And then the cruel hands of fate rip off our little wings—not yet unfurled—and send us plummeting back to the dirt: “Regret to inform you… Not right for our line at this time… Wings don’t sell; quit while you still have the stubs, you fool.”

The pursuit of publication: Raid™ for the writer’s soul.

In the beginning, I read a lot of advice to writers about telling the story of my heart, about finding joy in my writing, about writing as a sacred calling.  That advice seemed as ephemeral to me as any butterfly, and I felt bad that I wasn’t one of those lilting creatures.  For me, writing wasn’t particularly joyful or fulfilling.  It was dirty, exhausting work, full of anguish and annoyance.  There were days I scrubbed toilets voluntarily rather than open my manuscript.  The beginning of it I avoided as long as possible; I trudged through the middle with weary resignation; and I charged the end with wild-eyed ineptitude.

I remember one piece of wisdom that suggested: “If you knew for a fact no one would ever read your stories, would you keep writing?  Then you are a true writer.”  And I thought: “No, then you are a lunatic.”

 But I had to acknowledge the core truth: I might never become a butterfly. 

So I stopped waiting for my writing to be transcendent and I just wrote.  I built up my immunity to toxic clouds of rejection; sure, my eyes still watered, but at least I kept breathing.  And writing.  I didn’t just give myself permission to write crap, I actually wrote crap.  A lot of it.  Because crap is more spectacularly offensive in large piles.  Oh, there were moments of flight… Usually right before I realized I’d tripped off the edge of a crap cliff.

I wish I could say then I got The Call and transformed into a glorious phoenix, rising from the ashes.

Tragically, this is not the case.  The only phoenix-like moments I’ve experienced are the crashing and burning ones.  I’m still grubbing.  Still writing.

Turns out, those grub skills (is a pathological unresponsive to painful stimuli actually a skill?) have served me well.  Not prettily, but well.  The ability to chow through endless reams; constantly climbing toward the sun, disregarding any fear of falling; staying hungry like any good caterpillar; relentlessly coming back from any attempt at eradication.  Always trundling onward, one leg in front of the other in front of the other in front of the other.

Maybe, not so weirdly, writers are born knowing how to become authors.  We write.  Turns out, wings just tend to snag under your butt when you sit down at the keyboard.  The glory of flight was always only in my mind, but I guess I can make my peace with that since the stories live there too.

What fantasies about publication do you have?  Do you think it’ll be easier or harder to write once you sell?  Published authors, feel free to burst our bubbles or let us in on all the secrets.

One random commenter will be drawn to win a signed copy of SEDUCED BY SHADOWS, a pair of freshwater pearl earrings inspired by the Marked Souls storyworld (don’t they look all demonically possessed?), and a custom temporary tattoo based on an in joke from the book.

~ Jessa Slade

Thank you so much for coming to Musetracks Jessa. You are very inspiring!

And please don’t forget to leave her comment so we can out you in her draw!

Rejection Objection!

Song of the Day: Take a Chance on Me by ABBA

Sorry folks. I’m a day late. Having a new baby in the house takes a lot of adjustment and I haven’t quite nailed down a solid schedule.

Today, I’m going to post a list of unbelievable rejections compiled by my good friend and fellow writer, Will Simon.

James Lee Burke, hailed today as the “Faulkner of Modern Crime Fiction” holds the record for Most Rejections from a Publisher; his novel, THE LOST GET BACK BOOGIE was rejected one hundred and eleven (yes… 111) times. When it was published in 1986, BOOGIE was short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize. (Larry McMurtry won that year for LONESOME DOVE.)

“Richard Hooker” spent seven years writing a humorous war novel based on his experiences as a doctor in Korea. The manuscript was rejected by twenty-one publishers before William Morrow bought the rights to the novel, originally titled “Mobile Army Surgical Hospital”. An editor rechristened the manuscript M*A*S*H*. M*A*S*H* became a runaway best-seller, spawning a blockbuster movie and one of the longest running series in television history.

Louis L’Amour, possibly the most respected author in the Western genre received more than 350 rejections before he made his first sale. As of this date, there are more than 200 million Louis L’Amour books in print.

British thriller writer John Creasy received 774 rejections before his first sale, and went on to author a total of 564 novels, featuring such characters as The Baron, The Toff, and other British “gentlemen heroes”, and often had up to five manuscripts in the works simultaneously. To this day, Creasy is considered one of the pre-eminent writers in the genre.

Dr. Seuss’ first children’s book “And To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street” was rejected by twenty-seven publishers before Vanguard Press “took a chance”. Nothing more needs to be said.

Margaret Mitchell’s classic “Gone with the Wind” was turned down by more than thirty-seven publishers.

Mary Higgins Clark was rejected more than forty times before selling her first short story. More than 30 million copies of her books are in print today.

Fifteen publishers and thirty agents turned down John Grisham’s first novel, “A Time to Kill”. More than 60 million copies of his books are now in print.

Doctor No, E.T., Home Alone, Forrest Gump, Speed, and Raiders of the Lost Ark were ALL rejected by every major studio in Hollywood.

Rudyard Kipling received a rejection letter from the San Francisco Examiner that said, in part, “Mr. Kipling, it is obvious that you have no grasp of the English Language.”

Dean Koontz was strongly advised by an English Professor to find “meaningful work”, as he would never succeed as a writer.

((Second all time favorite – W.)) Eight years after his novel “Steps” won the National Book Award, Jerzy Kosinski permitted a young writer to change the name and title of the book, and nothing else, and send the re-typed manuscript to various publishers. Every single publishing house rejected it, including Random House who had published the original and proudly displayed the National Book Award for it.

((First all time favorite – W.)) A young film school graduate got the necessary permissions from the estates of the writers, and submitted a word for word line by line copy of the screenplay to CASABLANCA under the play’s original title, “Everybody Comes to Rick’s.” Every studio passed on it, with Warner Brothers (who did the original) saying “No FemJep (Hollywood slang for ‘Female in Jeopardy’) ….can’t sell it. Can you toss in a serial killer?” Several agents responded to the prankster with comments like “Too old and archaic”, “Where’s the Kid Action?”, and “Unbelievably stupid; no one acts this way in real life.”

((ULTIMATE All Time Favorite – W)) Back in 1962, upon viewing initial film of Sean Connery as James Bond, a United Artists executive sent a formal memo out criticizing the producers casting choice, ending with the line “We can do better than [Connery].”

 

Now – don’t you feel better about your own rejections?

William Simon is in his real life the owner and lead investigator for Abberline Investigations, a licensed investigations company that deals exclusively  in computer crime.  William publishes under the pseudonym ‘Will Graham’.