Makin' a list...

Glancing at the ID on my ringing cell phone, I saw that it was my step-son.  He was delivering a message from DIL...  she needs a list.  A list?  Hmmm....  How long of a list?

Her Facebook status yesterday said she didn't even think to get her list together yet for Black Friday.  They are expecting their first child in January and have been busy getting the nursery ready, so I guess she's had other things on her mind besides Christmas sale shopping!  (I personally hate shopping, crowds, and limited supplies, so avoid Black Friday like the plague.)  S-S said it was OK to e-mail it later.  (I'm sure he preferred that to having to remember a list.)  I promised I would, and started thinking about what I wanted...

I'm not one to desire much.  I have everything I need and feel quite blessed.  Anything she would care to give me would bring a smile and warm thought, but I don't want to be difficult.  DIL is a planner... a details oriented person.  I can certainly appreciate that.  So I'll make a list to simplify her shopping trip.

When I first hung up the phone, I thought about turtlenecks.  When assessing my winter wardrobe recently, I discovered that I really don't have many long-sleeved comfy shirts.  Surely there are tables full of on-sale-turtlenecks for Christmas.  But then, a better thought popped into my head...  What do I really want?  I already have a list!

I've shared with you a few of the craft books that are recommended by fellow writers to improve our technique.  Every time one sounds good to me, I put it on my want list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TheThe Fire In Fiction by Donald Maass has been featured recently on Susan Mill's blog, A Walk In My Shoes.  I added it to my list!  Susan also recommends Writing the Breakout Novel, also by Maass.  (and also on my books-I-want-to-read list.)

 

 

 

Another book at the top of my want list is Stephen King's On Writing.  It also comes highly recommended as a must read.

So there!  I've made my list.  Haven't checked it twice, but don't really need to...  it's pretty short.  Now, if only Mr J's list was as easy...

How about you?  Have you received a 'list request' for Christmas?  Are there craft books on your wish list?  Here's the perfect opportunity to add to your writer's library!

                                                                                                                                          

I Didn't Die

I've just been taking a break.

My focus was off because of things in my life... mostly good things, but they still interfered.  Life does tend to get in the way of writing; but sometimes what I've written gets in the way of writing...

I reached a part that was giving me fits!  I didn't like the flow.  I wasn't happy with the story line... it seemed to lag a bit.  I want the important parts of these chapters to be more compact.  The voice didn't match the rest of my ms.  I was spending way too much time fixing little things, when I really needed to start over with that whole part.

I've been spending less time reading blogs, but still daily follow  Susan's blog, A Walk In My Shoes.  She has become a friend, offering me priceless advice.  ...reluctantly, I might add.  Not reluctant to share and to help, but reluctant to call it advice.  Rather, she modestly says it's just her opinion.  Susan supports my opinion to start over with this section.  She's been in a similar spot, wasting precious time on a part that just wasn't working.

It's so wonderful to have other writers to share with, and to glean from.  If you're a new writer, I encourage you to follow not only the blogs of agents and publishers (though much priceless information is freely given there) but to also follow blogs of other writers...  people that have been where you are, that can offer opinions to steer you around the roadblocks that can sometimes cause a new writer to give up too easily.  And don't just limit it to writers in your own genre.  All writers have common problems and solutions.

Hopefully, when you've found a few blogs to follow that you can relate to and learn from, you will be able to ask questions and get good sound answers.  Just because the current problem you're dealing with is not a current topic in Blogville, doesn't mean you can't ask it in a comment form, or even e-mail it to the blogger.  The people I've met through blogs are eager to help ,and to develop friendships.  Even though there are infinite great books that talk about specific topics concerning the craft, feedback from other writers is priceless.

It's hard for me to think about tossing such a huge section of my WIP; but if it's not working, what good is it?  So any day now, I'm going to go back to the outline process for this section, and add more structured detail to keep me on track.  I know what needs to be in there.  That's all that needs to be in there.  Once I establish my direction, my words should again flow as they did in the beginning.

As I get further along with my book, I do plan to join local writers' groups for the face-to-face support they offer.  But, in the meantime, I'll meet up with the talent right here in Blogville.  And Susan... thank you for everything!

You Have a Telegraph...

You should delete it!

I came across a new (to me) subject today while scanning the agents' posts...  Rachelle Gardner talked about foreshadowing vs telegraphing.

There are a few surprises hiding on the pages of my WIP.  It's not really a suspense novel, but I still want my readers to be surprised at the proper time.  Rachelle's post discusses whether or not, and how much hinting should be included in the body of your ms.

I found it very enlightening, as it is a subject I have not yet seen discussed.  Check it out...

I Finished My Book!

Oh, I wish it was that one!  No, I just finished reading The Appeal by John Grisham. 

I needed a break from my WIP.  I had to get my mind off it for a bit.  I didn't like the last chapter I wrote and thought taking a break would help me regain my focus on where I really want it to go.  I want to pick it up again with a fresh mind. 

I'm one of those people that don't typically follow authors, but Grisham is my favorite.  The only other author I can think of, that I actually own more than one book written by them, is Samuel Clemons.  I have three by Clemons that I was given when I was young.  I own a whole shelf of Grisham's work.

As I closed the back cover of this one, I thought about whether or not I am at all influenced by his writing.  My first reaction is, of course not...  My story ideas are nothing like his.  My writing style is far different.  I do admire that he manages to write stacks of best-sellers without filling them full of trash talk.  I'm not big on the foul language found in a lot of books.  I really like that his books aren't all about happy endings.  They're more true to life.  I also like the fact that, even though the majority of his books deal with some angle on the legal profession, he throws in a few unexpected storylines... even a little comedy.

Still I wonder...  Perhaps when I'm done writing this ms, I'll ponder the question again as I evaluate my characters and flow.  If I do find a similarity in style, is it necessarily influence?  Maybe I like his writing because of that common thread, instead of his writing being the cause of it.  If you were to ask me what writer I thought influenced me the most, my answer would be, "I have no idea."   I have been writing essays, songs and poems since I was a child.  It's hard to say what might have influenced my style.

How about you?  Is there a particular author that influences your writing style?  Describe the way your work reflects that influence.