Immerse Your Senses and Jump Start Your Writing

I tend to be a very visual person. Perhaps it's from my film background, but I have to envision the whole picture when I write. In a film, one of the biggest contributors to mood setting is music. Can you hear "If You Were Here" by the Thompson Twins and not think of Molly Ringwald sitting on the dining room table with Jake Ryan and a birthday cake? Or "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds and not think of all things "Breakfast Club"?

I cannot suggest enough that when you write, you create a playlist that echoes the different scenes and voices in your story. For example, when I wrote my novel BAND GEEK, I listened to "I've Got A Feelin'" by the Black Eyed Peas the entire time I wrote the Homecoming scene. It was perfect. It was loud and fun and noisy and made me picture a dark gymnasium awash with crepe paper and overly-hormonal teens dancing. It set the mood. And because I tend to write visually, the scene played out in my head much like a movie. The music alone can inspire images and ideas to spring forth. Often, I will hear a song and add it to my playlist for a particular book because I know it will be the perfect thing to listen to when I write the breakup scene, or a kissing scene, or a road trip scene. I try and create a separate playlist for each book I work on, and often I listen to it when I'm driving (since I'm probably schlepping my kids in the car when I'm not writing) in the hopes that it might spark something then too.

Another useful device for setting the writing mood and bringing you deeper into your story is any kind of aromatherapy. For me, it's scented candles. I have an, er, slight addiction to Bath and Body Works scented candles, I confess. Yankee Candle is pretty darn good too. They offer such a variety of unique scents like Winter Night, Mountain Leaves, Sand and Sea, Storm Watch, etc. If you are writing a scene that takes place in the forest, burning a Fresh Balsam candle can make you feel like you're there. And if that doesn't work for you, at least your house is going to smell really really good.

If your story takes place in an environment that is locally accessible to you, go take some pictures of the places you are writing about. Tack them up on a bulletin board and have them around you while you write. If you can't get there but the images you need are available on the internet, Google them and print them out.

In other words, immerse your senses fully in the experience.

Sky Diving, Eating Pumpkin Cupcakes for Breakfast, And Other Things You Might Not Do But Your Characters Should

Okay, so admittedly, I have eaten pumpkin cupcakes for breakfast. Really, how are they that different from a donut? Or a muffin? Everyone knows muffins are just ugly cupcakes anyway. But, there are plenty of things I don't do because, truthfully, I'm not a hugely adventurous sort. I have great admiration for those that do, regularly branching free, fearless, from their comfort zones and launching themselves into new experiences.

There is no better place to take chances and live the life you've only wished you had the courage, means or resources to live than through your characters. While we search for universal truths when writing so that people can relate to our characters, it's also that special spike of a unique experience or a quirky trait that can transport us from our realities into another world. Not to mention, it's just plain fun to write.

Another great reason to write characters that are not flat (everyone does laundry, takes a walk now and then, goes on the occasional trip, whether it be to the Bahamas or Grandma's) is because it gives you a great chance to dive in and research. You can drive across country nowadays without ever leaving your chair via Google Earth and numerous websites. Your characters can bungee jump, fly on trapezes, climb Mt. Everest, run a marathon, etc., and finding out the terrain and what you can expect is also all at your fingertips. And best of all, it might inspire YOU to move out of your comfort zone and try something new yourself.

A great example of writing about something with total authenticity despite it not being an actual part of your life is C.J. Omolulu's amazing YA novel DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS. The novel is about a young girl forced to hide her mother's secret hoarding habit, until one day she comes home to find her mother dead and has to decide how far she'll go to keep the family secrets safe. I asked C.J. about her book at SCBWI LA this summer because I was so blown away by it, and she shared with me that neither she nor anyone else in her inner circle is a hoarder; she culled all that information purely from people sharing their stories and doing extensive research. It shows the power of how one can write so convincingly about something they have not experienced, and helps remove the stigma that you can only write what you have experienced firsthand. (P.S. If you haven't read this amazing novel yet - buy it today! It's six kinds of awesome!)

Putting your character in a life polar to your own makes the writing more fun and challenging. What reader wants to escape from their life by just simply reading about a character just moving through their day to day with no depth or dimension? We all long for that extra something something that allows us to tune everything else out and get lost. This doesn't mean if you're writing a contemporary YA novel that your character shouldn't be dealing with traditional high school problems and issues. But look for that spike - what if they had to deal with vampires too? (Think Twilight) Or ghosts of dead cheerleaders that only they can see/hear? (Think The Ghost and the Goth) or even something like THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY, by Jenny Han, where the main character must choose between the love of two brothers, but the setting plays as much of a role as the characters do, and you are swept up in the romance and the eloquence of her words.

So whether you're writing late at night because you're working or shuttling kids or whatever during the day, or you have the luxury of devoting yourself full time to your craft, get out and live a little. Take chances. Do new things. And know that it's all risk-free, because your characters are doing all the work! Besides, the worst that happens is you write a killer story, right? Now get writing!

HOW BETA READING MAKES YOU A BETTER WRITER

We all tend to fall in love with our words when we write. C'mon, admit it. You've done it too - refused to cut that one line because it was just so snarky and clever, or waxed poetic about the character's surroundings even though they in no way truly furthered the story by the end but . . . but . . . it was so perfectly written!!! In short, editing is like butchering babies, and although butchering babies is never an easy task, it's even harder when it's your own. When we are so close to our work, the best thing we can do to see what's REALLY working (and what's totally not), along with catching all those pesky punctuation errors we've flown by a million times and the repetition of words and phrases, is to have a few trusty beta readers.

Beta readers are other fellow writers (your Mom and best friend and the 10th grader down the street who loves all things paranormal don't count) who can read your work for you and objectively give you such feedback. But where to find them? By networking. Go to local writing events and conferences and get to know fellow writers in your area. If you are a member of SCBWI, there is usually a regional coordinator who can hook you into other writers looking for beta readers and critique partners. You can also go online to various writing websites and often there will be forums for people looking for other writers to do just this.

Granted, it seems hard to build that trust with another writer you don't really know. Will they know what they're talking about? Does it matter if they are published or unpublished? How often do we need to send material back and forth? The best thing to do is to exchange the first ten pages of what you're working on. Just like agents who want to read those critical first ten pages, it will give you a feel for the writer's style. If it seems like quality writing, and something you could connect with, fantastic! Hopefully, the feeling is mutual! Published or unpublished is truly no matter. Writers that today are unpublished may one day be published, and writers that are now published were once in the trenches waiting for their big break. Both are fully capable of providing different levels of insight based on their knowledge of writing and their place on the journey.

When I read other writers' work-in-progress, it is a fantastic opportunity for me to really break apart the mechanics of the story and see what works, what doesn't and why. In turn, I can apply that to similar sections of my own writing. I pay special attention to dialogue transitions, because I tend to write dialogue-heavy stories. Dialogue, while engaging, is boring if every other sentence just ends in "she said" or "he told me." I learn to eliminate that sometimes entirely to put in a small descriptive action that helps keep the action moving on the page. I am also able to discern much easier in someone else's work when there are huge passages where nothing is happening. Again, when we are in love with our words, it's much harder to do that with our own work. I learn about style and voice, description and how to convey action and emotion effectively. The insight and detailed feedback my critique partners and beta readers have offered me has been absolutely invaluable.

Just as our stories are never truly "done," we are also never "done" learning from others. The writing community is incredibly supportive in that way. It is such a welcoming group, eager to pay-it-forward. So if you're not connecting with other writers to help make your work stronger, start now!

Turning The Mundane Into A Masterpiece

We all find ourselves in those moments in life where we are forced to endure the mundane: standing in line at the bank, grocery shopping, waiting for our kids in the pickup lane at school, etc. But these moments can actually be fantastic opportunities to sharpen those descriptive writing skills and save you from slipping into a coma.

For example: Today, I am boarding a giant yellow school bus filled with 119 marching band kids and parent chaperones, weaving our way through perpetual Los Angeles traffic to a high school nearly two hours away. There they will perform their first competition of the year. The bus ride is usually hot, slow and relatively boring (unless you have an iPod loaded with good tunes or another adult to sit and chat with), but it's also an amazing opportunity to "observe." For most of us, it's been a long time since we've ridden a school bus, but our characters often do. What does it feel like as it bumps up and down on the highway? What do the seats look like? Rips? Gum stuck to the floor? Sticky green vinyl? What does it sound like? What does it feel like as the windows open and your hair gets whipped about? And, grosser but true, what does it smell like? You will no doubt overhear snippets of conversation. What are they talking about? What are the kids doing as they travel? Playing on portable gaming systems? Watching movies on iPads? Texting? Talking? Is it hot? Cold? You get where I'm going....

And at the destination, there's a lot of hurry-up-and-wait in the marching band world. (Hey, kinda like publishing!) What a great chance to people watch! Sit with a notebook and pen and pick 5 random people and describe them fully, head to toe. Describe their clothes, their hair, their complexion, their vocal tone or dialect, their energy level (overzealous band parent or bored sibling that's been dragged along for the ride), what they eat. Look around and describe everything you see. The field, the way the sun looks as it is in the sky at different points of the day and how that affects your comfort in sitting there, what food options are available to you, etc.

And on the ride home, how does your body feel? Are you tired? Energized? How do those bus seats feel on your back now?

You can apply this to every mundane situation there is, because these are all situations we encounter in our day-to-day lives. They can otherwise be boring to read about, but rich description, or something funny or unique you can add as a spike, can make the mundane a masterpiece. Try it! At the minimum, you won't be bored because you'll be writing!

Got A Writing Question? Bet There's A Blog To Answer It!

I know . . . don't rupture an aorta from the shock of me putting up two blog posts in as many days, but this seemed like a good add-on to what I blogged about yesterday. I mentioned there are several fantastic writing blogs and websites out there that provide a plethora of informative, insightful and amazing advice. And best of all, you don't need to change out of those grungy sweats you wouldn't dare be caught dead in, nor abandon your favorite writing chair or let your morning coffee grow cold on the counter. You can garner all this info., free of charge, right from your computer. So sit down, get your mouse clicker finger ready, and be prepared to be enlightened.


GOT GRAMMAR ISSUES?
First off, does your grammar suck? Are you like me and abandoned your basic grammar skills after 10th grade, only to have that come back and bite you in the butt when you decided to become a writer? Well, guess what. Have I got a lifesaver site for you! http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ Grammar Girl is my new best friend. Unfortunately, we can't go have a latte together now and again or paint each other's nails, but she does give me the skinny on what I'm doing wrong and how to fix it. You can even subscribe to her newsletter and get great grammar tips daily. Another great grammar site is http://grammar.net Grammar.Net has a lot of the same stuff as Grammar Girl, as well as a section where you can actually cut and paste chunks of text to analyze it for errors. It catches things even my Word Grammar checker did not. They also have a newsletter you can subscribe to, and I find the tips in it very helpful.

WONDER HOW TO WRITE A QUERY? OR *shudder* A SYNOPSIS? AND HOW THE HECK SHOULD I FORMAT THIS DOCUMENT?
Glad you asked! There are soooo many great blogs out there, many run by agents or writers, that give the insider scoop on the way things should be done. Some will give you examples of great query letters, formatting tips, do's and dont's, and answers to just about every publishing question you can think of. Here are some of the best ones I've found:

http://nathanbransford.com
Nathan Bransford is an ex-agent from Curtis Brown, Ltd., who is now a self-described publishing civilian working in the tech industry. He is also an author, and holds my current personal record for fastest rejection ever - a mere 43 minutes from query to pass, but I still love his blog anyway. To me, he is THE go-to source if I want answers.

http://kidlit.com
Mary Kole from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency also provides an incredibly insightful blog, including resources for writers and information about upcoming events and conferences. Mary is a highly respected agent, a YA and middle grade author, has a strong web presence, and knows her stuff. She encourages readers to send her questions directly that she can address on the site. You can get lost for hours on there.

http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents
Chuck Sambuchino's Guide To Literary Agents blog features fantastic articles and interviews, as well as a platform for writers to share with other writers how they got their agents. He spotlights new agents, providing a great opportunity to approach someone new. You can spend hours going through the back archives and garnering great insight from industry professionals.

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/
Jessica Faust at BookEnds LLC has probably answered more "when in doubt" questions for me than she knows. There are so many great entries here. The information is shared with humor and heart.

www.rachellegardner.com
Rachelle Garner at WordServe Literary also has an amazing blog. Her information is spot-on, short and to-the-point. QueryTracker often includes links to her blog. She talks about everything from author platforms to query advice and beyond.

/www.greenhouseliterary.com/index.php/site/sarahs_blog
Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary offers up a wealth of advice on every topic under the sun. She is honest and forthright, and tells it like it is. She has a great sense of humor and I guarantee if you follow her tips, you will improve your writing.

http://jennybent.blogspot.com
Jenny Bent of the Bent Agency has a fantastic blog called Bent on Books. In fact, I was once writing back and forth with one of her clients and he told me, as I was describing my time in the trenches of query hell, to check out her blog, that it was one of the best he'd seen. I agree. She makes you laugh and offers up gems that are invaluable.


This is just a small sampling of what's out there, and should keep you busy for a while. There are also countless blogs written by authors from every genre, and often they will have links to other blogs you may enjoy in the same vein. We are fortunate to live in a time where so much knowledge is available to us with a simple click. Take advantage of it. And keep on writing!!!

Things To Do While You're Waiting To Hear Back From The Publishing World

I might, possibly, be one of the most impatient people in the world. I admit it. So, it's obviously completely ironic that I've chosen to be a writer and enter the world of publishing, which far surpasses the world of "Hurry up and wait" that the film industry is. But I survived that, and I'll survive this too, because there are many lessons to learn from the tortoise rather than the hare.

First and foremost, when things are moving at the speed of molasses, it offers a great opportunity to work on your craft, and it might give you the spark that you've been looking for. Here are some great things you can do while waiting:

READ EVERYTHING YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON IN YOUR GENRE
When I'm not writing (or packing lunches, shuttling kids, squeezing in time for a shower or doing laundry), I try and read everything I can in my genre. It's great to know what is selling and why. Further, it allows you the opportunity to learn from published writers that write in a style similar to your own. When I read, I will often sit with a notebook and pen and write down key phrases or lines of dialogue or things that caught my eye as well written. I may have written, or will write, similar things, but I study the eloquence with how they crafted those sentences and break them down to see why they worked so well. It's like a free master class. Further, as I query agents, I can use an example of an author they may know (or represent) to give them a sense of what to expect from my writing. Authors will often thank their agents in the acknowledgements, and it becomes a perfect way to target someone who might be an appropriate fit for your work.

USE WRITING PROMPTS
Many authors (like Laurie Halse Anderson, who does this often on her blog) will offer up writing prompts to help inspire you to write. If you have a day where you are simply looking at the blinking cursor on the page, this is a great way to get inspired. Who knows what it can bring forth story-wise? At the minimum, it means you are writing, and whether or not you trash every word or write something amazing, the key is to aim to get words on a page daily, to make it a habit like brushing your teeth or drinking your coffee.

READ WRITING BLOGS
There is such a wealth of free, insanely good writing advice out there on numerous blogs, many from agents and writers themselves. These tips can help you ask yourself the right questions when revising, hear their personal experiences to help you know you're not alone, etc. Often, agents will even put up stats like where they are in their query letters or slush pile, which can help you calm down and refrain from biting your fingernails to nubs, wondering why you haven't heard anything.

SUBSCRIBE TO PUBLISHERS MARKETPLACE
For just $20 a month, you can get a daily email elivered to your inbox that tells you what is selling, in what genre, who is representing it and what publisher bought it. This may also help you hone your focus and know if the work you are trying to get out there is something that certain agents/houses might be interested in. You can also track Agent Deals and find out what agents represent what authors.

ATTEND WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES
Workshops and conferences are excellent networking oppportunities - you never know who you will meet! Often, they have manuscript critiques available for that critical first ten pages, and it can be extremely helpful to get that insight from a variety of industry professionals, even if you've had it done previously. I have yet to go to a conference or workshop where I didn't leave with some new nugget that I carry forth and incorporate, and I can't find enough words to describe, at the minimum, how inspiring it feels to be in the company of fellow writers. You can't help but leave this environment and not want to go home and get busy. It doesn't matter if it's an SCBWI event, or something at your local community college. Get yourself out there and get involved. It will help keep up your momentum.

BLOG
If you don't have one, start one. You're helping establish your presence in the marketplace, getting your name out there, and offering yourself another outlet to write. See? I'm procrastinating today's writing by writing this blog right now!! Just kidding. (sorta)

And above all, keep on keepin' on. Don't give up!!

What I've Learned Thus Far

So, here I am, two years in to this journey, and I do feel slightly farther down the path than when I started. Although I still have not found that perfect agent, nor had the thrill of holding my published book in my hand, I have learned so much, and in the end, it can only stand to make me a stronger, better writer.
JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE FOUND THE PERFECT AGENT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE PERFECT FOR YOU These past few weeks, a couple of friends of mine have taught me a lot about the realities of having an agent. When we're new, we query everyone we can in the hopes that someone will bite. Admittedly, we are just so excited to see our words in print and our dream realized that we are not truly as selective as we should be. Finding the perfect agent has been likened to a marriage - you want to be in this relationship a long time, so you should be able to look at the world the same way, to communicate effectively, to get along well and mutually get what you need from one another. You would not pick a guy to date simply because he's the next guy to walk through the door, so why should you pick an agent simply because they are the next name on the list? Take the time to research them, to know what kinds of books they like, to hear feedback on their personalities and the ways they communicate (or don't), and assess if they would truly be the right fit for you. THEN query. And what if you find your dream agent and they don't want YOU? That's the part that's the toughest of all - to remember that it may not be THIS project that brings you together, and that you must keep writing, and with each book comes a new opportunity to connect.
YOU MUST KEEP WRITING It's hard to let go of a project, or put it on the shelf, when you've invested so much time and energy into it. But sometimes it's necessary. The reality is, if you do not keep writing and have something new, when you get "the call," an agent is going to know what else you've got and if you have nothing, that may not be what they're okay with hearing. After all, at the end of the day, publishing is a business, and they can't make money if they don't have a project to sell. Nor can you. So, although some days I just want to dive in and re-tweak just one more scene, or just query, or not write at all, I remind myself of the harsh reality that THIS book may or may not be the one, and I need to keep moving. I currently have two books I'm working on, and we'll see which one makes it to the finish line first.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH WRITERS I cannot stress enough the importance of having writer friends and surrounding yourself with them, whether in person at the local coffee shop to write together, at a conference, or online in forums, on blogs, or any other social media site. We are a strange breed, and can understand each other and it often helps to have that extra boost of support when we need it most. They are a wonderful resource to find out about upcoming events, promotion of your work when it's ready, information about agents, publishers, and the industry in general. And when you're talking about writing or sitting and actually doing it together, you're much more likely to feel inspired and keep on keeping on. Writing is a solitary business, and it's easy to let the self-doubt creep in, especially in an industry where things move at a snail's pace and you might not hear a peep for months.
WRITE WHAT YOU LOVE If you write what you love, chances are, it will show in your writing. There is something authentic and true that shines through when a writer is passionate about their subject matter. Although I enjoy reading a well-written paranormal now and then, I write (and love) contemporary romantic/humorous YA. I like characters I can relate to, situations that I may have been in or would love to be in, young romance that makes me swoon like I was sixteen years old all over again. For many teens, a good book is an escape, and if I can make someone laugh or look at their world in a different way, I have done all I set out to do as a writer. I know where my strengths are. That said, it's not that I don't advocate moving out of your comfort zone to challenge yourself by writing something that isn't your norm - I think that's a GREAT exercise to do - but write for YOU. Write what you love. Don't worry about getting agented and getting published for now, or what the latest trends are and how to meet them. Like fashion, everything comes around again in its own time, so write what moves you.
DON'T GIVE UP One of my most prized possessions is the signed title page from Laurie Halse Anderson's novel TWISTED. Laurie did a one-on-one critique for me at the SCBWI LA conference, and she told me she absolutely loved my book and I should have no problem selling it. She told me I'd nailed the voice and the writing was nearly flawless. I laughed and told her from her mouth to an agent's ears. She made me promise I would never give up, that I clearly had talent as a writer and must remember this is a process, and a long one at that. And she signed her book for me "To Robin: Who is not allowed to stop writing Love, Laurie". Every time I feel that niggling self-doubt filling up the silence and the dead space, every time I stare at that blinking cursor and wonder what the heck I'm going to write next, every time I stare at that inbox longingly in the hopes it will light up with great news, I think about that. It may well be one of the greatest gifts anyone has unknowingly given me in my lifetime, and it is truly then that I realize how subjective it all is and press on.

Me with Laurie Halse Anderson, amazing writer and fellow band Mom, who continues to inspire me daily.