Monday's Muse Music

I know a lot of you love music and use it as inspiration when writing. I went to a 10 Years concert a couple weeks ago and I can not get FIX ME out of my head. It's like every YA character's anthem.



Also Avenged Sevenfold's song SO FAR AWAY is truely touching. It's a rock ballat about loosing someone you love. In this band's case it was their drummer, The Rev.



Check them out! And don't forget to shout out what your muse music is!

Happy Writing!
--Annie

Tenacious Tuesday

te·na·cious/təˈnāSHəs/Adjective

1. Not readily letting go of, giving up, or separated from an object that one holds, a position, or a principle: "a tenacious grip".


2. Not easily dispelled or discouraged; persisting in existence or in a course of action: "a tenacious legend".

Ride that query train! RIDE!

How do you get your novel published?  You hold on for dear life and send it out.  You get rejections.  You send it out again.  And again.  And again. 

Kathryn Stockett's The Help was turned down by 60 agents before finding its champion.  Ms. Stockett knows how it feels to start keeping the news of more rejections from family and friends.  She even started lying to her husband!  But she didn't give up, and now she has a best seller!

Here's what another best selling author, Janet Evanovich has to say about having tenacity:

Q. What if I send my book to a lot of agents and none of them wants to represent me?



JANET: If being a writer is important to you, keep at it, keep improving, and don't give up. I wrote three books that were never published. I sent the first one out to everybody. I went through every agent and publisher in New York, twice. The only positive letter that I got back was from an agent, but it was written in purple crayon on a bar napkin, so I didn't follow up on it. Then, presto, ten years later I was a published author.


 
If Ms. Evanovich can go ten years, have three unpublished books, and query every agent in NYC twice - I think we can all hang on and keep going without tossing aside our dreams of one day being a best selling author.
 
Those are only two examples of authors with enough tenacity to keep pushing beyond the rejection and coming out the other side with a best selling book in hand.  Take inspiration from these ladies and don't give up!

WANTED: LITERARY AGENT

Flashback Friday: Giving Some Inspiration :)

Welcome to Week Seventeen of Flashback Fridays where the old and new collide on everything from books to movies to first loves to favorite vacations.

THE WINNER OF THE PERSONAL DEMONS ARC IS:

Sarah N Fisk!!!!

You can email me at kra79@comcast.net with your details. Thanks to everyone who entered the contest and to all of our new followers. We appreciate your support!!!

If you didn't win, make sure you still pick up a copy of Personal Demons because I highly recommend it! It certainly delivers!!!

And thanks to Randomlinepicker for helping us find a winner!

This week on Flashback Friday is a hodge podge of sorts. I hate to start off another Flashback Friday being harried and stressed, but most writers understand that feeling on some level. Most of us have families and full-time jobs on top of squeezing in that coveted writing time.

Anyway, my life took an interesting turn this week. I had planned on not teaching this year to pursue Freelance Writing opportunities. I was all gung-ho until school started back(my county starts August 1...yes, it is heinous!), and I missed my students and my teacher buddies. And then I got a call to interview in a county an hour away from home. The principal, the department head, and the teachers all made me feel so welcome and appreciated that I just had to take the job. Bright and early on Monday morning I will begin a new step in my life teaching 12th grade British Literature!

So, that brings me to the real point of the post. It's like a flashbackapoolooza when unpacking my room. I see little notes and gifts students have given me over the years or treasured knick-knacks, posters, and photos. I'm one of those teachers whose room looks like a home away from home complete with curtains and lamps! Another factor is this will be my 10th year teaching, so I've acquired quite a bit of stuff over the years.

Anyway, I came across some mini-posters while going through things. I say mini-posters when they're actually pages that I tore out of an inspirational book and laminated. I wanted to share a few of them because they truly relate to writing as well as life in general. The publishing biz can be dream-crushing, soul-stomping, scream like a banshee frustrating, alienating of friends, family, and pets. And frankly, it doesn't matter what stretch of the writing journey you're in be it unagented, agented, or on submission. Here are some inspiring quotes to get us through.

"Hope is the thing with feathers--

That perches in the soul--

And sings the tune without the words--

And never stops--at all--

Emily Dickinson

"Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter.

Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom,

but we hope it, we know it."

Johann Wolfgang Goethe

"Sometimes when we've run out of hope,

what we've really run out of is patience"

Emilie Barnes

"Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark,

in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not quite-yet, the not-at-all.

Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach.

Check your road and the nature of your battle.

The world you desired can be won.

It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours."

Ayn Rand

"Expect to have hope rekindled.

Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways.

The dry seasons in life do not last.

The spring rains will come again."

Sarah Ban Breathnach

Next week on the Arcs of August, we'll be giving away Nightshade by Andrea Cremer!!!

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

And no, I'm not talking about the movie with Robert Downey Jr. I'm talking about the fireworks that go off when your fiction characters lock lips.

As a writer, we want the things we see in our heads to psychically link itself to our computer to come out perfect.

But sometimes, that just doesn't happen. How we envision character movements or dialogue or expressions just don't seem to want to be written. So...we research. We search out that inspiration for what we're lacking and turn it into our own success.

Really, this entire intro just leads to my YouTube searches via writing frustrations.

I was watching music videos for writing inspiration and one thing led to another, then BAM--I'm staring at a list of the "Top 10 Best TV/Movie Kisses." Naturally, I'm intrigued. I click the link only to be very disappointed. I click the link at the end of that link, and once again--disappointment. Every list I looked at, every video I watched--they were all the same. What bothered me about these lists were half of the ten were from one show and half were from another. And all of them were based around the "Romantic Crack" shows (the ones you can't stop watching because of all the sexy going on): One Tree Hill, The OC, Gilmore Girls, Smallville. Not saying I have a problem with these shows because I've watching bits of them myself, but where is the variety? What about those romances that burst onto the scene in desperate moments? These always inspire me to write.

So, hey! I'm making a list of my own. These are the TV/Movie smooches that inspire my romantic moments. Some of these, due to the fact that I couldn't find them on YouTube, aren't my favorites, but they are--in my opinion--memorable. Hopefully they will be a muse for you too.

5.) Kate and Sawyer - LOST

For those that love desperate kisses:

All I can say is steamy, sexy, and dirty--literally. But it doesn't matter if they were rolling around in mud, it's still fantastic. Desperation, tension, want--it's all so vivid in this scene.

4.) Lara and Terry - Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life

For those that love dark kisses:

Reason: Angelina Jolie and Gerard Butler. I think that should be "'Nuff Said" moment, but I'd like to go into further detail. Since I couldn't find the extremely steamy kissing scene all on it's own, I left a fanvid with a mix of different Lara/Terry clips. This couple has such a fun, dark, interesting chemistry, which makes their relationship all the better. Yeah the actual movie had some pretty cheesy parts, but you gotta admit: Angelina and Gerard make a sizzling couple.

3.) Jack and Elizabeth - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

For those that love infatuated kisses:

I had to add this one on here because I love all of the events surrounding it. The kiss that wasn't actually romantic, the lure, the mischievous smile--there's no actual romance, more of infatuation. Where as the lure of the kiss could have gone one way, like shock or disbelief, they chose to keep it tense yet calm with a hint of eeriness.

2.) The Doctor and Rose - Doctor Who

For those that love heartbreaking kisses:

What's the quickest way to make a Doctor Who fangirl cry? Play this video. It makes my list because it is just so unbelievably heartbreaking/wrenching--it's almost not even fair. It's the getting-lost-in-the-moment kiss mingling with I'm-leaving-let's-make-this-last-forever moment.

And lastly is a favorite of mine.:

1.) Tristan and Yvaine - Stardust

For those that love blissful kisses:

In my opinion, this kiss is one of the best ones I've seen in a movie. Not sure what it is about it though. Maybe the blissful smile on Yvaine's face or the boyish charm on Tristan's. Maybe it's the build-up of anticipation while the viewers waited for this moment. Whatever it is, the movie has a tendency to magically pop into my DVD player when writing a romantic moment between characters.

And that's my list. Of course, if I had my way with YouTube, there would be others on here like the Mal/Saffron kiss in Firefly, Brangelina in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Fifth Element kiss, Rick and Evie in The Mummy, and more. But seeing as fangirls have put up a ridiculous amount of fan vids (50% of them being sibling with sibling, at which I shuddered) I took what I could get of the scenes.

Now's the fun part. What inspires YOUR writing. Is it from a book? Movie? TV show? You tell us!

QUERY-YES WILL CHANGE YOUR QUERYING-LIFE FOREVER

Are your query letters just not cutting it? Are rejections piling up in your inbox? At the mailbox? Are your superbly-crafted queries just. not. garnering the interest you expected? Are you sad? Are you very sad? Do you find yourself sitting in front of your computer hitting the 'refresh' button so many times you've developed carpal-tunnel? Do you experience unexpected bouts of self-deprecating thoughts? Do you have too many cats and not enough ice cream? Do you ever find yourself feeling so low that you've actually considered revising your query letter? Or even the forbidden revision of your manuscript?? Have agents lied about the effectiveness of rhetorical questions??

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>>>Dear AGENT [sir/madam/snickerdoodle/insert endearment of choice]:

>>>My name is the one you’ve been dreaming of. My face haunts you in your sleep (see attached). My fingers type sweet nothings into your inbox, and you’ve been fighting the urge to offer me representation for some time now. I’ve written to provide you with the relief you need. I’ve written, to tell you, [sir/madam] (this includes all 5,000 of you I’ve CC’d, just so you know this email has been personalized), that the time has come for you to cast-off your fears, and welcome me into your heart, your office, your home, and maybe your bed (are you single?).

>>My current work-in-progress (which I’m certain you’ll absolutely adore once it’s finished) is something of an anomaly. The world has never seen anything quite like it, actually. If I were forced against my better judgment to describe it, I’d have to call it a healthy mix of fantasy, mystery, romance, science-fiction, action-adventure, epic narrative non-fiction, something about a forbidden ruby, a magic lamp, a flying carpet -- oh wait, wait, sorry, that was something else. No, my novel has a special ring, preciousssssss, some tiny hobbits -- oh, oh, oh dear, sorry, that was another book, wasn’t it? My apologies. (I’m obviously very well-read.) The truth is, that in addition to the aforementioned list, my novel features a fairy-boy who exudes sweat-bead-reminiscent-sparkly-skin in the sunlight. The plot will follow his insatiable need to eat a non-fairy girl. She will, at one point, beg him to eat her.

>>>>>>>I assure you that there is something quite forbidden in the novel. (Like forbidden love, perhaps.) Someone has no powers and will discover that, actually, he/she has an incredibly well hidden family tree tattooed on his/her back that includes a note about the powers he/she will acquire at the tender age of 16. The story will also involve some kind of sophisticated-power amulet. To make matters more thoroughly spellbinding, someone will discover a stone with inherent magical abilities. There will be a character who simply appears at random to serve no other purpose than to provide unquantifiable and otherwise irrelevant information. The protagonist will consequently learn a special, ancient art form of kung-fu while struggling to understand herself and simultaneously save the world. She and her breath-takingly-jaw-achingly-heaven-scentedly-swoon-inducingly-inhumanly-gorgeous Love Interest will live happily-ever-after. (OR DO THEY??)

>>>I’m sure that you are desperate for this letter to end so that you may hit ‘Reply’ and offer me immediate representation. But [sir/madam], I can be of some comfort when I reassure you that there is plenty of time for our relationship to blossom and begin.

>First, I must tell you more about my ideas for the future. Alongside the photo I took of myself this morning (my very enticing ‘come hither’ look was inspired almost entirely by you) I’ve attached my rendition of what I am firmly convinced must be the cover of this book. You may have already wet your pants (don’t be embarrassed) in anticipation of the wonder that is my soon-to-be-completed-fiction-novel-of-literary-genius, but do not fear; I will not judge you for using the bathroom in your khakis so unexpectedly. It is, in fact, to be expected, once you begin to fathom the earth-shattering success and unprecedented amounts of money my book will undoubtedly acquire. Not to worry, [sir/madam], I will be here to hold your hand throughout the process. But enough about you, and back to me. (I will, after all, be the mastermind of this wildly lucrative under-taking.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>Born and raised in the heart of a world no other would ever be able to understand and/or appreciate, the life of this troubled author was never easy, nor shall it ever be easy, nor do I think anyone will ever be able to understand what it is, exactly, I endure on a daily basis. My mind is so often wracked with rhythm and blues, red and black hues, surreptitious cues to peruse the delicately crafted muse of my heart. Do not confuse my unique issues with those odious few who think they are shrewd enough to compete with my art. It is simply impossible. I am an inventor an exemplary contender in this sedentary standstill stuck in this static stoic state of sadistic sobriety we call life. I am a collector a connector a catalyst for consensual collaboration connected in cooperation with creators of creational recreational conversational banter. I am a master of sensation and unforeseeable syntactical salvation, I am a mother a father a sister a daughter an either an other an ordinary utter of a broken-hearted brother. I am everything you’ve ever dreamed of in a client. This much should be obvious by now.

>>!!>!>>>Calm, now, [sir/madam], you must be calm. Do not cry for fear of losing me. I have enclosed the entirety of my unfinished fiction novel, saved in a .docxerrorformat006tr0xx for your convenience. I will grant you one week to look over my manuscript in order to ensure the 32-point Papyrus font is to your liking. I have no doubt you will shed tears, blood, and copious amounts of hair upon reviewing my work. You may, in fact, lose an eye or two. I feel it necessary to warn you now.

>>>I will be waiting at home, taking photos of myself in the mirror, thinking of you the entire time I wait for your response. Please do not forget to mention your gender in your reply, and whether or not you are available for a committed, long-term relationship. I am devoted to my craft. This much is reflected in my life, and it will be reflected in our soon-to-be concretized relationship.

>You may thank me for my time.

Oh to love, to love, to love,

To love me is not a crime.

To love, to love, to love,

I’ll stalk you until you’re mine.

>>>Sincerely,

Soon-to-be-rich-and-famous-and-happily-secured-in-a-monogamous-relationship-author@gmail.com

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Copyright © 2010  Query-YES! T. H. Mafi, Inc. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on these pages are copyrighted by Query-YES! T. H. Mafi, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be used for any purpose other than personal use. Therefore, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, for reasons other than personal use, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. 

SERIOUSLY. We'll hunt you down. We're not even joking a little bit.   

Query-YES! is the only way to guarantee SUCCESS! 

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Teen Sitcoms, Do They Inspire You?

Okay, so like most people I have my DVR set to record my favorite shows, and I’m guilty of being a gigantic fan of teen dramas. Shows like Friday Night Lights, Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Glee are extremely hot right now and sometimes push the limits of teen culture. A lot teenage driven drama has gotten more real, showing just how edgy stories involving young adults can be.

Just like television shows, young adult novels have gotten edgy and are drawing more and more adult fans, like me. I watch these shows and find myself hooked in, and like most people, compare them to my own angsty teen years. Sometimes when I’m watching these shows I find the little wheels in my brain turning with inspiration for my own writing. I will confess after watching Veronica Mars I created an out-casted, snarky character and pretty much wrote the entire manuscript in about a month, which is unheard of for me.

So my question to you is, what teen shows inspire your young adult writing?


Happy Writing,
Annie

Movies From Your Past…Do They Inspire You Now?

As far back as I can remember, I have been obsessed with stories. Sure, when I was little, the normal desire to watch my favorite TV shows over and over was there, but I never knew that passion I felt for a story back then would help mold me into a writer. Here are just a few stories that influenced me early on:

The Parent Trap (The original—not the Lohan version): This movie nurtured my mischievous side.

Gidget Movies: This one nudged along my hopeless romantic side.

The Labyrinth: Fed my need for fantasy.

Dazed and Confused: Opened my eyes to teenage snark.

Now that I’ve shared some of my past movie loves with you, I want to hear from you. What movies are seared in your brain—ones you always revert back to when you need a little inspiration?

Happy Writing!

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Annie McElfresh. To vioew original post and reader comments, please click here.

I’m Obnoxious!

Ah…. I love Finding Nemo. Many thanks to Disney/Pixar for creating it. And it leads nicely into my post for today – character flaws. Ask Daphne had some interesting thoughts on perfect characters, namely, that it’s hard to like them. Anell, a friend of mine, has named this writing style “first person perfect” hahaha. None of us are perfect, so why would we relate to perfect characters?

In Catalyst, my WIP, character flaws were my favorite part to develop. The thought that I went with was that people can cause all kinds of trouble without being evil. They can be thoughtless, or neurotic, or selfish, or immature, or view the world in stereotypes. Kate, my MC, is all of these, at times, and that’s where most of her trouble comes in. For example, she’s got preconceived opinions about hippies and 4H’ers, as well as about society’s preoccupation with size – something she struggles against and falls into at the same time.

But characters that are only weak, or only selfish, don’t have appeal for me. It’s a balancing act. Kate loves her family, her pet, and her friends. She does random good deeds and bites back retorts in situations that would have me spewing them (I’m not perfect either, folks…).

Heros can still be good – but that Achilles heel is what makes them relatable. Tell me about your characters, what’re they like?

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Holen Matthews. To view original post and reader comments, please click here.

My Laughing Place

Have you ever noticed that epiphanies for WIPs come at the strangest times?

Last week I took a trip to Disneyland with my boyfriend. He had never been, so it was as exciting for me as it was for him. I spent the two days dragging him along the park with one hand, ice cream in the other.

Great mental image, huh?

One of my favorite rides is Splash Mountain. I don’t know if it has something to do with the fact that I love water rides or that most of it runs through a faux cave (I have this thing for caves). It was one of the attractions we hit first thing, and in the middle of the ride, you know, the part where the animals’ Laughing Place song echoes off the cavern walls and the lights are all colored blue and green and purple, an idea hit me. Bam. In my face. I could have stood up on that drifting log and screamed ‘Hallelujah’.

I’ve been working on separate subplots for the five-book series I hope my WIP LUMINOUS will eventually turn into. During this little trip down Critter Country’s most beloved mountain, Mr. Plot Point came and slapped me in the face.

And again on Indiana Jones. And again on Pirates of the Caribbean.

I freaking love amusement parks.

I guess I receive epiphanies at really bizarre times instead of when I’m actually at my computer–You know, at Disneyland, in the dentist office waiting room, while reading a Hermione Granger/Lucius Malfoy fanfic (Don’t Judge). Without them, my WIP wouldn’t be the same.

So comment and tell me a story of a moment when you received an idea for your WIP while doing something either mundaine or out of the ordinary. Did you think, ‘Wow, how the heck did I come up with that?’, or did you know the reason behind your sudden spark?

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Sarah Harian. To view original post and reader comments, please click here.

Media Inspiration–What’s Yours?

This post is going to require everyone’s cooperation, so grab your keyboards and get ready!

I want to hear about your muses. You know–when you go to the movie theatre with a big bag of popcorn, and that film on the silver screen gives you a fantastic idea for your WIP in the strangest way. Or maybe the one rock album you’ve studied the lyrics to a million times trying to get every song to fit one of your character’s journeys. You know what I’m talking about. So spill it, and if you can tell us why, the better. I’ll start.

Movies:

Lord of the Rings– the movies that jumpstarted my high school writing spree. The acting and direction sparked my imagination for the way I imagined dramatic scenes in THE ILLUMINATED.

Transformers– Humor and cinematography opened some doors.

Slumdog Millionare– beauty of using culture as an art form

The Goonies– opened my love for teamwork and bonding, creepy caves, and puzzles

Alice in Wonderland– Inspired my MC Jordan Adeline

I will also leave you with two amazing artists that every time I listen to I can’t help but develop scenes. Check them out:

Secret and Whisper — Great White Whale

Eisley — Room Noises / Combinations

So I must know, what are some of the art forms that have inspired your work, and how? Do you have any recommendations for me?

Originally published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Sarah Harian. To view original post and reader comments, please click here.