Character Traits: How Do You Come Up With Them?

Let's face it. We writers spend more time with fictional people than real ones. They become real. Friends. In our minds they are living, breathing people with actual flaws, or at least they should have flaws because no one is perfect. Even Edward Cullen has creepy stalkerish tendencies.

So my question is how do you as a writer come up with your character traits? Where do you draw the most inspiration? Is it while watching a television show? Where you see the people weekly and learn traits that you love and kind of use that as a spring board or maybe you've made a character based on an actual person you know.

Music helps me a lot. Sometimes the lyrics of a song will call out to me and will let me inside someone else's head for a little while--gives me ideas on how my character may feel about a particular thing. Internal thoughts and feelings is, what I think, a building block to creating external characteristics. So I build a playlist. They tend to be a dark songs because my stories are not all puppies and rainbows.

I also read. A LOT. Reading is studying. When you find a book you like, study the characters. What makes you love them? Take that information and figure out how develop your a character people will love and want to read about.

Anyone else want to share about their character development process? 

Reading, Writing and Waiting

I Hear Voices (Well Actually, I Listen For Them)

(Image courtesy of mdanys)

Every time I think about writing about voice, I ask myself, what are you, crazy? Don’t DO that! The reason is that you really can’t have a definitive post on voice, because it’s just not that easy to define. (Elana Roth talked about this yesterday at WriteOnCon, actually, and her post is definitely worth reading.)

When I was at SCBWI, though, Rachel Vail gave one of the simplest and clearest definitions of voice I’ve ever heard. She said, “If you read something and it can only be that character talking, that’s voice.”

A mistake I sometimes make is trying to figure out the voice of a project before I figure out the character I’m dealing with. I do that because I know how important a unique and memorable (memorably good, that is) voice is. But what that definition of voice suggests is that I’m approaching the whole thing backwards. I need to know my characters before I will know how they sound; it’s just common sense.

Rachel Vail also talked about voice as a process of discovery-- finding the voice instead of making it. Maybe you won’t get the voice right in the first page, or the first fifty pages, but eventually, if you are paying attention, your character will say something and it will be so them that you stop and say “AHA! THAT is the voice I was waiting for.”

I had never thought of this before, so I went back to the first draft of my manuscript to see if that had happened to me. And it had. On the fifth page of my first draft, my character says, “It is a foolish practice. It must be stopped.”

Those lines didn’t make it into the final draft. They barely made it into the in-between drafts. But they were useful because they so obviously belonged to my main character. They were stern. They were formal. They were Beatrice. And I didn’t struggle with voice anymore.

I don’t think you can bank on this AHA! moment with voice, but it helps to pay attention.

So, a list of tips. Because I’m methodical like that.

1. Get to know your character. This mostly involves a lot of thinking, and asking a lot of questions. Questions like, as Rachel said in one of the sessions, “what would your character hide in his or her underwear drawer?” And I think it also involves writing. And letting the first draft be a process of uncovering and discovering who it is you’re writing about.

2. Pay attention to how the character sounds. You might not see the line or section that sounds exactly like them if you aren’t looking for it. And if you do find it, think about it. Figure out why it sounds exactly like your character. And keep it in mind as you continue. Which leads me to tip 3…

3. Trust yourself. Maybe you aren’t sure that the voice you think you’ve found is right, or that it will be any good, but second-guessing yourself isn’t going to help. So, trust yourself. If it’s wrong, you can fix it later. But you have to commit sometime.

Voice is tricky. It’s pretty much always tricky. But our characters are speaking. We just have to listen.

Lessons from Backspace: Titles, Queries, and Pages

I did not get to attend as much of Backspace Writers Conference as I originally planned, but one extremely useful seminar I went to was called “Midtown Idol,” featuring agents Jeff Kleinman, Kristin Nelson, and Joanna Stampfel-Volpe.

The seminar was divided into a few rounds. In the first one, the woman at the microphone (who had a GREAT reading-out-loud voice, something I hope to develop someday) read queries. The agents would then indicate whether they would request sample pages based on those queries, or they would request to hear the logline (that one sentence “this is why my book is awesome! Read it!” thing), or they would stop her in the middle of the query and say “nope!” and give a reason.

In round two, Captain Expert Reader would read sample pages from the “maybe”s and “yes”s from round one for exactly one minute. The agents would then raise their hands to indicate at which point they would stop reading the pages. Then we all voted on our favorites.

I listened to over thirty queries, and after awhile, you start to notice patterns, even if you aren’t a query expert. But all the same, I thought I would list the Mistakes Made at Midtown Idol (That Even I Noticed).

Mistake One: The Crazy Title

This is probably the only time I will ever say this, but: better bland than ridiculous, when it comes to titles. At one point in round one, Captain ER said the title of the book and all the agents laughed and said they would pass. This wasn’t a moment of cruelty, or anything. It’s just that if the title makes your book sound crazy, ludicrous, or impossible to love, you set up whoever is reading it to hate it from the getgo. In our attempts to find THE title that will sell a million, jillion books, we sometimes forget that we have to be prepared to toss our first titles out the window when the book sells. So, the moral of the story: your wacky title may get you attention. But it’ll be the wrong kind of attention, probably.

Mistake Two: The Rambling Query

Several times, the judges asked Captain ER to stop reading because the query ran on or wasn’t concise or was just too darn confusing. The last thing you want is for someone to have to read your query several times to figure out what your book is about. It should be, above all else, clear.

The judges usually asked for Captain ER to read the logline instead of the query, when the query was unclear. The logline is just a hook. It conveys what your book is about (without conveying EVERYTHING the book is about) and also screams “YOU MUST READ ME!”, that is, if it’s doing what it’s supposed to. Here’s the kicker: MANY people’s loglines were ten times better than their queries. Their loglines were crisp, easy to understand, and interesting.

Therefore I have some thoughts about how to improve The Rambling Query:

A. Read it out loud. To other people. That way, they can tell you if they’re confused. If they can’t understand it without seeing it on paper, it’s probably not clear enough.

B. Don’t write a query. Write a hook. Most people’s hooks will be too long to be hooks, but just long enough to be queries. I think trying to restrict your query to a single sentence could be extremely helpful. Not that your pitch paragraph should be a single sentence long (although I suppose that could work, in some cases), but if you strive for a sentence, you'll probably end up with three sentences. And you may feel that those three sentences aren't enough, but you might be wrong. All your query needs to do is make someone want to read your book. It doesn't need to explain everything.

Mistake Three: The Flowery First Pages

This was a problem in a lot of the sample pages we heard. Basically, you hear that your first pages should showcase your best writing. So you try to pack in as much “good writing” as possible. What generally happens at that point is that the writing is saturated with adjectives. My thought is: less is more. Your first pages shouldn’t say “LOOK AT MY WRITING.” They should say “get sucked into my story.” If your voice is engaging, it will lead whoever is reading it along just fine.

Also, I think we could all benefit from reading the first pages (or, heck, all the pages) out loud. I know it helped me to hear writing that probably looked all right on paper read out loud without any pages to guide me. I noticed a lot more mistakes, and I definitely noticed when things got boring. So, maybe read your first pages out loud to someone, or have them read the pages out loud to you, if you can find a willing volunteer. If your volunteer stumbles or gets confused, so will your unfamiliar reader, in all likelihood.

So there you have it. Tips I put together in my head while observing Midtown Idol. Happy writing, everyone!

Let me say it again, kill redundancy.

On a line-edit, few things bug me more than misused homophones. Redundant words are one of them.

Let me put it out there that I like repetition - when used right, the emphasis is fantastic. In dialog, it reveals a lot about a character, depending on context.

I love arguments where one person stubbornly repeats their position. Or conversation where Bob reiterates a point that Andrew just made thus revealing that he wasn't listening to Andrew in the first place.

"The line's going to be long, so we should go early."
"I don't really know what time we should show up, but the last time I went, there was a long line."

Doesn't that make you want to smack Bob and bless poor, patient Andrew for putting up with Bob?

Redundancy is different.

"He opened the hand painted door he was so proud of, and I walked into the apartment, sidling past the painted naked lady on the door, mentally promising myself to be quick, and hoping that he left the door open behind me."

Grrrrr. Sure, there are details, important details...because really? Never enter the apartment of someone who's painted a naked lady on their front door. But there's got to be a better way to say that.

I'm as guilty as the next person. It's actually pretty embarrassing. My two favorite tools for combating this are:
1) Find/Replace - I do searches on "thought that" and tell it to replace it with "thought" - It's faster than searching all the thats and looking at them one by one. "said that" "told me that" "assumed that" "grateful that" It's still a long list.
2) Beta Readers. - Some of the words I repeat are specific to one scene, betas can catch this - especially if I've done #1 already before they read it.

Lastly, if it's an action you keep repeating, say, rolling eyes, or cracking knuckles, you may want to head over to The Bookshelf Muse's Emotion Thesaurus. They have emotions listed followed by the many different ways people express them.

- Holen

P.S. Congrats to Mel who won our awesome auction package and helped a great cause at the same time!


So tell us, what actions do you overuse?

Writing Clutter: How do you deal?

If your writing station looks like a tornado whipped through it,

I think it's safe to say you could use some organization help.

The writing industry is a messy place. There's CDs, flash drives, paper, books--not to mention all of the junk food fruit and coffee water you have handy (because writers are SO well known for their healthy diets). Of course, there's always the random pieces of paper/napkins you've written ideas or scenes on when you wake up in the middle of the night, or the hand-written plots scattered over various notebooks.

The GotYA wants to know how YOU deal with clutter.

Do you use digital dictation--where you talk, it types? What about FreeMind--the perfect tool for those who like to outline?

Of course, there's always the old-fashioned way: sticky notes.

It's fantastic how tiny pieces of sticky paper can create so much order...at least, order when it comes to ideas. Where you place said sticky notes is an entirely DIFFERENT topic. For the most part, they're slapped onto a corkboard or poster board, maybe a wall. Whatever you choose to do with them, they become a great way to get those pesky ideas separated and organized.

And when you're revising your manuscript/filling in plot holes/making scene changes/feel like taking your writing rage out on something, you rip them off and toss them in the garbage.

Plus, they're all rainbow-like and shiny.

Okay, back to digital dictation. This seems to be growing in popularity. For those that know exactly what they want to say and how their story goes, it's a blessing. The world can talk faster than they type. This can allow the writer to finish their novel much faster. But again, this isn't for everyone. Half of writers can just crank out words and make them sound amazing. The other half needs time to think about how their characters interact/think/feel/talk. They need time to plot. For those people, a great tool is FreeMind.

FreeMind is a web map with a variety of features. It's designed to be an outline with webs spurting out in all directions. Want a section only for your characters? Done. You can make specific sections and add sibling webs along the way. Or perhaps add a child web for certain aspects of your characters, like looks or quirks.

FreeMind allows you to prioritize and mark each individual line with icons, such as "Priority1" or a light bulb for "Idea."

As for paper manuscripts and books, well, those are pretty standard. A good binder and bookshelf can solve those problems.

Computer documents, on the other hand, are a tad more special. The worst possible event that could happen to an author is to lose their novel due to a computer malfunction. Your computer dies, you got the Blue Screen of Death and didn't save, dog chewed your power cord--something ALWAYS tends to happen. The chances of losing your work are growing slimmer with the new technology coming out, but do you want to risk it? Here is where flash drives and the internet come in handy. Emailing your novel to yourself not only time-stamps it, but you have it for future use in case the unthinkable happens. Google Documents is another way to keep your work online.

Folders and files keep your desktop arranged nicely, flash drives and the internet keep it safe. Your book is too precious to not take cautions.

So how about you? What are the ways that you keep your thoughts/files/sanity in check? What are some ideas to help out fellow writers?

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??

Well, today everything is going to change, because I have the solution to all of your query-woes.

For the low, low introductory price of $19.99 a day, I'll fill your inbox with Query-YES! a new development in the literary world that is going to change everything about the way we work. With Query-YES! you'll never struggle for that perfect opening line, or even an attempt at defining your genre. Genre is so subjective as to be meaningless these days, and agents know this. They're query guidelines are so full of so full of typos and grammatical erros that they can't even be trusted. But Query-YES! is on your side. 

Every day, Query-YES! will drop a new, customizable query letter into your inbox. These query letters have been tested by everyone I know, and even my parents have approved of them!  (And we all know how tough parents can be, don't we?) With this airtight success-rate, Query-YES! is sure to land you the literary agent of your dreams! So what are you waiting for? Order Query-YES! today!

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Continue reading for a free sample of Query-YES! solutions! 
(Query-YES! is a division of T. H. Mafi, Inc.)       >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>

>>>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

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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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Networking: Not Just For Used Car Salesmen*

First off, a huge congrats to Veronica for her book deal! (See yesterday's post.)We're super excited to have her with us, and that feeling was there BEFORE said book deal.



This news ties nicely into my topic today, because until a few months ago, I didn't "get" networking. In fact, I still hold an Ayn Randian view of people who rely on who they know rather than what they can do.

My old interpretation of people who network:
"Hi, Vee. Nice book deal you have there. We should be friends." = I now need you to beta everything I've ever written and then refer me to your agent.
Doesn't that just feel dirty?

My enlightened understanding of networking: "Hi SusieQCoolness. Nice concept. Have you entered Agent So-and-So's annual contest yet?"
See the difference?

Not just the taking vs. giving, but the idea of glomping onto success vs. spreading opportunity. Networking is actually about sharing needs when you run across them. It's also about sharing some of what you learned from your greenhorn mistakes. "No! Don't have your MC look into a mirror and critique her looks!" "No! Don't test email yourself a query to check format and then forward that query that worked to the agent. Forwarding an email messes w/ format too and they'll see little arrows or whatever."

Here's what made it click for me. A very nice person had read my last MS and told me to query Agent Fabulous, who'd read a full of hers before and given really helpful comments. She thought that my writing style matched up with what Agent Fabulous liked, based on her interaction with that agent. This wasn't a referral. I didn't used Nice Person's name. But I took her advice, and it got me a request of my own.

Things like that. Pretty awesome, and everyone gets a much clearer picture of opportunity when we share our 20/20 hindsight.

-Holen

*My apologies to used car salesmen everywhere. I've never actually bought a brand-new car, so please don't doubt that I'm glad you exist.

Learning to love the outline

I wish I longed for adventure. I look at my closest friends—many of whom have lived in far flung places—and think “I should do that; I could do that.” I never do. I’m a picky eater, I hate public washrooms, I’m scared of flying, and I can’t even master French (even though I grew up surrounded by it). In short, I am not wired to stuff a handful of clothes into a backpack and venture to places which may not have toilet seat covers and where my ability to purchase a constant supply of hand sanitizer may be compromised.

That’s just not the way I roll.

So it’s probably odd that I clung to the notion that I was a pantser* for so long.

(*In this case, pantser refers to a writer who wings it as they go along, not to any of the slightly scary definitions on Urban Dictionary.)

In the past, I always had an idea of where I thought a story should go, but the plot points were often vague signposts on the road-map from beginning to end (actually, less a road-map and more like directions hastily scribbled on a paper napkin). It wasn’t until an agent said, “I’d like to see what would happen if you outlined,” that I actually tried my hand at it.

And you know what? I’m sort of digging it.

Now I haven’t gone full tilt (I have one awesome friend who has an entire binder of notes and timelines—yes, you know who you are), but I do have seven or eight pages written up that detail the politics and culture of the place and time I’m writing about. And I have a massive table (in a Word Doc) which details each chapter (see below). I fill out the table a few chapters ahead (and I already have the major events down) and I keep notes for future chapters at the bottom. My new rule: I am not allowed to start a chapter until I have some idea of its purpose.

For each chapter, I fill out the following:

Chapter Number:Pretty self explanatory ;)
POV: I have two POV characters so noting the switches here really helps.
Chapter Start: A few words describing the opening (these are pretty vague and subject to change)
What is POV character trying to do? If your chapter is comprised of multiple scenes, this may have more than one answer. Sometimes you won’t be able to answer this question and that’s okay—but always ask yourself why you can’t answer it. Is there a good reason or are you writing a passive character who could benefit from more motivation?
What goes wrong? If nothing went wrong, there’d be no story.
What do they do about it? That whole “active character” thing.
Why does this matter? If it doesn’t matter, do you really need this chapter?
Chapter End: Same as chapter starts.

The questions between “Chapter Starts” and “Chapter Ends” are really the heart of it. They actually come from a FANTASTIC post by Janice Hardy (author of “The Shifter”, one of the most exciting fantasy debuts in years) on scenes and revising (click here to read Janice Hardy’s post).

Is it working? Honestly, it’s too early to tell. I’m about 100 pages in and it’s definitely making the writing go faster and I think editing will be less painful than it’s been in the past. My only worry is that some things might sound stilted or forced. That’s why I’ve given myself full permission to deviate from the outline I’ve created; some things just look better in an outline than they do in the actual chapter.

A famous author once said that plotting was for dullards. And that’s okay. I’ve had years to get used to the fact that I’m a little bit dull and to stockpile antibacterial soap.

Photo-illustration by violscraper.

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

Semicolons are connectors; they show relationships.

I was tempted to write an entire post with semicolons in each sentence, but after a few tries, the gimmick didn’t work for me; apparently, it’s something I do subconsciously.

Anyways, semicolons are covered in grammar textbooks and other places, so I’m not going to list the rules; I’m going to mention my favorite use of semicolons.

A semicolon joins related independent clauses; anyone who struggles with short, choppy sentences should consider using one.

Ex.

“I couldn’t lose my hair at fourteen; baldness belonged around old people.”

“Of course Jason crashed and burned; he’s got no depth perception.”

My trouble with semicolons is that I overuse them; they’re just so fun.

Don’t follow this post’s example; semicolons make the biggest impact when the audience doesn’t even notice that they’re there.

Yes, I did it; I just couldn’t resist.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Holen Matthews. Original post and user comments can be viewed here.

Does your manuscript party like it’s 1999?

A few weeks ago, I read a book where pop-culture references were dropped like bodies in a Tarantino flick. I couldn’t help but wonder how necessary most of the references were and how much consideration had gone into including them.

Some things are timeless. When two characters talk about Star Wars, the author can reasonably assume that the reference has a long shelf-life, that it will stay relevant, and that its presence isn’t dating the work.

On the flip side, when two characters throw out a hilarious reference to a top 40 song that’s popular at the time of writing, the author is running a risk. It may be years before the book is published. Will that reference still resonate in five years? How about a decade? Will it tie the work down to a specific time and place and is that desirable? Do you really want to expose future generations to Nickeback?

About a Boy by Nick Hornby (not a YA title but a book with an amazing teen protagonist) takes place in the mid 90’s. Hornby uses music to help ground his novel in its chosen time period—weaving in a subplot about the death of Kurt Cobain which will always peg the novel squarely in 1994.

And that’s fine. Better than fine. Brilliant, in fact.*

Right about now, you’re probably wondering if all of this has a point and which side of the whole pop culture reference debate (calling it a debate makes it sound so much more impressive) I fall on. Or else you’ve stopped reading.

Personally, I love the occasional pop culture reference—provided it makes sense and doesn’t distract from the story. My own WIP, a werewolf urban fantasy, has nods to both An American Werewolf in London and the CCR song “Bad Moon Rising”. Their presence is a bit of a homage and the scenes work even if the reader doesn’t quite pick up on the joke.

So how do you know if your witty nod to an episode of Battlestar Galactica ends up flying high or crashing on takeoff? Fear not, there are some questions you can ask yourself.

• Can someone follow the scene or action even if they don’t quite get the reference? Is it something the reader can easily skip over if they don’t quite know what you are talking about?
• How much of a payoff is there for the reference? Does the reader really need to know that your MC is listening to “November Rain” or just walked out of watching Interview with the Vampire? Sometimes the answer will be definitely. Sometimes you’ll find naming a specific title isn’t necessary.
• Are your references dating the story (like the GnR and the Anne Rice) and are you okay with that?

Those are my pop culture reference thoughts but I’d love to hear yours. Do you love them or do you find them a distraction? Do you include pop culture references in your own work?

* Obscure homage to Doctor Who and the tenth Doctor’s speaking patterns.

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

Don’t Got Shiver? Come Hither! Shiver Agent Laura Rennert’s Five Writing Do’s and a Chance to Win Books and More!

Saying the Andrea Brown Literary Agency plays an important role in young adult literature is like saying chocolate plays an important role in chocolate chip cookies (and, like most writers, you probably know the significance of a daily dose of chocolate). Twice a year, the agency helps host the Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop. For one blissful, glorious, worth-eating-three-months-of-Mr. Noodles-to-get-there weekend, children's writers attend lectures, work on their novels in critique groups, and yes, have cocktails with other writers, editors, and agents.

This year was my first year to go, and I have to say: it was well worth its weight in noodles. With clients like Ellen Hopkins (Crank), Jay Asher (Thirteen Reasons Why) and Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver), Super Agent Laura Rennert has represented some of the most talked about titles in YA. During our workshop, we had the chance to listen to Laura to speak to us about Five Writing Do’s. And without further, ahem, ado, I’ve summed up what she had to say (with my own twist).

1. Craft

Laura says to make sure you have a fresh and compelling voice, and that the voice is authentic to your specific character. Use the POV that works best for your story. To work on your voice, interact with the age group you’re writing about. Or, barring that, eavesdrop on them at the local mall (just try not to look like a stalker).

Also, read your writing out loud to really hone in on what’s working and what’s not in your sentences. After attending the workshop and having to read my writing out loud to strangers—MEEP!—I can tell you this really does make a world of difference in how you hear your own words.

2. Create Memorable and Dynamic Characters

Know your characters. Laura believes in the iceberg analogy: 9/10 of what makes a character tick remains under the surface. And guess what? If you, the writer, only know the top 1/10—like, say, your MC Suzie loves ponies and ice cream sundaes—your can bet your novel will be lacking in depth (yeah, I went for the pun there. Deal with it.)

Also: the more stress you put your characters under, the better. Basically, Laura was too kind to say it, but I’m not---torture your little sweeties until they cry and need a heavy dose of therapy. No, seriously.

3. Coherent and Satisfying Narrative Structure

Capture your reader’s interest from page one, and never let the forward momentum slack. Laura’s example: if your very first scene involves a party, don’t begin your novel when the party starts. Jump to the middle. My elaboration on how not to start:

“Yo, Joe, what’s shaking?”

“Nothing much. You?”

“Aw, nothing much. Hey, did ya catch that Lakers game last night?”

“No, man? You?”

“Uh uh. So, how come you missed it?”

“Oh, well—I was taking a nap.”

Um, guess what? At this point, your reader is probably nodding off, too. Instead of beginning at the, well, beginning, start in the middle of the scene, when the action is already getting underway. Leave your hello's' and nap talk for offscreen. And then, since you’re off to such a great start, don’t back off. Keep the tension mounting from there. You know that old David Bowie and Freddy Mercury song “Under Pressure?” Make it your writing motto. By putting your characters under pressure, you’ll keep the reader reading—always a good thing.

And, according to Laura, another cool thing about upping the stakes? You—and your reader—will get to know your characters better. Laura’s example: If your character tells the truth when nothing is at stake, so what? But if your character’s life or reputation is at stake and they still tell the truth, well—that is truly noteworthy information to have.

A final tip: the main character should change over the course of the novel. Metaphorically speaking. I mean, she or he doesn’t have to morph from human to vamp—although, we’ve heard rumors that maybe that method does work on occasion .

4. Explore the Universal and the Idiosyncratic

According to Laura, this means that within universal themes—such as conflict with friends—give us particular and concrete examples that are specific to your world. Feel free to give us the same old, same old—but with your own unique take or spin.

5. Literary Voice and Commercial Conception

Have a great, strong storyline along with a strong voice. And in case you were wondering if Laura was serious about stakes? She mentions them here again. She says use ordinary experiences but elevate the stakes.

Her example? Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher—a book that looks at teen suicide in an unusual and compelling way.

So, those are the five writing do's that agent Laura talked about.

Good luck, Happy Holidays, and of course—Happy Writing.


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

Finding Faith

In February, I, Sarah, will be attending my first writers conference.
I should be stoked. I’m putting a lot of faith in this event, hoping that the people I meet during Presidents Day Weekend will change my life and writing forever. I even signed up for Agent Speed Dating, where I will be able to pitch my novel face to face with star agents—and let me please emphasize the star part. I’m talking Nathan Bransford, Andrea Brown, and Laurie McLean. For anyone who has ever queried a young adult novel, you know EXACTLY who I am talking about.

I should be excited, but in truth, I am shaking in my boots, nearly having anxiety attacks every time I even think about pitching my book, or even registering, for crying out loud. I can’t do this—mingling through a crowd of agents, editors, and experienced writers and pretend to have confidence—pretend to know exactly what I am doing.

But I have to. I know way too many people who would kill for this opportunity, and I can’t screw it up just because I am nervous.

My question is this: Has anyone ever thought about what would happen if you were riding an elevator in a hotel, the doors open, and your dream agent steps in? Would you confront them and give them a twenty-five word pitch of your book? Do you even HAVE a twenty-five word pitch? Or would you do what I would do, which is probably chicken out and do nothing more than give them an incredibly nervous smile? Geez, even the thought of running into an agent in a conference elevator makes me break out in hives.

I think one of the main things that we aspiring authors don’t even think about his how important confidence in ourselves and in our work is. We become so star struck in every person that may make our dream career actually happen that we forget to have the utmost confidence in our product: “My concept is original, my plot is flawless, my writing is perfected, and my style is one-of-a-kind.” If we cannot go into a conference truly believing these thoughts, even query without believing this, agents and editors are going to have as much faith in us as we seem to have in ourselves.
So, ladies and gentlemen, this is my focus. I cannot walk into Agent Speed Dating all nervous and star struck. I have to hold my head up, truly believing that these people will benefit from me if they agree to sign me.

So, how is your writing confidence? Do you think of the agents you query as business celebrities, or possible business partners?

How do you find faith in yourself?

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

Writer Lingo

A lot of people have no idea what the abbreviations that writers use actually mean. I’ll catch you up to speed with the ones I’m familiar with.

MC = Main Character

WIP = Work in Progress

SNI = Shiny New Idea

Synop = Synopsis

R = Rejection

That’s all that immediately jump out at me. There are a few other abbreviations we use on the AW Boards, such as:

IMO = In My Opinion

JMO = Just My Opinion

HTH = Hope This Helps

FWIW = For What It’s Worth

Add anymore you can think of! My brain is fried lately…

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by former OPWFT contributor Becca. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

Perception…Something To Think About…

A friend sent me this email the other day:

***

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100..

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

***

I’ve been working with multiple points of view in my manuscript and this email made me take a step back and look deeper. It’s more than just who would tell the story the best at this point – for this plot element. It’s also HOW they would tell it. Maybe I want my character to be patient and reflect on his surroundings. It’s probably not best to put him in a subway on his way to work. He might just miss a free show by a fabulous musician.

The same is true for writers in general. Where do you write? What mood are you in? We’ve discussed listening to music as we write on OPWFT before. All of these things are factors in not only your perception of your characters and what they would do and say, but also the characters themselves. What are they faced with, and how do outside influences affect their decisions, or their word choice and facial expressions?

It’s not only where they’re going, but what’s going on around them, that makes them true to life.

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

Stranger Than Fiction?

Most writers agree that the basic tenet of fiction writing is simple: take a lie and make it true for the reader. Of course, controversy arises shortly afterwards. The problem? Not everyone agrees on just how close to fact that fiction must be. As writers, do we have to follow some of the existing framework of real life in our stories? Or can we invent everything from scratch? In essence, I guess I’m talking about creative license, and if there’s such a thing as going “too far.”

We all know that creative license means the alteration of reality or facts for the sake of a story. And while it’s easy to see why some writers take issue with changing past events in a historical novel, the lines get blurred when considering the fantasy genre. Take Stephenie Meyer, for example (yes, I just threw out the SM bomb). Even though her Twilight series is millions of readers own personal brand of heroine, some writers challenge her tweaking of vampire mythology. I mean, how dare her vamps not become human torches in the sun? Nor are they susceptible to garlic or other typical maladies of the dentally-challenged—sacrilege! But hold up, you say. Aren’t vampires themselves fictional creatures—well, at least according to those of us who don’t indulge in hallucinogenic drugs? So why on earth should SM—or any writer—be bound by rules for things that don’t even exist in the first place?

The conundrum of creative license was driven home even more after I read a query letter critique on a writers’ discussion board. I found myself stunned by one of the crits on a Middle Grade fantasy story. Why? Because the critter was questioning if the author accurately portrayed the way curses are transferred. Silly me. And here I thought accurately portraying curses was an oxymoron. Since, you know, curses are imaginary and all. (And if they aren’t, I beg you—don’t curse me for spouting off, pretty please?)

I guess what it boils down to is this: creative license means different things to different people. What conclusions have I personally drawn? Simple. For me anyway, it all goes back to the basic tenet of fiction writing—making your lie feel true. So long as a book sells the fiction as fact, and does it well, then I don’t care what reality or expectations get altered in the process. I just need to believe. And yes, for all you Twilight haters—this includes sparkly vamps.

But enough about me and my unhealthy, albeit drug-free, obsession with all things vampire. Where do you draw the line in terms of creative license in fiction writing?

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

College Student? Like to Write? Not an English Major? No Problem!

I’ll be honest with you. I am an English major, but it wasn’t until my sophomore year did I decide on becoming one. For a while I was looking at going into Anthropology, and even Biotechnology at one point. However, I always knew that i loved to write and loved the idea of others acknowledging my work, so one semester I decided to sign up for Beginning Fiction Writing. It was a general education class, and anyone enrolled at the college was allowed to sign up.

If you’ve never taken a workshop class, they are usually structured like this: everyone submits a short piece close to the beginning of the semester, and every class period one to three stories are workshopped. Students will marvel and cheer, give constructive criticism, debate grammar, etc, when going through everyone’s work. It’s like having 15-25 personal beta readers for a day–not to mention the four credits you get for writing and reading stories. Pretty sweet deal, huh?

Well what if you don’t write short stories? What if novels are your thing? My advice to you is to start small. I have learned so much through having my short stories critiqued by other students and incorporated my knowledge into bigger works. What’s even better is that one of the short stories I have had critiqued in a workshop class ended up getting published, which made for a beautiful writing credit on my query letter!

You DON’T have to be enrolled in a university to participate! I know a lot of OPWFT’s followers have jobs and kids. Some of you have graduated already, maybe even ten, twenty, or thirty years ago. But here’s the thing–a lot of community colleges offer creative writing workshops. I know that my city’s community college does. I even know of an adult school that offers classes, and most of them are at night. This way, those of you working a nine to five job can enroll.

Don’t know how to start to even look for a writing class? Hop online and check out the website of your local community college or current university. If registration is nearing for next semester, you can usually find the schedules for classes. If you aren’t enrolled in college and can’t find the information online, try calling the college and setting up an appointment with a counselor.

Nothing is more important to a writer than encouragement and constructive criticism. Take advantage of your local college and find a writing class that can fit into your schedule. You might love the experience, and decide that it is in your best interest to pursue an MFA!

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

Top Ten Writing Tips

One of the many things I’ve learned throughout the writing process is that you can never have too many words of encouragement. I want to impose ten tips writers should always remember.

1. Never, ever give up. I know. I know. You’ve heard this one hundred times by now, but it’s the truth. You can’t let rejections or editing get you down. Keep your chin up!

2. Read until your eyes burst into flames. Sounds crazy, but it helps. Not only does reading give you a break, but you can learn so much—how grammar, punctuation and writing styles are used.

3. Observe, and then observe some more. Yeah, that’s right. Take a seat somewhere the next time you’re out in public. Watch people. See how they react when speaking to someone else. What are their mannerisms? Oh, man. I can see those gears rotating in your head already.

4. Don’t edit as you go. Trust me—I know this is hard. Who cares if your first draft is crap? The odds of writing a perfect novel are probably 0.00000000001%. There isn’t a novel out there that’s perfect the first go-around. Wait until you’re finished. Give those fiery eyes a break. After a few days, you can go back and edit.

5. Write as much as your heart wishes. No, I’m not talking about just books. Keep a journal. Grab a pen and paper, step into your backyard and describe what you see. Think of it as practice. The more you practice something, the more experience you gain.

6. Learn from your mistakes. You’ve been pierced through your most vital organ and are bleeding abundantly. It hurts when someone takes the red pen of doom to your baby, doesn’t it? Don’t take it to heart (pun intended). These people are your sidekicks, partner-in-crime, fellow writers. They want to help. Listen to them. Have an open mind. I promise your manuscript will be ten times better than the original draft.

7. Read out loud. You’re probably sitting there going, “Whaaaaaat?!” Yep, I said it. I bet you’re trying to remember the last time you read out loud right now. You can actually catch typos and sentence structures that are out of place better than if you read with your eyes only. Try it sometime.

8. Always keep a pen and paper handy. You never know when that shiny new idea will spring to life inside that head of yours.

9. Pay it forward. If another writer reviews your work, be kind enough to review theirs.

10. Stay true to your characters. They need you. They depend on you. You are the only way they’ll get their story read by hundreds—maybe even thousands/millions—of other people. Remember, they’re one of the reasons you began this journey.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by former OPWFT contributor Becca. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.

My Top Ten Books of 2009

These are only my opinion, and are in no specific order. Feel free to add to the list!

1. Evermore by Alyson Noël
2. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
3. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5. Fade by Lisa McMann
6. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
7. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
8. The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
9. Willow by Julia Hoban
10. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Can’t wait to see what 2010 has in store. If you don’t have any of these books on your bookshelf, you need to go buy them now, now, now!

Original post published by former OPWFT contributor Becca. To view the original post and reader comments, please click here.