by Sarah | Mar 12, 2012 | Changing Tracks, General, Writing
Two years ago I wrote my first draft of Jane Doe’s story. It was a rush job, the story just wanted to come out too fast for me to be delicate and careful. Plot holes, bad grammar, really random head-hopping littered the project everywhere. It didn’t matter. When I write, that’s how I roll.
I wrote something like 225 chapters (approximately 500k words) in a five month period. I wrote the original 3 book series, and a lengthy 4th book in my ‘first draft’ sloppy format.
In the midst of that writing a character appeared in the third book. He started with just one line – and was never meant for more.
That one line gave me this picture in my head of this man. This man that would go by the nickname ‘Hammy’. The kind of man that would all but live on a bar stool (a la Norm), yet call a woman “Lady Jane”. That would mix it up with these rough & tumble men of the frontier, yet blush when my main character kissed him on the cheek.
This character wouldn’t let me go. He wound into my heart and now in my final drafts appears as early as the fourth chapter. His role isn’t major and it isn’t linear – his appearances are random, but always filled with heart.
This character went from being a one-note-wonder – a one-liner without anything further to add – to being a special part of the story.
I do love when that happens.
It’s not the first time it’s happened, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
It’s part of what excites me about writing.
What about you? What are your favorite characters that crawled their way out of nothingness?
by Sarah | Mar 8, 2012 | Changing Tracks, General, writing tips
Putting down a manuscript and stepping away is one of the hardest things I ever have to do. I’m so excited by the story, so in love with the characters, so driven to get it out there that I never just leave it alone. At least not long enough to make a difference.
I did this with my first novel. I couldn’t understand why agents didn’t love it as much as I did. What the editor that gave me comments was talking about. It was too close, too soon, too real. Such a part of my heart I could not attain that distance.
Just recently I looked back at that first manuscript, let myself have a little chuckle and put it back in it’s safe place. I still love the story, but now I see all the error. The glaring, horrific errors. In truth, my muse (overbearing bitch that she is) – well she’s already planning alterations to the story. A way to bring it new life in the future. To gut out the heart of the story and rework into something actually usable. That is a long way off. The story needs major overhaul and I may never touch it again – or it may be another few years if I do. Distance gave me one hell of a perspective.
I did that with Changing Tracks too. While the structure is infinitely better, it still needed work. I thought that baby was shimmering when I sent it out into the world. In my eyes, it totally was. Until two months later when I got notes from an editor on the partial. That was when the nagging voice of the muse started to creep up with thoughts on how to change it.
I ignored the voice. Told the muse to shove it. I had partials and fulls out and I was not touching it. Period.
I moved on. Wrote another book or two. The full manuscript was out in the WWW. I was not going to touch it.
Well, as I said before the muse can be a demanding bitch. After a year of hearing me say “no touchy” I got screamed at in a variety of languages to shut up and listen. The notes we’d received, and our own personal reflection showed us not only weak chapters, but weak characters and plot holes.
A major character without a spine was not going to get me anywhere. A scene with the main character weak and out of it when she’s supposed to be a strong, smart and capable woman would never fly. One minor character was in the entire wrong profession and personality.
Minor changes turned into overhauls. Great lines remain, great scenes are untouched. New chapters have appeared, and characters have evolved.
Unlike my first novel, this ms has hope. It’s strong, and getting stronger every day.
Now if I can just leave it alone (again) once I’m done with these edits (or find the cash to obtain an editor’s eye) to make sure I don’t jump the gun again.
by Sarah | Jan 3, 2012 | Changing Tracks, The Tribe, Writing, writing tips
2011 was fairly productive for me.
In total 300,000 words were written. First drafts of the 1st 3 Tribe books were completed. Changing Tracks was rewritten & edited.
I was a featured writer on Band Back Together, with plans to write more for them.
There were ups & downs with the writing challenges I participated in, but I stretched my writing and wrote things that surprised even me.
I got ideas for stories that I never thought I would. I feared I only had one story in me, one genre. Instead I’ve reached beyond that.
My good friend Mary finally wrote and finished her first novel, and I got the pleasure of being her Alpha.
I’ve had agents take closer looks at my novel, some going all the way to asking for the full. Had a publisher give me notes and ask to see it again after a tougher-look edit.
So what’s in store for 2012? What goals am I setting for myself?
- To polish The Tribe until it shines, get that sucker out into the query world.
- To take another look at Changing Tracks. After time away I can narrow down a few flaws.
- Write something that isn’t a full length novel. A short, a flash, another article & see it published.
- To get down storyline ideas for at least one stand alone novel, & start it if possible. My penchant for series is not helping my publishing goals.
- To write. Every day that I possibly can.
- To blog. This blog gets so very neglected, and therefore so does my writing network.
- To be more disciplined. Get on a schedule & stick with it. This extends beyond writing, but includes writing.
- Write. Every day. (Yes. That does require repeating)
That’s it. I don’t call them resolutions – because I suck at those. I’m not awesome at the whole “goal” thing either, but I still have dreams and in order to get there I have to write down the path ahead of me.
Here’s to a fruitful, creative, and accomplished 2012 for all of us!
*~*~*
Picture Source
by Sarah | Oct 27, 2011 | Challenge, Changing Tracks, Writing
“Wake up,” Jane hissed. She jammed her elbow into her friend’s side. “You start snoring and we’re done for.”
“I’m up,” Marjorie mumbled. “It’s just the dark is easier on my eyes than that dress. What was that woman thinking?”
“She’s thinking she looks like a proper lady should.”
Marjorie’s eyes opened at that and she flashed her teeth at Jane, “Well she looks like a circus clown. What’s she going on about now?”
“About the evils of recreational drugs, hippies and their protests. I’m pretty sure she mentioned Woodstock in there. Of course, pants are evil and heaven forbid we wear short skirts.” At that Jane tugged at her own tiny slip of a dress. It wasn’t modesty, she had none. It was anger. “Now get back to helping me instead of dozing there.”
“Does she know we went?” Marjorie sat up and grabbed a few bibles and her stamp, stamping them dutifully, if a bit slow. “And how did we get stuck with this boring job? I mean really, stamping the new bibles with our church’s name?”
“Well neither of us sew, and we don’t bake. This is really all that’s left for girls wishing to do something for their church. Besides, do you really want to be in the middle of that quilt circle?” Jane stamped the next book with a bit too much force. The judging eyes of Mabel Greene turned their direction.
In unison both women gave her their most saccharine of smiles. Marjorie dropped hers the second Mabel looked away. “I’m all for helping people, that’s why I signed up for this Auxiliary thing. We’ve done no community outreach, and been judged every week because we live free.”
“You’d think with the flood victims we’d be doing something other than stamping brand new bibles.” Jane frowned down at the book in her hands. “The money used to buy these could have gone to buy clothes for the children.”
“Does that woman ever shut up?”
“I wish she subscribed to the same rule as her husband. A good sermon should be like a woman’s skirt; short enough to rouse the interest, but long enough to cover the essentials. Like mine.” While short and still in style, Jane always kept her skirts a little longer than most.
“Just wear pants and you never have to worry.” Margie slammed down her bible on the table, the humor of her statement lost in the rise of her anger. Speaking of sermons, it was clear she was about to blow with one of her own.
“Is there a problem, ladies?” Mabel looked over at them, “Are you tired from all of your free living and merry making?”
“No. We’re tired of you and your hypocritical ways, Mabel Greene. Does your husband know you diverted the funds to buy these bibles instead of buying food and clothing for the flood victims over in the next town?”
Jane rose to her feet next to her friend. There wasn’t a lick of embarrassment. Not at all, after all, Marjorie was right. “There are children without clothes or food and you’re worried about the length of my skirt?”
“Not just the length of your skirt. It’s your loose ways, Jane.”
“Loose? I am far from loose, Mabel. Then again you don’t care do you? You’re the one that spreads the rumors that claim I sleep with half the town’s police force just because I am friends with them.”
Marjorie laced her arm through Jane’s. She alone knew the truth of Jane’s feelings for one man alone. “We don’t need them, Jane. This isn’t the only church in town. And who says we need a church to do good deeds?”
Truth was she liked the preacher at the church. Before Marjorie had gotten to town he was one of the few that supported her and believed in her amnesia. Marjorie had a point, though. They didn’t need the Auxiliary to do good deeds. “You know what, Marjorie? You’re right. Let’s go.”
“I bet Cole will contribute something,” Marjorie said as they walked out the door. “Man hasn’t stepped foot in a church in years, but he’s not about to let people suffer in favor of fresh clean bibles.”
Jane laughed, “Well he’d let people suffer – but not innocent lives and definitely not in favor of bibles.”
Speak of the devil himself, Cole was standing outside leaning on his motorcycle. His cockeyed grin gave away his excitement to see them get out early. “Hey, Janey.”
She let him tug her close and returned his kiss without restraint. “Hey.”
“Didn’t expect the two of you for another hour.”
“Well we told Mabel Greene to shove her bibles up her ass.” Marjorie grinned, “And it felt real good.”
“Wish I could have seen that. You should have told me, we could have sold tickets for a show like that.” Cole’s hand slipped along the line of Jane’s skirt. The man would tease her until the day she died. Not that she minded as long as he followed through. “What set you off?”
“They bought brand new bibles. The old ones were holding up fine, but she used the Auxiliary money to buy new bibles instead of helping the victims over in the next town. After the flood those people have nothing.”
Cole’s eyebrow quirked up and his lip quirked up, “That mean you two are planning on doing something?”
“You bet we are. And you’re going to help.” Jane leaned against him. He wasn’t the only one that could tease. She moved in for a kiss but stopped just shy of touching her lips to his, “Right?”
“What’s in it for me?”
“Me.”
“I’ll do whatever you want.”
*~*~*~*~*
***I took characters from my (currently being queried) novel, Changing Tracks – and moved them forward in time 100 years. From the 1870’s to 1969.
****Image Source****
by Sarah | Aug 14, 2011 | Changing Tracks, Writing
For six months I’ve managed to delay the inevitable.
This post is yet another excuse to delay. Seeing as I haven’t posted in the six months that I’ve been dawdling I figured it was a good first step.
My series is almost complete. I have to finish two chapters and an epilogue – no big deal. After all, I’ve written the ending already in my (exceptionally) rough draft. I know that maybe some day down the line I have more stories for these characters.
But it’s so hard to say goodbye.
To put them away and let the new characters that are making themselves known take the lead.
For two years Jane and Cole have been in my head. Their love and laughter. Their smartass comments, wit, inteligence, fortitude…the secondary characters that are sometimes even more fun in their best moments.
They’re a part of me, and saying goodbye isn’t easy. I stall and delay for as long as I can.
By the end of this week this storyline will be complete. While Changing Tracks has been done for a year and making the agent circuit (I am currently waiting on an agent that has my full…and aching more with each passing day)…but the subsequent two novels – Derailed and Dark Territory – demanded to be finished before I moved on. Yes I should have let it go and move on – but like I said, Jane and Cole have been in my head and they are very demanding characters. Either way, this week I’ll write the final words of Dark Territory. I’ll leave them unedited. I’ll move on to Broken Windows or Train to Nowhere and let new characters take the lead for a while.
The time for dawdling is past. I’ve lingered too long trying to keep them alive. With a heavy heart I’ll say goodbye.
At least until I get a chance to visit again in editing.
by Sarah | Sep 14, 2010 | Changing Tracks, Contests, Writing
It’s a sort of butterfly effect.
You change one detail and the whole story changes. It can be a good thing, it can be a bad thing.
With Mercury’s retrograde cycle finally ending on Sunday I found myself with an unusual flurry of activity. See, the last query I sent out to an agent was way back in July. July 6th, to be exact. At that point I pretty much stopped. I did send out the query to the smaller publisher, but otherwise I did nothing.
I waited on results from contests, I wrote a (very) little, I got my response back from the publisher, and I collapsed.
Not because the editor was cruel or the tips were unmanageable, or that I couldn’t handle the c/c. It just was not time for me to work on it.
I admit for one night I wallowed. Cried into my keyboard and my facebook page.
Then I left it. I left the notes, I left the story, I worked on my personal blog, and I worked on some of the 100 words projects. I even posted a couple of times here.
About a week ago I picked up those notes and fiddled with the ms, but not with much enthusiasm.
Then Sunday out of the blue I got a request for a partial. One of the last agents I had queried requested more material. A bit of hope sparked again, but something in me made me hold off.
Then yesterday I got the results/feedback from the one contest I entered. I didn’t final, but I got moderately helpful notes from one of my two judges. Plus, both confirmed my suspicion that my synopsis pretty well sucked (though not so bad, I did get a request for a partial off of it).
Now to the point of my post (finally)…
Today, energy and excitement returned. Based on the notes I got, I rewrote the synopsis. It’s FAR less detailed than my last one. I left out a lot of secondary characters I mentioned in the original. I actually left out part of the mystery to focus on the romance. I cleaned it and tightened it.
Then I looked at my ms again. I looked at the notes I’d received. The first two chapters were fine, but an idea tickled me on the third based on those notes (part of what was requested). I realized that with one small change I could alter those opening chapters. In one moment the manuscript could make more sense, run smoother, and cleaner.
Now I’m going to have to go through and make some minor adjustments in the next few chapters along with the basic cleanup recommended by the editor…but with one change I feel confident again.
So I was right. I didn’t have anything to lose. I had everything to gain.
Two years ago I wrote my first draft of Jane Doe’s story. It was a rush job, the story just wanted to come out too fast for me to be delicate and careful. Plot holes, bad grammar, really random head-hopping littered the project everywhere. It didn’t matter. When I write, that’s how I roll.
