by Sarah | Apr 28, 2012 | Changing Tracks, General, Writing
[flickr id=”6367108607″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]I’m not schizophrenic, I’m a writer. ~Me.
A handful of years ago, before I started writing toward the goal of publication I took part in another form of creative endeavor. That’s how I met Jess, and how I got introduced (properly) to my muse. A group of us would sit around brainstorming, and one night one of us took it upon themselves to name all of our muses. I had to laugh at the muse she assigned me, Terpsichore. The muse of music and dance. Considering my previous life as a dancer/singer/theater person and the fact that I’d been in love with the musical Cats (where they mention Terpsichorian powers) – I thought it was perfect.
Since then Terps has been my (relatively) constant companion. When she’s not off getting drunk or high in Mexico, she’s presented me with some insane stories, and some awesome ones.
Along the way, a couple others have joined. The two ‘others’ are sort of shared between Jess and myself. As we often write together, they alternate who they wreak the most havoc with.
The older of the two is one we affectionately named Canada. Why? Because whenever the craziest crap went down in our stories we’d start singing “Blame Canada.”
The other is newer. Even more chaotic than Canada. And far more moody than every other muse. This one? This one appears to be a male and his name is simply “NoName.” Yes, you read that right. Never thought I’d see the day a man was moodier than a woman, but NoName pulls it off rather well.
In turns these creatures have inspired and terrorized me. Left me in tears and filled with joy. They are a part of me and speak to me as much as (if not more) than the characters they help me bring to life.
What about you? Have you named your muse? Do you have more than one?
by Sarah | Apr 18, 2012 | Changing Tracks, General, Writing
[flickr id=”6367108607″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Side Note: I am featured on Band Back Together this week. Post went live today. Please click on over to read “Broken Trust“.
A month ago I had that ‘lightbulb’ moment when you face the great errors of a manuscript you’ve set aside for its ‘resting’ period. My Historical Western Romance had made a round on the agent circuit last year, and I have plans to go through the epub submission rounds very soon.
The Muse (the crazy, demanding bitch) giggled, “Just two minor character changes. We’re going to shove a backbone into that one, and turn this guy into a slimeball bastard that makes you gag just with his presence. Simple. A few minor changes.”
Simple.
Three weeks later I’m half done with a partial rewrite (we have added 5 chapters at this point) and editing overhaul.
Now the crazy bitch…~ahem~ Sorry, that’s “The Muse” is impatient. She wants to start submitting the beast all over town when we aren’t even done.
Oh, and did I mention we have another novel that hovers in mid-draft as well? The Paranormal Romance blasted through my free-write of 4 books and now sits half done with the second draft of book 1.
We have reached the “head spinning” realm of too much to do.
So this week writing sits on the sidelines. The Muse is heading off to Mexico to drink tequila and get high on whatever recreational drugs she so chooses. She needs the breather (and to chill the f*ck out) – and so do I.
Fortunately her vacation falls in the most timely way. I am heading to St. Louis w/ the husband for a combo business trip/romantic weekend. On Saturday I’ll have my ‘business’ portion of the trip (Bloggy Boot Camp – which includes a writer’s workshop Woohoo!), but the rest of the time it’s me & the hubs. No kids. We might be just a little excited.
Once I return, the blog will face its overhaul & redesign. Even if The Muse returns refreshed and decides to get down to business so we can start submitting again – the blog will be cleaned up. She needs work – but i’m already working behind the scenes to prepare for it.
Maybe the conference will beat me over the head and get me to manage my time better so that I can do it all?
I know…I need a damn [amazon_link id=”B004A7XQNM” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]egg-timer[/amazon_link].
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 31, 2012 | Challenge, The Tribe, Trifecta, Writing
There it was.
No. There he was. The product of her labors, if not her labor. Created out of very little. Grown by technology and not her womb.
Yet he was the image of her own natural born son. The image of her husband. The differences were below the surface, DNA, invisible to the naked eye. All of it made him –
“Perfect.” The Raven dipped his head in a respectful bow. As he did she could see how many of his jet black feathers were now white. His body was fading and soon it would be time to complete the transfer.
The transfer was something she had no control over. It would all be up to the large Avian creature before her. Her part of the task was complete. “Thank you. Will you be the same?”
“No need to worry, young one. This will change everything. The memories will be blurry, the personality will change.”
“You think. You don’t know.” Velli’s brow furrowed, “This has never been done before. You don’t even know if it will work, do you?”
“Why are you asking questions you know the answer to? Is there a purpose in delaying the inevitable?” The bird hopped off his perch. Talons clicked along the metal and glass, until he paused over the head of the young man inside.
Right before her eyes several more feathers turned white. All she could do was look away. It was too difficult to watch.
“I thought you didn’t fear death. Besides, you don’t like me much as I recall.”
“Sue me. I have a weak spot for jackasses.” Velli smiled despite her concern, “Be done with it before you run out of power.”
“Farewell, Nirvelli.” That was the only warning before a flash of light filled the room. The buzz of magic was strong enough to rattle her teeth.
Then silence.
With a click the unit opened. “Hello, Mother.”
Velli moved forward, touching his cheeks as life filled them with color. “Hello.”
“Tam.”
“Son.”
*~*~*~*
Another Trifecta Writing Challenge !! As soon as I saw the word and coinciding definition for the week I knew what to write. This is an excerpt from The Raven…my current WIP that is book 4 in a series. I was pleased to have this little flash in the pan come out to exactly 333 words 😀 I am OCD in my challenges – I like them to be exact like that 😉
The Word is IMAGE
The meaning:
a : exact likeness : semblance <God created man in his own image — Genesis 1:27 (Revised Standard Version)>
b : a person strikingly like another person <she is the image of her mother>
*~*~*~*~*~*
Picture Source
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!
*~*~*
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