When I was eight years old, my family decided it was time for me to begin learning to cook. I'm really surprised they waited that long, but the general consensus in the Wagner household was that I was dangerous klutz, more liable to blow up the kitchen than function safely within it. This conviction was supported by my absolute terror of the stove.
But one magical day, one of my sisters convinced me to make some very easy cookies. The cookies requires a top and bottom layer of graham crackers and a gooey caramel filling made from butter, brown sugar, possibly nuts, and maybe graham cracker crumbs. They sounded a bit like these, but with slightly different execution. They were easy and fun to make--and they were the best cookies in the history of man, because I made them.
I still dream about those cookies, but I don't have the recipe for them. I could probably call my mother for the recipe, but since my folks still have dial-up Internet that hogs their phone line, it might be years before I get it. If you have a recipe for them, please direct me to it--or if you have any other super-easy cookie recipes (no-bake, perhaps?), please share. My daughter is learning how to cook. ;)
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Friday, September 07, 2012
Three for Greatness
Hello, friends! I hope you are all well--I myself am recovering from a surfeit of summer vacation. Guests and reading and sloth and eating and ... whew. I might need a nap just to get over remembering it. But in truth, it feels good to be back to work.
The other day someone was talking about good writing, and I started musing it over. When you're actually writing, it's often difficult to pin down just what good writing means, but it's easy to see when you're reading a good (or hey, even bad) book. Good writing is a balance between three components:
Appealing prose. Yes, knowing how to write a readable sentence is important. To be reasonably readable as a writer, you need to string together words in an appealing way. To be a good writer, your words need an element of beauty. Ray Bradbury, for example, wrote sentences that read like poetry. They took your breath away when you read them. He was a great writer.
Well-constructed story. It's hard to pin down what makes for a good story, but I think most people would agree that story is all about trouble and the characters' responses to that trouble. For most writers, they learn about piecing together bits of trouble and human behavior while they're learning to read, with a heavy dose of cinema thrown in. It seems instinctual, and a lot of people think this part of writing should be a piece of cake. I know--I was one of those people nine years ago, when I wrote my first novel. But for some of us, managing all that trouble and making it believable is like juggling kittens. Wiggly, wiggly kittens with very sharp claws.
Insight. It's hard to believe, but insight is the key to wrangling those kittens. Even the crappiest novel needs a certain level of insight into human behavior or it simply isn't believable. Great novels are great because the author has managed to probe deep into human affairs and used their work to shed light on some kind of human truth. For example, Twilight is a successful book, because the author uses her knowledge of teenagers' quirks to make the plot stick together. The Pilgrim Hawk, by Glenway Scott, is a great book because it plumbs the secret depths of marriage and class and alcoholism. (Neither book may be to your taste, but I'll confess to enjoying them both!)
So far I know that I am a functional writer. I've always been able to write a neat sentence and the occasionally pretty poem, and I'm finally beginning to develop the skills needed to juggle those cats (thick gloves help, as do lots of kitty treats). It's insight that really holds me back. It's hard to plumb the depths of human existence when your personal philosophy is primarily spun out of fart jokes, but I keep hoping I'll grow up. ;)
But what about you? What are your strengths as a writer? And what have you been doing to strengthen your weak points?
The other day someone was talking about good writing, and I started musing it over. When you're actually writing, it's often difficult to pin down just what good writing means, but it's easy to see when you're reading a good (or hey, even bad) book. Good writing is a balance between three components:
Appealing prose. Yes, knowing how to write a readable sentence is important. To be reasonably readable as a writer, you need to string together words in an appealing way. To be a good writer, your words need an element of beauty. Ray Bradbury, for example, wrote sentences that read like poetry. They took your breath away when you read them. He was a great writer.
Well-constructed story. It's hard to pin down what makes for a good story, but I think most people would agree that story is all about trouble and the characters' responses to that trouble. For most writers, they learn about piecing together bits of trouble and human behavior while they're learning to read, with a heavy dose of cinema thrown in. It seems instinctual, and a lot of people think this part of writing should be a piece of cake. I know--I was one of those people nine years ago, when I wrote my first novel. But for some of us, managing all that trouble and making it believable is like juggling kittens. Wiggly, wiggly kittens with very sharp claws.
Insight. It's hard to believe, but insight is the key to wrangling those kittens. Even the crappiest novel needs a certain level of insight into human behavior or it simply isn't believable. Great novels are great because the author has managed to probe deep into human affairs and used their work to shed light on some kind of human truth. For example, Twilight is a successful book, because the author uses her knowledge of teenagers' quirks to make the plot stick together. The Pilgrim Hawk, by Glenway Scott, is a great book because it plumbs the secret depths of marriage and class and alcoholism. (Neither book may be to your taste, but I'll confess to enjoying them both!)
So far I know that I am a functional writer. I've always been able to write a neat sentence and the occasionally pretty poem, and I'm finally beginning to develop the skills needed to juggle those cats (thick gloves help, as do lots of kitty treats). It's insight that really holds me back. It's hard to plumb the depths of human existence when your personal philosophy is primarily spun out of fart jokes, but I keep hoping I'll grow up. ;)
But what about you? What are your strengths as a writer? And what have you been doing to strengthen your weak points?
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The 2nd biggest day of the year
Monday is the second* biggest non-holiday holiday of my year: H. P. Lovecraft's birthday! Woo-hooo! Rock on, Lovecraft!
I'm hoping to make a big fuss about the big guy and I might have something fun for you guys that day. But I'm just wondering--what do you all think I should do to celebrate? Drink coffee milk, the state drink of Rhode Island (Lovecraft's home state)? Read three H.P. short stories that I haven't read before? Watch Lovecraft-inspired short films on Youtube? Rock out all day to my H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society CD collection?
Or do it all???
*The first biggest is Charles Darwin's birthday on February 12th.
I'm hoping to make a big fuss about the big guy and I might have something fun for you guys that day. But I'm just wondering--what do you all think I should do to celebrate? Drink coffee milk, the state drink of Rhode Island (Lovecraft's home state)? Read three H.P. short stories that I haven't read before? Watch Lovecraft-inspired short films on Youtube? Rock out all day to my H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society CD collection?
Or do it all???
*The first biggest is Charles Darwin's birthday on February 12th.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Editors
Every year, I go to Orycon, Portland's local sf convention, and on their writing track, they always include a panel called "Are Editors Human?" And every year, it's terrific. It's a time for the attending editors to talk about the work they do and what their lives are like. I always learn something--even though I spent a year as Assistant Editor at Fantasy Magazine and have plenty of friends in the business. Different editors have very different approaches, and there are many different kinds of editors, as well.
There are people out there who complain about editors or have stories about bad experiences. I'm not one of them. So far, I've worked with really professional people with a lot of skills. Some of the editors I've worked with have inspired me to do better work than I ever expected to create, editors with great vision and the ability to bring out the best in their writers (Scott Andrews, John Joseph Adams, and James L. Sutter, I am looking at you!)
A great way to learn more about writing is to pay attention to who edited the books and stories that you enjoyed reading. Then read more work from those editors. Read a book from Pyr Books and loved it? Maybe you should check out Lou Anders' short story anthologies. Most companies list their editorial staff's information right on their webpage--you can read their blogs and find out about their sideprojects.
Because that's the best thing about editors--they're always working on something cool. Editors exist to bring out the best writing in their writers and to cheer for the best projects for their companies. They're full of verve and energy and excitement.
In fact, when I go to that panel at Orycon and hear editors talk about their work, I'm always pretty sure the answer to the question "Are Editors Human?" is actually a resounding no.
They're super-human!
There are people out there who complain about editors or have stories about bad experiences. I'm not one of them. So far, I've worked with really professional people with a lot of skills. Some of the editors I've worked with have inspired me to do better work than I ever expected to create, editors with great vision and the ability to bring out the best in their writers (Scott Andrews, John Joseph Adams, and James L. Sutter, I am looking at you!)
A great way to learn more about writing is to pay attention to who edited the books and stories that you enjoyed reading. Then read more work from those editors. Read a book from Pyr Books and loved it? Maybe you should check out Lou Anders' short story anthologies. Most companies list their editorial staff's information right on their webpage--you can read their blogs and find out about their sideprojects.
Because that's the best thing about editors--they're always working on something cool. Editors exist to bring out the best writing in their writers and to cheer for the best projects for their companies. They're full of verve and energy and excitement.
In fact, when I go to that panel at Orycon and hear editors talk about their work, I'm always pretty sure the answer to the question "Are Editors Human?" is actually a resounding no.
They're super-human!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Never do anything again, ever
Well, this week has been pretty much a bust for accomplishments. But I have a good reason. Well, two. I brought them home on Saturday:
Oh my stars, but they're cute. The whole family adores them. The Kid keeps putting them in baskets and carting them around, singing to them. (And being patient, kind kittens, they let her.) My husband dotes upon them, even forgetting to make coffee because he was playing with the kittens. And of course, I'm the most star-struck of all. I can barely utter a sentence that doesn't contain the word "kitty." We're absolutely ridiculous!
Yep, so unless you count playing with kittens as an accomplishment, I really haven't done anything since they came home. And I'm okay with that!
Oh my stars, but they're cute. The whole family adores them. The Kid keeps putting them in baskets and carting them around, singing to them. (And being patient, kind kittens, they let her.) My husband dotes upon them, even forgetting to make coffee because he was playing with the kittens. And of course, I'm the most star-struck of all. I can barely utter a sentence that doesn't contain the word "kitty." We're absolutely ridiculous!
Yep, so unless you count playing with kittens as an accomplishment, I really haven't done anything since they came home. And I'm okay with that!
Monday, July 09, 2012
Hello from my new office!
Hellooo!!
I'm typing a bit exhaustedly--this whole moving business has worn me out. But I am typing from my new desk in my new office in my new house, so I can't complain too much. We are almost done with this crazy process, and I couldn't be more delighted about that. Mess and disaster are not my friends.
If you were sitting with me right now, you'd be looking at this picture. My good friend Galen gave it to me (it's a copy of an illustration from Rigor Amortis) and my husband framed it for me. Some people like to keep photographs of their family on their desk. I'm one of them. ;)
There's not much to update--almost every day has been crammed full of packing and schlepping and scrubbing. Honestly, you're lucky you missed it. But I am happy to say that my story about hinkypunks and swamp magic (a story I was inspired to write by my dear Inkpunks!) has been reprinted in Beneath Ceaseless Skies' new e-anthology, Ceaseless Steam. I can't wait to read this one. You know how much I love anything with a historical flavoring!
I'm typing a bit exhaustedly--this whole moving business has worn me out. But I am typing from my new desk in my new office in my new house, so I can't complain too much. We are almost done with this crazy process, and I couldn't be more delighted about that. Mess and disaster are not my friends.
If you were sitting with me right now, you'd be looking at this picture. My good friend Galen gave it to me (it's a copy of an illustration from Rigor Amortis) and my husband framed it for me. Some people like to keep photographs of their family on their desk. I'm one of them. ;)
There's not much to update--almost every day has been crammed full of packing and schlepping and scrubbing. Honestly, you're lucky you missed it. But I am happy to say that my story about hinkypunks and swamp magic (a story I was inspired to write by my dear Inkpunks!) has been reprinted in Beneath Ceaseless Skies' new e-anthology, Ceaseless Steam. I can't wait to read this one. You know how much I love anything with a historical flavoring!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Browsing!
Today I went to my new home library, which is a convenient one mile from our new house. It's adorable--there's a cute park with a duck pond attached to the library--but best of all, the entire basement is a children's library. The books there are separated out into genres and ages in a way that I think it is really accessible. My daughter hasn't really learned how to browse for books yet, and I think this library gives that perfect quiet coziness that you need to really dig through the shelves.
How's the adult section? I don't know. I got sucked into the mid-grade fantasy section and didn't come up until my daughter was ready to check out! I love all genres of books, but mid-grade fantasy is what made me fall in love with reading, and I still love it best of all. I'm finally going to start reading Garth Nix's Keys to Kingdom series--I've never seen book one on the shelf before, and I've been forgetting to put it on hold.
Three cheers for the new library!
How's the adult section? I don't know. I got sucked into the mid-grade fantasy section and didn't come up until my daughter was ready to check out! I love all genres of books, but mid-grade fantasy is what made me fall in love with reading, and I still love it best of all. I'm finally going to start reading Garth Nix's Keys to Kingdom series--I've never seen book one on the shelf before, and I've been forgetting to put it on hold.
Three cheers for the new library!
Friday, June 22, 2012
Ghost Collies
I don't believe in ghosts. I mean, not in any rational way--I can't think of any logical, substantiated reason to believe in them. But I still get weirded out sometimes, and our house has been acting a little spooky lately. First, the toaster began growling and screaming. Then the radio, which doesn't even have working speakers, turned on at full volume and could not be turned off except by unplugging it. And today a light blew out, but when I returned from the coffee shop, it was turned on and fully operational.
None of this would really be that weird except it began the day we met our realtor.
That's right--we've never had any strange electrical phenomena happen during the six years of our tenancy at this duplex, not until we decided to bid the place adieu. The strangeness of the experience compounds all the feelings I have about moving to make me feel more melancholic and nostalgic about the move. It's easy to look at these strange occurrences and say "Hey! Even the house doesn't want us to move!"
Luckily, I spent yesterday painting at our new house. Despite being all alone, I kept feeling something bump into my leg, the way a dog or a cat will bump its head against your leg to get your attention and say hi. I can't help but think of the two beautiful collies that once lived in the house. Are their spirits letting me know that I'm welcome in their house?
I know there are no real ghost dogs in my new house, although there is certainly plenty of dog hair and a phantom dog aroma rising up out of the thirty-year-old carpet. I also know that light bulbs have troubles in their lives and old appliances are sometimes just weird. I am hoping that there are no serious electrical problems that are going to burn down the duplex any time too soon, since I still have all my stuff in it!
Yep, I know all of this stuff. But the part of me that still gets scared at movies or cry during the sad parts of books--the part of me that makes and loves stories--that part of me wants to go play with the ghost dogs.
None of this would really be that weird except it began the day we met our realtor.
That's right--we've never had any strange electrical phenomena happen during the six years of our tenancy at this duplex, not until we decided to bid the place adieu. The strangeness of the experience compounds all the feelings I have about moving to make me feel more melancholic and nostalgic about the move. It's easy to look at these strange occurrences and say "Hey! Even the house doesn't want us to move!"
Luckily, I spent yesterday painting at our new house. Despite being all alone, I kept feeling something bump into my leg, the way a dog or a cat will bump its head against your leg to get your attention and say hi. I can't help but think of the two beautiful collies that once lived in the house. Are their spirits letting me know that I'm welcome in their house?
I know there are no real ghost dogs in my new house, although there is certainly plenty of dog hair and a phantom dog aroma rising up out of the thirty-year-old carpet. I also know that light bulbs have troubles in their lives and old appliances are sometimes just weird. I am hoping that there are no serious electrical problems that are going to burn down the duplex any time too soon, since I still have all my stuff in it!
Yep, I know all of this stuff. But the part of me that still gets scared at movies or cry during the sad parts of books--the part of me that makes and loves stories--that part of me wants to go play with the ghost dogs.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Skeletons in the trunk
The other day I was walking downtown and had a sudden insight about a character. Ah-ha! I thought. That's how Winston finds out about that guy! I have insights about characters all the time, but what was special about this insight was the fact that I'm not actually working on that project right now--I put it aside about a year ago. That is to say, I put the files and notes aside. Apparently my brain has continued working on that novel while I wasn't paying any attention.
Today on Alexandra Sokoloff's blog, she talks about how a successful writer has had ideas simmering away their entire lives, and how those ideas boil down until they're needed. Some story ideas might go back to early childhood. Some might only be a few years old. Some ideas or images are so meaningful to a writer that they can inform multiple works!
I don't know when I'll get back to that project about Winston, but it's good to know that I know a bit more about him for the day I do!
Today on Alexandra Sokoloff's blog, she talks about how a successful writer has had ideas simmering away their entire lives, and how those ideas boil down until they're needed. Some story ideas might go back to early childhood. Some might only be a few years old. Some ideas or images are so meaningful to a writer that they can inform multiple works!
I don't know when I'll get back to that project about Winston, but it's good to know that I know a bit more about him for the day I do!
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Thank you, Ray Bradbury
I really wanted to meet Ray Bradbury. To say that he was an inspiration is putting it mildly--Dandelion Wine changed my entire relationship with words when I read it at age eleven, and I've lived in awe of Mr. Bradbury ever since then.
This is a silly song, but I know it will be going through my head all day.
He was the greatest sci-fi writer in history. I know he will live on in my heart forever.
This is a silly song, but I know it will be going through my head all day.
He was the greatest sci-fi writer in history. I know he will live on in my heart forever.
Monday, June 04, 2012
Strawberries & angel food cake
This weekend I was reminded just how wonderful the simple things can taste. While hanging out with my fantastic siblings, my sister served store-bought angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. And you know, I've probably eaten that combination at least two hundred times in my life, but it just tastes so delicious and summery that it fills me with happiness!
On a similar note, last week I read Snuff, by Terry Pratchett (which I think just won a Wodehouse award for best comic novel from the UK). I've read so many Terry Pratchett books that I can't even keep them straight, but they are always enjoyable, and this one was no exception. In fact, it was remarkable! I highly recommend it. It's classic Terry Pratchett with a hint of humanism. I think it might be a new favorite.
I think that summer is a great time to enjoy simple, classic favorites. It's the time when you break out the blue jeans and white tee-shirt. When you set aside the latest style of shoes to put on your flip-flops. It's the time to pick up books by your favorite authors, drink an IPA, and just hang out.
Any great summer plans or favorite summer treats awaiting you?
On a similar note, last week I read Snuff, by Terry Pratchett (which I think just won a Wodehouse award for best comic novel from the UK). I've read so many Terry Pratchett books that I can't even keep them straight, but they are always enjoyable, and this one was no exception. In fact, it was remarkable! I highly recommend it. It's classic Terry Pratchett with a hint of humanism. I think it might be a new favorite.
I think that summer is a great time to enjoy simple, classic favorites. It's the time when you break out the blue jeans and white tee-shirt. When you set aside the latest style of shoes to put on your flip-flops. It's the time to pick up books by your favorite authors, drink an IPA, and just hang out.
Any great summer plans or favorite summer treats awaiting you?
Friday, June 01, 2012
Short leads
Last year I helped out at the Orycon Writers Workshop, filling in for Mary Kowal (gulp! Talk about filling big shoes!) for her short story critiques. The other professional in the session was Claude Lalumiere, anthologist and short story writer extraordinaire.
It was wonderful to just sit back and let him work his magic. While Claude and I both had insights into plot and character issues, what stuck with me was his advice on beginnings. Both pieces we read in the workshop had interesting openings, but Claude recommending paring them down quite significantly. I could see his logic and I've been using it a lot on stories of mine. Many of my beginnings have had evocative, intriguing openings ... that hold back the action of the piece
Today, my story "Barnstormers" goes up at Ideomancer. It originally began with the protagonist readying herself to fly in an airshow, and it was packed with gorgeous language and delightful imagery. I loved it! But I realized that lovely beginning was a page that kept us away from the trouble lying at the heart of the story, so I chopped it off.
Now, I'm pretty sure there's nothing as lovely in the story as the bit I cut off, but the piece is now lean and muscular--which, as any Daniel Craig fan will agree, is gorgeous in its own right.
Also, speaking of lovelies, I just received a scrumptious-looking short story collection from the extremely gentlemanly J.R. Hamantaschen: You Shall Never Know Security. The cover, I think you'll agree, is creey & pretty!
It was wonderful to just sit back and let him work his magic. While Claude and I both had insights into plot and character issues, what stuck with me was his advice on beginnings. Both pieces we read in the workshop had interesting openings, but Claude recommending paring them down quite significantly. I could see his logic and I've been using it a lot on stories of mine. Many of my beginnings have had evocative, intriguing openings ... that hold back the action of the piece
Today, my story "Barnstormers" goes up at Ideomancer. It originally began with the protagonist readying herself to fly in an airshow, and it was packed with gorgeous language and delightful imagery. I loved it! But I realized that lovely beginning was a page that kept us away from the trouble lying at the heart of the story, so I chopped it off.
Now, I'm pretty sure there's nothing as lovely in the story as the bit I cut off, but the piece is now lean and muscular--which, as any Daniel Craig fan will agree, is gorgeous in its own right.
Also, speaking of lovelies, I just received a scrumptious-looking short story collection from the extremely gentlemanly J.R. Hamantaschen: You Shall Never Know Security. The cover, I think you'll agree, is creey & pretty!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Research rocks!
I'm tearing through the last third of my current writing project and I just wrapped up a short story, both of which required a great deal of research. Since I adore research, this was no hardship--what's better than reading up on exotic locales and interesting sports?
My next big project will also require some research; I mostly need to capture the flavor of life in Viking times, without digging too deeply into any historical details. This gives me the opportunity to re-read Beowulf and watch The Thirteenth Warrior as many times as I'd like!
Ooooh, Antonio Banderas ... life as a writer is so hard!
My next big project will also require some research; I mostly need to capture the flavor of life in Viking times, without digging too deeply into any historical details. This gives me the opportunity to re-read Beowulf and watch The Thirteenth Warrior as many times as I'd like!
Ooooh, Antonio Banderas ... life as a writer is so hard!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
An achievement
You're probably thinking, "Ooh, an award!" or "She signed with an agent!" But no, this is one of those minor milestones in life: surviving a trip to the post office. Honestly, I think every time you get in and out of a government facility, you have immediately earned yourself a cocktail.
I know it's silly to celebrate something as easy as making a trip to the post office, but it's special to me. You see, at least 95% of the submissions I make are done electronically. I just click a few buttons and zip, off my story or book goes. But when you have to actually print out your work and find an envelope and figure out the postage, it makes you sit back and reflect upon what you're doing. I mean, there was a time two years ago where I would catch myself chanting as I walked, "I wish I was a writer, I wish I was a writer." It was kind of a mantra for me.
And then sometime last summer it just hit me: I am a writer. I am living my dream. I create things and I share them with amazing people. Sometimes people even like my stuff enough to tell me about it or contact me on Facebook and let me know. If that's not what I dreamed about when I was eight years old and had just decided that I was going to be a writer when I grew up, then I don't know what is.
Oh, and I just saw the rough draft of Dark Depths' cover. Galen Dara and Carrie Cuinn are absolutely amazing. I can't wait to hold this book in my hands.
I know it's silly to celebrate something as easy as making a trip to the post office, but it's special to me. You see, at least 95% of the submissions I make are done electronically. I just click a few buttons and zip, off my story or book goes. But when you have to actually print out your work and find an envelope and figure out the postage, it makes you sit back and reflect upon what you're doing. I mean, there was a time two years ago where I would catch myself chanting as I walked, "I wish I was a writer, I wish I was a writer." It was kind of a mantra for me.
And then sometime last summer it just hit me: I am a writer. I am living my dream. I create things and I share them with amazing people. Sometimes people even like my stuff enough to tell me about it or contact me on Facebook and let me know. If that's not what I dreamed about when I was eight years old and had just decided that I was going to be a writer when I grew up, then I don't know what is.
Oh, and I just saw the rough draft of Dark Depths' cover. Galen Dara and Carrie Cuinn are absolutely amazing. I can't wait to hold this book in my hands.
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
The HUMANITY!
This weekend, at the inaugural meeting of my new writing group, a friend pointed out that the main character in my story was hard to connect with. She was just too cold, too unemotional. I jotted down a note to fix that.
Jotting down a note doesn't seem like a major milestone, but for me, it was. You see, characters in my first drafts are always unemotional. I just don't write characters that emote. At least, not in a first draft. This has tormented me for about three years. In fact, I thought there was something wrong with me. Was I a cold, heartless monster with no feelings in my heart? Was I completely clueless when it came to human relationships? Was I doomed to never write anything good in my entire life?
(If you're not reading that last statement as a prolonged wail, you have clearly never spent time around me while I was unhappy.)
But something happened a few months ago. Either I grew up (fat chance), or I learned a thing or two about the way I write. I am motivated to write stories by wondering what happens next. And when I sit down to write a story, I already feel very strongly attached to my characters; I usually can't put down a first paragraph unless I've already gotten a good sense of the character's voice. So as I write, I'm usually focused on the puzzle of what happens next and am overwhelmed by the emotional experience of the characters, which are so close to me that they feel like my very own experiences. I'm so into the moment that I sometimes forget to fill in the blanks for my readers.
The good news is that all of that is fixable in the revision process. I'm not broken; I'm just forgetting to share everything I know about my world and my characters. This is something entirely obvious to anyone but me. I've made myself extremely miserable worrying about this stuff.
Yeah. I'm that level of dumb.
But I do have a fun new story coming out in the Lovecraft eZine this week, and I have an AWESOME new Lovecraft eZine tee shirt!
Plus this weekend is the HP Lovecraft Film Festival! I can't wait to see my fellow Lovecraftian creators!
Jotting down a note doesn't seem like a major milestone, but for me, it was. You see, characters in my first drafts are always unemotional. I just don't write characters that emote. At least, not in a first draft. This has tormented me for about three years. In fact, I thought there was something wrong with me. Was I a cold, heartless monster with no feelings in my heart? Was I completely clueless when it came to human relationships? Was I doomed to never write anything good in my entire life?
(If you're not reading that last statement as a prolonged wail, you have clearly never spent time around me while I was unhappy.)
But something happened a few months ago. Either I grew up (fat chance), or I learned a thing or two about the way I write. I am motivated to write stories by wondering what happens next. And when I sit down to write a story, I already feel very strongly attached to my characters; I usually can't put down a first paragraph unless I've already gotten a good sense of the character's voice. So as I write, I'm usually focused on the puzzle of what happens next and am overwhelmed by the emotional experience of the characters, which are so close to me that they feel like my very own experiences. I'm so into the moment that I sometimes forget to fill in the blanks for my readers.
The good news is that all of that is fixable in the revision process. I'm not broken; I'm just forgetting to share everything I know about my world and my characters. This is something entirely obvious to anyone but me. I've made myself extremely miserable worrying about this stuff.
Yeah. I'm that level of dumb.
But I do have a fun new story coming out in the Lovecraft eZine this week, and I have an AWESOME new Lovecraft eZine tee shirt!
Plus this weekend is the HP Lovecraft Film Festival! I can't wait to see my fellow Lovecraftian creators!
Thursday, May 03, 2012
FOCUS
I just came back from the eye doctor's, which is always a fun experience. It's weird to actually pay attention to what my eyes are doing and to try to challenge them, and it definitely makes me appreciate the normal, comfortable sight I enjoy every day (with the help of my glasses!). Life is a lot more rewarding when it's easy to focus.
The same can be said about writing. When life gets busy, it's hard to give your writing projects the focus that they need. Sometimes, life doesn't even have to be the distractor--depending on your working style, problems within the project can also make you lose your focus. I've definitely had times when I just couldn't pay attention to my project, couldn't make myself push forward. I used to chew myself out for being lazy. But recently, I realized that the way I write, my brain doesn't allow me to move forward if there are big gaps or problems with the material behind me. I haven't added more than about 100 words to the current scene of my novel in over two weeks: I've been stuck because the two chapters before didn't work and I'd added some new characters that were shallow and boring. I went back and added a bunch of new material, learning a lot about the characters. The book is still growing, and I'm happy.
You see, right now, my life is being particularly distracting. But because I'm still engaging with my work, I'm still getting words down on the page. Last year, when I was working through wedding planning, I failed to identify the real problems within my work, and wound up disengaged from the project. I let myself get sidetracked with life issues, and I also got mad at myself for not working harder on the book. All that accomplished was making me feel really badly about myself.
Don't give up on your writing when you find yourself stalling or struggling. And don't blame your busy life, either. A busy life makes it difficult to concentrate on your writing, but your problems probably stem from your relationship to your characters and the story line. Clearly, the secret is focus!
The same can be said about writing. When life gets busy, it's hard to give your writing projects the focus that they need. Sometimes, life doesn't even have to be the distractor--depending on your working style, problems within the project can also make you lose your focus. I've definitely had times when I just couldn't pay attention to my project, couldn't make myself push forward. I used to chew myself out for being lazy. But recently, I realized that the way I write, my brain doesn't allow me to move forward if there are big gaps or problems with the material behind me. I haven't added more than about 100 words to the current scene of my novel in over two weeks: I've been stuck because the two chapters before didn't work and I'd added some new characters that were shallow and boring. I went back and added a bunch of new material, learning a lot about the characters. The book is still growing, and I'm happy.
You see, right now, my life is being particularly distracting. But because I'm still engaging with my work, I'm still getting words down on the page. Last year, when I was working through wedding planning, I failed to identify the real problems within my work, and wound up disengaged from the project. I let myself get sidetracked with life issues, and I also got mad at myself for not working harder on the book. All that accomplished was making me feel really badly about myself.
Don't give up on your writing when you find yourself stalling or struggling. And don't blame your busy life, either. A busy life makes it difficult to concentrate on your writing, but your problems probably stem from your relationship to your characters and the story line. Clearly, the secret is focus!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Got bears?
If you like action and adventure, then buzz on over and catch my new piece "Mother Bears"--it's a 3-part serial, and the grand finale goes up on Wednesday.
Working on this piece was a remarkable challenge. When I approached James Sutter, editor extraordinaire for Paizo, to talk about writing tie-in fiction, I had to admit with some embarrassment that I have never played a single RPG. (My friends are now probably looking at me with dismay.) You'd think that would disqualify me from writing in the field, but when I also admitted I had a tie-in fiction addiction, it seemed to ease our conversation a little. (That's right--if it says "Forgotten Realms" on the cover, I've probably read it.) But still: I had a lot to learn.
My first step in writing this piece was to catch up with the Pathfinder universe. No sweat, right? How big can one world be?
Well...
I can't even figure out how many books Pathfinder has. There are three bestiaries, a core rulebook, advanced player guides, creature guides, multiple wikis, web fiction, almost a dozen novels, and probably a lot of other material I've managed to overlook, let alone read. I spent about three weeks plowing through the basic information before I even knew enough to get ideas for a story. And then once I sent a list of story ideas to James, I learned how little I really knew, because a lot of my ideas didn't actually work in the world! I had to go back and revisit the historical timeline and bestiaries and sort out a few things. Then I worked up a solid story idea and drafted it.
I sent the story to James, who kindly helped me learn more about the monsters -- goblins -- that I'd chosen to write about. It turns out that goblins are really interesting characters in the Pathfinder world. In fact, if I was going to play a campaign, I'd definitely want to stumble into a pack of goblins. I mean, if I had quality weapons and some badass friends to back me up. These little guys are vicious and scary! I had to rethink "small" and turn it into "terrifying." Then I had to rewrite my piece. My original story made the goblins out to be trouble, but now I wanted to make them the kind of big trouble that could make a bunch of Viking-like guys crap their pants. (Errr ... breeches?)
To find out if it works, you'll have to read the story. Let's just say that the first draft of the story took a week to write. The second draft didn't get turned in until three months later. (Well, there was a lot of life going on in there, including going to World Fantasy and actually meeting James!) I'm pretty pleased with the results, and I hope to write more fiction in the Pathfinder universe. Why? Because it's such a cool place!
Now if only there were a Pathfinder board game for me to play...
Working on this piece was a remarkable challenge. When I approached James Sutter, editor extraordinaire for Paizo, to talk about writing tie-in fiction, I had to admit with some embarrassment that I have never played a single RPG. (My friends are now probably looking at me with dismay.) You'd think that would disqualify me from writing in the field, but when I also admitted I had a tie-in fiction addiction, it seemed to ease our conversation a little. (That's right--if it says "Forgotten Realms" on the cover, I've probably read it.) But still: I had a lot to learn.
My first step in writing this piece was to catch up with the Pathfinder universe. No sweat, right? How big can one world be?
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Astonishment, lithograph by Thomas Fairland after W. H. Hunt, c. 1870s
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Well...
I can't even figure out how many books Pathfinder has. There are three bestiaries, a core rulebook, advanced player guides, creature guides, multiple wikis, web fiction, almost a dozen novels, and probably a lot of other material I've managed to overlook, let alone read. I spent about three weeks plowing through the basic information before I even knew enough to get ideas for a story. And then once I sent a list of story ideas to James, I learned how little I really knew, because a lot of my ideas didn't actually work in the world! I had to go back and revisit the historical timeline and bestiaries and sort out a few things. Then I worked up a solid story idea and drafted it.
I sent the story to James, who kindly helped me learn more about the monsters -- goblins -- that I'd chosen to write about. It turns out that goblins are really interesting characters in the Pathfinder world. In fact, if I was going to play a campaign, I'd definitely want to stumble into a pack of goblins. I mean, if I had quality weapons and some badass friends to back me up. These little guys are vicious and scary! I had to rethink "small" and turn it into "terrifying." Then I had to rewrite my piece. My original story made the goblins out to be trouble, but now I wanted to make them the kind of big trouble that could make a bunch of Viking-like guys crap their pants. (Errr ... breeches?)
To find out if it works, you'll have to read the story. Let's just say that the first draft of the story took a week to write. The second draft didn't get turned in until three months later. (Well, there was a lot of life going on in there, including going to World Fantasy and actually meeting James!) I'm pretty pleased with the results, and I hope to write more fiction in the Pathfinder universe. Why? Because it's such a cool place!
Now if only there were a Pathfinder board game for me to play...
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
My feet do NOT show it
As you may know if you read the Inkpunks blog, I went to a wonderful poetry class yesterday, full of great insight into poetry revision. The teacher, David Biespiel, proved excellent--easy-going, insightful, interesting--and I look forward to taking more classes with him in the future (money willing!). And I have to say, I am now even more excited about poetry than I was before walking in the door!
It's weird and wonderful to be returning to poetry. The first words that I ever wrote and fell in love with were poems--well, lyrics, actually, to a song/ode to our cat that my kind family members interpreted as a wonderful poem. I was eight, and I loved the way I could fall into the words and feel the world drift away from me. I'd always loved to make up little stories in my mind, but when I wrote poems, the actual words themselves held power. I loved feeling them come together on the page.
It wasn't until college that I began to feel more interested in prose than poetry, and I've really neglected the poetic realm since then. As a kid, I devoured all the poetry in the house, nearly memorizing our collected works of Robert Service and chewing my way through great swathes of Shakespeare's sonnets. (And of course, I'll never forget the poem "Mice," by Rose Fyleman--one of the few pieces I have completely memorized!) It's been wonderful to fall back into reading poetry, which is such a blissful, enchanting experience.
Speaking of enchanting experiences, I'll leave you with a poem that we read in our class. It is easily one of the most amazing things I've ever read, and I thought about it the whole two mile walk home.
It's weird and wonderful to be returning to poetry. The first words that I ever wrote and fell in love with were poems--well, lyrics, actually, to a song/ode to our cat that my kind family members interpreted as a wonderful poem. I was eight, and I loved the way I could fall into the words and feel the world drift away from me. I'd always loved to make up little stories in my mind, but when I wrote poems, the actual words themselves held power. I loved feeling them come together on the page.
It wasn't until college that I began to feel more interested in prose than poetry, and I've really neglected the poetic realm since then. As a kid, I devoured all the poetry in the house, nearly memorizing our collected works of Robert Service and chewing my way through great swathes of Shakespeare's sonnets. (And of course, I'll never forget the poem "Mice," by Rose Fyleman--one of the few pieces I have completely memorized!) It's been wonderful to fall back into reading poetry, which is such a blissful, enchanting experience.
Speaking of enchanting experiences, I'll leave you with a poem that we read in our class. It is easily one of the most amazing things I've ever read, and I thought about it the whole two mile walk home.
by William Meredith
Touching your goodness, I am like a man
Who turns a letter over in his hand
And you might think this was because the hand
Was unfamiliar but, truth is, the man
Has never had a letter from anyone;
And now he is both afraid of what it means
And ashamed because he has no other means
To find out what it says than to ask someone.
His uncle could have left the farm to him,
Or his parents died before he sent them word,
Or the dark girl changed and want him for beloved.
Afraid and letter-proud, he keeps it with him.
What would you call his feeling for the words
That keep him rich and orphaned and beloved?
Monday, March 19, 2012
HORSESHOE CRAB AWARD!!
My super-terrific friend Katie gave me a blogging award last week! It's the Horseshoe Crab Award for a long-lasting blog. Aww! Thanks, Kt! Here's hoping I keep trundling along, posting every now and then, for a good long time.
If you don't know her, Kt is a talented artist, writer-type, AND classics student. I'm a bit disappointed that my award's title wasn't written in Latin!
Today I am celebrating have 12 pieces of short fiction and poetry out on submission. I feel like I've been doing a lot of hard work and reaching this magical dozen makes me feel great. I've also been making some headway on my novel! Last year I spent most of my time learning and absorbing; this year, I feel like I have the brain space to actually write!
I have also been reading lots of challenging works (Duras, anyone?) and just re-read American Gods. I was re-reading in a more critical fashion than the first time I read it, but I'm considering going back through and charting out the plot points to build my skills. Never hurts to think more about books you like!
Oh--here's a delight: in just a few days, Armored, John Joseph Adams's anthology of power armor and mecha stories, will be released. I can't wait to see the story that Jak Wagner (my adorable brother) and I wrote together. If you're hungry for a sneak peek, there are a few stories on the webpage that you can read in full!
If you don't know her, Kt is a talented artist, writer-type, AND classics student. I'm a bit disappointed that my award's title wasn't written in Latin!
Today I am celebrating have 12 pieces of short fiction and poetry out on submission. I feel like I've been doing a lot of hard work and reaching this magical dozen makes me feel great. I've also been making some headway on my novel! Last year I spent most of my time learning and absorbing; this year, I feel like I have the brain space to actually write!
I have also been reading lots of challenging works (Duras, anyone?) and just re-read American Gods. I was re-reading in a more critical fashion than the first time I read it, but I'm considering going back through and charting out the plot points to build my skills. Never hurts to think more about books you like!
Oh--here's a delight: in just a few days, Armored, John Joseph Adams's anthology of power armor and mecha stories, will be released. I can't wait to see the story that Jak Wagner (my adorable brother) and I wrote together. If you're hungry for a sneak peek, there are a few stories on the webpage that you can read in full!
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