Distractions - The little things that draw my attention

Look up distraction in the dictionary and you get three examples of noun definitions:
1. The act of distracting or the condition of being distracted.
2. Something, especially an amusement, that distracts.
3. Extreme mental or emotional disturbance, obsession; obsession: loved the puppy to distraction.

Yes, I know...what could a picture of a huge wine bottle possibly have to do with my article? Well, nothing. Your point?

Okay I am ruled by distractions and being weak when I come face to face with them.

In relation to my writing, I am a master at creating complicated schedules of What needs to be done, Why it needs to be done (contract), and When it must be done. I color code my Outlook calendar by publisher, my writing business, promotional stuff, release dates, and personal stuff, too. It looks so good, so pretty. And when I get finished updating it all, I am so impressed with myself. I am determined to start working through it all.

BUT along comes a post on one of the groups I follow online about using Kindlegraph for autographing Kindle books…and I have to check it out. Then someone else tells me what great PR they’re getting by doing giveaways on Goodreads. Yep, I’ve got to check into it and set up my own giveaway. Oh, and someone mentioned Wikispaces in the latest RWR magazine and what a useful tool a writer can have there. I barely finished reading the article before I was out there creating my own massive database in Wikispaces.

What happens by getting so easily distracted? I have to shift my pretty colors around on my calendar. Everything that was so nicely spaced out and gave me plenty of time to finish whatever it was is now squished together. I suddenly need 48 hour days instead of 24 hour. (heavy, heavy sigh here)

My daughter and I started a travel writing website for our adventures, which, of course, keeps getting put on the “Do tomorrow” list. Anyway, I love the caption she put on it: We believe a map is merely a suggestion…until something “shiny” catches our attention.

Apparently all of my life is that way, filled with mere suggestions about the “when”s and too easily distracted by “shiny” things. I’m obsessed with loving all of those spur-of-the-moment distractions.

Promotional Research

Okay, you have written your book and, hopefully, sold it somewhere. Now for the serious work of promoting that book...or all of your published works. Promotion is not for the weak of spirit.

There are so many facets to promotion, but I'm just going to list some links in a few categories on the topic. I have used many of these places for various reasons. And I know there are many more to choose from. I hope that some of these may help you when you reach this point in your writing career.

For Cover Ideas:
123 RF Royalty Free Stock Photos
iStockphoto Royalty Free Stock Photos
Romance Novel Covers

For Promotional Items for Authors:
Cafe Press
Earthly Charms
Gifts for Writers
Goddess Fish Promotions
Print Place
Vistaprint

For Discussion About Promotion:
Marketing for Romance Writers
Promo-Ho
Promo Only
Promotion Loop Schedule
Romance Author Promo Call Blog
Romance Novel Events
Romance Promo

And, of course, shamelessly promote your newest release every chance you get.

Coming May 16 from Black Velvet Seductions: Their Lady Gloriana

What would my perfect office be like...

I would have many windows with different views:
• A window that looked out at one of the Scottish lochs to let me watch the misty fog rising in early morn, let me see an ancient castle’s ruins across the way, let me savor and dream about a tall and handsome Scottish laird striding over the land within my view.
• An open window that looked out at a beach in northern California and let me feel the coolness of a new day, let me hear the waves rolling onto the sand, and let me watch young lovers walking hand-in-hand, barefoot along the water’s edge.
• A window that looked out at sprawling gardens filled with flowers of every size and color, guarded by weeping willows with branches dancing merrily in the soft breeze.

I would have a variety of chairs in which to sit:
• An over-stuffed, extra-wide chair, perfect for curling up in and letting my thoughts wander through the many thoughts overflowing within my mind.
• A buttery soft leather chair with a matching ottoman to ease onto with a good book and slip away from the trials of working on a storyline that isn’t working at the moment.
• A plump swivel, rocking chair, something to satisfy the need to sit and daydream while curling up one leg and using the other to absently swivel from side-to-side or mindlessly rock at a comfortable pace.

I would have electronics galore:
• A personal computer on my desk with two—maybe three—monitors.
• A laptop for the moments I sit in one of my many chairs to write in comfort.
• An iPad…just because.
• An iPhone…another “just because.”
• A radio/CD player that sits across the room to quietly play music of many genres dependent upon my mood…with a remote.
• A TV with a remote.

I would have a selection of tempting indulgences:
• Chocolate in many varieties and forms.
• Cheez-Its because they are so easy to nibble on.
• A basket filled with snack bars, granola bars, and cookies.
• Apples and cheese strings.
• Flavored waters and V-8 Fusions (to get my daily requirements of fruits and vegetables in a drink)

These are some of my fantasies, far from my reality. Okay, I have all of the electronics (just call me Geek), but not necessarily in my “office.” And I have chocolate hidden away in desk drawers most of the time. Plus there is a box of Cheez-Its under my desk, unopened as I keep forgetting it’s there. But the windows and the chairs… Dreams only.

Have latptop, will travel...

Where do I write? Anywhere and everywhere. When I used to write on a desktop computer only, I felt so confined. I still write quite a bit on my desktop computer at the office where I work part time. But the majority of my writing these days is done on my laptop.

My laptop and I have become great friends. (Okay, most of the time we're friends.) We like to find a comfy corner in my livingroom and curl up together in my oversized chair to spend some quality time together. Sometimes we take a road trip and find a spot to share time in Panera Bread or Barnes & Noble. When the weather is nice, we like to spend time outside on my patio on a comfortable chaise lounge. Or maybe we will mosey over to Botanica and find a bench somewhere to enjoy the views and quiet time in the gardens. We even work well together in an airport restaurant or a semi-secluded spot in a gate area.

The photo I've included is from my comfy chair in my livingroom. I can sit there and let my fingers fly willy-nilly over the keyboard. And I can occasionally glance up and see the exercise bicycle that someday I'll actually use. Right now I mainly move it around and dust it off. I don't want to get crazy with the idea of exercise. If I wear myself out exercising, I'll be too tired to write. Right? Right.

THE TOUR CONTINUES

My name is Reese (points to name badge) and I will be your tour guide for this portion of the Where We Write tour. I write many places but I happen to be my most productive in a converted bedroom that belonged to each of my children at one time or another. I feed off their lingering creative energy and, now that they’re grown, I appreciate their continuing support of my writing endeavor.

As you walk into my office the first thing that catches your eye has to be the seven sagging shelves and the bookcases all bulging with books. What can I say? I love books more than I love chocolate. No really. I do. Unless you count M&M’s. They hold a soft spot in my heart but tend to create soft spots over the rest of me.

The walls in here are really pink and barely white and covered with dozens of family pictures, art work from friends and a loveable armadillo Pat gave me in Dallas along with a note (which I still have) that reminds me that I can be tougher than the rodent when it comes to perseverance in the writing biz. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Pat. And the rat. I also have a letter from Deborah after I received a rejection. Her kind words are a gentle kick in the rear to remind me that I CAN do this. I just can’t give up. Thanks, Debo. A love note from my hubby completes the trifecta.

I have a large corner desk that is cluttered with the riff-raff of my daily life. Including manuscript pages, pens, catalogs, my IPod dock, more pens, research books, notepads, sticky notes, an M&M mug from my sister, trinkets of affection from my kids and hubby, candles and a picture of my mom and I from our trip to Florida. Believe me when I tell you I need these things around me. They make me happy. Until it comes time to dust them—but that’s another blog topic.

A large sign hangs above my desk that says And They Lived Happily Ever After. Beneath that is my wedding picture and next to that is one of us on the Caribbean cruise we took for our 25^th wedding anniversary. Of course, the real story of my adult life lies not in these two framed pictures but in everything that happened between them.

Over there (practiced two-fingered point) is a futon to park yourself on and a whole wall of dry erase boards to plot on. A closet full of shelves—holding more very important paraphernalia including a box that contains letters of encouragement, congratulation cards from friends and family and every single one of the sympathy cards I received when my dad died that I can’t yet part with complete the picture.

This room fits my personality and it's my happy place. I come in here to just be me.

That concludes our tour for today. Help yourself to some homemade brownies or cookies on your way out and please remember to visit the gift shop before you leave.

Hugs,

Reese

The Secret

For the past year and a half, WARA members have been sharing information, links and their own experiences where writing is concerned. From characters to conflict, writing jargon to punctuation, we hope we've been of some help, not only to each other, but to anyone passing through and reading our blog.

There's one question, especially from new writers, that still remains unanswered. That question is WHAT'S THE SECRET to writing and getting published. The answer is that there is no one secret. Instead, there are many small ones, each hiding inside all those topics we've been blogging about. The biggest, however, is to sit down, put your hands on your keyboard and start writing.

For the next few months, we're taking a break from sharing the bits and pieces of knowledge we've learned and will be sharing a little more about ourselves, how we view writing, and how writing affects our lives. We may go back later to refresh many of the topics we've visited, but until then, if you have a question, check the list of labels on the right side of this blog. We're also always happy to help with any question anyone might have...if we can. And if we can't, someone (Penny!!) might have the perfect link to the answer needed. :)

Thanks for visiting! And, hey, WARA members, thanks for sharing!!!

P & A V quickie

Hey, Reese Mobley here wishing all my fellow readers and writers a happy September! Are you ready for an entire month of P & A V? I know that sounds like medical terminology or an appetizer at an overpriced restaurant or even something naughty and way more interesting than it really is. But, and this is a big but, knowing when to use Passive or Active Voice is vital to the flow of your manuscript.

One way to see how often you use a passive voice is to type the word WAS into your search/find option and click find next. How many times does the word WAS precede an action word? It’s okay to have a few, just don’t let them take over your manuscript.

Wrong: He was leaving before his wife.

Right: He left before his wife.

Wrong: She was following him to the jewelry store.

Right: She followed him to the jewelry store.

Wrong: She was watching her husband while he was buying an expensive diamond necklace.

Right: She watched her husband buy an expensive diamond necklace.

Wrong: He was planning on giving the diamond necklace to his girlfriend.

Right: The cheater planned to give the diamond necklace to his trampy girlfriend.

Wrong: He was going to ask his lovely wife for a divorce.

Right: She filed for a divorce from the jerk.

Wrong: Her lawyer was going to help her sue for custody of the necklace.

Right: She sued for divorce and custody of the diamond necklace.

Wrong: Her single, attractive lawyer was going to help her forget all about her husband.

Right: Her single, attractive lawyer helped her forget about the cheating husband.

Very Right: They sold the necklace and sailed off into the sunset.

The End.

Hugs,

Reese

What would we tell?

The purpose of this blog, when we began it, was for a couple of good reasons. However, they escaped me early on. What were we to accomplish? I forgot. I began to think it was more about what would we tell an aspiring writer.

I wanted to explain that the road ahead may look confusing, but it is about telling a story in your own words in your own way.

I wanted to reassure a new writer that it is the story that is important to readers, not the picture on the inside cover. (At least not until that writer has beguiled away many an hour with words from that author.) So don’t fret the small stuff.

I wanted to inform all unpublished writers who come our way that there are more ways than you can count to sabotage your future in this profession. From limited writing output because we’re so busy, to being such a perfectionist that we keep reworking the material. Either way, nothin’s being published.

I wanted to teach. That didn’t happen, but it was because I’m not such great shakes myself at some things. Grammar. It can be such a problem that writers would prefer to not use some words rather than fight to learn to use them. What could be so awful? Lie. Lye. Lay. Laid. Lain. Figuring out where and how to use them can be a nightmare for some of us. To, two, and too can be too much to bear, or is it bare?

I wanted to expose writers to the magic of the moment as the story unfolds from their fingers.

I wanted to encourage new writers to expose their hearts and efforts so that they could receive admirations for their work. Later comes other good things—like cash, but first some honest admiration sooths the wrinkles from a writer’s inner self worth.

Did we succeed in educating, supporting, and assisting new writers up the path a little farther? I’m not sure that we did as well as we wished. But I am sure that those who came went away a little richer for the experience.

Above all I wanted to entice writers to…

Come. Join us. We won’t bite.

Struggling with backstory?

One of the hardest parts of writing for me is deciding what to do with character backstory. What do the readers really need to know? Am I dumping in too much? Did I give them enough? I'm in the process of working up the basics for a new cozy mystery series that I'm co-authoring with my daughter. We're at the point where we need to fluff out the characters we've come up with and determining backstory. So I decided this would be a good time to share one of the articles from my Be Romantic blog, which is focused only on Writing Tips.

BACKSTORY: PURPOSES & PROBLEMS


Defining Backstory: Backstory is a device for writers to reveal to the readers some of the character’s history or history underlying the situation for the storyline. It is also known as back-story or background. It explains how the character became who he is and why he thinks or acts in a certain way. Characters, like real people, are influenced by what happens in their lives: their family life, friends, enemies, era grew up in, education, experiences, tragedies, phobias, and more.

Purposes of Backstory:
• To reveal important information about the main characters
• To depict a story world
• To give depth to characters and understand who they are, why they think or act in certain ways
• To supports the character’s motivation
• To reveals the character’s fears
• To explain the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist

Problems with Backstory:
• The author has a wealth of knowledge about the character’s background and struggles with wanting to immediately reveal all of it to the reader, over-kill through knowledge dumping.
• Too little backstory can make a story appear to thin, with no “meat” to the characters.
• Too much backstory can bog a story’s progress down.
• Giving the reader more backstory than they need to know and confusing them.

Ways to Reveal Backstory:
• Flashbacks: Interjecting a scene from the past by using inner dialogue.
• Dialogue: Using a conversation, especially an argument, to reveal backstory and conflict.
• Narration: The author using an omniscient point of view to reveal backstory; best used in plays.
• Recollection: Using a character’s memory of something, introspection, to reveal backstory.
• Inner Dialogue: Providing backstory in a character’s thoughts.

Tips for Using Backstory:
• Insert backstory in small pieces that don’t slow the forward movement down.
• Decide what you are trying to do within a scene and insert only what backstory might be necessary for the reader to know in that particular moment.
• Avoid using author narration as it takes the reader away from the story.
• Keep flashbacks to a minimum and use only to reveal a specific character or event that is necessary for the reader to know.
• Reveal tidbits of background throughout the story’s action.
• Reveal details to evoke specific images and feelings that the reader needs to “see” at that time.


© 2010 Starla Kaye

Ideas and Time Wasting

I’m blogging today as a weak substitute for Sharon. We’ll all wish her back even sooner if you wade through too much of my brain ooze. However, let us forge onward!

This month’s blog theme is writing using pictures to stimulate the writerly brain to come up with stories or components of stories. I’m staring wheat harvest in the face because my other job is a Southwest Kansas farmer’s wife. I’ve just spent the last two days clearing the decks (this would also include my desk surface) for the next three week’s fevered cooking and whatever else essential activity. I’ll find out at the end of each day what was required that day. It is as if my life will not be plotted but written as a famous author once said ‘by flying into the mist’.

Part of what became a part of the ‘clearing of the decks’ today was to toss all of those enticing ideas, articles, and pictures in the trash. Gulp! How could I do such a thing? Easy. There are too many to keep track of, make sense out of, or even attempt to file them in a meaningful way. I started to sort them and all of a sudden realized how stale they felt. I’ve seen them all a couple of times. That evidently was enough. They suddenly felt like leftovers. You know the ones—those changing shape and color at the back of the refrigerator. Somehow, no longer as appealing as they once were in their raw state.

I wanted to think of something new. So, off they went. The feeling was cathartic! Free, empty, a blank slate, I could now let my imagination go without fearing I was missing some essential essence. Imagine the time I have wasted by gathering, piling, sorting, re-sorting, re-stacking only to end up tossing the entire batch. Why did I do it? Because the adventure of writing this blog on my turn only a few days ago was enough to let me know that my mind doesn’t use external pictures. How wonderful to find that out about my writerly self. I wouldn’t have ever known that to be the harsh truth if I hadn’t been asked to stretch myself that direction as a writer for the goal of this month’s blog.

Do I have pictures? Yes. But not for writing. They are my mind’s relaxation and they hang on my walls to sooth me as I admire different things about them. I also have a port hole from a ship hanging on my wall. And a pair of size 4 black high heels from the forties. A Chinese puzzle box. A conch shell which occasionally I pick up and blow. Yes, they actually do sound like they do in the movies—loud and full and last, my secret vice, a black box of clippings of unusual deaths (the robber who died in the back of an armored car when it went around the corner and bags of change shifted and…) and stunning ironies. But the rest of the stuff. Gone. As of today.

I’m not going to begin to say that gathering things and pictures and inspiration aren’t a useful activity, but obviously not for me. For my muse, she whispered to me, “time’s awastin’.”

Give yourself permission to be different. You’re a writer. Each of us comes at our craft and use of our talent differently. Good luck with finding the dimensions of your talent. I’m thinking that for each of us it is much like the blind man feeling his way around an elephant. Sometimes we find the foot, sometimes the tusk.

Building a Cowboy Story World

These are just some of the many online sources for information to help build a story world for cowboys, historical or contemporary.

Basic Horse Care – Horse behavior, feeding, hoof care, common health problems, psychology for riders

Beef Cattle Supplies – Farm tractor implements, bull selection and management, beef cattle breeds and breeders, beef cattle heifer management, beef cattle marketing, big farm store, cattle associations

Horse Supplies- Country Supply– Dewormers, pest control, horsewear, supplements, medications, leg protection and hoof boots, fencing, stable supplies, halters and leads, grooming and bathing, riding apparel, Western tack, farrier tools, and more

Beef Cattle Terminology – The lingo of the trade

Breeds of Livestock – Cattle, horses, goats, sheep, swine

Pedigree Cattle Breeds – The CattleSite – Beef and dairy breeds, breeders, societies and associations

Bull Riding – Wikipedia’s general information

List of Rodeos – Wikipedia’s list of many rodeos

Pro Bull Riders – Riders, bulls, schedules, standings, photos

Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association – Rodeo results, standings, schedule, events, cowboy bios, champions, stock bios, and more

Cattle Today Q & A Boards – Discussion boards on beginner’s, health and nutrition, breeds, breeding and calving issues, grasses, pastures and hay, feedyard, trucks, tractors and machinery, and more

Cowboy Wear-Cavender’s – Cowboy hats, boots, jeans, shirts, and more

Cowboy Hat Guide – Hat selection and care, storage, size and fitting, wearing and handling, protecting and cleaning, cowboy hat etiquette

Cowboy Lingo – The people and land, personal gear, saddles and tack glossary, horse terms, cattle terms, cattle drives

Western Décor – Lone Star – Southwestern rugs, Western bedding, furniture, lighting, pillows, wall hangings

Ranch Vacations – Dude ranch rates, selecting a ranch, list of dude ranches, international ranches, ranch categories

Rodeo Attitude News – Event listings, associations, youth rodeo, international rodeo, sports medicine, cowboy ministries, rodeo tickets, arenas

Rodeo Schools – Where to Rodeo.Com – Schools for roping, bareback riding, bull riding, roughstock riding, goat tying clinic, and more

Rodeo Supplies – Bull riding, bareback, saddle bronc, barrel racing, ropers, steer wrestling

Saddles & Tack – Chick Saddlery – Saddles of all kinds, bridles and headstalls, breast straps, reins, saddle pads, blankets, bits, girths and cinches, saddle bags, stirrups, spurs, halters, leads, horse boots, leg wraps, snaps, buckets, horse grooming aids, chaps, and more

Building a Medieval Story World

Each of the prior blogs on world building has been excellent thoughts on the subject. In a nutshell, in order for the reader to get the most out of your story, you, the writer, need to create a world for the characters the reader can clearly “see” and feel part of throughout the story’s journey. It falls back on that time-honored and sometimes painful part of a writer’s job: research, research, research.

For my blog, I’m going to share some of the online resources I used in building my “world” for the medieval series I am currently writing. I believe that basically the same thought and research process could be applied to whatever time period you’re using.

Understanding the Time Period: (5th thru 15th century)
Medieval Terminologry and Glossary This is a resource for nice, simple definitions of terminology of the medieval time period.

Medieval-Castles Glossary Another resource for medieval terminology.

Feudal Terminology This is a resource for medieval feudal terminology.

Glossary of Feudal, Medieval and Castle Terminology This is a resource for medieval terminology with slightly longer definitions.

Wikipedia-Middle Ages This is a nice overview of the various time periods involved in the Middle Ages.

Medieval Atlas This is a resource with a number of listings of different maps for the period.

Scottish History Timeline This is a resource for a timeline of Scottish history.

History of Scotland This is a resource for learning about the heritage of Scotland including its history, geography, culture, curling, tartans, highland dress and much more.

Medieval Jobs This resource gives quick descriptions of the social classes and has a nice list of the various occupations for the medieval period.

Medieval Spell This is a great resource for many kinds of information about the medieval period including architecture (castles and manors), knights (code of chivalry, jousting, armor, swords, tournaments, shields), medieval society (life overview, castle life, roles of women, fashion, food, drinks, entertainment, merchants, punishment, medicine), and warfare (weapons, archers, siege, siege weapons).

Medieval Period This is another resource for basic information on religion, clothing, weapons, battering ram, entertainment, knights, tapestries, art, music, food, medicine, women, men, society, laws, castles, siege engines and more.

Medieval Period Castles & Weaponry This is a good resource for learning about the parts of a castle and what was done in each part or might have been there as furnishings.

Map of English Castles This is a resource with a map for English castle locations, with links to photos and brief descriptions of the various castles.

Castles in Britain This is another good resource for seeing photos of and learning a little about various English castles.

Castles in Scotland This is a great list of castles in Scotland with much information and many photos of each castle.


Weaponry:
Medieval Collectibles This is a good source for seeing pictures of and reading brief descriptions of many medieval items including swords, long bows, archery supplies, chainmail and leather armor, daggers, dirks, helmets, shields, halberds, battle axes, maces, banners, tapestries, and much more.


Characterization:
Medieval Clothing Pages This resource links to various articles on medieval hair information including how to braid hair, how to wear a veil or circlet, how to make a coif, wearing hoods, how to make cylinder curls (crespinettes), how to make a caul or reticulated headdress, and more. It also links to articles on clothing information such as basic garb, making a tunic, etc.

Glossary of Middle Ages Footwear This is a resource for medieval footwear terminology.

Basic Medieval Speech This is a resource with a brief amount of basic medieval speech.

Medieval Words-Orgins This is a resource for words originating in the medieval period.

Medieval Names This is a resource for medieval names.

Scottish Clans This is a resource for a list and explanations of the official Scottish clans.

Original Scottish Clan Map This is a great map for the areas controlled by the various early Scottish clans.

Glossary of Scots Terms This is a dictionary of Scots terms.

Wikipedia Scots-English Dictionary This is a nice quick dictionary of Scots to English words.

CHANNELING YOUR INNER MARY TYLER MOORE

Today, fellow writers, I’m to blog about the special possessions my characters hold near and dear to their hearts. I would so love to do that for you, but when I sat down to write this, my mind went gray and fuzzy—like static on the television. Pass the rabbit ears (if you don’t know—don’t ask) because I don’t intentionally give my characters mementos.

No one told me I was supposed to do that, I whine. Am I always the last to know? How am I ever going to make it in this writing business?

That said, I brushed the dust off the For Sale signs covering my completed manuscripts. All four of them. Sigh…… Anyway, I opened those beauties—in no particular order—and began my valiant search. Guess what? Much to my surprise, my characters do have things that are meaningful to them.

In Make Me Believe, a Christmas story, Kris Kringle Jr, is embarking on the search of his life. He needs a wife, sooner rather than later, and his only means of communication with the North Pole is through a modified View Master. All he has to do is plunge the handy-dandy lever and he can see the North Pole. It’s like . . . magic and he’d be totally lost without it. Especially after the elves show up in their Winnebago’s to help him transform the town and woo the girl.

In Faith, Hope & Gloria, their-cuckoo-for-cocoa-puffs grandma keeps her three cremated husbands in mason jars. On her mantle. Her favorite husband’s jar is decorated with rhinestones and she has been known to carry him along with her on important occasions. Like to the wedding where her daughter faints, the ex-fiancé shows up, and the Elvis impersonators have taken up residence. Grandma talks to the glass canning jar as if its contents had ears. Which, technically it does. Or did, depending on if you’re a half-empty or half-full kind of person/writer.

That said, it doesn’t matter whether the objects you give your characters are priceless heirlooms, toys or canning jars as long as the significance comes across on the written pages. We have a duty to our characters to make them seem as real as possible and if that means giving them silly props to get through their daily lives then we do it.

Now I’m going outside and toss my beret high into the air because I feel like Mary Tyler Moore. I'm gonna make it after all.

I hope.

Hugs,
Reese

More Useful Links for Writers

I'm sorry, but I'm scrambling to get a second blog for the month done. I'm taking the easy way this time and sharing some of my favorite research links.

For writing to do with cowboys and ranching:
Purebred Cattle Pages
Breeds of Livestock
Cattle Today Forum
Cowboy Language
Western Decor
The Cattle Site
Rodeo Attitude Site


For writing using castles:
English Castles
English Castle Locations
Scottish Castles
Medieval Castle Life
Medieval Spell
Medieval Jobs
Medieval Clothing
Medieval Collectibles


For writing about other time periods:
Viking Answer Lady
Regency Men's Clothing
Regency Fashion



Miscellaneous writing help:
Fictional Character Name Generator
Popular Baby Names
Romance Novel Covers

Contemporary Women's Clothing
Frederick's of Hollywood
Victoria's Secret

Armani Men's Clothing
Flirting Tips for Guys
Types of Kisses

Beard Styles
Men's Hairstyles

Where'd THAT come from?

Almost to the day, ten years ago I began to write my first novel. I'd had an idea of story I wanted to read from the time I was fourteen and had read many a science fiction book. But...I had absolutely no ability or desire to write it myself.

Words do not come easy...or so I thought. If order flowers I have to get help from the clerk to determine what to write on the little cards. You know, those little ones, the ones that should say something nice or appropriate to the sentiment of the occassion. Well, I can look at one of those cards and begin to bleed out my eyes before anything comes to mind. Then I have to destroy a couple as I change my mind. Luckily for me, age has brought me the gift of less embarrassment. I now merely ask the clerk what would be good. It saves time and the recipient isn't as horrified or disappointed. Ditto with memos and letters.

I thought if I ever met a writer I would give them the idea for this book and they would write it and I would read it. Since I didn't want any preconceived ideas of how the book would go, I made sure not to think about it. Then I found out writers have their own ideas and don't want anyone else's. I was a little miffed to discover this. My husband of twenty years gave me a look and told me if I'd written a page a month I'd be finished by now and know how it ended. I decided to start the next day. But, I couldn't write it.

As I lay down to sleep that night, a person came into my head, the younger sister of my heroine. She had been inspired into action by her older sister's success. I jumped up and wrote that down. The next day, I began to write the younger sister's story and as it unfolded over the next nine months, out of the murky depths of my innermost mind, the bare bones of the first story came out of the mist.

Since then I've learned I really am a writer of novels. That book finished in nine months, the next almost nine years. I still can't write those pesky little cards for flowers etc without feeling like I'm against the wall they use for the firing squad. Talent can be like that.

The Proving Zone stories flow from the tips of my fingers like a symphony of flavors, scents, and delights. Other writingly stuff--not at all. The purpose of this post, should I be too dense to pick the right words to get my thoughts across, is to share my belief that writing talent, ability, and desire are not the stuff of knowing, it is the stuff of exploration. Writing novels gives me great joy and contentment as I root around in my murky head for the perfect word or phrase to describe exactly what my characters taste, feel, or do.

The next best joy is that 'gotcha' moment when readers who would not normally read my kind of novel become engaged in it--sometimes to the point they read all night. As an author, I love THAT feeling!

I hope you feel encouraged to begin. Don't let age, condition, preconceived lack of talent, hail, mist, or dead of night stop you from enjoying the process of writing whatever kind of writing you find fun to do.

About those who say nasty things about your writing or thoughts on it. Please remember: Not every story is for every reader.

What Keeps Me Going?

It is all about me this time. What more could an author want than the riveted attention of the entire internet and all people of the world swooning for just one more evocative word to flow from my presence?

Was that a tad over the top?

Perhaps. But as exposed as that feels, the opposite (and closer to the truth) is that the crumbs on the collective human counter tops that need wiping off after breakfast each morning have had more intense application of notice than all the words I'm ever likely to write.

So, where am I in the scheme of things? Where did I pop up from?

I've been a voracious reader from a young age. And as all young-uns, had a notion by the time I was fourteen or so of a solution to the world's problems (in story form). And if I only found a writer to write it, I would know how it ended. Thirty-four years later, I shared that ONE story idea at the one, single point in the fabric of time that it made a difference. I started the story that night, having to get out of bed (having laid down for only a minute) to scribble a note for beginning the next day. My mom had sent me a Tandy laptop word processor she'd picked up at a garage sale. For the next eight months I wrote whenever I could and finally a book (400+) pages was born. I remember how surprised I was that the tale actually came to a natural conclusion and stopped. I told my beloved that it was finished and that I wanted to go into town for supper. (I thought to celebrate, he thought we could check a sprinkler and buy a part too). He's a farmer. Doing twofers and threefers is what he does. Nothing is done only for itself--wastes time you know. That's ok. I'm a farmers wife and find it charming in him and make bets with myself on how many things he can put together in seemingly random ways until they all get done on any single trip to town. I also never turn down an opportunity to hit the ladies room. Sitting field side on the way home for an extra hour while a field sprinkler turns is havoc.

What happened during that eight months? I didn't tell the tale. I had to tell her younger sister's story. I think because I had refused to think of the details for all those years that it wouldn't flow for me. But, as I wrote the story of her younger sister who was inspired by her older sister's story, both stories unfolded for me. I wrote the story as I thought writers would, from beginning to end. But, problems began to crop up as I wrote. How to get the characters to behave? I kept checking on them to see what they were doing and writing it down, but they refused to get together for the longest time. I even wondered how long a novel was. I called a publisher. The person who answered the phone told me it depends. When I asked, on what, the conversation went downhill fast. Yes, you can be that ignorant. I was and still am in so many ways.

I knew that if I did write I wanted to write a satisfying story for readers. So many stories go along very well and then, as if a dinner bell rang somewhere, they finish the book too quickly--chopping the end right off. I didn't want that. I also wanted the reader to 'see' the characters the same time as the character did. I played tricks on the reader by misdirection. Oh, how fun that was. Then the middle of the story seemed to drag in the writing of it and I wondered if the characters were EVER going to get where they needed to be--at the end of their thousand mile walk. So, I did something else to keep me interested in the process. I didn't name the most powerful individual in the book, the heroine's father. It took a bit of effort, but he was a minor character. I managed to make it smoothly to the end without readers noticing he had no name. This little game kept me interested in the story enough to keep going. The second book, he's a much more major character and I've still managed to keep him nameless. I've enjoyed that almost as much as finding out I can write two novels. Oddly, the second novel ended in about the same number of pages--don't you think that odd too?

The joy of writing, for me, is the surprise of where the story goes. My premise is that in the future, to assure population control and viable quality control of humans, all the world's people agreed that we would have sterilization implants at the age of eight or so and that you could be anything you wanted to be, but if you wanted children, you must walk a thousand miles through the proving zone and reach the last step. The last step is in Randar, where after your trek, whenever you like, you may have your implant removed and are free to have as many children as you like. A survival of the fittest if you will. Each story explores different reasons people have children as well as the character's personal reason to be going through the Zone. One guy got dumped there as left for dead--he has no idea where he is but he isn't wearing his own clothes when he wakes up. Another character/story, well, let's talk about the last one.

I thought it would be terribly funny if a woman was so vane, she had to have perfect grooming at all times, her hair was dyed. She ended up going through the zone with a man she needs to impress and taking in her backpack everything she needs to maintain her personal image--including her hair dye--which explodes in her pack. I thought it would be a story of blasted vanity. The story went a different direction entirely. The woman was afraid. If she wasn't perfect, she faced horrible consequences from her nanny from the time she was an infant. She could only be free if she was alone. She went catatonic when her hair dye exploded. In the Zone. Where animals, weather, and unstable people hang out.

The changes of direction of stories don't seem to be up to me and they are what keeps me writing. I have to check in with my story people to see what they are doing and write it down. I am each of them as I write. I see out of their eyes and describe what they see. Sometimes they won't move or think and they are stuck in position. This usually happens when I try to make them go somewhere or do something they don't want to do. Other writers tell me this happens when I'm trying to force a character to do things that is out of character for them. They are right. But since I don't know what is happening until it is 'seen' except in the most vague of ways, I often write until I'm stuck or have painted myself and my characters into a corner. Then my subconscious comes to the rescue and the next time I sit down to write, the characters have figured out a way out of the problems I left them in.

What keeps me going? That no-name the important guy game I have going, readers who fight over what a character actually looks like, the fun of describing exactly what I mean even if it takes me fifty tries, the joy of communicating with other writers and their processes of the amazing skill that writing is, my husband's warm regard, and so many other things that add up to so much for me. I've a curious experimental nature and finding how other people's writerly talent expresses itself and how they deal with the process of publishing and that world are all fascinating to me. Last week, on line, I met a woman who is so opposite of me, she plots everything before putting the story on paper. She even knows that every four pages written is one percent of the story finished. She writes about four hundred page books. Wow!

I hope all of you find, if not a passion, then something that fascinates you about what you do, something that keeps you going. That's my Christmas wish for you.

Enjoy your life and the process of living it.

Blossom's Christmas Surprise

As my special Christmas gift to my WARA friends, here is a short Blossom story.

The weather outside was frightfully cold and Blossom would have preferred staying in the nice warm barn today. Except that Her Highness Elsie had started the morning off being particularly snooty. T he herd leader had refused to leave the barn when Farmer Sam came to let them out. Her faithful lemming cows refused to go as well. Blossom’s choice had then been to stay inside, be warm, but grow more and more annoyed as the day wore on because, as always, Elsie would do everything she could to get on her nerves. Or she could brave the cold and venture out to the frozen field, with the hope of seeing her beloved bullfriend.

Her hooves were all but frozen by the time she’d hoofed it on near tippy-toes to the corner where she usually met Ferdinand. She could hardly blink her eyes. It was if her eyelashes had frozen in place. It all seemed so wrong. The sky was a beautiful clear blue and the sun was shining brighter than ever. Besides that, there was none of the usual Kansas wind. But it was bitterly cold and she shivered clear down to her double stomach.

She craned her neck over the fence and strained to look across the Stanton field, but saw no sign of her hunky Galloway. How depressing was that! She’d even brought him a little Christmas gift, one of the apples Farmer Sam’s daughters had brought her as a treat this morning. None of the other cows ate apples. A few might have tried them, but Elise turned her nose up at them. To stay on her good side, they refused them as well. Stupid heifers. Still, Ferdinand shared her love of apples. Such an intelligent bull. Even if he’d turned out to be a wuss and stayed in his no doubt warm barn today instead of coming to meet her.

Shoulders weighed down with disappointment, she picked up the apple she’d carefully carried all the way here and dropped to look over the fence. She’d just take it back to her stall and munch on it while she sulked over all this wasted effort.

Blossom had just turned around and trudged a few steps when a deep rumbled complaint stopped her. Her heart pitter-patted crazily. She drew in a familiar scent. Then, as she shifted back again, the post near the corner crashed to the ground. Evidently he’d been hidden behind the large clump of bushes.

“Where are you going, My Love?” Ferdinand grouched, forcing his way through the space he’d made. “I’ve been near freezing to death waiting to see you.”

She did a little happy dance and skipped over to him. She held her head up proudly so he could see the precious apple gift she’d brought him. As he grinned in that odd macho-bull way of his, she tossed the apple at his hooves. “For you, my hunka-hunka, Stud Boy.”

Ferdinand ambled closer, rubbing his massive head against her neck, nibbling at her almost-frozen ear. “I’ve got a Christmas present for you, too, Sweet Blossom.” He breathed hotly and moo-rumbled, “Something personal. Very personal.”

“But it’s so cold outside,” she teased, trying to bat frozen eyelashes at him.

“It won’t be for long.”

Blossom forgot all about the frigid weather and the warm barn she’d left behind. Ferdinand always made her days better. “Merry Christmas to you. Merry Christmas to me. Merry Christmas to us,” she moo-sang.

Why Write if it isn't Right?

Is there a right or wrong for writing?

Why would we assume that our writing abilities are duplicates of any others? Some of us visualize the stories we write and then describe them on paper from beginning to end. Any changes along the way affect the rest of the story. The story is written without formal guidance. That's writing by the seat of the pants or 'pansters'. However, there are variations of talents that work that way. Some people 'see' scenes out of order and stitch them together later.

Some writers know where they are going in a nebulous way, but the path is twisty and they do not know many details before the story begins.

There are others who do extensive character layouts and determine meaningful intentions into their writing before ever putting fingers to keyboard. Still others write the story in pen and ink leaving the typing for the finishing edit. Many writers place their characters like dolls in a doll house, determining the amount of scenes necessary to tell the story they are crafting. Each scene is crafted with every detail determined to contain special meaning. These are plotters.

There are combinations of plotters and pansters. There are those who've never heard of either.

Writers write in the wee hours of the night or morning. Sometimes they write in the spare time they have on lunch hours and breaks. Others have whole rituals they use to work their magic.

Some writer's feel affection and other emotions for their characters. Some writer's feel in control of their characters. Colorful words and phrases have sprung up to describe writerly things such as internal conflict, external conflict, plot, tension, pacing, turning points, black moment and the happily ever after ending.

One thing is for sure, the writing process that any writer might have may also seem like another writer's process, but it doesn't have to be anywhere near the same. Writers who believe in story arcs and internal changes in characters are just as numerous as those who don't. Writing comes from within us and is as diverse as we are.

The conclusion I've reached to all this writerly mess is that a writer's process is their process. If that means a five mile run before two triple lattes and then arm wrestling a muse, then that's what a writer has to do. If it means getting up at 2:00AM and eating a stack of Oreos first, then that's what a writer has to do. If it means filling up a board or book with pictures, lists, details and then listening only to PDQ Bach while burning red candles, then that's what a writer has to do.

It is ok to be different.

It is ok to be the same.

There is no right or wrong for writing as long as you're writing your way.

Well, bite my steaming, swollen toe!

I’ve had a lot of favorite writing books over the years. Fiction Is Folks by Robert Newton Peck, Shut Up, He Explained: A Writer’s Guide to the Uses and Misuses of Dialogue by William Noble, The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders, Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Deb Dixon, Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women edited by Jayne Ann Krentz, Sun Signs by Linda Goodman, Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson, and 45 Master Characters by Victoria Lynn Schmidt are just a few of them. One was a small book bound in light blue paper that I got from Beverly Wadsworth that had been written by an author she represented. It was an informative little piece of work that had one of the best character sheets I’ve ever seen in it. I can’t remember either the title or the author of it, and I lost it during one of our many disasterous moves.

So you can see it would be hard for me to pick just one book. These days, like everyone else, I rely a lot on Internet websites for assistance and information. The two I use most are Dictionary.com (http://dictionary.reference.com/) and Seventh Sanctum™ (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/). Dictionary.com has a dictionary, a thesaurus, an encyclopedia and a translator all on one site. It’s good for spelling, short information on a subject and synonyms and antonyms. I use the thesaurus section most often, particularly when I’m stuck for a word or stuck on one.

Seventh Sanctum™ is a collection of “generators.” These generators are programmed to randomly create names, characters, plots, ideas, items, or just about anything you can imagine. If you need a name for a minor character in a hurry, try the Quick Character Namers. It generates names based off census data for America. It uses common names only, so you won’t get something like Grail Steelreaper or Ginger Lustflame. However, if you need a name like one of the afore-mentioned, you can certainly come up with it on the Weird Name Generators.

Two of my favorite generators are the Romance Stories generator and the Cuss-O-Matic. The Romance Stories generator will give you a romance-oriented plot and pair of characters complete with extra details and plot complications. For example: This story starts in a small city in the Antarctic. In it, a silly professor is in love with an unwise project manager - all thanks to a murder. If it does nothing else, the generator will certainly get you thinking.

The Cuss-O-Matic is found at Serendipity(http://nine.frenchboys.net/). If you need a colorful epithet, try generating one like, “Oh, pinch my pestilent, pogo-sticking rump!” One of my favorite all time exclamations came from the Cuss-O-Matic. It’s fun to use Seventh Sanctum™ or one of the other generators links on its page. The only problem is you can get caught up in the whimsy and adventure of generating that you don’t get much writing done. But if you need a quick writing boost, Seventh Sanctum™ is the place to go.

RESOURCES--THE SEQUEL

This is ACT II to Pat’s wonderful blog two days ago so grab your popcorn, Junior Mints and Diet Coke. Settle into your favorite chair, dim the lights and start the sequel! (Eat your heart out Spielberg.)

Ever been stuck for a name to fit your plucky heroine or dastardly villain but your brain can’t get past the mundane? Consider the phone book. First names. Last names. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. (Insert your favorite instrumental music here.) I tell you, this book has it all and the bigger the city, the better selection. Just let your fingers do the walking.

Baby name books. (Slide show of the cutest babies in town—your own included while we are treated to a moving rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.) If you don’t own a book, then buy one or hit the web for more names and meanings than you could ever use.

Year books. (Showing bad hair photos and smiles with shiny braces while playing 80’s music.) Remember Betty Brown and Janet Jones, the mean girls in high school? Now is your chance to get even. They could become Betty Jones and Janet Brown and you can steal their boyfriends before the end of the first chapter. Or make them flat broke, flabby and working some menial job at your heroine’s very successful company.

Friends and family. (Slightly out of focus photos of family members gathered around Grandpa while we are treated to the theme to Deliverance.) As long as they are minor characters and you paint them in a good light, then go for it. Just remember you might be sitting next to them this Thanksgiving when you ask them to pass the gravy. Trust me, it’s not worth a lap of turkey goop.

Map Quest. Where do these people live? How far away? How long will it take them? Which highway will you choose for your characters to run out of gas, blow a tire, lock their keys in the car, pick up a lonely hitch-hiker or get stranded at a motel on a hill? (Key in the spooky music along with visual images of Freddy, Jason and or Norman Bates.

So, savvy writers, what forms of research do you use when you get the urge to create a masterpiece of your own?

Roll the credits.
Hugs,
Reese