Here is one reason there are so many crappy books in the world

When I decided to write this post about 10 minutes ago, I was trying to find a way to link the "Changing Education Paradigms" video (embedded below) to writing and books. After all, that's why you come here, isn't it? To read something related to one of the two categories?


I've wanted to be a writer since I was 9. That's almost 20 years of storytelling. I'm a fairly introspective person, but it doesn't take much inward thought to pinpoint a devastating change in the way I tell stories, in the way I've changed as an artist. Over the years, I've become less imaginative. Sure, I'm still very imaginative. All writers are, some more than others. But these days I anguish over some of the simplest storytelling challenges.


Test your own imagination by answering this question:

Why did the aliens abduct the girl? 

How many reasons can you come up with? How many of those ideas are any good? (After all, this is a question writers ask themselves, isn't it?) And how many of those ideas will produce a book someone will want to publish?

This is where the "Changing Education Paradigms" video comes into play, particularly about 8 minutes in where Sir Ken Robinson discusses divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the ability to find several answers to a question, being able to interpret questions in several different ways. Robinson states that creativity is "the process of having original ideas that have value." He also says, "divergent thinking is an essential capacity for creative thinking."


We are all divergent thinkers to some capacity. I know I am because when I took calculus I had become a linear thinker, which is the opposite of a divergent thinker. There aren't several ways to interpret a math problem. There is one correct answer. I started doing really well in the class (5 pounds heavier...and an eye twitch later) after I realized not to think too hard. The ONLY thing I had to remember was to follow the formula. If I did that, the problem was EASY, manageable.

The "writing a good book" forumla:

characters+plot+setting+dialogue+100 other components+mix them together=  well written book

There is no formula because there isn't one right answer. If you are a divergent thinker, the possibilities are endless.

I believe a writer's ability to FIND those possibilities can be the difference between a well-written book and poorly written book.

We all know this, right? It makes sense.


So why are there so many crappy books in the world?
Let's go back to the example of aliens abducting the girl. You can probably come up with 10-15 answers within a minute or two.


Here are some of mine:

• The aliens want to learn about the human race
• They are human-eating aliens and are hungry
• They want her for a pet
• The girl is the long lost alien princess in disguise
• The girl is the only human who can fix their broken spaceship that landed on Earth

These are all logical to some degree, but none of them are original or very good. If you had to post a comment with your list, how many ideas could you come up with? How many of those ideas would you actually publish in a comment? Why wouldn't you want to include all of those ideas in your published comment?


Because a lot of them are stupid.


That's what you're thinking, right?


Apparently kids can easily come up with a couple hundred ideas off the top of their head. They do not filter themselves the same way adults do. They don't limit themselves to only what's logical. They won't answer the question as if there is only ONE right answer or a GOOD answer. So what happened? We were kids once. We didn't ALWAYS filter ourselves. At one point in our life, we would have said, "The aliens abducted the girl because she is made of cheese and they like cheese." Coming from a kid, it's cute. Coming from an adult...well...you can fill in the blank.


The point is that you aren't going to find a Pulitzer Prize worthy idea within the first 100 or 200 answers to "Why did the aliens abduct the girl?" And many of us will skim right past the bad or wrong idea that may have led us to an award worthy, well-written novel.


But what if...


what if...


there are so many crappy books in the world because of the way we are taught to interpret questions? And where are we taught things?


School.


Was my creativity stifled as I progressed in my "education?" Was your creativity stifled? What about the authors of those "crappy books?"


I'm not blaming anyone for my own creativity or lack-thereof. I'm merely asking a question. Do we want crappy books in this world? Should the way kids are educated change in order to promote divergent thinking?


You decide for yourself. Sir Ken Robinson sums it up far better than I can in this stimulating video:

RANE

P.S. Thanks to James for submitting the link to this video in your response to one of our posts!
image borrowed from here

Characters to Love & Hate

I've been thinking about literary characters a lot lately. I'm trying to figure out what makes my favorite characters so great. Sometimes I make a list of what I love about a certain character (like Edward Cullen <don't roll your eyes at me!>) and what I hate about other characters. So what have I learned from these possibly pointless exercises? If anything, I have learned (like Alyssa said in this post) that listing adjectives about a character is not the same thing as really knowing who they are as "people." That goes with real life people, too. Right?

Ted Bundy had a great sense of humor, was nice to his friends and family, and charming (yuck), but that doesn't tell us anything about who he really is--a messed in the head, psycho murderer. Sure, we can make a list about Edward Cullen that says he is moody, brooding, intelligent, sentimental, and a sparkly Vampire, but does it tell us anything about who he is as a real-unliving-unbreathing-granite-fleshed person? Those traits alone are shallow, meaningless. There is something else, something special about him, something deeper than a mere list of adjectives, that has made women of all ages (and some men, maybe) fall in love with him...uh...I mean, fall in love with his character!

Have you figured out why you love the characters in your favorite books? It's not just because they are moody, brooding, intelligent, etc. Those are only snapshots, one second impressions. It's how those traits combine. It's what the characters say and do (or what they said and did in the past) that make us love/hate them. And really, REALLY <epiphany in the making!> it could come down to one simple fact.

What do WE long for in a relationship with a lover--a friend--a parent? Are our favorite characters a reflection of our personal wants and needs as real, living, breathing people?

Bing..bing..bing. I think that may be it, ultimately.

One thing I know for sure: there about a million, no, a BILLION personality combinations. That means each and every character you read in a book should be completely different from the characters in other books, right? If an author does their job, they will be. Are the characters we love ALSO the ones that are unique in the pool of literary characters?

Here is a question I need some help with. Are there make-it or break-it character personality traits?

Have you ever been on a date with someone and REALLY liked them until you found out...they smoke...or call their mom the B word? And, on the other hand, can someone you dislike grow on you a little if you find out something good about them?

Would we like Voldermort a little better if we knew he donated money to orphanages around the world AND cured cancer? (That's a stretch, I know) But would we like Mr. Collins (Pride & Prejudice) a little more if we knew he was browbeaten by his parents and made to feel like a complete imbecile? (Please read this last line over again in a British accent just for the heck of it!) Would we like Edward Cullen less if we knew he kept jars of REAL human blood under his bed to drink when he was alone in his room?

How would you feel about a character that seems pretty cool until you found out they didn't believe in god? Does it change anything? If you are an atheist, does it change your like/dislike of a character if they did believe in god? In real life, most people don't like or dislike a person based on their religious beliefs. But does the same apply to a person's like or dislike of literary characters?

For the other writers out there, I really recommended getting a copy of Characters & Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card. It will really open your eyes and help you improve the depth of your characters.

In closing, I'm REALLY curious about this (especially the religious stuff). I'm a writer, you know, and I'm trying to do research. I'd love to hear your opinions.

HAPPY MONDAY!

-Rane- 

I believe the Robert Pattinson photo came from Vanity Fair.
And just for the record: I love Edward Cullen and Robert Pattinson, too. Ah, sigh, ah.....sigh.......sigh........sigh. Okay, I'm done.

Labels

Watching this video really makes me think about how we view ourselves, especially in this age of social networking. What do you put in your "About Me" section of all your accounts? You only have a certain amount of characters -- even if you have an unlimited space, who will want to read a long description? So we all fall back on adjectives we think accurately describe who we are: outgoing, curious, determined, optimistic, etc. But do these really cover all the bases? Is an outgoing person really outgoing ALL the time? And there must be a limit on curiosity; I mean, I consider myself a curious person, but if someone starts telling me about dust particles or something, I'm asleep before they even start.

So what's the deal? And has it started creeping into our writing?

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've been disappointed in a lot of YA books recently. A lot of characters have no depth. It's like the author decides: this character is going to be optimistic, so he'll never have a negative thought throughout the entirety of the novel.

No nuances, no shades of grey. Everything they are is contained within one word.

I don't know about you, but that kind of thing really bores me.

So let's keep an eye out for this sort of thing. Let's give life to our characters and make them act like real people. More than that, let's stop boxing ourselves in with labels we've created. It's okay to be the person who is outgoing sometimes and shy other times. It's okay to be a walking contradiction. In fact, let's face it: life (and books!) is way more fun that way.

The Organizing Zoo

This post really has nothing to do with a zoo, unless you consider your thoughts wild animals you need to round up and put on display somewhere. But it does have a whole heck of a lot to do with organizing your thoughts in regards to your WIP (work in progress).

That's what I'm doing. I'm organizing. It's taken me about a week to do this. I gather all my post-its, loose papers where I jotted down notes, and my journals where I collect ideas. Now I need to go about implementing these 10,000 or so ideas.

As you know WHO IS SAINT GIOVANNI? will be appearing on this blog in about 30 days or so. (OMG) This manuscript has gone through several revisions already. And when I decided to post it in weekly installments, I had actually forgotten that I was midway through a 3rd or 4th revision when I had to stop (because of work or school or some such thing) and left it to sit, unresolved, etc. That means the first half--in some ways--doesn't correspond perfectly with the second half of the manuscript.

I will finish in time. That's really no problem. The problem is where to get started with the 10,000 ideas. Writer friends....what do you do??? Do you start at the beginning of your manuscript and work your way through. This tends to be my MO.

OR do you go through your notes individually and find the spots that need tweaking? What else?

Just for the heck of it, I've decided to throw in a picture of my journals. For past novels, I've actually pinned butcher paper to the wall and charted out my entire novel based on events, so I could rearrange scenes. Have you ever done that? What are some other ways you record your thoughts?

Ok that's all for now. Have a great Friday :-)

UPDATE (as of 12:23pm pacific time)
I don't know why I feel compelled to update. BUT I DO! <hehe> I've decided to read through my entire manuscript and while doing so, take notes on my laptop. SEE:

-Rane-

Catch Me If You Can Blogfest

• It's blogfest time! Yippee-ki-yay! THANKS KRISTINA from KayKay's Corner for hosting this great blogfest!
• I'm posting the beginning of an untitled work in progress of mine. It's a little vulgar in places, so please brace yourself!
• Oh yeah, and it's a short story about a boy who sets out to teach a kid how to live a little, while discovering he's the one who doesn't know what it means to really "live." 

Martin’s fat. That’s why he won’t leave the house. I see him peeking out the blinds once in a while trying to get a taste of real life. He doesn’t get it though, not while he’s in there, where his mama’s greasy fried chicken probably uses up all his taste buds. I’ve even seen the kid, his arms folded on the basement’s window ledge, watching the shoes of us uninhibited pass by, wondering where we’re headed. He’s a dreamer, all right, in a pathetic way. I’m just the type of guy who can’t stand people who dream about things they never have the guts to do. Don’t ask me why.

I ring the bell at the Shelley house. Martin’s robust mama opens the door. She’s holding a glass of lemonade like it’s her lifeline. On a hot day like today, I’m surprised she made it to the door so fast. Through the screen I see a bead of sweat slip down between her breasts.

“What you doing here, Stan?”

“Is Martin home?” I ask out of politeness. Of course, Martin is home. I see him chicken dancing into the kitchen. I know it’s the kitchen because my house, the nicer one across the street, is just like theirs. Same layout and everything. 

Martin glances around the doorframe. With his body half hidden like that, he almost looks regular sized. Too bad he’s not. In another life we might have been amigos. That’s the word for friend in Mexico. Maria told me so last night when we were watching the stars in the bed of her father’s old Chevy. Amigos. I like the way the word rolls off my tongue.

• Thanks for stopping by! Want to join in? Click here!!!!!!

-Rane

What makes a great book summary?

THAT is the question distracting me this morning from all other activities!

What does it take to write a great book summary? Writers struggle with this task all the time. It's why we writers DREAD the query letter. But shouldn't we be able to write kick @$$ summaries? After all, it's our creation. We should be experts! We are the #1 fans. We should be able to gush about it eloquently, enticing everyone to read it.

Here's the problem:

I don't know about you, but I am really disappointed when a book doesn't keep the promises it makes in the summary on the back. Are you? It's like the summary is only there to deceive us. It's telling us: this book would be GREAT with these ingredients. So then why does it stray so far from what it promises?

I didn't want my book to have a summary like that.

Perhaps the most important thing is to catch the flavor of the conflict. Maybe this seems like a no brainer. I dunno. Instead of being weighed down by conveying the story exactly how it happens in the book, focus on the tone of the story. That's my conclusion.

So you may have read the summary for my book "Who Is Saint Giovanni?" Or maybe you haven't, which is OK too. You can read the old summary by clicking here.

Here is what I consider an improvement:

After going her whole life without making a single enemy, someone wants Emily Edwards dead. And it's all Giovanni's fault. How does she know? Terrifying things happen whenever he's around. Since meeting him on her first day in Italy, Emily swears he follows her everywhere. First at the opera, then at her new high school in Florence.

The morning after Giovanni rescues her from muggers, Emily wakes with an X that looks like it has been carved between her eyes. No one else can see the mark besides Giovanni. Since then, her senses are sharper, as though she had been living her life until that moment a little deaf, a little blind, and with no taste buds.

Emily needs answers, but Giovanni won't give anything away. He says he's protecting her, but how can she believe him? So she risks her life by confronting the very man Giovanni has warned her about. Although some call Giovanni a saint, others call him a devil. Emily discovers she's only a pawn in a dangerous game that has existed for centuries. Her only chance of surviving it is to find the answer to a single question. Who is Saint Giovanni?

Reader friends: does this appeal to you more than the old summary?

Writer friends: what do you think of my theory about tone, etc?

Tear it to shreds, people! I'm open to all suggestions and am very grateful for all feedback. A special thanks to Brenna for pointing out that my old summary didn't get exciting until the 2nd paragraph!

Thanks for reading!

1st VLOG about "Who Is Saint Giovanni?" !!

WHO IS SAINT GIOVANNI?

This is the very first post to announce an epic year long blogging adventure that will take place here at The Lit Express. The best way to read about this event is to click on this link, which will take you to a newsletter I created especially for this event! It really has all the particulars you need to understand what is happening and why it's happening.

I AM SO EXCITED I couldn't sleep last night. No joke!

So do you want the gist of it?
I've written a book. It's a YA paranormal romance novel that I've decided not to try and publish traditionally (via publishing house, etc). I have decided to post it on my blog in weekly installments until the whole book is available to the public for free.

Say what?

I'm doing this because it will be fun. And we all need some good fun!!!! Charles Dickens published some of his major work in installments. So did George Eliot. And now Rane Anderson will do it too.

What can you expect in the next few months? Well, it's going to take some time to prepare. I'll be posting about it regularly leading up to the very first launch day (April 11, 2011!). I'm working with a very talented artist to create a cover for the book and a new illustration for each post! I can't wait to see my characters come alive on paper!!!!

There are ways to participate in this event. But you really have to read this article for the best explanation.

AND when you sign up to participate, you are actually signing up to win prizes too. The Grand Prize will be a Kindle Graphite 6".

Here is a summary of the book, but really, please read this article that took me something like 8 hours to prepare (all last night until 5am).

WHO IS SAINT GIOVANNI?

Emily Edwards snoops too far into her father’s personal affairs—affairs being the key word—and is sent away from home for calling him out. She is an aspiring journalist who seeks the truth behind every story—good and bad—so her dilemma is a tough one. Emily can tell her mom the truth, breaking the heart of the person she loves most. Or, she can suck it up, bend her principles, and start her junior year in the land of her Roman ancestors.

Miserable, and hating herself for not coming clean, Emily’s arrival in Florence, Italy feels like the start of a grim prison sentence. But the world gets a little brighter after she meets Giovanni. Or rather, after she meets his lips as he pulls her into his arms, kisses her, and then vanishes, leaving her with the most dangerous desire of all: curiosity.

When fate brings them together for a second time, Emily the Journalist emerges, determined to replace her curiosity with the truth. Who is this mysterious boy? Why did he kiss her and then disappear? But as Emily already knows, poking into people’s private lives doesn’t always end well.  Although some people call Giovanni a saint, others call him a devil. Emily soon discovers she’s put herself in peril just being near him. After going her whole life without making a single enemy, someone suddenly wants her dead. And her life depends on finding the answer to a single question. Who is Saint Giovanni?

###

That essentially would have been my query letter had I chosen to submit to agents! Now, I'm going to leave you with a couple important links:

Countdown w/sign up sheets for participating (giveaways)

List of prizes you can win from participating

Really, this is going to be sooooo much fun, and I hope you all see it for its potential. If you've got some time, leave me some love in a comment to share your enthusiasm! :-D

Introducing Capitol City Young Writers

There is a really awesome organization for young writers that I have been a part of for a little over a year, and I just wanted to take a moment and introduce it to you. There are SO MANY opportunities that they have for young writers. It is free to sign up and is nationwide.

Here is a blurb from their website:

Education and Inspiration for Aspiring Young Writers

Capitol City Young Writers (CCYW) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and inspiration of young writers. CCYW’s goal is to educate members on the art and craft of writing and to provide opportunities for young writers to pursue their writing and literary dreams.

CCYW provides career exploration, writing workshops, scholarships, internships and leadership opportunities. Members discover the skills necessary to enter literary related careers such as editing, journalism or broadcast radio. From fiction and non-fiction, to poetry, screenwriting, songwriting and broadcast radio, students are supported through workshops bringing professionals and mentors together in local communities through online tutorials, annual conferences, a youth run literary journal, writing and audio competitions, and mentoring.

I also want to point out that right now, they are accepting calls for submission for their youth run literary journal.

Here is all the info you will need:
UNDISCOVERED: EXPLORATIONS OF MY WORLD

Capitol City Young Writers is now accepting submissions for the first annual Capitol City Young Writers Literary Journal. The Journal’s youth editorial team will review select and publish pieces of fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, journalism, book review, and songwriting. As with all of its programs, CCYW hopes the Journal will inspire teens to explore their writing as well as the multitude of opportunities in the publishing world.

Theme:
CCYW is looking for undiscovered writers writing about the undiscovered. Are you eager to explore the unknown, push your own personal boundaries, reveal hidden dreams or imagine yourself differently? Then tell us about it! We want to hear your story and you have a variety of ways to express yourself. See below for the different genres and what the editors are specifically looking for.

Fiction:
We want you to be creative! Your complete pieces or excerpts of longer works may be up to 5000 words in length and should include the title on the top of each page. Flash fiction is also welcome, which can be as short as a paragraph. Each author may submit up to 3 pieces to the fiction section of the journal.

Creative Non-Fiction:
Writers are encouraged to submit memoirs, biographies, travelogues, essays, or any other non-fiction piece. Please limit each creative non-fiction submission to 1,500 words or four-and-a-half double spaced pages.

Poetry:
We are looking for poems that display originality, personal voice, and adherence to theme. Send us your best work. You may submit up to 3 poems, totaling no more than 5 pages. Please keep your poems on separate pages (two poems cannot be on the same page) in 10 point minimum font. Please title each of your poems; if a poem is more than one page, include the title at the top of each page.

Journalism:
Writers can submit an article from the News, Feature, Sports, Editorial, or Opinion sections of a newspaper. Photojournalism submissions are encouraged as well. Articles should be between 300-1,500 words, fact checked and include the name and contact information for each source.

Book Review:
Reviews should be submitted in two parts: an original 100 (or less) word summary, and an opinionated review of the book that is between 500-1,000 words in length and includes an explanation of why the book is relevant to the journal’s theme. Realistic Fiction, Sci-fi/Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Paranormal, Creative Nonfiction, Memoir, Poetry Collection and Short Story Collection are the genres from which a review may be submitted.

Songwriting:
Submitted songs will be scored by originality, musicality, flow, length and title. The subject matter, style and rhythm of the lyrics should be unique and not exceed 500 words.

Cover Art:
We are looking for cover art for the literary journal. Cover art can include any medium of art. We require high-quality photographs of the artwork since this is a submission for a book cover. Artwork can include photography, pottery, paintings, sculpture, sketching, etc., but must fit within the scope and theme of the journal. Artwork must have been created by a student who fits the submission guidelines. Cover art must be printed and mailed to the PO Box listed under submission guidelines.

Submission Guidelines:

Entries are to be emailed to submissions@capitolcityyoungwriters.org no later than March 15, 2011. (Cover art image must be printed and mailed to CCYW, PO Box 5379, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762)

Please include your name, age, grade, school name, home address, email address and phone number with each submission. Please include parent’s names also.

Original submissions only. Plagiarism will result in disqualification.

Multiple submissions are allowed. Maximum of three submissions per category.

Please send submission as a word document, 12 pt font, New Times Roman.

Judging Guidelines:
Submissions will be evaluated based upon originality, style and voice. Judges are looking for quality, polished work with minimal spelling and grammatical errors.

Eligibility:
Open to writers ages 10-18. We will accept submissions worldwide. English language only. Not open to work that has been accepted in a national publication.

Finalists:
Finalists will be notified via email and/or telephone. The finalist list will be posted to the website by June 1, 2011. Due to the number of submissions, only finalists will be notified. Finalists may be requested to edit their stories before final acceptance. Publication date of the journal is July 2011. Each finalist will receive a complimentary copy of the literary journal and retain copyright to their stories.

Disclaimer:
This publication is intended for a youth audience (pre-teen and teen) and submissions must be age appropriate. Submissions that might be considered offensive (language or content) will not be considered for publication.


Sooooo, I really hope some of you can participate in this! It's fairly new and Verna Dreisbach is a literary agent and the founder of CCYW, and her dedication to CCYW is awesome. She really cares about the youth and wants to help them achieve their goals.

For more info on Capitol City Young Writers, please check out their website HERE

xoxo,
Kalina Kay

Writing Tips: What to Do When You're Stuck

It happens to all of us. One minute, we're smoothly typing/writing away. The words flow out so easily, so perfectly.

And then your brain comes to a sudden, seemingly permanent halt.

The words don't flow anymore. In fact, there aren't any words. You find yourself completely frustrated. You don't know what you want to happen in that scene. And would that character really say something like that? Doubts and questions fill your brain, replacing the words that had been there just a short time ago. And it gets worse: you don't know how to overcome those doubts. You don't know the answers to the questions you keep asking yourself.

This is the worst place to be for a writer. It is the writer's quicksand; the tar pit of the writing world. You don't know what to do with the story you're writing, or its characters. You don't know where to go. And the more you keep struggling with it, the deeper you fall.

So what should you do at a time like this? What helps? I admit, I've been here multiple times. It's this place that scares off many aspiring writers (it certainly scared me off my first attempt at a novel). After reading many online articles, books, interviews, etc., I have come to find a few techniques that work best for me, and they may work for you too.

First and foremost, STOP WRITING. Seriously, take a break and let yourself recharge. Oftentimes, a break is exactly what you need at a time like this. Go for a walk, watch that TV show you've been dying to watch, do some push ups, whatever. Just walk away from your computer and do something. Personally, I also stay away from books at a time like this. Reading published books just makes me depressed when I'm stuck on my own.

The second thing is a little longer to explain. In a book called Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande (read this if you haven't, I have found it very helpful), Brande talks about what writers do when they're thinking. Usually, she says, writers have a hobby. It's not just any hobby, this hobby is repetitive and silent. Examples are things such as whittling wood, knitting, and the like. The point is that it's a fairly mindless activity that involves very little words. While you're doing something like this, your brain can work out what's been frustrating you.

When I first read that, I thought it was complete bogus. Really, doing something like that will help me with my writing? It so didn't seem likely. I certainly didn't have a hobby that fit into those categories. I thought so, at least, until one day after taking a walk I decided to work out what had been frustrating me. And what did I do? I grabbed my latest cross-stitch project and thought about my story as I pulled the needle in and out of the fabric. So, if you have a hobby like this, use it! It not only helps to calm you down and lower your frustration level, but it also gives you time to think.

Thirdly, if all else fails, find somebody and talk it out with them. I usually don't like to talk out my story with other people, because it somehow loses its magic. It's not just mine anymore, but someone else's too. However, even though I dislike it, I do have a couple of people I go to when things just aren't working out. An outsider's perspective can work wonders.

Those are some of my tips -- what about yours? What works for you when you get stuck on a story? I'd love to know!

Until later,

Writing Tips: Show Me a Story

“Show, don’t tell.”

This is practically lesson one with writing. Seriously, whenever I go into a new writing class, this comes up. So why is it that I’ve been reading many published books that directly describe a character’s personality, tell me how they feel, and describe exactly what’s going on instead of let me figure it out for myself? I don’t have the answer to that. Maybe the writers are afraid their point won’t come across. Maybe it’s something else. Whatever it is, I think the rule should be stated yet again: “Show, don’t tell.”

Following this rule generally makes your writing better, because it makes for a more interesting read. Instead of being told what to think, readers are given clues and can make up their minds for themselves. They are able to participate in the story and make it their own. They create it along with you, the writer. So don’t tell me that John is a nice guy. Show me how nice he is. Don’t tell me he’s angry. Have him punch a wall. And don’t worry about me not getting your point. One professor taught me a valuable lesson when facing this problem: Trust your reader. Your reader is a pretty smart person. S/he will pick up on clues fairly quickly. Sometimes, s/he will catch things you didn’t even notice you put in. And if you’re worried about it, have a friend read it and ask them what they’re getting from what you wrote. That’s the best way to tell.

In her latest Hip Tips and Tid Bits post, Kalina Kay had a quote that completely describes the “showing” instead of “telling” aspect:

"Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." Anton Chekhov.

And here’s another one from my favorite author of all time:

“Don’t say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.” Mark Twain

And yet another:

"Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader -- not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon." E. L. Doctorow

So what do the rest of you think? Is this a pet peeve for you as well? (I fully admit that it’s one of my pet peeves) Or do you not mind being told instead of shown? I would love to hear your thoughts. :)

Until later,

Self Censorship

I take things too seriously (in all aspects of life, probably), and I think that calls for a change. From now on I will do none of the following:

1.(Save for blatant disrespect of others and myself) I will no longer censor what I write about. Creativity comes forth with freedom, not when the mind is shackled by self doubt. Somewhere...somehow...some way...I've grown up thinking that people have to watch what they say because it might *offend* someone or *hurt* someone's feelings or be *incorrect.* Usually, I only write with humble opinions that strip me of my personality and creative ideas. I look at the pieces I wrote as a child, a teenager, and an adult and find one thing: a lessening of imagination as I got older. Yes, I've become a better writer. I've become a damn good writer (in comparison, A DAMN, DAMN good writer....see the tiny censorship here. I have trouble writing I think I'm good at something without wondering whether humility is more important than being able to state something I truly believe in.)

2.I will no longer censor my stories just because I'm concerned the audience can't handle "gritty" plot lines. For 27 years old, I sure act as though I live 100 years ago where sex, drugs, violence were forbidden subjects for young ladies to talk about. I tend to want to shelter my readers knowing that they are impressionable teenagers. This is a bunch of crud. It holds back so much I can do in my story. My main character's voice isn't as authentic as it could be. My current re-write should rectify that. I guess I'm saying I need to snap out it. Get with the times. Stop censoring. The sought after stories are ones with CLEAR, AUTHENTIC, CONTEMPORARY voices. We live in a fast, hip culture where teens are exposed to the same themes adults are. I suppose if I want to uphold to my plan to set a good example for teen readers, instead of excluding controversial themes, I can portray them in a way that makes the readers see it in a certain light. Teen enlightenment or something like that.

Anyway, I guess this is my first official blog rant. Yay.

Lie to Me: Characters lie too

I'm a Netflix patron and recently watched the whole first season of Lie to Me starring Tim Roth (in a 3 day marathon :-D!!). It's about a genius psychologist who studies microexpressions and body language to determine whether or not people are telling the truth. Microexpressions are involuntary facial expressions so fleeting that people aren't aware of doing them, and most people don't see others doing them either. (Test how good you are at reading microexpressions).

Tim Roth's character, Dr. Liteman, is hired by major corporations and federal agencies to conduct investigations. Lives are always on the line when Dr. Liteman is around. Watching this TV show has made me want to study applied psychology (yet another want-to-be profession added to my ever growing list!) Anyway, getting to the point, it's also made me think about the various ways characters interact in books.

We've all heard that no matter what we say to someone, body language is what communicates most of our message. This should hold up in the stories we write. It's difficult because unlike real life interactions...or interactions in movies...we rely on communicating a message with words and no pictures. We use words to create the pictures. Our characters' body language and facial expressions are still important. Writers rely a great deal on dialogue to move the story along. But to add depth to what our characters say, it's important to tag dialogue with the appropriate body language and facial expressions.

"I'll give you the money," he said obligingly. <-- This is quick and easy, but it's lacking depth.

His nostrils flared a second before he smiled. "I'll give you the money." <-- This isn't as black & white as the the line above. The difference is the subtle suggestion of an emotion besides "obliging." This guy was trying to hide his resentment with a smile, but his involuntary microexpression gave him away to the reader and possibly the other characters.

My goal is to be more aware of my characters' body language...to pinpoint the right body language and facial expressions to match emotion and intention. I think we all do this to a certain degree naturally, of course, but I know I could be more aware.

(My tips from this post can also be found on Casey McCormick's Literary Rambles blog. I love Casey's blog.)

Story in a Rush: Under the Bridge

I decided to participate in literary agent, Janet Reid's writing contest. The contest is to write a story in 100 words or less using these five words. Cullen, Paris, Loathing, Kids, and Temple. Here is my submission:

Under the Bridge

The Cullen drifts under a Paris bridge. The sunlight withdraws from Francois’ face slowly. There, as the sun’s glare diminishes, I see his loving expression, the one that helps me slip into peaceful dreams at night. Soon, it may not.

Francois shifts his weight forward to kiss me, but the Seine has other plans for us. A breeze disturbs the calm water. Our noses touch. He laughs, but I’m thinking of other things like praying in Temple with the other kids.

If I see a glimmer of loathing in his eyes, my heart will break.

“Francois, I am not Catholic.”