Constructing Your Story: Guest Blog by Tracy Krauss

I'm sure if you asked ten different authors how they construct their stories you would get ten different answers. Here’s how the 'story construction' process works for me. This does not mean that it is the 'right' way, or the 'best' way, but just that this is what works for me.

First, of course, is the inspiration. This can be as varied as the world around us. Inspiration can be almost anything and can come from anywhere, but once that initial spark has been ignited, the next step for me is making an outline.

My outlines tend to start out as lists and then grow to become paragraphs as I flesh out the story line. This first stage is very loose, and I try to keep things flexible. I usually find that once I start writing, the story inevitably changes as the characters surprise me with their dialogue or another idea pops into my head. 

My next step is developing detailed back stories for my characters. I love this part. I often write several pages about each character, which does not always become part of the story itself. This includes family background, siblings, place of birth, key childhood experiences, likes, dislikes, schooling, etc. I find this really helps me in terms of motivation and even dialogue. I love to know my characters inside and out. I usually keep both of these items handy as I begin the next stage. 

The next thing I do is write a detailed outline, chapter by chapter. Inevitably, this changes as the story changes and I often have to move certain events (or eliminate them altogether) but it allows me to make sure my chapters are flowing into each other and that each has a specific purpose, along with an opening hook, mini climax and something to maintain a sense of anticipation leading into the next chapter. If I think of some good dialogue, I insert it, but I don't worry too much about details. I just want to get the basic story line worked out. I also find that this really helps me to work out things like foreshadowing and flashbacks. Of course, this stage is often very expository in nature, but it is simply to make sure that the ideas themselves get put on paper before they get lost.

Now, the 'real' writing begins!  I begin slogging through my outlines and fleshing out the ideas with description, dialogue etc. I find I often labor over the first few pages for DAYS. (Or longer) It is difficult to establish the voice, a hook, introduce the main character, setting and problem within the first few paragraphs without becoming too descriptive or expository. Even after I think I've got it, I usually come back to the beginning again and again and rework it - sometimes once the entire manuscript is finished. 

I tend to rewrite and edit as I go, and I usually find I need to reread at least part of what I wrote the day before in order to get back in the 'zone'. However, I don't sweat to much over the first draft. My goal is to get the story written. Once the bones are there, I will go back and rewrite several times, adding, changing, or eliminating as I see fit.

For those who are frightened by this prospect, let me just say that I usually have more than one project on the go at once. If I get bored with one, I move to another. Also, because of the nature of my outlines, I can move to a scene that I 'feel' like writing and come back to finish one later that is stalling me.

I now use a program called Scrivener, which fits in well with this system. Of course, there is a whole editing process that comes next, which is enough for another entire post!

 If you would like to read more of Tracy's thoughts or buy her books, go to http://www.tracykraussexpressionexpress.com

Let's Talk Romance, Guest Post by Linn B. Halton

Today I am turning over my blog to a fellow writer from the UK to get her taking on writing romance from a different angle. 

When you are a romantic, romance is everywhere…

When I’m asked what type of books I write, my answer is ‘romance’. However it’s one little word that covers a very wide genre. Some romantic novels fall nicely into sub categories – historical, suspense, series, fantasy … and then there’s ghost/paranormal. But that’s not a subset into which I immediately put myself and many will find that strange.

I have written five books - four novels and one true story/diary. Four of those include psychic elements to a greater, or lesser, degree. From a cameo of a woman who wanders The Restaurant @ The Mill, to my latest novel, Never Alone, which is based around a young woman whose experiences begin to change her life.

For me, romance is everywhere and is the common thread that unites most people in their daily lives. The pursuit of love, the heartache if it fails and moving on with hope. So first and foremost I will always write about people, relationships and love.

So why the psychic involvement when I’m not out to write ‘ghost’ stories in the traditional sense of the word? I suppose the truth of the matter is that age-old advice ‘write what you know’. If I’ve experienced something then I feel I can do it justice in a story and I would struggle to invent spooky elements. The only liberty I’ve taken so far, is to roll two separate incidents into one, in order to take the story where I wanted it to go. Both really happened, but at separate times.

Yes, I have had a few experiences that were not very pleasant and to be frank when that has happened I’m the first one out of the door. But I have had many, many wonderful and uplifting experiences too. Things that connected with me on such a very real and personal level, that it has in recent years totally changed the way I look at life and the afterlife. I mean radically and it’s changed the views of my husband too, after experiences he had in one old house in which we lived. Suddenly two skeptical people had to admit that when you ‘share’ an experience or two, it’s not imagination!

In writing the true story/diary of many of the things that have happened to me, what struck me was the way people connected with it. It isn’t a collection of ghost stories as such, just a series of unusual things happening across a wide span of time in different situations. Readers began contacting me to tell me about their own incidents. What was wonderful was that many were sharing it for the first time, in confidence with a total stranger. For some, reading my very simple story gave them a sense that they weren’t alone and also, I was told, a sense of comfort in knowing that. People are scared to believe and I could empathize with that. It has been a wonderfully uplifting thing for me.

With Never Alone and Touched By The Light (my debut novel) I tried to make the reader think, to take them outside of their comfort zone a little, albeit in two very different ways. Truth is often stranger than fiction and it seems Never Alone is making hairs stand up on backs of necks as people read it. I have to say that the rather scary moments in the book, were terrifying in real life. But it’s full of tender and touching experiences too, and frequently I’m shown that I’m not alone. My loved ones are with me every step of the way.

So, yes I write romance, but I also write about life, relationships and love. To me, a part of that includes acknowledging the help we receive from the other side as we go about our daily lives. The things that happen that we choose to ignore, or try to explain away. Yes, we must always seek to rule out the obvious, and even the less obvious, but sometimes there are no explanations. I’ve never sought to turn people who don’t believe into believers, it doesn’t work that way. But what I do hope writing about psychic episodes might bring, is comfort to others who have had similar things happen. People who perhaps puzzle over it and find themselves wanting to believe as the evidence mounts, but can’t. Usually it’s just one person experiencing each episode and it’s human nature to doubt something that is unexplainable. Or, as I did, file it away in the back of my mind because I couldn’t face up to the reality of what it implied. Now I’m no longer a skeptic, although I still view anything that happens sceptically at first, so many things have slotted into place. With it has come an unbelievable sense of peace and happiness.

So, yes I write romance but often there will be just a little twist to make you think….

"How to" Series - Writing the Heartache with Alice J. Wisler

Once again I am including a topic on writing tips. This one is from Alice J. Wisler who is the author of five inspirational southern novels and one devotional which is set for release in 2013.  She teaches Writing the Heartache workshops both online and at conferences.  I hope you find her thoughts encouraging and inspirational for your life and your writing.

Read on for her thoughts on Writing the Heartache...
 
When we write through pain, the life we save is our own.

Once, I thought I was the only obsessive author frantically writing in order to survive. Then I picked up Louise DeSalvo’s Writing as a Way of Healing and heard the voice of another Alice. Alice Walker: “It is, in the end, the saving of lives we writers are about…. We do it because we care…. We care because we know this: The life we save is our own.”

Writing for sanity, for sanctity, for survival. DeSalvo showed me that this is not a new concept, for the Greats-- Henry Miller, Virginia Woolf along with Alice Walker--have all done it. Miller was about to take his own life after his wife ran off with a female lover. Woolf was molested by her step-brother. How did they heal from their heartaches? They wrote, furiously. Have you had a tragedy in your life that will not let you go? Writing through it can be redemptive and healing. DeSalvo states that in order to allow writing to be therapeutic we must honor our pain, loss and grief. 

But chances are, you already know this. Your tragedy has caused you to look it straight in the face and you have picked up your pen and poured out your pain. You are standing today, perhaps even thriving because the ability to write has saved you. It has caused you to look at your heartache and be able to tolerate it.

But how do we successfully use this creativeness of pen and paper to work through the pain of a parent who has died, a spouse who has betrayed us or even a God we feel has let us down? Can we write to help others and in turn, reach those like us who can learn and grow from our experiences? Can we use our pain and as DeSalvo writes, “…establish our connection with others and with the world?” Is there a market out there, willing to buy what we have to say? Yes, but like so much of life, there are rules to follow.

First, don’t expect you can write a full-length book about your tragedy and have a publishing house immediately snatch it and buy it. There are so many books out there written by individuals, many of them famous before the tragedy, who have had deep pain. Unless you are the parents of Jon Benet or sister of John F. Kennedy, Jr., your book is going to be extremely hard to sell. However, if you work your writings into how-to articles and essays---pieces that will reach others and help them---then the chances of being published are far better.
For example, if you were an unwed pregnant teen, recall the things people said and did that helped you and the things which cut and hurt. Write an article with the slant of helping young mothers and submit it to a parenting or women’s magazine. If you were a victim of domestic abuse, inform readers of steps of action to take in order to get away from the situation. Do some brainstorming. How can you tailor your heartache into articles that sell?

Sarah, a writer friend of mine, has sold an article on Ten Helpful Ways In Overcoming Anxiety and Stress to five different publications. Her mother died of breast cancer when Sarah was only ten and there was a time Sarah felt burdened with guilt. This brought her an overwhelming amount of anxiety and worry throughout her adolescence until she took measures to face her situation in her writing. What had caused the guilt? It was the lie she had told herself over the years that her mother’s death was her fault. Because she learned how to successfully change her thinking, through her writing Sarah is now able to guide others with similar circumstances to lead calmer lives.

When you write, don’t bleed on the paper. Perhaps there is deep anger because of the mistreatment you received from someone close to you. What do you with that which keeps you awake at night? Buy a journal and pour it out within those pages. No one wants to hear self-pity or extensive anger. In fact the bereavement magazines I write for stress hope and healing. That’s because if the focus is solely on the agony of losing a loved one, no one would be able to write to show how to live with grief.

In order to be able to produce any comfort or advice to others in your same boat, you most likely need to vent first. Venting is a process of healing. Freely allowing the wound to be exposed can lead towards an understanding of emotions and with understanding comes the capacity to, in time, constructively share with an audience. From some of your journal themes you may be able to reconstruct the anger and design a helpful piece to submit to the markets on how to effectively deal with this emotion.

Show by using creative imagery instead of clichés. Be original as you convey your feelings. Find another way to show your father was as mean as a snake. As with other types of writing, write vividly. Show and don’t tell. What kind of childhood did author Frank McCourt have in Ireland? He could write detailed pages about how miserable he was during it but instead he lets us fill in our own emotions as we visualize his cold and poor life in Angela’s Ashes.

Find something unique that sets your story apart from others who have had a similar situation as yours. McCourt tells of his brother Eugene’s burial and how he was upset when his father and the coffin carriage driver placed pints of beer on top of the casket. At the graveside the drunk driver left McCourt’s family stranded. The fascinating reading here is the unique details McCourt selects to portray this sorrowful event. We are smiling and crying at the same time because of the manner in which McCourt shares his story.

From Cara De Silva’s In Memory’s Kitchen we get a unique perspective on life in the World War II concentration camps. The hungry Jewish women of the Terezin camp kept their sanity by writing down recipes from memory, hoping they would one day be able to return to their kitchens to make these dishes. The compiled recipes, salvaged over the years, appear in this book, showing us that even in devastation, the human spirit does survive.

Dig deep and find a different slant to use in sharing your sorrows.

Be real and don’t pretend. I don’t want to read about a mother whose child has just died and hear her say that everything is okay since she knows her child is safe in Heaven. My four- year-old died and although I believe he is in Heaven, I still must live here without him on earth and I daily yearn for his smile. I will be teaching society nothing if I stress that losing a loved one is a grief that eventually fades. Much of society already believes that myth. What I want to convey is reality from what I have experienced. My longing for my son Daniel will last a lifetime. How do I cope with it? How can society effectively help the bereaved? This is where I want to reach across the chasm and in a how-to article offer realistic ways the community, family and friends can soothe the bereaved wounded heart.

If you expect to gain a realistic perspective of your trauma and write towards healing, you must allow your narrative to be honest, filled with both negative and positive aspects. Even after Rick Bragg wins the Pulitzer, in All Over But The Shoutin’, he never lets us forget how his dismal roots with a drunken father who abandons the family is always a part of his soul’s core.

Heartache as a way of life is what so many of we writers are about. The urgency to write may increase the more you allow yourself to acknowledge your heartache and deal with its many facets. Freely cultivate this. As your writing evolves and matures, you will help others, bring healing to yourself and even get paid.





Resources for writing through the heartache
Writing As A Way of Healing. Louise DeSalvo. Beacon Press, 1999.
Writing For Story. Jon Franklin. The Penguin Group, 1986.
The Writing Life. Annie Dillard. Harper And Row Publishers, 1988.
Bird By Bird. Anne Lamott. Doubleday, 1994.
One Writer’s Beginnings. Eudora Welty. Warner Books, 1984.
Room To Write. Bonni Goldberg. Penguin Putnam, 1996.
Writing To Heal, Writing To Grow: Margie Davis’ web site: www.writingtoheal.com/
(a site especially for cancer patients, their family members and caregivers)

[Article first appeared in ByLine Magazine in 2001]

As you can see from the book covers, Alice writes on a variety of topics. If you would like to learn more about her writing, visit her website.

Deciphering the Code - A Beginner’s Journey to Publishing - Guest blog by Terrie Thorpe

Today I'll be handing over my blog to another writer as part of a continuing "how to" series on publishing. I will be interweaving these columns with my author interviews to help my readers learn and grow in their writing craft. And now here's Terrie and her thoughts on publishing.

It’s been three years since I finally decided to get serious about submitting my stories and articles for publication.  Being a web-a-phobic, I began with what I knew about research, visiting the public library. I found a plethora of how to’s on publishing, but none explained the terminology. It’s a secret language of editors and publishers that I needed to learn.

At first, the phrases boggled my mind. What in the world we’re they referring too?  It’s been a few years since my journalism days in high school, but those terms didn’t even strike a chord in the file cabinets of my mind.

Diving deeper into this new terminology, I begin by relating this new language to things I already knew. It wasn’t long before I began to decipher the code. Submitting articles to a publisher is similar to looking for a job, which I am quite familiar with. The terms started to fall into place, it was easy to equate publishing terminology with job-related terms such as:

Publisher: The person or organization that buys, prints, and pays for your work- Similar to your employer or organization who employs you.

Editor: The person who reviews your work and matches it with their product line – Similar to a supervisor or manager who does the interviewing to see if you are a fit for the company

Genre: The type of audience you want to reach – Similar to your field of expertise.

Query Letter: The letter of introduction to the editor describing what you are writing and why it should be of interest to them –Similar to a job seeker submitting a cover letter to an application.

Guidelines: The specific requirements to submit your work for consideration – Similar to a job listing detailing the scope of the job, hours and days of the week they are seeking.

Agent: A professional that connects your work to an editor or publisher – Similar to an employment agency that finds work for you, for a fee.

Simultaneous Submission: Submitting an article/story to several publishers for consideration – Similar to sending a resume to several employers.

Subsidy Publishing: A company that will publish your work, but you pay all the costs – Similar to self employment, you’re the boss, but absorb all the risks and costs.

Proposal: Marketing package for a book that describes your story, audience, competition, your credentials- Similar to a resume which describes your interest in their company, work history and education.

POD: Print on Demand. Rather than paying for books to be printed in advance, they are only printed when ordered by the consumer. Similar to ordering food at fast food outlets which don’t make it until you order it.

ISBN: The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric indentifier for a book. Every book sold needs to have one. Similar to your credit card number which is unique to you and the banking company.

TOC: Table of contents. This shows your prologue, each of your chapter headings, and bibliography index if needed with a non-fiction. – Similar to writing a term paper.

This is the short list in the beginner’s journey into the publishing world. There is still a good deal to learn about the legalities of publishing and your copyright protection under the law. Learning the basics of any career can be an exciting adventure. After discovering the Rosetta stone, it’s not such a scary place after all.

Terrie Thorpe lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of 22 years. Is a member of ChristianWriters.com, ACW and other writing organizations.  Here's the link to her blog.

Am I Really Saved? Answering Questions of Christians - her book is available through (www.amazon.com).

Getting Creative with Marketing By Carol Peterson

Today I'm handing over my blog to fellow writer, Carol Peterson let her talk about her ideas on marketing. I did an earlier interview with her if you would like to read that you can click here. Now here are Carol's thoughts...

When we’re thinking about out-of-the-box marketing, we sometimes need to remember that when we’re inside the box, we’re in there all by ourselves. One great way to market is to get out of the box and join up with others who are struggling with the same problems you are.

There’s creativity in numbers. There’s also courage.

Maybe you’re like me: you’ve got a couple of published books. A publisher saw enough value in your concept to pay the thousands of bucks to put it in print and slap their name on it. But still, you are more comfortable sitting in the corner of your office, tapping out the zillion words that will become your next great book. You feel uncomfortable tooting your own horn.

Maybe what you need is to become part of an orchestra and let the sounds of other people’s horns blend with yours. Put into my personal perspective, I may not be able to promote my own books without feeling self conscious, but I can certainly tell the world about my friends’ books.

And as I am busy promoting my friends’ books, they’re happily promoting mine.

Or perhaps you don’t mind tooting your own horn; but your horn is brand new and you’ve never had any horn-tooting lessons.

If you join a music class, you’ll be able to learn from others who have expertise in horn tooting. Or maybe they have a special tooting style that can complement your fabulous skill in horn polishing.

In other words, maybe you need to look into joint marketing.

Before you get started on any type of joint marketing, you first need to know people who are like-minded writers. This is the easy part. Join with established writing organizations, such as SCBWI. Attend conferences and follow on list serves and forums. Get to know people and let other people get to know you.

Then send out feelers to see if others would be interested in joining up with you in a cooperative marketing venture. More than likely you'll find that there are loads of folks out there just like you--needing a push to get them started or keep them going in the marketing game.

When you settle on a group of friends and a type of joint marketing you’d like to embark upon, make sure you each understand what you’re trying to do and what each person is committing to do. Write it out so there is no confusion and so there is commitment. Keep it focused and make it clear.

What type of joint marketing can you do? The following is the first in a series of ideas for possible joint marketing ventures.

EVENTS

If there is a local event coming up, share an author’s table and share the expense. Recognize that one or all of you may not sell a single book. But you will be there--stepping out of your comfort zone and gaining experience in being in the spotlight.

Foster an “one for all” mentality. If your friends all sell books but you don’t, rejoice in their success. You might be the big seller at the next event.

If you have ties with other writers in your genre who may not live in your geographical area, consider sending each other copies of books to sell at events. My friend, Linda Yezak recently did this at a festival she participated in. She set a pile of books written by her friends on her table and sold them along with her own. (Go to her site and see how she did it.)

If nothing else, offer bookmarks or postcards touting your friends’ books at your event table. And ask that your friends do the same whenever they are at an event.

Brainstorm events locally: city events; library events, school events; cultural festivals; church events; Chamber of Commerce meetings; alumni open houses. Several of us UC Davis alumni are also published children’s authors. Several years, we participated in the annual alumni day, sharing the stage and the fun by interacting with children and offering our books for sale.

Good ideas, Carol. Thanks for your input. If you'd like to read more on Carol's thoughts on writing, go to http://www.carolpetersonauthor.com/

The Writer's Life: Guest Blog by Tracy Krauss

Today I am handing over the blog to a guest blogger and author, Tracy Krauss. Her topic for the day is "What writers have in common with Cirque du Soleil." I think you will find it most interesting. I know I did.

Writing can be a circus act and writers need to become world class jugglers and fearless trapeze artists. The juggling act for most writers is obvious. Most of the writers I know also hold down other jobs. Unless you are one of the famous few, you probably have to supplement your writing income with some other employment.

These are the things that make the writer's task even more challenging, because writing in itself is its own juggling act. Of course, at its base level, there is the 'writing' - the creative act of turning an idea into a full fledged story. This takes time, planning, rewriting, editing, critiquing, and more rewriting, until the finished product emerges and you are ready to share it with someone. But consider all the other tasks a writer must do beyond the creative act itself.

Sending out queries and pitching your work to agents, publishers, and periodicals is another whole category fraught with its own set of rules to master. If you are fortunate enough to find an agent or publisher, this does not guarantee they will take on subsequent work. Each manuscript, play or poem is subject to this same process unless you sign a multi book deal or become famous along the way.

Also, if you do sign a contract with a publisher, the work of editing, re-editing and editing yet again is another task that demands your time and attention - often on a strict timeline. Add to that other concerns like approving cover art, cover copy etc. etc. etc. and another 'baton' (plate, knife, flaming torch ...) has been added to your growing menagerie.

Then there is the whole marketing and promotional thing. Think of it as a large living organism thrown into the mix - perhaps a puppy, (or even a small whale!) This aspect of the 'performance' is a living thing. It is constantly changing, growing, adapting - and you better be too! No matter how much you want to, there is no avoiding it and you better be on your toes or it could send everything else crashing down. It can be fun, but if you let it, it can also take over the other, equally important things (like the writing itself ...)

Sometimes we get burned (we drop the flaming torch) such as when we spend money on a promotional 'opportunity' that turns out to be a dud. Or we get cut by one of the 'knives' (negative criticism, a bad review or a rejection letter ...) We miss opportunities, fumble, recover, drop a baton or two ... maybe even that cute beluga falls right on top of us and we get buried.

And I haven't even started on the trapeze analogy yet! I think you get the picture, though. Writing isn't easy. I inwardly chuckle when people say, "Maybe I should write a book!" as if it is some simple task. Yeah, I'll just skip home, glibly knock off several hundred pages in a week or so and then sell it for a tidy six digit figure to the highest bidder. They don't understand that writing is not something I do because it is easy. Far from it. Writing can be agonizing at times. Beyond the plain hard work, you've got to be willing to bare your soul to the world and keep smiling when it gets kicked around a bit.

Writing is, indeed, a circus act, but like any 'performance art' (and make no mistake, many aspects are 'performance' oriented...) there is often no greater thrill. Nothing beats the sense of satisfaction you get from hammering out that last chapter, receiving a positive review, or holding that newly published book in your hands for the first time. And, like anything else, the more you practice, the better you get.

What are your thoughts on this balancing act we called 'the writing life'?

If you would like to read more of Tracy's thoughts or buy her books, go to http://www.tracykraussexpressionexpress.com