Not Lost. I've shifted.

Well I'm sure many of you have noticed it's been a long while since I've updating my blog. It's not like I've abandoned it entirely, well part of that is true. I haven't forgotten it, that's the right way of saying it. I have been occupied and I can't say that I've been occupied with better things because Psychology and Sociology are definitely not better things to be occupied with. I have returned to school full time this semester and am working part time...I have no time. Sometimes I feel like my whole life has been taken away from me and I don't have a single extra second for anything different and aside from school. I don't like it but I'm trying to juggle it and make it through and set my priorities. Writing is still at the top of my list and I'm sad to say that I have put writing aside for a while now. I haven't looked at my current writing project in weeks and I haven't submitted anything new recently. It's not easy to do many things at the same time and though I'm trying I feel like it's not getting easier. So where is writing in my life right now?

I write every morning still. I have not given that habit up and I won't. There are some things that I will keep and I will do them because for me writing is second nature. Without it I don't feel right and with it I feel complete. I wish I had 48 hours in my day. I could accomplish so many things and the thing I'm learning right now is to still respect sleep and take it. I don't want to take sleep for granted and think I can run on five hours every day and still get through my day because honestly I can't. I remember telling myself that something will lack when I start school and work and that something is writing. Most people would probably say it's okay, just pick it up again when you can and when you're out of school but it's not like that. I miss it. I miss staying up late at night and working through my character's minds and discovering new things about my protagonist. I miss laughing with my favorite character and crying inside when something tragic happens. What I miss most is staying up late, drinking tea, and typing away and locking myself into the world of fiction. But then there's another side of me that says I need to work towards this degree and once I get it I can move through publishers and be an editor for a publishing house. I'm trying to look at that goal and not look behind because I don't want to grow discouraged and lose that vision.

My characters are still there and they are waiting for me to finish the story for them. I have to finish the path for them and give them a future and I will. I won't leave them hanging because if I do that a part of me will hang. I will do this and it's not like I've thrown writing away, that won't ever happen. I tell myself all the time that I'll write until the day I die. I'll write when I have a family someday and I'll write because remember, writers CANNOT stop writing! Write for yourself. Even if people come against you don't lose hope and don't lose your vision even if it's shifted a little.

Only you can determine where you'll take your writing so go after it.

Keep It Moving

What are you working on right now? Anything you care to share? I find it interesting how I always have some sort of project in action. This past week I worked on a short story. It wasn't because I was bored (though that would have been nice because I would have had a lot of time on hand). I worked on a short story because I needed to for school. I was allowed to write a story of no more than 1,000 words and in any genre. Particularly I find it difficult to write stories of no more than 1,000 words. It's not enough words for me. I like the 1,500-2,000 word kind of stories. The ones that stretch into 6-8 pages. With this short story I didn't have much of  a plan. I don't recommend this actually. If you can write from the top of your head and still make sense by ending up at the end with a good punch, go for it. Some of us can't do that and that's okay. It doesn't mean you have less experience or aren't nearly as good. Your mind processes in a very special and unique way. You're the type who needs a plan, a guide and map in order to know where to go. There are many writers out there and all of us are different. No two writers will be the same, even if they are novelists, they will not write the same. We all have our techniques, our strengths and the weaknesses. For me I find it difficult to show, not tell and avoid to be verbs. It's extremely difficult for me to put those verbs away and write in a different text. I'm not sure what your weakness is, but don't focus on the weakness. Concentrate on the strengths and what you can do. I think it's more important to know what you can do instead of paying attention to the areas you lack.

Well back to that short story I worked on. I completed it in two days and funny thing is, it ended up with a different twist than I expected. I had this vision, this plan with this story and kind of knew where I wanted it to end up. On the first day I ended with 500 words and then on the second day that's where my twist came in. All of a sudden I had this desire to cause something terrible happen to my main character. I didn't see that coming from the start but when I started thinking about it I liked it. And sure enough I allowed it to happen. In my opinion I say follow the flow. Writing a plan down or an outline is not a bad idea. In fact, it's probably the wisest and safest thing to do. It keeps you accountable and on track, but if a change arises and you happen to like it, go for it. Don't stop just because you have something different written down, another intention. Sometimes the best stories come from a spur of a moment, an epiphany. Don't block that sensation. My advice: always keep an open mind when writing. You don't know where your characters might take you. Sometimes they decide to do this major turn but it can end up being the best.

So word of advice for the rest of your writing week: KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

And as always, write. Write what comes to mind. Here are a few tips for you to put to practice and remember:

• Where are you going with this?
• Who are the characters?
• Did you establish a hook that pulls your readers? 
• Can your readers relate to your characters/setting/images? 
• How intense and realistic is the conflict? 
• Remember, you're in show business--show, don't tell!
• Are you moved emotionally?--if you're moved, most likely your readers will relate 

Tell me what you're working on this week!

Read! Read Anything and Everything!

Last week I mentioned how I was at the lowest point in my writing. I felt hopeless and as if nothing could bring the spark again. To be honest, I almost gave up last week. There was a thought that ran through my mind and I'm ashamed of that thought now. But since we're all writers, I can share and I know you'll understand. I thought of deleting my novel from my files. Why? I didn't think it was good enough. I didn't think I had the greatness to hone the craft. I won't go on to explain everything again, you can read my past post and perhaps gain some encouragement from it. But I will tell you what I did to rekindle the fire within my chest. I read a book. Sounds simple, right? Well, read along and you'll sooner discover.

Last week Bethany House Publishers sent me one of their newest releases, asking if I can review this book for them. Of course I agreed and once the book came in I began reading. It didn't take long and my writing juices were back up, probably higher than before actually. I read and my eyes spotted great sentences, descriptions, dialogue, context, character development, and much more. I then turned back to my novel and skimmed through a few of the chapters I composed months ago. I read them and I was impressed. You must have a healthy balance of pride for your work because if you don't believe it's good, who will? You need to believe you can do something and even while you're doing it, don't ever give up. There is greatness in you and you can master the skill of writing a book. You can write a short story of 1,000 words, it's possible. You need to put your mind to it. Read books. Read anything to inspire you. Sometimes I'll search for encouraging quotes on writing and read those. Because sometimes all it takes is that little push to get us back on the road and once we're there, there's no turning back. If you have the passion in your heart to write, then don't fight against it, fight for it.

Reading helps bring out the best in your writing. It can establish new ideas for you or plainly encourage you that you too can write something. Yesterday morning was one of my days where I was discouraged, more like depressed. I have a birthday coming up and this whole thing is bringing me down. It has nothing to do with my writing actually. I told a friend of mine that I feel incompatible, wondering what have I accomplished in my life. When he shot back words, "Not many have written book in your age" I realized how true that is. We each have done something differently but have accomplished something great. And if writing is your strength, get out there and write. So I beg you to not give up. You will fall down as a writer and you'll hit the ground real hard but when you do, you must get right back up. Read something inspirational to get you started again and once you're back on track, don't get off. It's harder to stay on than to stray off.

Read, read, read. Writing comes from reading and reading comes from writing. They go hand in hand. Master the basics of literature and whatever you do with your life, don't ignore your calling. If it takes you to go the extra mile to achieve it, then do it. Don't stop now. Read historical, mystery, romance, adventure, contemporary, Christian, how-to, articles, testimonials, and whatever else you can get your hands on. You've come too far to let go and forget you were a writer. Because if you really are a writer, you'll be strong enough to fight the deadliest words about your craft. You'll be brave enough to step out on your own. And you'll be persistent enough to finish.

Write My Friends. Write Beyond the Dark Days!

I have thought about my post for this week. To be honest, I didn't know what to write. This is very controversial to my character because every week I always have something planned to write and talk about. But honestly, this week I have been a discouraged writer. I haven't hit this point in my writing journey in a long time so I know the positivism, the spark, it will come again. Every time I crash and hit the lowest pit, I have hope the light will come again and I will find the joy in my craft. I will find the enthusiasm I had a week ago and I will find the excitement and passion that fills my writing.

I haven't yet discovered what really takes away my passion in writing. It doesn't make any sense at all. Maybe exhaustion? Because there are the days and weeks and even months where I know I'm doing the right thing. I write. So obviously, I'm a writer. But what does it actually mean to say I'm  writer. Does that mean I am cooped up in my room, left out of this world, and placed in my own world with my own characters? Partially true. But that statement can scare new writers. It scared me. When I discovered my love for writing I was scared. I didn't want to do it alone and be alone and be looked upon as a psycho. Let's face it, when we think of writers, we think of those people who wear shabby clothes, shower once a week, isolate themselves from society, and have weird philosophies about the world and universe being one with our mind. But when I refer to myself as a writer, I don't refer to myself as living the writer life. I hone the craft, but the craft doesn't hone me. If that makes any sense learn from it.

But as for this week I have been a discouraged writer. I am working on a novel right now and sometimes I feel as if I'm going nowhere with what I'm doing. I have hit a block in the road so many times this week and if I hit another block, I don't know if I'll have the strength to climb over it. I usually don't express my feelings when it comes to my work and yes, writing is my job, but I figured anyone can learn and even relate to this. We have our bad days and our bad weeks. They will come with such power, trying to knock us down and make us look ridiculous, as if we can't conquer anything. Perhaps our characters are confused and they aren't working for us. Or the setting sounds unrealistic and an incident that just happened sounds impossible. But it's your work, your writing and no one has the right to tear you down. Kind criticism, the type that will grow you is acceptable, but the one that rips you apart and makes you feel worthless, I command you to throw it out. If you truly believe writing is your passion, the one thing you drive on, then go for it and fight against those crummy days or weeks. They will come. I've had mine this week.

I woke up one morning this past week and one of the first thoughts entering my mind was, "I'm not made for this. I will never publish. I have been rejected and it's too hard." Those few words tore me down for the rest of my day and even now it's hard to get out and believe otherwise. But last night, I had an epiphany, I guess you can say. Who am I writing for? Audience. People besides myself. People beyond my family. People apart from my friends and those in my area. But if I don't start with the immediate circle my feelers won't be tested. I need to test my writing in the water I'm comfortable with and then go out and beyond. It starts in steps. The first step is to know you want to write. Second step you must write. And third step, you must write no matter what comes your way.

So for the remaining of this week and next week, who cares what the enemies of your craft say. It doesn't matter. And when you're having a down day with writing, be encouraged, brighter days come right after the dark ones.

Where Are All the Writers?

I have discussed the important elements of writing. What you need to do when the book is done and where to go. Find your market and make sure that publishing house will accept the manuscript to propose. As I mentioned last week, make sure you send your work to the right publishers. You don't want to send a book focused on a romantic theme to a publisher who avoids all sorts of romantic work. Find a publisher who shares your interest of writing and is willing to work with you alongside with your genre. So today I want to talk about writer friends and how important they are.

When I first started writing I was alone. I literally felt like those people in the movies who isolate themselves and create their own life away from society. I was in my room for hours writing. The first novel I tackled kept me occupied because I couldn't get my characters out of my mind. I had to keep the story going because I was curious to know what would happen. I know, it sounds so weird. I am in control of my characters and I set things in their way but oftentimes I don't know what will happen until I write. I start with a plan and then it goes out of the window. Besides that point, I was alone in the writing world. I would go to the library and check out at least ten books at a time and read them. I read on the craft of writing, gaining your writer's voice, writing fiction, the rules of novel writing, and so much more. Many times I would sit in the library reading and taking notes on this craft. I wanted to get the most information possible. But I was still alone. There were nights where I was up until past midnight writing. I would wake up in the morning and still write. Sometimes my mind didn't even shut down. Believe me, I've had plenty of dreams about my characters, it's actually disturbing, especially when something terribly happens to my protagonist. 

Eventually the word got out that I was a writer. People began talking about it and spreading the word that "Vanessa is a writer." Now, I always chuckle when people say that. Some will say it with such enthusiasm whereas others will say it with this query sound in their voice, almost as if I'm not doing anything. I'm sorry, I might be bias on this but being a writer IS NOT easy. You struggle against criticism all the time, a foggy brain, nonexistent characters who want to live but only live in your world, and of course the snide remarks from the outsiders. But somehow we still keep writing. We ignore the critics and know that in the end if we just write for ourselves, it'll still be rewarding. But yes, writer friends. Where are they? Believe me, they are out there and there are plenty of them. And once you find a writer friend, you'll have so much to talk about. I found my writer friends at a conference I went to. I remember one night I was up until past midnight discussing the amazing aspects of writing. There's this special connection with writers. There are many things that are related and the similarities are incredible. You can bounce questions off of each other, ideas, inspirations, complaints of course, and insights. I remember having a two hour conversation with another writer. We talked about our characters as if they were real people. We discussed the setting and even though this writer composes fantasy, talking about her fictionalized world seemed so real. 

I encourage you to find writer friends. Those who understand the many toils you experience with honing the craft of writing. There are many English lovers out there, the ones who find enjoyment and relaxation in writing. You are not alone in what you do. Believe me. You ought to go on a little scavenger hunt and search for them. Look for them just as you looked for your passion in writing. But the importance of having a writer friend is for your benefit. You can go to this person and cry when you're rejected and they will understand. You can ask them questions and hear their opinion. You can be weird with them and talk about your characters and how you can't sleep at night because they are running in your mind. And once you find your writer friend, I encourage you to not let him or her go. Just recently a writer friend asked me to look over her novel. We all need each other. Sharing your writing isn't easy at first, but once you establish that friendship and trust, it'll become easier and easier. We all go through the same things. The insecurity and shyness of presenting our writing. So search. And once who find that strong friend, keep him or her around. You will grow from each other and eventually, it might lead into three, four, five, even ten friends. 

Keep pushing your creative juices this week and go beyond the limit you did last week. 

Even When It Hurts

The book is done. It's perfect, or at least from what you can see. You spent too many hours to count making it perfect and now that's it done you want to show off the work to others. I met other writers who have clearly stated they don't want their book to get pass their family and close friends. They are just writing for that group and not for the whole world to see. I respect that decision and preference. I find it incredible how many writers will write on hours for end and find it honoring for their families to just read. But then there are the other writers like myself. I write not only for my family to read but for others to learn about my writing and name. I write because I want to be recognized and noticeable in the writing world. When I finished my first novel I hit a rock in the road. I was writing on end and edited without a problem, all until I finished those two steps, then I was stuck. I figured I had to get it published but how and who. I had not the slightest idea about the publishing world and what's required. I bought many books on publishing a book and braced myself for this next endeavoring journey. I mentioned in a past few posts that my book got accepted to a publisher a few weeks ago. Well I shouldn't say accepted. I was asked by an editor if they could have my book proposal. I used every spare moment I had to compose this book proposal and then sent it off with prayer. It took exactly one month for something to come back (though it felt a lot longer). The moment I saw that email in my inbox my fingers couldn't more fast enough and for a long minute I felt sick to my stomach. Sure enough, all of my actions proved true. The book was rejected. They never do say why, though I was tempted to ask what exactly happened. But I reminded myself that they are busy and have a lot of projects to work on. I was thankful they looked at it at least and now I know I need to go back and work on it more. When? That's the problem.

It's not easy being a writer. There are many, many complications and difficulties along the way. Hurdles that seem impossible and sometimes I think if I even have it to be a writer. But then the thought hits me the same way it hit me when I discovered my passion to write. I recently read that if you write more than three sentences in a facebook status, text over 160 characters, and cannot help but write more than three paragraphs in an email, you are a writer. Yes, all of those points fit me. I cannot help but write lengthy and in detail. I want my voice to be heard and this goes all the way to my book and how I want it to get out there. I want my writing to be noticeable. If people were to read my writing and become engaged in the work, I would be pleased. I have imagined myself being a bestselling Author for years now and when that editor first asked to see my book, I was appalled. Of course I was even more appalled but more hurt when it was rejected. It hurt because I thought I had my foot in the door and something could come out of this. But I learned that even if I write just for myself, my family, and friends then that will be enough. I won't write for the fame and money. I write because I love it. When I put my hands to the keyboard each  morning, there's  a powerful emotion that overcomes me. I write and can't stop writing. My hands fly across the keys and punch in letters. I soon realize I have gone over one thousand words and I'm still writing. I know without a shadow of doubt that writing is my niche. It's my desire and I belong to writing just as much as writing belongs to me.

With all that said this isn't much of a post to learn from or gain insight from. Perhaps you can take it as a lesson to never give up even when people give up on you. If you were made for writing then you will have the endurance to stick through with it, even when the stumbling blocks come between and literally flip you over. Study the market. Know which publishers will accept your work and which won't. If you're writing a romantic novel and send it to a publisher who just accepts mystery, well don't be disappointed when they reject you. Be wise in which avenues you pick and someday soon you will receive that book contract to sign and get on with the business. But the most important thing is writing. Because without you writing there would never be a book, a book full of your imagination and ideas! 

A Writer on Writing

The past few weeks I've been talking about different aspects and avenues of writing. I've discussed the many roads you can take and various things you can write and how it all starts with one action: write. I talked about writing a book proposal and staying consistent with yourself. But today I'm going to talk about myself. What am I working on what right now? I think it's always encouraging to hear from other writers and know what they're working on, it helps perk the brain a bit. To be honest, today is one of those days where I'm struggling. I can't think of anything, my mind is foggy and feels a bit overwhelmed. I know the cause of this though. I have a terrible test for school today so this is definitely taking up my entire mind because I am worrying about it. Anyway...

My writing. What am I currently working on? A novel. Yes, I have tackled writing another novel and currently I love it. I'm not sure if I love it more than my past novel but it's definitely a favorite. I know I have said this many times already but it doesn't hurt to say it again. I love my characters in this story. My goodness. I have fallen in love with my protagonist because in many ways she's just like me, except for being overtly emotional.  There's one scene I wrote a while back and I can barely read that scene without feeling the hair on my arms stand up. By that motion, I know I composed an amazing scene because I was moved. I once heard that in order to move your readers you yourself have to be moved. I one hundred percent agree with that. You cannot expect to move your readers if you weren't by the least touched with what you wrote. There was one scene I wrote where I grew angry with a character. I was upset, torn, and disappointed with this move he made. By the time I was over my little fit I realized I wrote that scene and am the only one to blame.


So, yes I'm working on a 95,000 word novel right now. My goal is to complete this book by the fall and then get it into the whole publishing ordeal again--honestly I hate that process. But yes, I write every day, no matter what the day brings forth. The weekends tend to be a bit up in the air at times so I normally give myself some room on those days. But throughout the week I write up to 6,000 words in five days. I don't stop until I've reached the 1,000 word mark on any given day. Once I've reached that point, I'll stop. I'm also reading a novel this month. I make myself read a novel a month. This month I'm reading one from Karen Kingsbury. Last month it was Francine Rivers. I have a friend who endeavors sharing his novels with me and I have to admit, they are very good. I read novels to get ideas and open my mind with reading that I write. You cannot expect to be a novelist and hate reading novels. With that said, I'm always working on some sort of writing. If I'm not working for a publication I'm working on my own kind of work because I have anticipation to work with a publisher when I'm done. Set reasonable goals for you day. I plan my month with big goals I need to accomplish and then break it down into weeks and then days. Set your goal. Write as many words as you can in a day or go for time. 

• BUT ALWAYS WRITE.

Another thing I do that you might find helpful or not is not look back at what I just wrote. I will write and write and write and won't read what I wrote until the entire product is done. Now if I'm working on a short story I do a total different approach. But with my longer pieces of work I take my time and write until the certain word count (usually 95,000) is complete. I then take two or three days of a break before I get into my editing mode. Once I go, I don't stop. This is my way. You might have a total different approach, something that works for you. If so, leave me a comment, I'm curious to know. 

With all that said, keep writing and enjoy what your characters are showing you and telling you!

Whatever you do, don't stop!

When I was working on my novel proposal, I nearly lost my mind. My friends didn't know who I was anymore and my family barely saw me. I was as you can say, a *mad case*. I was frantic about it and wanted to make sure it would turn out perfect and to make the editor stunned when reading it and a proposal one would never forget. In other words, I wanted this proposal to be remembered for decades and looked upon as professional, precise, and welcoming. This doesn't mean I decorated the manuscript with various font sizes and boarders. I tried to keep things tight and neatly done. My main focus and concern was to grasp the attention of the editor in the first sentence. Okay, when I first read that I raked my hand through my hair (something I do quite regularly) and sighed long and deep. How was that possible? But even more important, how could I condense my entire novel into one sentence, a sentence so dominant and captivating? That project alone proved to be more challenging than any other aspect of the proposal.

I'm the kind of writer who will write and write and then stop. I tend to not go back and read what I just wrote--that's me. I met an author at a conference and she mentioned how she reads what she wrote yesterday and then will continue to write for today and read today tomorrow. I might have lost you in that last sentence, that's okay. Don't try to understand it. Figure out what kind of writer you are and then write to that style. But back to the book proposal. I was told over and over that composing it isn't that difficult. I don't know what made mine so difficult but it was. It might have been because I pressured myself to write it in three days and then get it edited from a friend who is a writer as well. I don't know and I won't worry thinking about it. Just make sure that proposal is neat, tight, to the point, and intriguing. Editors are busy people. They have a life outside of the office and their job. Many of them have families, probably most actually. You need to respect their time as well. They'll respect you if you respect them. I know, it almost sounds unfair but this is business. You both work together, but they have the better end of the job. So, when you're composing that book proposal or perhaps a book, article, anything you write, make sure it's interesting. The editor needs to be drawn into it from the start. If that's not the case, they will seriously drop your work and move onto something else. It almost seems as if they're not giving you a chance, but they are. They took time to read it but if it didn't catch them immediately, they have no intentions of it getting better. They have busy lives too.

• Keep it short
• To the point
• Neat
• Interesting!!

Now that we got that figured out, it's time to move onto the wait. I briefly discussed this last week but I would like to dig a bit deeper. Write. Yes, that's the only answer. Keep writing. Write whatever. I don't care, just don't stop. The moment you stop I promise you things will leave your mind, you'll get out of the habit, and you'll soon realize you have let a lot of characters down. Sometimes it's hard to forgive yourself for doing that too. So the key is to keep writing. I finished my novel on a Friday. The following Monday I started another one. I gave myself two days to rest, rethink, and give my fingers a break. Writing kills time and if the book you sent to an editor doesn't turn out as expected, there's always that hope the second one will. But that's another thing--goodness, there's so much. We all know rejections will come, it's a process of life. If that rejection comes from the editor, it's normal to feel despondent and to think the whole world is falling apart. But I encourage you to work on the novel more, tweak it, squeeze it, wash it, dry it, and resell it. Everything needs work, even your writing. I know, our writing often feels like our babies, but believe me, it should be treated like a child too--needing corrections. Revise, edit, revise, edit, and then through it back out there in the publishing world. 


But whatever you do, don't stop writing. Don't stop believing! You can break into a great publishing house.                                         

It's done! Now What?

Last week I sent a book proposal off to a publisher and now the dreadful, anticipating, nerve-racking wait comes. Well, what do you do through the wait and how do you stop from going crazy? I'm still figuring it out.  I think the key is, stay busy.

Remember I mentioned that I went to a Writer's Conference two weeks ago. At that conference I received interest from a publisher and their house. Ironic as this sounds, I didn't know how to react. I remember saying, "So what you do you want me to do?" Something completely ridiculous like that. I believe the publisher looked at me with the queerest expression ever. Her immediate response, "A book proposal." I nodded and then walked out of the room with a confused look filling my face. Someone I met at the conference asked how the meeting went and I dumbly said, "They want my book proposal, why?" He looks at me and nearly lost it, I now believe he wanted to rattle me and yell in my face what really just happened. 

So you write the great novel. All of the pages are done. Everything you ever imagined is done. You close the computer and are actually getting a good night's sleep tonight. But before you do that, you think. Perhaps you're scratching your head and feel more confused and overwhelmed now more than ever. The whole novel writing was painful, but the next steps might even be worse. That's exactly what happened to me. I finished my novel with this great ending (at least I think so) and I proudly closed my laptop and cupped my face in my hands. I sat still for the first time in months and stared at nothing. I just finished my novel!! Eeeek!!!! Okay, I thought, now I can sleep and perhaps award myself with something tasty to eat. After all, I've worked months on this manuscript, I need to revive a bit. The moment I got up from my chair I began thinking about the future of this book. My characters were taken care of. They weren't hanging on a string and waiting to either fly or fall. But my purpose and intent on writing this book was just about to begin and I had no idea about the process. I raked my hands through my hair and exhaled deeply. For now I would treat myself with something good and then get back with it. 

I gave myself three days before I opened the book again and began editing. In that time I was looking at publishers but noticed the hard work of getting in. Again, I had to remind myself what my purpose is in writing this book. I recommend you do that too because it's so easy to lose yourself through the process. I stumbled upon self-publishers and contacted a few but never felt easy enough to do that (I'll discuss that process in the upcoming posts). Eventually I attended the Writer's Conference in my area (third largest in nation) and my golly goodness, I thought my stomach was about to fall out five minutes prior to my meeting with the Editorial Assistant. It's no joke, I was shoved into the room by a fellow writer friend. At that moment I forget everything I was going to say, I didn't even remember what my book was about. I had my pitch (the novel in a brief verbal synopsis, must be captivating) laid out but it vanished. Thankfully I got through the meeting and the editorial assistant ended saying, "Please send us your book proposal." I knew what a book proposal was, I read about it everywhere but to be honest, I never, NEVER, NEVER EVER expected that to happen to me. Now what?

Write a book proposal. 

• Cover Letter (introduce yourself and your book, intro starts with a hook--often the back cover blurb)
• Brief Synopsis (no more than 2 pages)
• First Three Chapters of the Book (or whatever the publisher asks for)

And remember: a publisher or editor will only ask for your book proposal if they're interested. 

That's it. There you have your book proposal. I was told to get it done in five days and that I did. Was I stressed? Yes. Why? Because I didn't expect this to happen but expect for the best and prepare for the harvest. Work on it now to have it complete and anticipate that good things will happen! And now that I'm waiting and we all know waiting can be a long process. I'm working on a new novel to keep the flow going. I don't want to stop the ideas when I'm full of them. Besides, they have to go somewhere so might as well fill papers of ideas up and get new characters excited. 

Keep writing!

Heart-felt Writing

What shows through your actions comes from the heart. True? I believe so. That what we love most comes through our thoughts, actions, motives, emotions, feelings, and speech. But where does it evolve from? The heart. The same goes for writing.  I have witnessed someone writing a book on fantasy because as we all know, fantasy is a great hit these days. This particular person despised fantasy, never dared writing or reading about it. It turns out he realized tackling it would be a challenge but the rewards might be worth the sacrifice. He studied every single element of fantasy, researched every possibility, and dedicated every hour available to write this fantasy driven book. In the end he didn't only write an incredible story, he learned to love what he mastered in undertaking. It took him many years and between those years there were times when he wanted to throw the towel and give up all together. He didn't. Why? He found a deep connection to a part he didn't even know about. 

• I first most encourage you to write about something you know about but if you're brave to conquer something you despise, go for it and nip it in the bud. This is hard and I'm being serious about it. There's nothing easy when you hate something so bad. 

Think about an incident in your life. I have many. As a matter of fact, I can name a particular person who makes my blood boil, he makes the hair on my neck stand. I wouldn't dare write about him in my journal or story--though it might be a good horror story ☺My point is, write what you love. If you enjoy those romantic flings, the ones many hate but many others love and eat every book, then write them. But if you like suspense and mystery, dissect that market and everything considering that genre and get to work. Who cares what every one say, you are writing because you cannot NOT write: remember that. Recently an editor asked me to a write flash fiction (stories in under 1,000 words). The genre he is looking for isn't in my niche of interest but I won't let that stop me. Another thing to consider is to not shun proposals or new ideas coming your way. As a write you'll soon realize your mind is full of ideas all the time and running with more ideas. Why is it that every time you decide to shower a captivating idea strikes and if you don't write it down you fear you'll never shower again because you're scared it'll happen. I still have that to figure out. Anyway, first write what you know. If you have an interest write articles or short stories or perhaps even a novel in that genre. And after awhile if you're brave and eager to try something else, go for it. 

• Don't let your mind tell you can't do it and force you to stop because of those petty little lies. You might realize a hidden love for something you didn't even know about. You can master it, it just takes more practice and time. 

Whatever you write make sure your heart is in it all the way and if not, learn to become engaged with your ideas and if that still doesn't work, start over and revive your mind with something totally different. Something riveting. Create real long sentences, the ones that make you read on and on forever and seem to have no end but still make sense in the end. And then the abrupt ones. Short to the point. And clear. But always remember to boost your ego with something you enjoy because that which you enjoy most, will reap the best fruit.

Stop reading and go write now.  

I Am Refueled

Last week I had the opportunity of attending a four day writing conference. I had many sleepless nights, had to force myself from not dozing off during sessions, was slap-happy at night, didn't feel out of place and weird, and couldn't contain anymore information by 8 every night. But the experience was so worth it. I learned so much, more than any college English class could probably give me. I received information from published writers, many authors who are in my niche. I discovered my audience and the focus I'm writing to. Not only did I gain encouragement and direction in my writing, I was given an extra source of confidence. During last week I discovered my real interest and that is writing. For awhile I thought it was something else, but last week showed me that my degree will remain in the Fine Arts department, my path is stuck to writing, like it or not, I can't go back. It was incredible to meet so many writers, many with a similar interest as mine and others geared elsewhere. Every day I would sit and eat with someone else. I had the chance to converse with writers who have been writing for 30 plus years and then students who just picked up this avenue.

The conference, Write-to-Publish, was such a great experience. I made friendships with many of the people I met and we ate off of each other's ideas. On Friday I had two appointments with editors. Believe me, it was not easy to convince myself to talk with them. I was nervous and scared they wouldn't like my ideas. A friend I met at the conference had to literally push me in the auditorium to conduct this meeting. Before this interview my focus was different. I aimed for a degree in the health and wellness area. I didn't think I would have much of a chance in the writing avenue. I love writing and would definitely keep it up, but I figured it would be awhile before any editor or publisher would be interested in my work. It took that little shove and then the click in my mind that in order to get out there I need to put myself out there. I was surprise to find a book publisher interested in my book--you might know what I've been up to all week: composing a book proposal! I know this doesn't mean everything, it's just the start. I have one foot in the doorway and the rest will be left to the Lord.

Find your niche. Know what you're doing and if the thing your doing begins to let you down, pick it back up and press on. There is power in waiting and you'll soon see the rewards. I don't know where life is taking me, all I know is that I'm called to write and how dare I run away from that passion. I cannot imagine leaving my characters alone, whatever will they do. To not write is like stabbing myself, a pain so deep and real. Go back to that real calling, the passion that lies within your heart. I encourage you to attend writer's conferences, they are fun and encouraging, but also overwhelming so take it a step at a time. You establish friendships with like-minded people who enjoy what you enjoy. But make sure you are always writing. Keep the fire burning within and don't let it die just because of criticism, rejection, or lost of passion. Perhaps you will just write for fun, for family and friends only. Again, I encourage you to keep it going and never fail in what you're doing. Being a writer is an honorable job. And yes, there may be days were you feel entirely alone because you are alone, or you feel rejected and think this job is incompatible, but I reassure you, if you were called to it, don't ignore it.

If you're feeling down, remember this. Rethink your life and what your goals are. What do you want to do? Chances are, you'll have a much clearer vision after that. I sure did. It took me good darn while to realize I'm a writer so I write. I live in my books and take notes wherever I go--I have it in me. I am now refueled and energized to tackle any project in front of me.

• Read
• Rewrite
• Adapt
• Listen
• Passion
• Dream/Pray
• Revise
• Persistence
• Originality
• Intact

Those eleven points came from the mouth of authors and editors. It is their advice that keeps me going and I pray it'll keep you going as well! 

Stop reading. Go write. 

The Inner-Clock

I had a very unusual week this past week. I was off of work, well kind of. My job was replaced with being home with my siblings and schooling them. Now, I tell you, that is way harder than any kind of job in the world. It requires patience, diligence, more patience, time, brain work, endurance, and hope that the hours will pass quickly! Ha! Okay, so yes my week was a bit out of the loop, not in the usual routine. My writing session was an hour earlier than normal and believe me, I felt it. The first two days I struggled to get the words down. I would think and think but the words wouldn't come. Finally by the third day I was getting used to it and got in my mode. I know, it sounds so strange and almost picky like I can't think otherwise and HAVE to have that time. To be honest, there's some truth to that. Normally I write from 3:30pm-5:30pm every day. For me that time is set in my mind and I don't get out of it. There was only one time in the past month that I skipped that time and that was when I had to pick my parents up at the airport. Again, it's been a very unusual month and life over here. So yes, I was out of the zone. My fingers were set to the keyboard but nothing happened, I literally stared at a blank page for more than twenty minutes and that never happens to me. 

I recommend keeping a stable time to write. It helps to psych yourself and schedule that daily writing time. It'll become a habit before you know it and then when you do happen to skip time, you'll feel very unproductive, almost lost. It wasn't my fault that I had to switch things up, it just happened to be that my parents needed me to be home while they were out of state. At first I panicked when I couldn't get in the writing muse. I nearly lost my mind and felt very useless and helpless. I didn't know what to do to wake up those creative juices. I stood, twirled around, drank water, shook my head, took deep and long breaths, listened to my favorite music, and read old posts and manuscripts, as well as pieces I'm currently working on. Nothing helped. Finally I decided to just write, no matter how crappy or senseless it sounded, I was going to do it. I did. And what I wrote was surprisingly good. So what was all that about? I was out of zone. It wasn't my usual time and I'm sure if I would have changed all of the clocks to 3:30 I would have been convinced it was time to write. I pressed on though. I realized that I needed to be flexible with my writing, just as with life in general. 

Writing and life go hand in hand. If you cannot be flexible in life and adapt to the changes that swing your way, you will not be able of accomplishing very much when things get messy. Writing is the same. Writing is fun. Writing is a dread. Writing is joyous. Writing stinks. Writing is all of the above and more. I highly recommend setting a routine and writing at that time. I also think it's a great idea to write to a certain amount of words or pages, or time, however you like to count it. I write every day in my current project until I reach 1,000 words. Once I reach that many words I either decide to stop or go on--I always carry on for another 200 or so. It's important to set those goals for your day and reach them. A serious writer will set goals and try to reach them. Set attainable goals, goals that you can see reaching in a day, not a lifetime. I'm always pleased when I reach my word quota for the day. 

So what can you gain from all of this? Be flexible. But set a schedule too. It definitely won't hurt you, but be reasonable. If you train your body to write at a certain time of the day it'll do it. I write every morning and every afternoon. I tried writing in the evening last week and I liked it, not as much as the afternoons, but it definitely wasn't a blooper. Try different times and find your time. Perhaps you're one of those writers who can write anytime of the day, if not, that's okay. Honestly, I'm not. I get confused when I'm not in my chair at the same time each day, but if the change happens, accept it and move on. Just write. That's the only help. 

Write because you cannot stop writing. Write because you love it. Write because it's part of your life. 

Third Person Perspective

To be honest, this is my favorite kind of writing. It's easy and comes naturally--or at least for me. The thing about third person perspective is that you as the writer are the narrator. You get to know ALL of your characters. You're stuck in your character's minds and you decide what to do, not the main character deciding or others deciding for you. If you want to kill someone today, then do it. I tend to just write in this perspective, just because I'm most used to it and find it the most enjoyable. This perspective allows you as the writer to have more freedom in how the story is told. You may decide to change a particular character's thinking a bit, but don't go out and change it drastically. Remember to stay consistent. I believe writing in first person and third person both have their advantages and one, more than the other, will have its place in a story. It depends on what your motive is. What are you trying to say? And will it sound better in the third person perspective?

• Third Person Limited--narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of a single character
• Third Person Omniscient--narrator knows all the thoughts and feelings of all characters 
• He, she, it, they 

If you want to know all of your characters then choose to write in third person omniscient. If this isn't a concern for you, then write in third person limited. Perhaps it's easier and more natural for you to just know one of your characters in and out. It might be confusing to know all of your characters, perhaps it's too overwhelming--understandable. Don't overwhelm yourself with your writing right away. Writing does get overwhelming the moment you're on a deadline, but if you're writing just for fun, don't stress out about it, have fun. 

Third Person Limited: Janie Smith, she doesn't know a thing about her brother, Johnny. If she only had a single idea what was going through his mind, things might make it easier for them to relate. She wants to know, but he won't open up to her. Ever since papa died, the family died with him. Johnny is cold-heart and broken, the opposite from Janie. She is open, willing to work through the disaster and open a new door. Her papa always told her to work things out, if only Johnny understood. 

Third Person Omniscient: The house was too quiet without Mary and Joe. They were the ones who always brought it to live, even on the rainiest days. A single tear slid down her cheek. Susan peeled her coat off, resting her lazy and tired body on the sofa. If only Mary and Joe were still around. Fall always had a way of tearing people apart, that's what Mary always said anyway. 

Find YOUR aspect of writing. I have covered each perspective so now that you have this down, it's time for you to choose your alley and get writing. If you have been writing for weeks already, congrats. But if you're still waiting for that perfect moment, wake up, the perfect moment never comes. You need to write in order to find it! I'll start a new "mini" series next week. 

Keep writing! 

Second-Person Perspective

"You don't know much about her, yet you're trying to find out the most possible. Your thoughts run day and night, wondering about her and if you'll ever see her again. But more importantly, you are curious if she thinks of you. You try to leave hints here and there along the way, though you're not sure if it's obvious enough. And last week when that sleeker accompanied her to the dance, you nearly lost it. Your blood boiled, the hair on your back stood  up, you had to control yourself from not..."


This is the most uncommon perspectives from all of the points of view in writing. Second Person. Second person can be so weird to write, very unfamiliar and almost foreign. It not only seems awkward when writing but can often feel weird when reading this perspective. The author is writing to you and you may feel more than a part of the story, you may feel right there with the character. The writer is writing to you, speaking directly to your face and telling you what's going on. There's a connection through second person, though it needs to be done in the right way in order to make sense or be interesting.

If you choose to write in this perspective it's advised to write what you already know about. It always helps to know your topic but it's even more helpful if you can relate to it. In this type of writing the reader has become the main focus. The only pronoun used is "you". You are riding along with the narrator, being your very own character in the story. It's not an easy point of view to tackle, part of the reason why many avoid this kind of perspective is because it takes an adequate amount of time to master. It's not an easy one that you can simply write out. It takes time. It takes thinking. It takes skills. It takes mastery.

But second person can be done so beautifully. It can be creative and experimental. If the author succeeds and does a great job, a wonderful story can take place, allowing the reader to hop along on a journey. The key is to describe how "you" feel, what "you're" going through, what are "your" struggles, and what goes on daily. The author must know you and must know it's audience in order to succeed because if not, then it can topple.

Second person can fail so easily if the author makes a simple mistake and changes a minor aspect about "you". The reader may then feel out of connection and not in sync with the story/character anymore. Become acquainted with the story and what you as the author are trying to display.

The reader BECOMES the protagonist.

This point of view is more common in nonfiction selections, keeping the one personal and relaxed. I have been writing in second person throughout this entire article. It happens to come across more natural. Second person is best used in a limited way, as a prologue, in certain chapters or passages to heighten suspense, or in a short story.

Again, find your voice. Perhaps you want to tackle this perspective and maybe you'll achieve and find enjoyment when doing it. It's one of the hardest aspects about writing because you need to stay consistent. But I promise, if you're mind it made up, do it! 

POV--First Person

I said. You said. He said. 

POINT OF VIEW (POV)! Another important element when writing fiction....which one out of the three should you write in? There are four different angles you can write from:

• First Person
• Third Person Limited
• Third Person Omniscient 
• Second Person

Each perspective has its place in fiction/novel writing. The kind of view you choose is entirely up to you. The first three perspectives are relatively common, the last one is the oddball. I haven't read too many books writing in second person, all because it's a whole different world. Recently I read a book written in first person and I was immediately captivated. It felt as if I were walking with the protagonist, experiencing her problems and struggles. After that book I went straight into another book, now told from third person limited--a TOTAL different approach. I'm more used to this kind of writing but once I read the first person story, it was hard to switch over. Because this is a wide topic to discuss, we'll go through each perspective over the course of four weeks. I'm partly doing this because there's a lot to remember and I have a sprained wrist...ha, a sprained wrist and a writer don't match. It's a writer's worst enemy. I feel limited to SO much this week. Okay, I won't complain about my incapability. With each week I'll cover one of the perspectives and then write a brief example. 

First person.

A novel written in first person is written from the account of one person. You'll ride along with this person and go through whatever journey they are faced with. You'll experience what they are experiencing, feel what they feel, react how they react, and relate to similar things. Writing in first person can be exciting but also daring. If the job is done well the reader will feel as if he went right along with your main character. 

Writing from this perspective will teach you the many uses of the pronouns "I" and "we". You'll explore with these pronouns and learn how to build a story around the protagonists life. Every detail must be filtered through the storyteller. First person point of view is the most friendliest all of writing. The reader feels well acquainted with the story and the character, almost feeling like a best friend relationship. There are things the character will tell you the reader but no one else in the story. First person view point is fun to write and explore with. You can create a story of fun, drama, tragedy, horror, mystery, romantic, or imaginary. The moment the story starts the reader will be stuck in the character's mind. For beginner writers this can be a trickier kind of viewpoint because you need to know your character. You need to choose which character will be impacted and tell the story. Once you have that figured out, you'll have to bond with your character in an inseparable way.

Remember to keep your point of view consistent throughout the story. What I mean by this is, you cannot change the viewpoint every single scene. You'll confuse your reader for sure. In first point view the character will do all the talking, you're just writing. Don’t let your first person story turn into simple observation (Show, don’t tell!). The character needs to be involved--to react to events physically and verbally--not just describe the reactions of others. First person creates an intimate perspective. You'll feel connected and if the author does an outstanding job with placing the character on a beach, you might find yourself having to dump the sand out of your pocket once you're back from the beach. Describe the emotions, physical attributes, mental images, and anything else occurring. 

Have fun! Get to know your character first and then get writing. You need to be relaxed when approaching this kind of writing or else your reader will feel the tension through your character. You may discover that first person is not your type of writing and that's okay. Explore, it's the only way you'll figure it out. 

This week's example! I wonder why I'm still awake when I really should be asleep. Why did he have to react that way? Doesn't he know how much I care for him? Doesn't he know that all I want is for him to listen? I wonder if he even thinks of me? I doubt it. Who am I that he would even care? I guess I'll never know. I'll be here, alone and clueless about everything. I don't even understand my thoughts anymore, and my toes are freezing. How I hate winter and being alone! -----> clearly we know that the character is unhappy. 

Who's that Guy?

Sarah. John. Michael. Rick. David. Karen. Emily. Nancy. Bill. Bob.

What do the words above have in common? It's an easy answer...you don't have to be a super English nerd and genius in order to answer the simple question. But I won't make you sweat anymore longer and freak out about a simple question that perhaps has caused you to grow anxious. They are all names. Proper nouns. That is the correct answer if you're like me, a crazy-nutty-English-freaky-nerd. But I'm not looking for THAT answer. The answer I'm looking for is, names. The above words are all names. They belong to someone, someone holds that name. 

Okay, so in writing you would call this person a character. Aha! We have reached my most favorite part of all writing. I know that I have caught myself saying this more than once, "Oh I like this aspect of writing! No, dialogue is better. But oh wait...ah, setting is the most fun!" I think ever true writer has their moments of going crazy about a certain something and for me it's characters. I love building my characters. I can sit for hours and just think about one character in particular and describe her from top to bottom. I can tell you exactly what her dislikes are, what irritates her, what's her style like, how does she talk, the way she socializes, her favorite color, what she loves to eat, her peeves, and on and on I go. Eventually I have this perfect picture of my character in my mind and when I'm out and about I sometimes see her in the grocery store. Of course a light chuckle escapes my mouth because I can't believe she actually exists in the real world. You see, my characters come from my world. They live in my mind. When they cry I want to comfort them and make the situation better. There was a point where I was seriously depressed. I couldn't think clearly and felt despondent. Finally my friend asked me what was the matter. When I told her that I killed my favorite character in my past short story she looked at me as if I lost my mind. I believe I did. 

So characters. Dress you characters. Write a character sketch about this person. Perhaps it'll be 4 sentences or 4 pages. It can be short or long. But imagine your character(s) coming alive. Imagine that the two of you are going out for coffee. You don't know this person yet. So on your outing you'll ask every question you can think of in order to build a connection, a feeling. Believe me, this is fun stuff. Building characters is something I enjoy doing. I get the honor to name them. Okay, so sketch it on a piece of paper. The good qualities, the bad characteristics, his/her fashion style, does she take awhile to get ready in the morning, or is he one who stays in bed until the alarm clock rings for the fifth time? You don't have to mention these things in your manuscript, but for you to know while writing who your main character is or actually all of your characters are is very important. 

You don't have to stress out knowing each one of your characters in details. Perhaps all you'll know about the cab driver is: the big rimmed glasses rested on his nose and every time he spoke a hint of alcohol filled the air. That's just an example. But get to know your main characters. Build the connection. Feel connected. If you want to get to know someone you'll ask them. Have this inner-dialogue with your character. And soon you'll realize how enjoyable it really is. Writing is an art. It takes time and patience. The same goes with your characters. Design them along the way and eventually you'll learn that you start dreaming about them and they follow you everywhere. 

Let me tell you a past experience of mine. When I was attending a class in the fall there was a girl who sat behind me. She was tall, sporty, very attractive, blond hair and blue eye ordeal, having the appearance of a barbie doll. The first time I saw her, I laughed. I couldn't believe it. I told myself that this is Jenny, my protagonist in the story I had going on. She was snotty just like Jenny. I figured I was well connected with my characters at that point because I saw them even at school. 

It's not weird. It's actually amazing to have imaginable friends. Because when no one understands you, your characters will. Remember, you are the architect. Create stories that come to life with real characters. And when the descriptive part is all done, search a name book for the perfect name. Make sure the name fits the character and the time era you're in. 

Characters need to live in you! Because when a reader opens your book someday their first question might be, "Who's that guy?" 

Very Important..Very Fun

I don't know about you but when I read any kind of novel I flock to the dialogue. It intrigues me to see how the author weaved his words in writing. There are many different ways you can make your characters speak. Since I tend to write contemporary style, my characters speak informally, almost with a slang. Though, it's very interesting how you can mess with your characters in various ways. You have the power to stir them in any direction. With the words that you choose you can make them do anything you want. The bottom line is what you think is the way your characters will move. Perhaps you want them to yell, well make them do just that. Or maybe the story has hit a deep point, a point where tears seem the most appropriate. Make them cry. I know this probably sounds ridiculous, but one of my favorite things to do with my characters is make them cry. It's amazing how you can make them cry without saying it. You don't have to say, "She cried." Instead say, "Tears fell down her cheeks, leaving wet streaks along the way." This is just one example out of many. So, before I get into the meat of this article I think it's important if I note one very, VERY, important rule. You'll hear this rule over and over again and eventually will get tired of it that you may want to shout, "I know!!!!!" but believe me, it's a VERY important rule.

Show, don't tell. 

Easy, right? I mean, there are just three words in that sentence and you know what each of the words mean so what's the big deal? Ha, believe me, this can be the trickiest rule ever. There are so many times where you'll catch yourself saying the action instead of writing the action. You'll captivate the reader's interest more by showing it. If you go on and say, "Brit was mad." Okay, we know he was mad, but how mad? Aha, show, don't tell. Try imaging this. "Brit's eyes narrowed, he clenched his fists and took long and steady breaths." You now know what he did and how he felt. He wasn't only mad, he was profusely angry, upset. Make your characters come to live. This is a fun aspect of writing. You need to have fun with it, don't let it pull you down and literally make you pull your hair out. Explore with this. Get to know your characters. This is an important aspect. You cannot write a story if you don't know your character(s). Know how they feel, what they're thinking, what irritates them, what makes them happy, and what're their fears. Understand your characters in and out. Be interested. If you aren't moved as an author, your reader won't be moved. If you didn't laugh, your reader won't laugh. And if you didn't cry, your reader won't cry. You need to build that connection with your writing.

I know I say this often, but allow your thoughts to spill through your words. If you have an overly emotional character, show it through her words. Describe how she's feeling when she talks. Dialogue is important and it shouldn't be abused. Use every word wisely, making it count.  And I know this is a lot of information to digest, but let me make one more point. Don't be too descriptive. It's so easy to get flowery and into your words that eventually it sounds too wordy. Cut. Chop. Kill the one too many adjectives. Be selective, but most importantly, be creative. Dialogue is fun to write. Write as though you are speaking. Readers like it when you're natural and realistic. Relate to them, you'll gain a wider audience that way.

Dialogue. Speak. Show. Entertain. Don't tell me, show me what happened. Make it exciting, so exciting that I can't stop reading.

The List of Genre is Just Starting!

This week I decided to tackle something entirely different. Over the past few weeks I have discussed the many aspects of the writing life and what it takes and what is doesn't take and how to discover such and such. I hope you have a greater understanding for all of this because this week, I'm going to start opening a different topic. Over the course of weeks, I'll discuss the various genres there are and a bit of insight from each. But to start with, I'll talk about my writing experience (I love sharing my side, especially since it drastically changed overnight.)

Alright, before I picked up the craft of writing, I was against all fiction. I didn't like fiction. I ignored fiction. I shunned fiction. I literally disregarded all books that were fiction related. I thought reading fiction was a waste of time, entirely unnecessary and irrelevant. I didn't find enjoying when reading fictional books, so I clearly decided that fiction wasn't for me. I stuck to the nonfiction books, the one that gave me something, a message. Whenever I would pick up a novel, I would stare at the cover and think, "I wish I could learn to like these kind of books." Because to be honest, the covers on most novels are tempting. There's just something amazing that the author masters. They have a way to capture the buyer with their cover, even if the book itself isn't captivating. I would walk through any bookstore and clock to the fiction section and grab a handful of books just to study the covers, not going beyond that. Okay, so without me even reading the book, I quickly learned that the author did a great job with luring me to the book just by having an awesome cover. 

But what got me to read novels? Well, in the summer of 2010, I just graduated and was tired of reading books about facts and books that took more concentration to grasp the message. I wanted to relax. I wanted to be the kind of person who would curl up with a blanket and read for hours on end, not able of putting the book down. I remember pulling out a book I got from the library for the summer. Again, I stared at the cover and understood why I picked this book. The cover alone was mesmerizing. It was incredible. So what did I do? I opened it, probably just like anyone else would do. I skimmed through the prologue, flipped through the middle, and landed on the last sentence (my mistake always). The last sentence alone got me. It made me curious to read the book and that I did. Well, I'm proud to say that after that I haven't shunned a novel in a long while. There have been nights where I cannot set the book down, I have to force myself to do it. 

After that I started having this niche to write fiction, not just any kind of fiction, contemporary and dramatic fiction. You will soon learn that there are a ton of different subtopics under fiction. I won't go into detail right now, I'll save that for another post. But yes, I took up the task that I hated most. I decided to write fiction and honestly, I can't get enough from it. There is always a character stirring in my mind. Sometimes I leave my characters in an iffy situation. I do this on purpose because I cannot wait until I can get back to my story and fix their dilemma. When I write, the world I live in closes down for awhile. Everything that goes on kind of goes on without me. I'm interacting with my characters. I'm having internal conversations, we are getting to know each other. 

You must be comfortable with your writing. You need to feel right doing it, knowing that this is something you can write/talk about all day. Know the topic you're writing about. Maybe you're into nonfiction, the facts. Or perhaps you like to read articles and would be interested to write for a magazine or newspaper. You don't have to seclude yourself to just one specific type of writing. Be open to anything and everything. Try a bit from here and some from there, but I assure you, there will always be that one kind of writing you'll enjoy more than the other. You're human. We tend to have favorites. 

Different topics lead to different interests 

I love fiction. You might be different. But that's why there are a wide variety of books, because everyone has a different taste and there are those authors who like to tackle the things someone like me wouldn't dare handle. Next week we'll talk about the many aspects of fiction (short story, novel, novella). 

Explore. Experiment. Challenge yourself. Write. 

Who Said What?

Have you ever caught yourself reading a book and then saying, "Hey, this sounds just like (fill in the blank)..." or, "Isn't this one of his/her books?" You then flip the book over and your eye glances at the author's name and sure enough you're right. Credit goes to both you and the author. You have practiced distinguishing the words and the author has been stable with his choice of words--diction.

 So what makes someone's work recognizable?


                         Voice.

Voice simply is the style and the way you talk in print. It's the words that you craft that make others say, "Oh yeah, that's so and so."

So how do you become recognizable? Practice. Practice writing different things. Try writing in a humorous way, dramatic, mysterious, romantic, and contemporary/casual. Try various writing techniques. Experiment with your words. Remember, each one of us are different. You talk differently and act differently from everyone else, so your writing too will be different. The worst mistake that you can do is to pretend to be someone else. Don't try to sound like a best selling author. They have their own techniques and styles, you need to compose your own kind of words. Let your thoughts form the words, you have your own unique way to sound, so you too will achieve that recognizable voice. You don't want someone to read your work someday and say, "Hey that doesn't sound like her/him!" It's not only disheartening to you but the original author. Write anything and everything and explore the many options of writing.

How to make your voice YOURS!

1. Write as much as possible
2. Write in a journal
3. Write in a letter format (a letter to a friend perhaps)
4. Write about your day
5. Write the things you see and experience daily
6. Write about the thoughts going through your mind
7. Don't worry how your words sound, just write
8. Write like you talk--be yourself
9. Write what you know
10. Write about your personality 

The examples above can help stir your voice and make it come alive. The grammar and style will come after, you first need to establish a stable voice. Your writing will shine because of this. It will blossom like a young rose. I find that the most rewarding aspect is that it becomes recognizable. Recently someone told me that they picked up an article I composed. They didn't know that I wrote it at first but by the second sentence, they said, "Yeah, that's Vanessa alright!" For me, that's encouraging. It tells me that finally all of the practice and action I have put into my words not only are alive but they are mine and someone just noticed it. 

Writes tend to worry. Don't worry. I know that sounds like an understatement but there isn't any other explanation. Don't worry what you sound like through your writing, you may not sounds as professional as Bob or as slick as Susie. IT'S YOU. This is your writing and your voice, the one you were born with. Experiment with different writing tools. Try writing long sentences, the ones that flow and go on and on forever and eventually can lose you if you don't stay on track but they are the sentences that still carry a lot of meet. Or write short. To the point. Powerful. 

Remember your goal for writing as well. You're writing because you CAN'T NOT write and you're writing because you have message to share. Think of your writing in this context. You're a proud parent of what you have just written. It's beautiful and it's your own voice and words. Don't let anyone else tear you down with their harsh criticism. You may eventually notice that you'll gain more than one voice. You may sound formal in your historical novel, tacky in the article for New York Times, casual in your short story, or wild in the comic. There are many different voices and once you find them, you'll be amazed. It'll be an experience that's overwhelming but exciting at the same time. You're voices are there, they are waiting for you to open up and crawl out of your shell. 

Come alive and write!

Write Even When It Doesn't Feel Right

It's been a long day. Perhaps you worked a 12 hour shift today or maybe you were stuck at school for more than half the day. Maybe you were caught up in traffic for hours, wasting that precious extra time in your evening. Or maybe just maybe you are sick and tired of the same routine day by day. Ever feel that way? Do you ever feel that you are walking the same path each and every day? It can get kind of daunting, can't it? Boring isn't the word I like to use, so what about aggravating? It is aggravating. You work so hard to earn money, study so hard to achieve high scores, and try so hard to do just about everything right but it doesn't feel right. You feel unsatisfied, displeased.

What should you do?

WRITE!

When everything feels like it's crashing down on you, when you feel as if your emotions are over the top and just ready to explode, write. Many don't even know the power writing has. It sounds ridiculous because it's your own mind talking but that's the point. It is very therapeutic when you can freely write your own thoughts down, your feelings. There are so many thoughts running through your mind daily and many of those thoughts can spur into ideas. But it all starts with writing. You cannot write until you decide that you can do it. That last sentence might have just left you confused so read it again. You cannot write until you decide that you can do it. If you constantly doubt yourself saying that you aren't made for this or you just don't have it in you, then it's time that you stop saying those lies.
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So your long day is nagging you now. You feel hopeless and despondent. You're not sure where to start or where to go next, you feel very low. But what can writing do, you may think. How does writing your thoughts down help? It actually sounds more like a burden because you have to do something in order to relieve the stress. Wouldn't it be easier to just pop a movie in, grab some chocolate, and pout in your depression? Maybe. But what will it do for you in an hour from them? Tomorrow? Learning to feel your thoughts and hear them is something so important. When you are in sync with your mind you can then freely let go of the sensations and know that you have a destiny. And once you find that connection with your mind a list of ideas can start. You may finally realize that writing is the bridge to the broken road you have been walking along.

Journal whenever you need to

Writing is peaceful. I'm not talking about writing for work or school. Writing just on its very own is peaceful. It's enjoyable, relaxing, and free. Imagine having the ability to write without having to think. Just think of it as you are writing in your journal. There are some things the whole world can know about you and then there are some things that no one can know, not even your closest friends. But writing can become your closest friend.  When you're upset, depressed, flustered, or plain out frustrated, you need to know that your journal is near and your thoughts are ready to be written out.

You'll write. You'll learn. You'll stop and see that what you just wrote is exactly the sensations flowing in your mind. And you did it. You wrote out what was bothering you. This is the start to all of writing. If you can't express your emotions in words then you'll have a hard time going anywhere else. It all starts with you. Yes, I'm sorry to say that YOU are the origin once again. But you can do it and you'll learn to love it.

Because the next time that crummy day comes, or the unmerciful morning arises you can know that before long you'll be with your journal and writing down all that has bothered you. And then you'll see how much better you feel. Writing in your journal helps. It soothes your mind and calms the angry soul.

Writing is medicine. Writing brings peace to your mind. Writing lies within you.