Digging deep

When I was in high school I sang in a jazz choir (you might be thinking this sounds lame, but it was cool, trust me). It was a small choir so there were a lot of opportunities to sing solos. I sang things like Duke Ellington and Paul Francis Webster's, I Got it Bad (and That Ain't Good), and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's, Can't Help Lovin Dat Man. They were gorgeous, emotional songs, but they were kind of a stretch for a sixteen-year-old who'd never had a boyfriend, never been in love, and didn't use words like "ain't" or "dat" in regular conversation.

I strived to have an emotional connection with the audience (kind of like writing), so I worked hard to feel the words I sang. Since I couldn't draw on experiences from my own life I often borrowed emotion from books, movies, songs, or the lives of friends.

I find that I do the same thing when I write. We've all heard the advice to "write what you know," and I think it's good advice, but I think we can sometimes "know" without experiencing things first hand.

Most of the characters in one of my WIPs live lives that are nothing like what I know, but I've been able to draw on many other sources (books mostly, but also movies and even music) to make them feel real--at least to me.

Do you ever write what you don't know? How do you make the characters, setting, and plot feel authentic?

Agent Appreciation Day

I'm a little late to the party, but I just read on Lisa and Laura's blog that today is Agent Appreciation Day, and I wanted to appreciate my lovely agent Sara Megibow.

Here are 3 things wonderful things about Sara:

1. She is ALWAYS positive (even when she's 9 months pregnant, which is pretty darn amazing if you ask me).

2. She believes in me and my writing. It is still incredible to me that the same woman who plucked Jamie Ford's HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET (which is SO WORTH READING if you haven't yet) from the slush pile also connected with my little middle grade adventure. And I love her for it!

3. She is about the coolest person I know (example #1, example #2)

There you go. I am so, so grateful that Sara is my agent. I can't imagine any agent who'd be better for me.

If you want to check out all the other agents being appreciated today, go visit Lisa and Laura-- they have a huge list. Happy Agent Appreciation Day!

So your (dad, brother, husband, mother etc.) tells me you wrote a book...

I live in a family full of big-mouths. Since I signed with Sara they've enjoyed telling anyone and everyone who has ever met me that I am a writer.

Then I run into these people at the grocery store or the movie theater or church and the first thing out of their mouth is, "So your dad told me you wrote a book and I hear it's a bestseller."

Yup, that's pretty much how it goes.

Then I have to correct them and say, "No, it's not even published yet."

Then they say something like, "So when is it coming out?"

Then I have to explain that I have an agent but not a publisher (yet).

Then they look at me like I'm lame, and try to save the conversation with something like, "Well, I'm sure it will work out for you someday."

Yeah. Tomorrow night is my husband's company party. It's going to be filled with conversations like this--which will be fun.

How do you respond when someone asks you about your writing? Do you have a quick and graceful way of explaining just how long and difficult the non-vanity publishing process is? Do you just nod and smile?

Writing in my head

We woke up Monday morning to snow. It doesn't snow too often here, (maybe 3 or 4 times a year), so the kids were very excited. After I got them bundled up, they went out to play and I went out to SHOVEL.

After about 10 minutes they got cold and went inside. Unfortunately, I was only about 1/10 through shoveling, so I had to stay outside in the BITTER cold and shovel for another hour. (I'd driven on our driveway, so a lot of this time was spent scraping off the tire track ice).

And you know what? It was time well spent. I sometimes love quiet repetitive jobs, because my brain can wander wherever I need it to go. I've written many scenes in my head while shoveling snow, driving, mowing the lawn, and doing dishes.

I am kind of envying you Australians--with your nice warm (or miserably hot) winters, but I'll take the bitter cold and snow if it means productive writing time.

Do you ever write in your head while you work? When is your most productive thinking time?

Pursuing Dreams

First, I have a favor to ask a few of you. I've had trouble tracking down some of your blogs lately. I do try to read everyone's blog who follows or comments here (at least every week or two). If I haven't visited your blog (or if I haven't been by for a long time), would you please leave your blog address in the comments so I can check it out? Thank you so much.

I spent last Friday with my extended family celebrating the life of my cousin who died just after Thanksgiving in a hiking accident. I came away from the funeral feeling inspired. While she was alive, she lived. Though her family was sad that she is gone, they found comfort in knowing she'd had a full, happy life, and peace in their faith that they would someday be reunited with her.

She did a lot during her too-short life. She was very respected in her field. She was a loved mother, wife, grandmother and daughter and friend. And she accomplished her goals and lived her dreams.

Everyone has goals in life. Mine are pretty simple: I want to be a great mom, I want my husband to always know how much I love him, and I want to be a writer.

Most of you share this desire. Do you ever consider quitting, or are you committed for the long haul? Will you measure your success by completion, publication, awards, reviews, money or something else?

Escape

When I sit down with a novel I have an expectation. I read so I can get away from my cares and see life through someone else's eyes--so I can escape.

Don't get me wrong, I live a very happy life. I have a beautiful family, a home, food, clothing, and thousands of other comforts. Unfortunately, real life is stressful. I have many demands on my time. Some of the things I do are fun (like writing, snuggle time with the kids, and movie nights with my husband). Most of my daily tasks are mundane (cleaning, cooking, driving kids from place to place). And some of my jobs are downright nasty (like changing poopy diapers and cleaning up dog vomit).

When I read something great, I can leave all of that behind--at least for a few minutes--and get lost in a story.

I'm reading Rick Riordan's PERCY JACKSON series right now and it has been a great little escape.

Have you read anything fabulous lately?

What Makes Writing Good?

Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers these past few days. Your sweet comments were so appreciated. We are doing well and it sounds like her family is coping, despite the difficult circumstances. Thank you.

Last week my mother-in-law and I were discussing books. We were talking about an author and I said something like: "His stories are great, but I his writing drives me crazy."

She was surprised by this reaction and asked me what makes writing good or bad.

I had to stop and think about it for a minute.

My immediate answer was that writing is subjective, what one person loves another may hate and visa versa, but then I came up with a real answer.

If writing is superior words are never wasted. Every word is meaningful, every sentence is beautiful, every thought is perfectly expressed. An example of this (for me) is THE BOOK THEIF, by Markus Zusak.

When writing is good words are rarely wasted. If there is a page of material, 95% of it is pertinent to the story. The words may not be as perfect as those in a superior book, but they get the story across and don't waste my time.

I get annoyed when books are wordy. Bad writing (for me) is when a writer takes a page to express a thought that could easily fit in a paragraph (or a sentence), or uses adverbs with reckless abandon, or spends forever explaining a room when I REALLY want to know if Don and Harriet are going to get back together.

The interesting thing is, I like more than a few books that are written badly. I also hate a few that are written beautifully. Story trumps all. If the story is good enough, I'll suffer through a thousand page book that should have been two hundred pages, AND I'll tell my friends and family I loved it.

I have not mastered the art of good writing. Sometimes I'm sloppy. Sometimes I use more adverbs than I should. Sometimes I start sentences with and, but, or so. I'm working on it. I want my writing to be good so it doesn't distract from my stories.

Do you agree with my assessment? Do you think I'm a raving lunatic? What makes writing good (or bad) in your eyes?