stops and starts, puppies and books

Sometimes it feels like writing flows like a river. My current book idea is not like that.

Two days ago I was writing (trying to catch up on my JuNoWriMo goals) and I realized I'd made a huge mistake with my character's motivation. And it was both exhausting and exhilarating -- exhausting because I had to go back and fix what I thought was settled, but exhilarating because I finally realized why I couldn't get over that 20,000 word hump.

When I finish this book, it will be the fifth one I've written. And yet somehow, it is different and no easier than those other four.

I think that's the funny thing about creative pursuits versus other pursuits. Every year so far in my legal career, I become a slightly better lawyer. My drafting gets better, my research gets more efficient, my confidence grows.

But every creative projects is like a whole new animal, something that has to be tamed in a different way.

I'm not sure I've ever blogged about this, but recently Gentleman Caller and I got a second dog--Scout. (For pictures of Scout, check me out on Instagram @cleverpseudonymgirl.) And not to make everything in my life relate to everything else, but the difference between Spencer and Scout could not be more stark.

Spencer was a naughty puppy, of course. All puppies are naughty. But Spencer, in his soul, is a snuggler. When he was little and needed to be walked at 5 AM, as soon as he did his business, we would fall back asleep for another two hours, resting on the hammock on the porch when it was warm, or with him curled up on the pillow next to my head if it was cold.

He loves going on runs with me. He loves riding in the car with me. He loves watching TV with me. Basically, whatever I want to do? Spencer wants to do.

Scout is not that way at all. In her heart, she's a ferocious hunter. When Scout needs to be walked at 5 AM, she is go-go-go-going after that. She wants to run and play, and if I try to put her back in her crate so I can sleep some more, she will wail like this is the worst thing that has ever happened to her.

Scout likes to run. And find sticks and rocks and hide them in her cheeks. And then run some more. And also run? And jump.

But even though she and Spencer couldn't be more different, I am so happy they are both my dogs.

In a way, I'm glad I am wrestling my new WIP into submission at the same time we are trying to train Scout. Because she reminds me that some little beasts just need more patience than others.

Why publishing is a lot like dating

I have been wondering how to write this post for nearly six months. In case you're wondering why ye olde blog has been super pathetic lately, that is mainly why.

A long time ago, I wrote a cryptic post that suggested I had good news. April 2013, in fact. And at the time, I thought it really was good news.

We'll circle back to that in a second.

I met my husband, Gentleman Caller as he's known on these here interwebs, when I was thirty years old. That's not too old for life, but it's ancient for Mormonlife. Before I met Gentleman Caller, I went on a lot of dates. Like, a lot. I did the internet dating thing. I did the blind dating thing. I dated guys who were not right for me, and for whom I wasn't right. 

That doesn't make them bad guys. (Well, most of them weren't bad guys. I did accidentally go out with a drug dealer once. Whoops!) It just means that none of them were the right guy for me.

And then one day, I went to a friend's birthday party, and there was Gentleman Caller. And that pretty much was that.

I know some people will tell you, don't hold out for perfection. And that's good advice, because no one is perfect. But I do think you should hold out for perfect for you. Because when I think back to the relationships I tried to make work ... even though they were nice relationships at the time ... the fact was, I was sort of kidding myself.

I just didn't know it at the time.

Back to my aforementioned good news. In April 2013, I got an offer on a book I wrote from a small publisher that I really admired. The book was an LDS-themed romantic comedy--the sort of books I grew up reading from different local publishers here in Utah. I'd always dreamed of contributing to this particular niche market, writing something that Teenage Me would have liked to read. When I sat down to write this book in particular, I just had a few goals. Make it funny. Don't let it get preachy or cheesy. Hope for the best.

So when I got that email saying they had picked my book, I shut my office door and did a literal happy dance.

I called my dad. I called my best friends. I called my sister. I went out for sushi that night to celebrate.

I thought I had made it. After years of writing and trying and failing, one of my dream publishers had said, "Yes, we want you!"

Except, you've probably already figured out, it did not work out.

Here's the thing that I want to make clear. That publisher? They were not right for me. At all. Which was bitterly disappointing, because there are so many things I liked about them. But just like boyfriends of yore, there were too many dealbreakers.

That doesn't mean that publisher wouldn't be a good boyfriend to a different author. In fact, I know people who are currently very happy to be with that publisher! It just meant that they'd be terrible for me. And over the two-and-a-half years I tried to make it work with that publisher, it became increasingly obvious that we wanted very different things. Irreconcilably different things.

Without getting into the gory details, I agonized over that decision.* For over a literal year. I wanted to be published so badly, and even more than that, I wanted to be published by this publisher.

But like in any bad relationship, there came a moment where it was made perfectly clear to me that this was not going to work. And even though it was still sad, after that, it was also a relief to write to them and say that I was pulling my manuscript.

Much like you don't need to find a perfect person to be the perfect partner for you, I don't need a perfect publisher. But I do need one that is perfect for me. 

And when April 2016 came and went, three years from that original acceptance, I thought about my book that I still love, that I've subsequently paid to have professionally edited in case I want to self-publish it. And I thought about disappointment.

I'm sad that I spent so much time and mental energy on that relationship. I'm sad that I won't see that book sitting on shelves in local bookstores in my hometown, waiting for a teenage girl like my former self. I'm sad I have four other ideas for LDS-themed romantic comedies that I'm not even sure if I should start, because even though I want to jump into the self-publishing world, there are a lot of things to consider.

But I haven't had any doubts. Sadness and confidence are not mutually exclusive feelings.

Here's the thing about publishing and dating. If you had asked me, the day before I met Gentleman Caller, if it was better to be alone or in a bad relationship, I would have said "alone" with confidence. And that's true, even if I'd never met Gentleman Caller. I would have been sad, but I would have been right.

Here's the more important thing. Now that I'm married to Gentleman Caller? I can't even really remember the sadness over those other relationships, those disappointing first dates, the guys who didn't call. I mean, I remember that I was sad, but it's sort of, "Oh yeah, that was sad" sort of recollection. Because when you're in the right relationship, when you're pretty much happy every single day, do you even care about the relationships that didn't pan out? Not really.

So even if I never find a publisher who wants a book of mine, the decision to pass on that one opportunity was the right decision. And it will be sad, if I never get published. But it won't change the fact that it's better to not get published, than get published and regret it.

And it definitely won't change the fact that if I do find the right publisher someday, I'll be incandescently happy.

And I'll look back at that other opportunity and think, "Oh yeah. That was sad."



* Edited to add: I really have to give mad props to my agent, Maria Vicente, for helping to clarify a lot of these issues in my mind. She's the best! I can't believe I left her out of the first draft of this post. 

Folks, I'm an attorney, so (again leaving out the gory details) I recognized some problems and tried to offer solutions on my own. Even still, I didn't see everything I should have seen. Seek the advice publishing professionals when making a decision that could affect your entire career!

writing tips -- descriptions with RuthAnne, part 5

5. Trust your reader to understand context clues

If I said the following, would you know what season it was?

Salt-stained streets

Leaves crunching underfoot 

Heads of crocuses popped up through cold mud

Everything smelled of coconut-scented sunscreen

OF COURSE you would. So trust your reader will as well.

This is where I think the infamous "show, don't tell" advice helps a great deal. Beginning writers (even experienced writers) are frequently told to show the reader something, don't tell the reader something. This will immerse your reader in your story, instead of keeping the reader at a psychological distance. And when it comes to writing description, I think the easiest way to remember how to "show, don't tell" is to play Taboo with your reader.

Remember Taboo? It's that game where a person gets a card with a person, place, or thing written at the top. For example, "Christmas." You need to get your team to guess that your card says "Christmas" without using the five most obvious clues listed underneath. If you say those clues (let's say "snow, carol, Santa Clause, gift, tree), you get buzzed out. If you cheat and start saying stuff like, "Rhymes with..." you get buzzed out.

Need an example? Check out Rainbow Rowell's FANGIRL for an excellent one. Background information: Cath is coming home to visit her Dad, an advertising copywriter, from college. This is the scene she witnesses when she comes home.

“The papers in the living room had been sorted into sections. ‘Buckets,’ he called them. They were taped to the walls and the windows. Some pieces had other papers taped around them, as if the ideas were exploding. Cath looked all over his ideas and found a green pen to star her favorites. (She was green; Wren was red.)

The sight of it—chaotic, but still sorted—made her feel better.…

By Sunday night, the whole house was covered in onionskin sketch paper and burrito foil. Cath started another load of drinking glasses and gathered up all the delicious-smelling trash.”

Rainbow Rowell doesn't need to explicitly say, "Cath's dad has bipolar disorder. Cath is very used to his manic episodes, which means they've been happening for a long time." All of this information is implied by the scene (ideas taped up on the walls, multiple loads of dirty drinking glasses that need to be washed by a visiting daughter tell us about the mania; Cath nonchalantly wandering around the room to star her favorite ideas, the fact that the sight makes her feel better tells us that this has been happening for awhile).

Writing tips -- descriptions with RuthAnne, part 4

(Are you getting tired of this yet? I'm sorry. I do think it's helpful!)

4. Integrate your descriptions with your story.

No one wants a big block of text describing the socio-political background of a city unless it has some relevance to the plot at hand. Descriptions are important, maybe even the most important, but they have to serve the story.

Remember -- quirks are good, but they're better if they fit within your story arc and serve to give the reader information about the characters.

Consider this example from GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn.

“Our bar is a corner bar with a haphazard, patchwork aesthetic. Its best feature is a massive Victorian backbar, dragon heads and angel faces emerging from the oak—an extravagant work of wood in these shitty plastic days. The remainder of the bar is, in fact, shitty, a showcase of the shabbiest design offerings of every decade: an Eisenhower-era linoleum floor, the edges turned up like burnt toast; dubious wood-paneled walls straight from a ‘70s home-porn video; halogen floor lamps, an accidental tribute to my 1990s dorm room. The ultimate effect is strangely homey—it looks less like a bar than someone’s benignly neglected fixer-upper. And jovial: We share a parking lot with the local bowling alley, and when our door swings wide, the clatter of strikes applauds the customer’s entrance.”

Why does the description work? First, it addresses characterization. It tells us that our narrator (Nick Dunne, in this case) is bitter and cynical ("shitty plastic days") but also able to look on the bright side (the bowling alley is next door).

It fits within the story arc. It tell us that the owners of the bar cannot afford to fix it up and it subtly implies that they may not know what they're doing when it comes to running a business. It also arrives at the right time in the story--Nick has just explained that he lost his job as a writer, so he came home and opened a business with his sister.

Remember: If a description doesn't arrive at the right place in the story, it doesn't matter how good it is. It's just a paragraph in a brochure.

writing tips--descriptions with RuthAnne, part 3

3. Use all the senses

We all know the five senses, right? Sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Your characters experience these five senses, whether you describe them or not. The better you do at utilizing all the senses, the more alive your milieu will seem.

But there's one sense that, in my opinion, shouldn't be overlooked. That sense is memory.

Take a look at these examples from Harry Potter if you want to see what I mean.

Sorry for these crappy photos, by the way. I couldn't figure out how to integrate my Power Point.

Do you know what I think is the most important phrase in that entire paragraph? "...that Ron had mentioned;"

With four words, JK Rowling makes it clear that Honeydukes existed before Harry arrived there, and that it will therefore continue after he leaves. It's not just a set that Harry wandered through, it's a real place, full of fat toffees and peppermint creams shaped like toads.

If you can find a way to invoke all five of the sensory senses in your descriptions, great. If you can find a way to weave in a sense of memory, even better.

Writing tips -- descriptions with RuthAnne, part 2

Part Two of my writing tips on description is about using specific details.

It sounds obvious -- specific details are better than vague details -- but it can be easier said than done.

 

Look at the column on the left, then compare it to the column on the right. There's nothing wrong with what's on the left, it's just that what's on the right gives a much stronger idea of what is happening. 

If you want a great example of how to do this, go read Laini Taylor's DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE. I visited Prague last summer, and let me tell you, Taylor's fanciful language describing the city at night is picture-perfect. Believe me, if you just said "European city at night," it wouldn't come close to telling you about Karou's world.

Do you need a perfect verbal SAT to write a great description? Definitely not. The most "unique" or complicated word in the McCarthy passage above is either "disclet" or "lozenge." The question is not big words -- it's the right words. 

This is what I like to call the Project Runway rule. It's always best to start with way, way, way too much and then unleash your Inner Tim Gunn. If you don't start with enough, you may struggle to complete your look without starting over.

Part 3 forthcoming ...

Writing tips -- descriptions with RuthAnne, part 1

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to teach at a local writer conference. Today when I was attempting to organize my Dropbox, I found my slides and thought the best place for them would be on my blog.

So here we go -- "Part One of Vivid Descriptions and Pertinent Details: What Makes Settings Come Alive?"

(according to moi)

In my opinion, world building is the single most important thing a writer can do--even if (and especially if) the setting is contemporary. World building isn't just about magic systems and geography--it is the character's entire milieu.

So how do you make a milieu seem real? Five things.

1. Ask yourself what the character would notice about the setting.
2. Remember that being more specific is always better than being less specific
3. Integrate the details into the story
4. Use all the character's senses
5. Trust your reader to understand context clues

First up: Ask yourself what the character would notice about the setting.

What I find so exceptional about this description is that not only does it paint a vivid picture of Lola's room, but it also tells you about Lola as a character without coming right out and saying, "Lola was really creative and quirky."

A word of caution? Think about what your character WOULDN'T notice--in this case, would it make sense if Lola noted her 5.5 inch crown moldings? No. Her thing is fashion, not architecture.

Next time: Detail specificity ...

time and money

In general, you can have either time or money -- but usually not both at the same time.

I like my job -- it affords me great flexibility most of the year, which really helps when I am pursuing writing for publication. But I also do some freelance writing on the side to fund various projects (house remodeling goals) and pursuits (vacations, writing retreats, and self-publishing goals), and that eats up some of my flexibility.

The more freelance projects I take, the less time I have to spend on the kind of writing I really want to work on, which is fiction. And yet, it is so hard to consider giving up a relatively easy and consistent source of income when my brain keeps telling me, You could keep doing both if you were just better at managing your time. And on top of that, my dad's voice in my head, reminding me of what his parents always told him: You get ahead by doing more than everyone else. 

(My grandparents were the O.G. Hustlers.)

A few weeks ago I wrote about how you have to give yourself the benefit of your own time, and I still firmly believe that. And the fact is, I am pretty good at managing my time. I'm not the best, but certainly not the worst. I manage to perform all the duties at my real job (quite well, if you ask me), spend quality time with my husband, keep my house (sorta) clean, my dog healthy and sufficiently snuggled, etc.

It's just that there are only so many hours in the day. More importantly, there is only so much mental capacity before I start hitting what Nick calls my psychological "allostatic load."

This weekend, I sat down to hit my 1,000 words goal for the week. And before I knew it, I had opened up my freelance writing projects and begun agonizing over them. I've tried to build up a few pieces so I don't have to work during my busy season at the Day Job, and I haven't finished quite as many as I would have liked, and ...

The excuses mounted and before I knew it I had spent two hours writing the sort of stuff that pays me -- and found myself without the mental energy I needed to work on the sort of stuff that fulfills me.

(By the way -- I know this post is the very definition of first world problems. "Ohh, someone can't follow her bliss, boo hoo!" Just had to acknowledge that I also know I am very privileged and being somewhat ridiculous about my circumstances.)

I don't know what I am going to do about this at the moment. I know what I should do (give up the freelance work and tighten my financial belt) but it is so very hard. 

If you have any recommendations on how I find more hours in the day and more mental fuel in my tank, believe me. I am all ears.

the cozy corridor

I like to refer to October 1 through January 1 as the "Holiday Corridor." My house is decorated for Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, with no breaks in between. It's a solid three months of excitement -- scary movie marathons, baking, Christmas parties galore.

Lately I have been thinking about that, and about the Danish concept of "hygge" that has been floating around the Internet these days. Hygge means, roughly, "coziness," but also ... a state of mind of coziness? Danes, you crazy. (I get to say that because I'm Danish descent.) (No, I know that's not really how it works.)

I'm a firm believer that people should buy themselves grocery store flowers on the regular, because a vase of flowers in your home can really lift your mood. And that's part of what everyone is getting at, as we all run around and try to hyggify our homes. Fireplaces! Cuddly pets! Gratuitous scarves! Scented candles as far as the eye can see!

You take the idea of the grocery store flowers and amplify it = cozy/lovely/snuggly to the max.

I may have mentioned before that January through March is my busiest season at work. Some years it is not too bad at all, some years it borders on unmanageable.

But this year, I am making a conscious decision to sort of hyggify my busy season--create a "Coziness Corridor," if you will. After all, October-November-December are extremely busy months too, and yet I always find time for friends and football and all the other goodness of fall.

Why not January-February-March?

So here are my goals for Cozy Corridor:

On the shallow side of things:
1. New manicure every three weeks. I think you type happier with cute fingertips.
2. Mid-March: buy a new dress for spring, put it away until the snow melts.

For my health:
1. Continue to hit the gym at least twice a week.
2. Go skiing every other week.
3. Limit soda consumption to no more than one a day.
4. Pack lunches to work.
5. Go rock climbing once a month.

For my brain:
1. Read one book a week
2. Write 1,000 new words a week.
(Confession time: I love my new work-in-progress, but it does not love me. I've been stalled out at about 35,000 words for over two months, and instead of moving forward I keep redrafting what I've got. It's not exactly wasted time, but it isn't forward momentum. So I'm adding this relatively modest goal so I can make some forward progress and maintain my creative outlet. Gentleman Caller has put an alert on his calendar so he can remember to ask me how that's going every Saturday at 4:00 pm.)

Home goals:
1. Clean for one hour every Saturday.
2. Buy new flowers every other week.
3. Cook an interesting dinner and bake a fun dessert every Sunday night.

Fancy goals:
1. Date night every Friday night.
2. Really awesome Valentines Plan! (TBD) 

I am generally prone to wanting to zone out after a busy day of work--just mentally pass out in front of my TV. And while I don't think there's anything wrong with that now and then, I don't want to only do that for the next three months.

So check back in on Sunday, I'll report on the book, the new words, and the lemon tart baking.

writing music

Lately I am obsessed with The Lower Lights, a local folk band that records old Gospel songs and Christmas music. Along those lines, I've probably played this version of Come Thou Fount by Sufjan Stevens about twenty times in the last week. (I obsess over certain songs. You don't even want to know what number is next to Adele's "Hello" on my iTunes.) (Or, to be completely honest, "See You Again" by Miley Cyrus. IT WAS CATCHY.)

Ditto to Queen (specifically Fat Bottom Girls, which I tried to make the song Hailey and Will left their wedding to ... before someone cut it off. But seriously, listen to it! It's the perfect "grand exit" song and I mentally use it in SEVERAL scenes.)

Are there any songs catching your fancy lately?

Edited to add: I wrote this post and scheduled it this weekend, but as of this morning, I've been adding a lot of David Bowie to the playlist. My characters definitely approve.

Take your cut

How do you make time for the "extras" in your life? Once you're done with your daily adulting (working, making food, cleaning your home, laundry, caring for pets and/or children, etc.), where do you fit in the rest (working out, creative pursuits, connecting with friends, time with beloved Netflix accounts, etc.)?

My friend Will likes to say that, if he's going to get any time to work out or play guitar, he needs to do it first thing in the morning. He calls it "taking your cut off the top," and argues that much like with a savings account, if you don't pay yourself first you'll find yourself running out of what you need by the end of the day.

(PS, Gentleman Caller recently joined Will's band, Black Bess and the Butchers. If you're in the Salt Lake City area, you should definitely check them out sometime. They're musically talented and also fun to look at ... wow, did I just make that creepy for you all? So sorry.)

I usually try to find time at the end of the day or on weekends, but I am starting to realize that Will is right -- at least when it comes to the hard stuff. If I want to read or hang out with friends or veg out to a Friday Night Lights marathon, I will always have the energy for that at the end of the day. But if I want to find the time to write or go to the gym -- things I usually find hard to start but am always glad when once I'm done -- well. I might find myself completely sapped.

So I've been trying to flip that around the last few months -- gym in the mornings (sob) and writing while the sun is still out (whenever possible). In the next few weeks I might get EVEN CRAZIER and start writing BEFORE the sun is up, because Day Job is about to go bananas. 

How do you find the time for the extras in your life?

it'll be a hard day

Spoiler alert for Mad Max: Fury Road.




(Also, why haven't you seen Fury Road yet? GET ON THAT.)




(In which Max Rockatansky reveals his bonkers survival plan to Imperator Furiosa, who wants the group to ride further into the desert in hopes of finding a safe place to stay before their 160-days' worth of fuel runs out.)

Max: No, I suggest we go back the same way we came. Through the canyon.

Toast: It's open, we know that, right? He brought all his war parties through.

Max: So we take the War Rig and charge it right through the middle of them. We can decouple the tanker at the pass, shut it off behind us.

Keeper of the Seeds: Kaboom!

Furiosa: And how exactly do we take the Citadel, assuming we're still alive by then?

Toast: If we can block the pass, it'll be easy. All that's left are his War Pups, and War Boys too sick to fight.

Capable: And we'll be with Nux. He's a War Boy. He'll be bringing us home, bringing back what's stolen, like he's supposed to.

Nux: Yeah ... feels like hope.

Keeper of the Seeds: I like this plan ... we could start again, just like the old days!

Max, to Furiosa: Look, it'll be a hard day. But I guarantee you that a hundred and sixty days ride that way ... there's nothing but salt.

With writing, as with most things in life, there are moments where you've got to choose between unpleasant and way, way, way more unpleasant. And when you're faced with those moments, the key isn't which option sounds worse. It's which reward sounds better.

Rewriting half your book? Sounds awful, but you'll have something publishable at the end. Continuing to muddle along with something that isn't working? Easier at the time, and may work out, but if your gut is right you aren't going to end up with anything useable at the end.

And really, if Furiosa and Max can drive through THIS and get through it, you can face your hard day, too.

So get on it. And go see Mad Max, for crying out loud.

the long game

Writing for publication is a rough business. There's the indecision and self-doubt while you're drafting and editing. The rejection as you try to first find an agent, then a publisher. And then if you are lucky enough to get published, you just can't control whether your book sells well or not--which may affect your prospects for getting a second book published.

I am in the middle of that long process now. I've got an agent and I'm hoping for the best for The Girls of March. And once upon a time, before I had an agent, I was hoping for the best for Breaking Up, Falling in Love, and Other Chemical Reactions (previously known around here as Jayma Rodgers Goes To College, since I am such a FABULOUS titler). A little-bitty part of me is still hoping for the best for my little New Adult friends, to be honest.

But while I am hoping for the best, I've got to keep going--because publishing is a long game. Because I may not have a lot of control over this process, I can control my next step.

So I'm making new fictional friends and working on new projects and generally keeping busy. Outlining ideas and doing some free writing. Because someday, I might get a chance to submit a second novel--so daydreaming about the first one just won't do.

Writing updates: how I write a book

Deadlines and goals -- they really work! (Who knew, right?)

In the last two weeks, thanks to making a deal with Sarah that we exchange new words every Saturday, I have written more on my WIP than I have all summer.

For me, one of the hardest things about writing is always starting to write. I have major indecision factor. (You should see me at Baskin and Robbins.) I don't know which project to pick. I don't know where it should start. I've usually got an idea about who my main character is and what he or she wants, but their flaws are always harder to find. Wait, what if that other idea was the better choice? Better go back to that project ...

To date, I've written three books and started countless others (I hope to finish you someday, other projects...) And yet somehow, it still seems to take me awhile to remember that the process always ends the same:

You just have to start writing, and then keep writing, and then write some more. Because you probably did start in the wrong place and give your character lame flaws (oooh, she mispronounces words!) but the only way to figure out the right place and better flaws and cleverer twists and lovelier description is to have roughly 50,000 adequate words you can share with a critique partner and say, "So what do you think?"

Dear Future Mentees (sing it like Meghan Trainor, minus the innuendos.)

Hi. 2014 Pitch Wars Mentee here, looking to offer some unsolicited advice.

First thing, you just got some really great news, so take some time to celebrate!

Now, once you've gotten your fill of celebration, you've got to buckle down and get to work. You've got your edit letter and maybe even some writing assignments from your mentor. You might be ditching subplots or characters or even changing your ending. There will be suggested edits both big and small.

So take your mentor's advice and mull it over. You've got time, you don't need to start on Day 2 of the  revision process. It will be hard work but you can do it. And more importantly--you want to do it.

Coach Taylor is your mentor--you should BE so lucky as to have Coach yell at you.

Matt Saracen is you. Spoiler alert: You are awesome.

Kwabam!

For almost all of you, there will be edits that make perfect sense the moment you hear them. They'll click so perfectly in your brain that, whether they are big or small, you'll be itching to get started on them.

And there may also be one or two that leave you scratching your head.

So here comes my first piece of advice: Trust the process.

Your mentor picked you because he or she LOVES your story. Your mentor gets your story. And no matter how long you've been writing, your mentor has been further down this whole Path to Publication Thing than you've been.

THEY ARE YOUR COACH TAYLOR AND YOUR TIM GUNN.

While you should definitely feel empowered to decline his or her suggestions, always remember--every suggestion your mentor makes, it's because he or she believes it will help your story. So if you don't agree, or if you don't understand, talk to your mentor. Hashing things out is part of the mentor-mentee process.

The mentors are volunteering their time! They were not conscripted into this. They want to help you. And while they also have lives, and jobs, and revisions of their own, they also want to hear from you. So shoot them an email and ask to chat it over, work on the suggested edits that you understand/agree with, and be patient. They will get back to you and they will try to help you see why they suggested A, B, or C.

There will be a few moments that feel like this.

But if you're very lucky, you're going to walk away from Pitch Wars with a partnership like this.
Minus the felonies.

Then, before you know it, the showcase will be here. This brings me to my second piece of advice: Chillax.

Yeah, you're the leader of the free world with the moves of Beyonce and an intergalactic pizza. HATERS TO THE LEFT.

I know that's going to be hard for some of you. But the fact is, the most important part of Pitch Wars JUST HAPPENED -- it was the revision process. By the time my entry went up on the showcase, my manuscript and query were 100% better from the first versions I sent Emily. And yes, it was a little hard to keep hitting refresh on my entry, hoping an agent would bite and realizing that my wildest dreams were not about to come true.

But do you know what happened next for me -- and for dozens of the other 2014 Pitch Wars mentees?

I queried my novel, just like you would without Pitch Wars. Agents started requesting partials, then fulls. And six weeks after I was despondently refreshing my entry, my agent was emailing me to set up a phone call. 

Yes. THAT call.

That can and will happen to soooo many of you! So take the revision seriously and forget about the showcase, as much as you can. Because the biggest prize in Pitch Wars? YOU ALREADY WON IT: the chance to fine tune your manuscript with a more experienced writer who loves the shit out of it.

Final piece of advice: Be gracious.

Be cool to your mentor, they want to help you! Be cool to Brenda and Nikki and the other folks running the contest, it is way harder than it looks (and let's be honest, it looks pretty difficult). And take the time to thank them--they won't get sick of hearing it!

Aw shucks

And finally, be cool to your fellow Mentees. It sounds easy, but trust me. There will be a moment when Molly Mentee, who you REALLY like as a person and admire as a writer, is getting 28 requests in the showcase and 14 agent offers and a book deal like six seconds after you send off your first cold query, when you feel like freaking the eff out because why isn't this happening for you?

RESIST THAT URGE (and never waste pizza). At the end of the day, you know better than that. Comparison is the thief of joy. Your journey is not another person's journey and someone else's success in no way reduces your chances of success.

The 2014 Pitch Wars Facebook Support Group (not its real name) is still going strong a year after Pitch Wars. These people are your people. Celebrate with them!

In short, you are the Dillon Panthers and Griffindor House wrapped into one!
You go, Glenn Coco!

Congrats again! I'm really looking forward to seeing the amazing things that you all do.


For more advice and encouragement from the Pitch Wars Class of 2014, check out:

Amanda Rawson Hill: On Doubt and Hope

Jennifer Hawkins: Last year at this time, I was you…

K. Kazul Wolf: Congrats on getting further into the insanity…

A.B. Sevan: Swimming with the Big Fishies

Tracie Martin: What No One Tells the PitchWarrior

RuthAnne Snow: 2014 Pitch Wars Mentee here, looking to offer…

Rosalyn Collings Eves: Most of you are probably sick with dread…

Peggy J. Sheridan: Welcome to the club…

Janet Walden-West: The Long Game

Destiny Cole: Yup, I’m talking to you…

Kelly DeVos: Confessions of a PitchWars Alternate

Mary Ann Marlowe: First things first…

Mara Rae: I’m going to keep it short and sweet…

Jen Vincent: Last year, on a complete whim…

Kip Wilson: Congratulations, lucky mentees…

A. Alys Vera: PitchWars is great, don’t get me wrong…

Nikki Roberti: 3 Things You Need to Know

Works in progress: confession time

Yes, I said "works." I am terrible like that, usually working on more than one thing at once. Typically though, there is a primary project. Lately, I have been completely torn between two. And yes, I know that I can write both ... but it really would be better to work on one to completion and then start the other.

Project 1

Project 2

I have been trying lately to focus on getting myself on a writing schedule. Luckily, my CP Sarah wants to start doing chapter swaps every week and my friend Suze wants to resume having writing parties. Having those kinds of deadlines is definitely going to help me focus.

Impatience has always been one of my worst qualities as a human and a writer in particular. I want to be at the stage in a new project where you're almost done and you're itching to send to CPs, to write up a list of problems that must be revised. Instead I'm at the very beginning, which is always my least favorite place to be. And being at the very beginning on TWO projects instead of one is making me tired whenever I sit down to look at my computer screen.

Luckily, my very cool former Pitch Wars mentor and friend Emily sent me this link, which has really helped me. On some level, I was already doing this when I wrote (finding the scenes I wanted to write most, writing them first, and then linking it all together), but seeing it described so clearly made something click in my brain. As a reformed pantser, I needed to see someone point out that a feeling of dread just means (1) I am psyching myself out of writing before I even begin and/or (2) I haven't found my magic cookie yet.

(Sidenote: This weekend I was sitting down to write my list of "fun scenes" to write, but then Spence wouldn't stop licking his paw, so I stopped to bandage it up with a rubber glove ... and was subsequently distracted for the next few hours by various items on my To Do List. Diego happened to see it and he took a photo that perfectly--and embarrassingly--captured my lack of momentum this summer.)

Diego to Hannah text: "The artist at work."

Yep. Fair enough.

Cover Reveal: SWAY by Melanie Stanford!

You guys! Remember my CP Melanie? Well, her book Sway comes out this winter and today is her big cover reveal! I've read two versions of Sway in the course of critiquing for Melanie, and trust me, you guys want to get in on this Jane Austen retelling. Add it on Goodreads so you don't forget!

About Sway:

Ava Elliot never thought she’d become a couch surfer. But with a freshly minted—and worthless—degree from Julliard, and her dad squandering the family fortune, what choice does she have?

Living with her old high school friends, though, has its own drawbacks. Especially when her ex-fiancé Eric Wentworth drops back into her life. Eight years ago, she was too young, too scared of being poor, and too scared of her dad’s disapproval. Dumping him was a big mistake.

In the most ironic of role reversals, Eric is rolling in musical success, and Ava’s starting at the bottom to build her career. Worse, every song Eric sings is an arrow aimed straight for her regrets. 

One encounter, one song too many, and Ava can’t go on like this. It’s time to tell Eric the truth, and make a choice. Finally let go of the past, or risk her heart for a second chance with her first love. If he can forgive her…and she can forgive herself.

Sounds awesome, right? And now for the cover ...




...

...

...

...

...

...




Ta-da!

About Melanie:

Melanie Stanford reads too much, plays music too loud, is sometimes dancing, and always daydreaming. She would also like her very own TARDIS, but only to travel to the past. She lives outside Calgary, Alberta, Canada with her husband, four kids, and ridiculous amounts of snow. 

Interview: How to Utilize Social Media with Kristen Jolley

Hey y'all! Next up on the blog interview series is the lovely Kristen Jolley. Kristen and I have been friends for over ten years (yikes ... feel old yet, Kristen?) and she is the queen of social media. Kristen majored in Communication and has worked for both advertising firms, in-house, and freelance. Right now Kristen is focusing her efforts on marketing The Fix, a brand new business in Utah, via social media.

Q: What do you think is the most effective social media strategy for someone who doesn't have a lot of time?

Answer: Schedule your posts out over a two week period. Then you're not racking your brain and coming up with irrelevant posts. Be original, especially on Instagram. Your feed does not need to look like anyone else's.

Q: What are the benefits of having someone else handle your social media?

A: Chances are if you're asking for help, it's because you're admitting you're not an expert at something, which is okay. That person can make recommendations for advertising campaigns and "spends" so your money is allocated properly and not blindly.

Q: What do you think is an INEFFECTIVE social media strategy?

A: Unoriginal posts, aggressive posts, defensive posts, failing to proofread, and ignoring when your followers reach out to you.

Q: If you could give someone fifteen free minutes of your time, what would you tell them?

Social media has become necessary and integral to all brands.

One of the hardest parts of a social media manager or social media department is that anyone who has a Facebook account thinks they are an expert at social media, and maybe (just maybe) thinks they can do your job better than you. Some argue there is no wrong way to handle social media, whether professionally or personally, and that is drastically far from the truth. If I had to write a list of basic social media tips, they would be:

1. Find your social voice. Are you snarky? Do you use winks and exclamation points? Do you challenge followers to think or use their imaginations? Your posts are an extension of your brand, follow your brand to find your social media voice and then stick to it.

2. Have good manners. Social media provides real-time voice from you to your followers and vice versa. If they have taken the time to ask you a question, congratulate you, complain, or just say hello--acknowledge them! Whether that's a simple "like" or "favorite" or a comment or reply, it will not go unnoticed.

3. Experiment. While I believe there is a wrong way to effectively manage your social media voice, I don't necessarily think there is a right way. Finding out what works for you will take some experimentation, possibly a few failed posts, and slow growth. One thing I have found that works is not linking all your media accounts. For example, if I post something to an Instagram page, it does not automatically post to Twitter or Facebook as well. Rather, post the follow up on a different forum 6-24 hours later, as it serves as a reminder to read a blog post, enter a contest, etc.

4. Don't get too caught up in followers. New followers are great and we all love them, but what's more important is the interaction among the followers that you do have. I'll often come across an Instagram account with 1,500 followers. They will average 75-100 likes per post and a good dozen-two dozen comments. I will find a similar account with 7,000 followers and the exact same interaction. Did that account purchase followers? Maybe.

4B. To follow up on my 4th point, Make posts that encourage interaction. Ask followers to comment with their favorite top from your new spring collection. Ask them what they thought of last night's episode of the show that everyone's watching. Going out of town? Ask for restaurant recommendations. These posts are far more encouraging than, "Go read my new blog post."

5. Proof. Always, always proof your posts! Thankfully Facebook and Instagram now allow edits to posts now, which saves hassle from that little typo that slipped through. But surprisingly, I see bloggers and news sources make more mistakes than any other groups!

Thanks Kristen!

Guys, if you guys have any questions for Kristen, leave them in the comments and I will pass them along!

Interview: CP Sarah Clift

Hey all! I am trying something new with the old blog lately. I am going to be interviewing folks who might have some interesting perspectives on writing, publishing, editing, and all that good stuff. So to start things off, I'd like to introduce you to Sarah Clift, one of my two awesome critique partners!

(For those of you who don't know, a critique partner is a person who reads your work and gives you feedback before you put it out there in the world. They are invaluable for people who want to improve their writing skills. That being said, everyone has to find a style and group that works for them! I suggest swapping 10-15 pages for critique and then deciding how you feel about the other person's style, and vice versa. That is how I found Melanie and Sarah and they are the beeeeeeeeest.)

So here's Sarah!

1. What do you write?

My first novel was what I termed a YA paranormal, but years later, I still can't exactly say what genre it was. After that, I discovered contemporary, and I've written a YA contemporary and MG contemporary. I'll probably stay in MG for a while because I think inside I'm still a 12-year-old girl.

2. Where you're from, how long you've been writing, etc.

I'm in Northern California, and I finished my first novel in May 2012. I guess that's what I call my writer birthday because it was the day I proved to myself I could string together enough words to make a novel.

3. What is your critiquing style when you are reading for others?

It depends on the stage. In a beginning stage, I like to give a manuscript two reads. One time I read straight through, and the second time I go through and make comments on what I like and what's confusing. If a manuscript is closer to a final draft, I like to do some copyediting and make sure it's coherent. Something I've noticed is that sometimes I'll read something that's not my cup of tea. That doesn't mean it's a bad story, but maybe I'm not the intended audience. So I try to channel whatever that audience will be and make suggestions accordingly.

4. What do you like to get out of critiquing when someone is reading for you?

I like a reader to say what she likes and what is confusing to her. Sometimes it all makes sense in my head but doesn't come out that way on the page. I also like suggestions on how to make the plot better paced because that's something I always struggle with.

5. What do you find unhelpful in critiquing?

I don't respond well to people who try to make me feel dumb. I can deal with harsh criticism if it is dealt kindly.

6. How many CPs do you have? How did you find them?

I've had a few in the past, but you've been the only one I've maintained over the years (you're that awesome!). (Ru's Sidenote: Aw, shucks.) 

We met through GUTGAA, right?

(Ru's Sidenote: OH MY GOSH, I had forgotten how we met! Yup, that was how, haha.)

I think we were matched by Robin. Also, my dad is a writer, and we're always trading pages. I've had a good handful of beta readers too, and they're helpful especially at the end stages when you need a fresh set of eyes to make sure everything makes sense.

7. What do you recommend to writers looking for CPs?

I feel that for a successful critique partnership to work, you have to respect the other writer's talent and opinion. It sounds uppity, but if you feel you are further along in your writing education, you might not trust the opinion of the other partner. I feel beta readers are great regardless of how they match up to you in development, but to be able to trade critiques successfully, you have to have mutual trust and respect. That's why it's a good idea to do a test run of trading pages before you commit to a partnership. It's also helpful to have a partner that writes a similar genre that you write.

Follow Sarah on Twitter here!

Interview: CP Melanie Stanford

Hey all! I am trying something new with the old blog lately. I am going to be interviewing folks who might have some interesting perspectives on writing, publishing, editing, and all that good stuff. So to start things off, I'd like to introduce you to Melanie Stanford, one of my two awesome critique partners!

(For those of you who don't know, a critique partner is a person who reads your work and gives you feedback before you put it out there in the world. They are invaluable for people who want to improve their writing skills. That being said, everyone has to find a style and group that works for them! I suggest swapping 10-15 pages for critique and then deciding how you feel about the other person's style, and vice versa. That is how I found Melanie and Sarah and they are the beeeeeeeeest.)

Take it away, Melanie!

1. Why do you write?

To shut up the voices in my head. Oh, and because I love it.

 

 

2. Where you're from, how long you've been writing, etc.

I've moved around a lot- Saskatchewan, Ontario, Connecticut, Utah, and currently Alberta. I've been writing since grade two, when I wrote the 100-page masterpiece, Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Bloody Mary.

 

2. What is your critiquing style when you are reading for others?

My comments are whatever I'm thinking in the moment. And I nitpick at sentences, I can't help it. I'm slowly getting better at critiquing big picture, but it's been something I've had to learn. (Still learning.)

 

3.  What do you like to get out of critiquing when someone is reading for you?

Anything and everything. Whatever isn't working, whether it's a sentence, or the entire manuscript. Otherwise, how can it get better?

 

4. What do you find unhelpful in critiquing?

I don't think there's anything unhelpful (unless someone says, you suck, quit writing now). It can definitely be frustrating when you hear, "this isn't working but I don't know why" because I often don't know why either. But stepping back for a bit and brainstorming usually helps. And I love a critiquer who throws out ideas- whether I take them or not it gets my brain going.

 

5. How many CPs do you have? How did you find them?

I have three trusted CPs who are invaluable. One is a sister-in-law who is also an editor for a small press, the other two I found online, I don't even remember how. I've also had different beta readers throughout my many manuscripts.

 

6. What do you recommend to writers looking for CPs?

Put yourself out there online, and most importantly- offer to critique or beta for someone else. Give and you get back, and if you're lucky you'll find people you really connect with. :)

Follow Melanie on Twitter here!