My Story, In Song

Happy Monday, guys.

So, I know I haven’t told you a ton about my WIP, but I thought it would be fun to explain it through a few songs that make me think of the story or a specific scene.

I’m 90 percent sure this will seem totally disjointed to you and you’ll think I’m writing a tragedy-romance-comedy mash up that will be as appealing as a peanut butter, lettuce, Red Bull, and string cheese smoothie. If that’s the case, forgive me and let’s still be friends. ’Kay?

Here we go...

This song makes me think of the book on a whole. If this story were a movie, this song would play during the ending credits:

Though I won’t explain it here, some of the lyrics really fit with something that happens at the end of the book:

Whenever I listen to this song I think of a certain scene where one of the characters is dying and something big happens. (Sheesh, I’m being extremely vague here, but just go with it. Please?)

This song is exactly the mood I envision leading up to and during the climax:

And, finally, this song goes with a scene in the story where the main character is really struggling with a moral dilemma. The words “love is our resistance” really fits here, though in the case of my story it’s not about romantic love:

I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s impossible for me to listen to these songs while writing. (Seriously. I end up writing gibberish that uses a few phrases from whatever song I’m listening to at the time.) But I find it really helpful to put a playlist together, lay down, shut my eyes, and let the scenes play out behind my eyes. Sometimes the music inspires the scene. Sometimes it’s just the mood of the music that helps me better develop a scene. And a lot of times I’ll think up new scenes while listening to the music.

Do you use music in any way to help your writing? And who hear can listen while writing?*

* I bet you can read in the car, too.

Pinterest For Writers

Have you ever been wasting precious writing time looking for photos of a hamster wearing a helmet and come across an image that sparks a story idea perfectly? Or have you found a photo that describes a scene or element of your WIP exactly?

I used to save the URLs in a Word document for later. Which, if you really want to know, is a ginormous waste of time. And then I’d save them in a file on my computer. Also a waste of time. And hard drive space.

And then I discovered Pinterest*. 

Insert a chorus of Hallelujah here.

Here’s the deal: Pinterest is like an online cork board where you can collect photos (you “pin” them to your board), create categories, browse or follow other people’s boards, and otherwise keep track of things you don’t want to forget (original URLs are visible, so if you want to, say, remember a recipe, you can pin an image and go back to the site later).

Once you register (for free), you can create boards dedicated to the types of photos you like: teenage boys that might look like a current or future character in your book, paintings, home decorations, whatever. I have separate boards for food, fashion, travel spots, well-designed book covers, posters, story inspiration, and more. It’s the story aspect that’s particularly useful for writers.

Instead of a general story inspiration board, you can create a board for a specific character or setting. You can create a board based on the story you’re writing. Really, it’s up to you.

But the best part? You can download a Pinterest toolbar app that lets you “pin” photos as you see them. Let’s say you’re on a site with five photos, one of which is of a girl who looks exactly like your main character. You can click the “pin it” button in you browser’s toolbar and a pop-up window will ask you to choose the photo you wish to pin. After that, you can pick the board you want to pin the photo to. And then you’re on your merry way. (You can also tweet or add the photo to Facebook from there, but I’ve never done either.)

So there you have it. The best way to avoid wasting time while you’re busy wasting time online. Er, something like that. Oh, and if you want to see what a Pinterest account looks like (and what the boards look like) you can check out mine here.

I know, you’re blown away at how many awesome photos I have much time I’ve wasted looking at random photos.

Anyone else use Pinterest? How do you save photos story-inspiring photos for later?

*I am in no way affiliated with Pinterest, though I’d be happy to take a cut of the profits for this lovely PSA.

There's a Brainstorm Brewing

I’m so glad you liked the query I crafted for the story you guys came up with. I had fun, so I might make the What If game and query a monthly feature. I’m wild and crazy like that.

I made a boatload of progress on the pages I’m revising rewriting, but I allowed myself some time to just sit and think about this new idea that’s been bugging me. I’m not sure how everyone else brainstorms (I have this feeling it’s intense and structured and I’m a giant dork for not knowing the trick just yet) but I thought I’d share what works for me.

For starters, I don’t need to have a strict outline when I start writing, but I at least like to know where I’m starting, the main conflict and characters, a few key scenes, and the end.

I’m really visual, and when I’m writing it’s as if the story’s playing out like a movie. Before I even start a new project, I find some music that captures the tone I want the story to have. Once I have a good playlist, I lie down with headphones in. And I watch the story unfold.

Sometimes I do this for a single scene I’m stuck on, but at the start of a project it’s all open and free. I’ll think about certain scenes and watch the characters interact and see where they go from there.

It’s easier for me to think about what might happen next or what obstacles I might throw at my characters when I’m watching this “movie” behind my eyes. Somehow, staring at a blank document, my brain stops buzzing with thoughts and ideas. 

Actually, I take that back. It’s still buzzing with thoughts, but none of them have anything to do with the story. Usually they’re like, “I could use another glass of water” or “I need to file my nails.”

How do you brainstorm a new story idea?

On Motivation

I don’t have kids, so when I hang out with them I’m always surprised by their absolute adorableness.

This weekend, my nephews and niece came to visit. (Their parents came, too.) So I’m sitting on the couch, legs up on the coffee table, and my 5-year-old nephew sits down next to me. He slouches so his feet reach the coffee table, and he clasps his hands behind his head.

After a good minute, he looks up at me and says, “This is nice. Relaxing.”

“Very relaxing,” I say.

He puts on this expression that I’ve only ever seen in adults. Even though he’s a pipsqueak, his expression was 40 years old and world-weary. “I never get to relax these days,” he says.

I die.

In other news, I’m currently bribing myself to finish revisions. I thought about going on a hunger strike, but A. I would probably pass out way before I could finish writing, and B. food is writer fuel, and C. I’m weak in the face of dinner. Instead, I picked a book I’ve been dying to read and told myself I couldn’t read it until I was done.

I heard about Divergent a while ago. I love Veronica Roth’s blog, and I’d been reading it in the days before Divergent was really Divergent. When everyone on earth was giving away an ARC, I entered over 1.2 billion contests. I lost them all. I read the first 100 pages online. Then I cursed myself because it only made me want to read more.

And then it happened. The book was delivered. I had it in front of me, ready to read whenever I felt like it. And I really wanted to. But…

But there were these revisions, see. They kinda sorta really need to get done. So I set a Law: no reading Divergent until this round of revisions is over.

(Am I the only one who hangs a carrot in front of them while they work?)

In other news, I’m 26 people away from 250 blog followers. Remember way back when I said there would be a contest at 250? Well that’s still on. But I’m adding to that. I’m 11 followers from 300 on Twitter. If I hit 300 by the time I hit 250 I’ll double the prize.

All sorts of insanity will ensue. There might be fireworks. And cupcakes. And a dance party.

Consider yourself warned.

Q: How do you motivate yourself to hit writing goals?

One more thing: On Friday, I’ll post a query letter for the story you guys have been creating. If you haven’t seen Friday’s post, check it out. We’re playing 

“

What If.

” 

All you have to do is ask a question that follows up on the last commenter’s question.

My, What Big Eyes You Have

After a week of dating The Man, I moved home to Massachusetts. (Well, technically I spent a month in Europe post-college graduation and then I moved back home.) He stayed in Baltimore, so we mainly spoke on the phone for four months.

One night, friends of our family came to dinner and asked about The Boy. I told them how I had a major crush on him for the entire year we worked together but he barely noticed me. I explained how, motivated by annoyance and my impending graduation, I told him I liked him—only to get shot down. And I told them how he came back begging (naturally) and wanted to date (of course).

And then my mother’s best friend asked me something.

“What color eyes does he have?” Um…

Mind you, I’d spent a year (covertly) staring at him and working side-by-side with him and attempting to make witty jokes so he’d pay attention to me and not the TV when the restaurant was dead. I’d spent every day for a week with him. I knew he had great eyebrows (yeah, I was jealous) and a slight Baltimorean twang. But his eyes?

“Brown,” I said as if I knew. Only I didn’t. I had no idea what color his eyes were. But his hair was brown and, hey, most brunettes also have brown eyes. Besides, brown eyes were more common than blue.

Of course, the first time he came to visit, the first thing I looked at were his eyes. His blue eyes. Bright blue eyes.

My point here is that if I didn’t notice the eye color of the person I spent most of my days thinking about, how could I ever remember the eye color of my teacher, my boss, the bank teller. Unless you look like these guys...

...I probably have no idea what your eyes look like.

And yet every main character that’s ever lived makes a mental note of everyone’s eyes. Even if the person isn’t important to the main character. Even if the person’s standing across the room.

(Dudes, there’s no way I could tell someone’s eye color the minute they walk in the door. Or in the middle of a fight. Or when I’m paying attention to anything else around me.)

I’d also like to point out how incredibly close to someone you need to be in order to notice the nuances of the eyes. If you are noticing the flecks of jade in the new kid’s eyes, you’re probably thisclose to making out. Not four desks over.

(Also, why do characters notice flecks or deep tones in the eyes and not a weird vein or popped blood vessel?)

I’m not saying you don’t have to mention eye color in your book, but consider the situation. Ask yourself whether you would notice that person’s eyes or at that time or from that distance.

Quick (without looking, you cheater, you) what color eyes does Katie Holmes have?

RTW: When Real Lifers Show Up on the Page

Road Trip Wednesday is a blog carnival, where YA Highway’s contributors and readers post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s take on the topic.

This week, Road Trip Wednesday the prompt was: Who (from real life) have you written into a book?

Truthfully, I never write a full (real life) person into a book. Well, okay. There was this one time I wanted to write about a friend whose parents were killed by a dark lord (sorry, I can’t tell you his name). Only my friend could defeat said dark lord, so there were high stakes. And since he was basically clueless when this happened there was a ton of built-in conflict.

But someone told my friend’s story before I had a chance. 

source

Aside from that brilliant idea that never was, I don’t usually add real-life friends or family into my books. (That hasn’t stopped The Man from asking, “Is this me?” and “What about this?” every time he reads my manuscript.)

Instead, I steal Real Lifers’ mannerisms. It’s kind of like going to a character trait buffet: I’ll take rapid blinking from her and that annoying sound the tongue makes when it suctions to the roof of the mouth from him. Even then, I use their mannerisms sparingly.

Real Lifers mostly help me think about each character as a fully fleshed-out person. I know how my father will act in group situations (shy) with close friends (chatty) or while waiting in line (impatient). I know for a fact that he’d leave a deli before waiting 30 minutes for a sandwich. My mother? She’d chat up the guy behind the counter until both had lost track of time. When a character’s looking a bit one dimensional, I consider how a bunch of Real Lifers might act, which usually helps me delve deeper into the character.

So, yeah, Real Lifers remind us that a character’s personality should affect how they act and react to everything.

I will add, though, that friends and family are more likely to assume they’re in a manuscript more often than they are. They also assume I’m my main character when I’m not.

Which is why The Man started touching the small of my back after reading my characters’ first kiss. Yes, the totally hot love interest put his hand on the main character’s lower back. No, that does not mean all interactions with me should start there.

What about you? Do you write Real Lifers into your books?

Also! If you want to win a copy of the awesome Across the Universe, enter here. (You’ll also find info on how to win more than 20 other prizes. So, you know, check it out.)

Writers Lie.

My characters have a mind of their own.

We hear this all the time. As writers, we think: Yeah, mine too. Pesky bastards. Non-writers think: These people deserve a straight jacket and padded room. So maybe I should explain when I say my characters kicked me in the shins and forced the story in another direction.

First, I’m not nuts. (OK, maybe I’m nuts but it’s not because I hear pretend people speak to me.)

Second, consider lying.

It starts out innocent enough. Someone asks you to watch their dog for the weekend—the same dog that peed on your rug last time, leaving a dark dribble mark you’ll never be able to walk barefoot over again—and you say, “I’d love to but I’m busy.”

Then things spiral out of control. Soon you’re explaining how you’re going out of town to help your mother clean her house because your father hurt his hip while cleaning out the gutters. Oh, and did you know that your mother’s house is extra messy because she’s been babysitting your sister’s illegitimate child for a month. And that child isn’t potty trained.

You get the idea. The lie takes on a life of its own, and before you know it you no longer have to watch your neighbor’s dog—though you do have to explain to your 15-year-old sister why she’ll be getting a gift box of diapers in the mail.

That’s how it works when you’re writing a story. Things happen you didn’t foresee. Characters do things you never intended for them to do. Your mind twists and turns until the story is alive.

Non-writers: That’s what writers are talking about.

In other words: We lie. A lot.

Do you guys find your characters push your plot in directions you've never imagined? And, truthfully, does it work like a lie for you or do they, um, really speak?

It's Like a Movie

I said that procrastination is what got me to this point*. That’s not entirely true. It’s really what I did while procrastinating that helped.

See, while I was obsessing over agent blogs and stalking following writer blogs I was also daydreaming. Once I had my idea—not the craptastic one I originally came up with, mind you—I let it play in my head like I was remembering a good movie.

Over the course of the 11 months I procrastinated (and again when I got stuck on a scene), I got to know my characters. I saw my favorite scenes and how they reacted. I dwelled on what might happen next.

Warning: You might consider me insane for what I’m about to say. You’re entitled to your own opinion, but I’d appreciate it if you don’t call the authorities. With my complexion, straightjackets wash me out.

I’d run through scenes while showering, while washing my hands, while folding laundry. I’d take a nap, throw on some music, and let the story play.

And then I wrote it all down. I wouldn’t say it was an outline (because such an outline would have gotten an F in the high school I went to). But it was a map of sorts. 

This applies mid-draft, too.

It’s easy, when stuck, to force the words. I can’t think of a reason she’d go to that house but, gosh dern it, she needs to be there so that’s what happens next. Usually those are the places in the manuscript beta readers leave marks like this:

HUH!?!?

And no on wants a big fat HUH!?!? in the comments. So step back and let the scene play out in your mind. Watch the “movie” and then watch it again. Watch it until you’re unstuck.

For me, the notes I took while daydreaming were scattered. But they helped me get my mind around the plot, the arc, who these people in my head were.

And now I’m positive, after that comment, you’ll have me committed.

 Do you ever daydream with your story?

*A completed manuscript. A totally flawed, piece of crap first draft, but you get where I'm going with this.

What's In A Name?

I don’t have any children, but if I ever do, I hope I spend as much time considering their names as I did the names of the characters in my book.

(Although, naming children freaks me out a bit. At least with characters, you know the personality you’re attaching to the name. You can slap an Egor on a smokin’ hot dude and know he’ll turn out OK. For kids? Choose the wrong name and you could doom them to a lifetime of misspellings—see Tracey versus the ever-annoying Tracy—or worse. Fifteen years down the line you could be crying at night, Why didn’t I just stick with Kate?!?)

But, right, characters. I knew I had a point here. When I started brainstorming and taking notes on my current WIP, I knew the main boy character’s name would be Eli. When I got the spark of the idea, he was there as Eli. I never considered he might be a Mark or Luke or anything else. He was Eli.

My main character? She kind of went through an identity crisis. In all of my notes, she’s called Wren. I liked the name. It seemed to fit her. But as I went along, I realized she was not a Wren. In fact, I couldn’t even think of her as Wren anymore—it just didn’t fit. (That’s why half of my notes talk about her as Wren and the other half reference her as Alex—not to fool would-be idea thieves, as you might imagine.)

Once I switched her name to Alex she seemed real.

And it’s important. As much as I’d like to think I could name my goody-goody character Lucifer without having readers think of Satan while reading my book, I don’t believe that’s the case. We all have certain memories attached to names that color the characters before the author has a chance to.

That’s why it has to be perfect. That’s why it needs to be deliberate.

That’s why Wren didn’t belong in my story.

How do you choose your characters’ names? Ever misnamed one by accident? Even more important: Ever named your child something and wanted a takeback?

The In Between

The first draft is done. Those words flew out my brain almost faster than I can type. (Almost. I’m a speedy typist.) And now…

… I wait.

… I congratulate myself.

… I tell my sister.

… I tell The Man.

… we do a happy dance.

… I eat an extra dessert.

… I decide that one scene needs to be longer.

… and the scene where you-know-who does you-know-what needs to go.

… I realize there are a lot of blanks I’m going to need to fill in.

… I understand that my love interest is boring.

… and I need to give him more of a personality.

… if I bother editing.

… this sucks.

Right. So I’m going through the in-between moment where I’m staying away from my WIP for several weeks. Yet it’s constantly in my head, which is annoying at times. (Like when someone’s trying to have a real conversation with me and that someone expects a response.) It’s at this time that the self-doubt sets in.

Maybe it’s horrible. Maybe it’s boring. Maybe it’s the most horrible and most boring novel EVER WRITTEN!!!! (Yes, that’s a four exclamation point kind of emotion.) Then I realize that 1) Walden is the most boring book ever written and I’m sorry if you love Henry David Thoreau, but it’s a fact. And 2) I must write better than a celebrity (coughcoughSnookicoughcough) and I feel better.

And then my sister says she loves it. And I feel a lot better. Even if it’s just my sister.

I will edit this. I will right the wrongs. I will add and subtract and dish out personalities like Halloween candy.

What do you during your In Between? Read? Start another story? Watch bad TV? Hibernate?

I Hear Voices

Not literally, okay? I know, you were probably worrying about me after that title. I swear, I’m totally sane.

I’m talking about music. At my day job as a nonfiction writer, I can’t listen to music. It doesn’t matter if I’m writing an article about diabetes, superfoods or eye shadow trends. I can’t do it. Something about hearing voices while I try to lay down the facts and reference multiple documents of transcribed interviews makes my writing suck. And my head explode. I could deal with the latter, but sucky writing? No way.

Anyway, when I started writing my current WIP I vowed to do so in silence. The Man had other thoughts.

He cranked the game so loud I had to plug my ears with headphones just to drown the announcers out. And then I realized I liked listening to music while writing. It got me in the mood. After a while, I barely noticed it. Now I need it.

The Man likes to say this revelation should be credited to him, like he knew all along how much music would help my writing.

I let him think that. He’ll be cursing his brilliance when I start revising and he becomes a widower.

What about you: Music on or off? Any songs I should add to my playlist?