Finals! (and Other Teenage Troubles)

FINALS. They have descended on our kids—and, therefore, on the entire household, a week of exams preceded by what seems like two months of building stress, final projects, deadlines, and kids with too little sleep. It brings back memories of my own high school career—the intense emotions of being a teenager coupled with the stress that comes with knowing that what I did mattered, like, for the rest of my life. Teens are in that awkward middle place where they want to be in charge of their own lives—and yet, at the same time, they don’t. Being in charge is scary. Being grown-up is scary. The stakes are starting to get higher.

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When Characters Lie: Eight Questions to Ask

Do your characters lie? Lies can lead to additional untruths, misunderstandings, problems that grow bigger each time the character tries to solve things—in other words, lies are a terrific way to build story conflict.

Having your character lie is a terrific plot device—but one that can backfire if you aren’t careful.

Here’s what I mean. In the TV series White Collar, con-man and FBI “consultant” Neal Caffrey tells the occasional untruth. You’d expect as much from a con-man, but the funny thing is that he’s more likely to get what he wants through charm and wit than by lying; and when he has something to hide, he’s more likely to do so by keeping his mouth shut than by concocting an explanation. When he does lie, it’s always for a good reason: to protect someone, to accomplish a purpose that can’t be accomplished otherwise, to hide information from someone he doesn’t trust.

The result? Neal may be a con-man, forger, thief, and professional smooth-talker, but he makes a decent, loyal, and (mostly) trustworthy friend.

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How Plot Development Is Like Navigating a Maze

It struck me, as I was working my way through my latest first draft, that plot development is very much like navigating a maze…

*Photo courtesy of Mecookie on Flickr Creative Commons

…and the similarities give some insight into how to tackle a tricky plot problem.

• A methodical approach can work—but sometimes you just have to go for it. As an avid “plotter,” I usually know in advance the course I want my book to take. There are moments, though, when the muse tugs me off the beaten track. I always follow!
• Sometimes you have to go down dead ends. No matter how well you’ve planned your route, sometimes the only way to know a particular path leads to a dead end is to go there…and sometimes the only way to know a scene doesn’t fit is to write it. Those efforts aren’t wasted: now you know where *not* to go!

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Up Your (Story) Game: Seven Tips

I wrote last week about games in middle grade fiction—especially in books that appeal to boy readers. Great, you may be thinking, but how do I do that?

If you’re like me, maybe you weren’t the most athletic kid in the PE class…maybe you were more likely to spend your spare time with your nose in a book than kicking around a soccer ball...

*Photo courtesy of kainr on Flickr Creative Commons 

But if you write for young readers, you don’t want to limit yourself to fellow geeks and bookworms (much as we love them). And that means that many of the kids in your intended audience will love games: sports, contests, puzzles, challenges, games of all forms and shapes and sizes. Actually, even geeks and bookworms love games—different ones, maybe, but still games. So why not consider whether a game might play a role in your next project? For instance, a game can…

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Mining Real Life for Story Ideas

I've written previously about reading local news coverage to inspire plot, setting, and character for my last work-in-progress. Well, another amusing tidbit—filed away when I read it last fall—is making its way into my current book: “Woman Fights Bear with Zucchini, Wins”.

What more could a story desire?

Do you incorporate news items, overheard conversation, or intriguing-looking characters into your writing? What sources inspire you?

:) Cheryl

Photo courtesy of http2007 on Flickr Commons

Crafting Believable Villains: 52 Questions to Ask

If you read much writing advice, you probably know that villains are supposed to be believable, well-rounded , and not necessarily evil. (And if you haven’t read that writing advice, now you know.) But how do you go about creating such a believable-yet-villainous character? Plunking a black hat on your bad guy is oh-so-much easier!

When in doubt, I like to start by asking questions—so I figured I’d share :). Don’t feel the need to answer them all; instead, ask and see which evoke answers that surprise or inspire. Happy writing!

52 Questions to Ask Your Villain

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Writing Your Character’s Thoughts: 3rd Person Limited POV

On Wednesday, I wrote about the importance of showing your characters’ thoughts in your writing—especially your main character’s thoughts—and gave examples for a first person point-of-view narrative. But what about third person narrators? How do you portray a character’s thoughts here without a constant stream of “he thought this” and “she thought that”? Here are some ideas…

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Writing Your Character’s Thoughts

Character thoughts are a powerful tool for any fiction writer—but one that many don’t, well, think about. What can you accomplish by writing your character’s thoughts? For starters, you can:

• Introduce problems or worries
• Explore relationships
• Expose insecurities
• Show the logic that drives a decision
• Illustrate bias
• Develop the character’s voice

Great, you say, but how do I do those things? It depends on your chosen point of view. Here are some examples for writing in first person—I’ll have some third person limited examples for you on Friday.

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More Thoughts on Voice

Thanks for such a great discussion last week on voice, what it means, and how to find it! Blogging friend Charissa Weaks was inspired to write more on the topic on her blog in the post “The Difference Between Voice, Style and Tone.”

Here’s a taste:

THIS IS A BROAD TOPIC WITH EVEN BROADER OPINIONS AND I'M ADDING ANOTHER TO THE HEAP.

Why is this such a vague area?  Well...because there is no specific definition for it, so everyone defines it in their own way - which is exactly what I'm about to do!

After Googling around I came across several articles about voice and style and tone.  Some people see the trio as separate entities and others see style and tone as a part of voice.

Maybe they are the same thing...I don't know...but in my eyes they are not.

Visit her blog and join in the discussion!

:) Cheryl

*Photo courtesy of UggBoy*UggGirl on Flickr Creative Commons

Finding Your Voice: Seven Tips

Despite the oft-repeated advice for authors to write for a single audience (to build that elusive brand), many childen’s writers write for both middle graders and young adults. Denise Vega entertains middle school students with her novels Click Here (to find out how I survived seventh grade) and Access Denied (and other eighth grade error messages), but reaches teens in Fact of Life #31 and the soon-to-be-released Rock On. (She also writes picture books, but only because she’s an overachiever <grin>).       

Fantasy author Hilari Bell targets younger readers with fast-paced adventure in The Prophecy and Wizard Test, but writes for a more mature audience in books such as her latest release, Trickster’s Girl. How do they do it? How does one change from a young voice to teen and back again?

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Computer games: the debate continues

I've written previously on computer games, their impact on kids, and their potential drawbacks and benefits. This is a hotly debated topic in my household, with the kids coming down firmly on one side of the fence (computer time should not be limited!), me on the other (no computer time!), and my husband, ever moderate, somewhere in the middle.

Here's the latest news to fuel the debate: scientists at the University of Bristol's Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences published results of a study of more than 1000 children (ages 10 and 11) in the November edition of Pediatrics, where they report that children who spend more than two hours watching TV, in "recreational computer use," or some combination of the two score higher in measures of psychological difficulty.

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More on Computer Games…

To add to my angst about all the time my kids are spending in front of the screen, I just read this report on how “Video games lead to faster decisions that are no less accurate.”*

Researchers at the University of Rochester tested students ages 18 to 25 who didn’t usually play video games. Half of them were required to play 50 hours of the high-action games “Call of Duty 2” and “Unreal Tournament”; the other half played the slow-moving game “The Sims 2”. Afterward, they tested students’ ability to make quick decisions—and found that the action game players were up to 25 percent faster and just as accurate as those who played the slower-paced game. Researcher Daphne Bavelier says, “It's not the case that the action game players are trigger-happy and less accurate…[they] make more correct decisions per unit time. If you are a surgeon or you are in the middle of a battlefield, that can make all the difference.”

Do me a favor: don’t tell my kids about this, okay?

:) Cheryl

*This research will be published in the journal Current Biology in a paper authored by Daphne Bavelier, Alexandre Pouget, and C. Shawn Green.

Computer Games: Friend or Foe?

This has been a challenging school year for me thus far, for a weird reason: World of Warcraft. Not that I’m playing. My kids are playing. They both have accounts—that they pay for—and they are both spending hours and hours every week online, slaying monsters, completing quests, laughing, and having fun.

As a children’s writer and someone who’s chosen not to have a TV in the house for the past 20+ years, this disturbs me greatly.

How does such a thing happen, you ask? The problem is…not really a problem. That is, the kids have been given permission to play computer games without regulation as long as they’re getting chores done, logging half an hour of exercise a day, staying current on homework, and getting good grades. And the problem is that they’re doing it. And they’re seeing friends, playing Magic the Gathering at lunch, and participating in various clubs and after-school activities, so I don’t have an excuse to kick them off their machines.

Yes, this decision to let them have unlimited computer time is a slight point of contention in our household, but I can’t argue with the results. When I ask them to get off and help set the table, they do so with (usually) good grace. When they miss chores, they lose computer privileges the next day with few complaints. And the chores get done. Where we used to have arguing and conflict, now we have clear expectations, no reminders, no nagging, and simple consequences. And both kids are happy.

So what’s the problem? My kids are spending five million freaking hours on the computer every day!!!!

Not that I’d exaggerate. Much. I just keep telling myself that this is a good problem to have….

:) Cheryl

Rocky Mountain Chapter SCBWI Fall Conference: Bruce Coville Wows and Inspires

I have a special place in my heart for Bruce Coville’s books. It’s not just that they’re lots of fun—which they are—or that they’re great examples of craft, plotting, and storytelling—which they are. His book Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher saved my life.

This happened a few years ago, when I made one of my overly optimistic cross-country drives from Colorado to Pennsylvania with two kids in tow. Just before Christmas. In horrendous weather.*

After three days of driving and too many hairy moments to recount, we made it to PA late at night, in the middle of a snow storm. We were supposed to spend the night at my sister’s house with her husband and kids because my parents were at the hospital, where my dad had just had surgery. I’ve been to my sister’s house. It’s a large white farmhouse with a red barn only just off the road and, theoretically, it’s not that hard to find. At least, it’s not that hard to find in the daylight. At night, in a snowstorm, in one of the darkest counties in PA, when one’s brain is theoretically addled from WAAAY too many hours on the road, it’s another story. I drove up and down that road without seeing it.

Meanwhile, the snow is getting heavier, my eyelids are dragging, and both kids are awake and pathetic in the back seat.

What does this have to do with Bruce Coville, you ask? Well, it was his story, performed by his audio book company Full Cast Audio, that kept me awake and kept the kids and I sane for much of the cross-country drive and for ALL of that stressful night. We listened to it as we searched for my sister’s house. We listened when I finally gave up and headed to my parent’s house, even though I knew it was empty. We listened to it as we slipped and slid our way down their very long, very snowy driveway and I left it on for the kids while I stomped through snow drifts trying to find an open door and, when there wasn’t one, breaking into the house. We listened to it over the next week every time we drove from one house to another, because this was rural PA, where the minimum driving time between any two locations is 25 minutes. We listened to it when the cousins joined us in the car and we needed entertainment (so that I didn’t go crazy in my stressed-out, overtired state.)

So: it was with great interest that I sat down Saturday morning for Coville’s Keynote address. I came to the conference seeking inspiration and encouragement—and he didn’t disappoint. But more on that in a few days…

:) Cheryl

*Yes, I know. The weather is BOUND to be horrendous somewhere along a cross-country drive at that time of year. See overly optimistic, above…

Too Fat to Be a Princess—Worries for the Modern Preschooler

We all know the American obsession with skinny people and body image—but I didn’t know until I read this report how pervasive worries about appearance has become. According to a recent study at the University of Central Florida, about half of 3-6 year old girls say they worry about being too fat.

This makes me sad.

On the flip side, these girls don’t appear to react negatively to videos showing your stereotypical thin, gorgeous princess figure. This differs from the responses of older girls and women, who tend to feel worse about themselves after viewing videos of thin, lovely models. I’m thinking this is a plus, although I can’t quite put my finger on why. Maybe it’s that these girls don’t compare their bodies to animated princesses?

When I write for middle schoolers and young adults, I think about tackling issues of body image, healthy living, and eating disorders—but I don’t usually think about those things when writing a story for 3-6 year-olds. I wonder if there’s a need.

A few more give-aways

Apparently, it’s impossible to corral all of the writing world’s lovely give-aways in one blog post, so here are a few more to start off your week. Have fun!

1. 8th Grade Superzero giveaway
   • By? the Tenner’s
   • Who can enter? anyone age 13 or over—one per person
   • Deadline? Friday, December 11, 11:59 PM (EST)
   • The Deets: “To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post by Friday, December 11 at 11:59 PM (EST) telling us one way that you might be an "agent of positive change" (at home, school, work, in the larger community, among friends, or some sort of change within) in 2010”
   • The Prize: signed copy of 8th Grade Superzero!
2. Deb’s Book Giveaway!
   • By? Daisy Whitney
   • Who can enter? everyone (I think)
   • Deadline: varies—check her blog
   • The Deets: Daisy will have a series of contests over the next few weeks. View the video on her blog for more info.
   • The Prizes: signed copies of TMI by Sarah Quigley, Exclusively Chloe by J.A. Yang, Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman, My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman and Ash by Malinda Lo
3. Mentors, Muses, Monsters CONTEST!
   • By? Editorial Ass
   • Who can enter? Everyone!
   • Deadline: December 15, 2009, at 11 pm EST
   • The Deets: “Create a tribute to (or a character assassination of) someone who contributed significantly (positively or negatively) to your path toward becoming a writer.
     Rules: Email me at moonratty@gmail.com your submission in the body of an email. (No attachments please.) The submissions can be any length you like, but please keep in mind I have a fairly short attention span, and that submissions may be judged accordingly. The submissions may be prose, verse, acrostic, or whatever other verbal form inspires you.”
   • The Prize: “One hardcover copy of MENTORS, MUSES & MONSTERS, signed by Elizabeth Benedict, Lily Tuck, Alexander Chee, Martha Southgate, and Mary Gordon.”
     

A Completely Non-Exhaustive Roundup of December’s Contests and Giveaways

‘Tis the season for bloggers and such to try to motivate a bit more reader participation—or to attract new readers—or maybe just to have some random fun interacting with readers. Whatever the reason, I’ve come across a number of contests and giveaways lately, and thought you, dear readers, might enjoy checking them out. Have fun!

1. Wake and Fade book giveaways
   • By? FallenArchangel.com
   • Who can enter? Everyone!
   • Deadline: Midnight Thursday, December 10
   • The Deets:”In order to enter for a chance to win a set of these books, comment here in this thread and tell us about your weirdest dream. Keep it clean and appropriate for all ages please.”
   • The Prizes: copies of Wake and Fade by Lisa McMann
     
2. FallenArchangel.com ‘Tis the Season of Giving Contest
   • By? Writer Girl
   • Who can enter? Everyone!
   • Deadline: Sunday Dec 13th at 11:59 PST.
   • The Deets:
     “It is simple, really. You do a kind deed. It is the time when we really start to think of other people and I love this time of year for that. Do a conscious kind deed, put it up here what you did on this post and that counts as a point. It doesn't have to be big. Not tripping your sister in the hall could count for one. :) Even just smiling at someone that doesn't usually get a smile would be one (and it can be so huge). So you will be earning these books, but in very simple ways. You can get as many points as you want. I will be going off of the honor system here.”
   • The Prize: Pick one of three signed books, Rapunzel’s Revenge (Bruce and Shannon Hale), Wintergirls (Laurie Halse Anderson), or The Lightning Thief  (Rick Riordan)

3. Fourth and Final Readergirlz Writing Contest

   • By? readergirlz author in residence Beth Kephart
   • Who can enter? Everyone!
   • Deadline: December 30, 2009
   • The Deets: "...a challenge that asks you to look at something familiar and transform it into the unexpected. Check out the video posted here. Send your best work to kephartblogATcomcastDOTnet…The winning work will be posted on this site. Our deadline is December 30, 2009."
   • The Prize: an advanced reading copy of The Heart is Not a Size (due out in March from HarperTeen).

4. Eighteenth Annual Delacorte Yearling Contest for a  First Young Adult Novel

   • By? Delacorte
   • Who can enter? “U.S. and Canadian writers who have not previously published a young adult novel. Employees of Random House, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and members of their families and households are not eligible."
   • Deadline: December 31, 2009 (postmark)
   • The Deets: Submit a manuscript 100-224 pages, cover page, and brief plot summary suited for readers ages 12-18. See here for more info.
   • The Prize: “The prize of a book contract (on the publisher’s standard form) covering world rights for a hardcover and a paperback edition, including an advance and royalties, will be awarded annually to encourage the writing of contemporary young adult fiction. The award consists of $1,500 in cash and a $7,500 advance against royalties.”

5. FreshBrain Video Book Trailer Scholarship

   • By FreshBrain organic
   • Who can enter? Teens ages 13-18
   • Deadline: December 15, 2009
   • The Deets: Submit a book trailer between 30 sec-2 min in length on the FreshBrain website. See here for more info.
   • The Prize: $1000 scholarship

 

 

 

First Drafts: what to do with rewrite suggestions

If you’ve stopped by here of late, you know I’ve spent the past few days at a writing retreat where I’ve received feedback on some of my writing. Most of that feedback was on my latest WIP, VOICE, the story of teenage Cass and her father as they return to the island where her mother was murdered twelve years before.

I’m about a third of the way through the first draft and have cranked out a LOT of pages over the past week. Now, I have some terrific feedback on the first 40 pages from several different authors, editors, and agents (and yes, an offer of representation even, but I told him I was already taken, Gary.)

Writing question of the day: what the heck do I do now? Do I continue to plow forward with the first draft, to get it out? Or do I sacrifice my forward momentum to incorporate comments while they’re still fresh in my mind, laying a firmer foundation for the pages that follow?

:) Cheryl

Serendipity

I love starting a new writing project. Beginnings have all the potential of a great work plus all the fun of research—without much of the angst-y questions, like: Is this any good? Will anyone want to publish it? How will I rewrite this scene so it flows better?

Beginnings don’t bother with specifics and picayune details. Beginnings let me besiege my interlibrary loan system with requests for books on orcas, sailboats, the Pacific Northwest, and round-the-world cruising…and then I get to READ these books.

I have actually been writing, though. After a week and a half of research—when every time I tried to actually start writing, I thought of something else I needed to find out first—I finally crafted the first chapter of the new book. (I want to crank out at least in the next week, because my critique group tackles the Peru book June 5th :P). Today, I drafted another first chapter.

My every-helpful husband suggested that I might confuse the readers, if I keep two chapter #1’s in the book. Good think I keep him around, don’t you think?

Sigh. Writers. We might not always get paid, but man, we have the most fun!

:) Cheryl

Great beginnings

Now that the holidays are over, conference season is picking back up again...and with conferences come those fun first-pages sessions where would-be authors read their manuscript openings to editors and agents across the country in return for a two minute mini-critique (in front of other would-be authors). So what makes a good page? Andrea Brown says that the first page shouldn't have any grownups because, see, kids books need to focus on the kids. Erin Murphy (way back when I began my books with lengthy descriptions of setting or other non-essential info) says that first pages should NOT contain piles of back story.

No doubt about it: that first page is often your one-and-only chance to hook your reader--be he editor, agent, or bookstore browser. I thought I'd take a look at some first pages--some first lines, really--that really grabbed me:

Skin, by Adrienne Maria Vrettos: "These are the things you think when you come home to find that your sister has starved herself to death and you have dropped to your knees to revive her...."

The Wizard Hunters, by Martha Wells: "It was nine o'clock at night and Tremaine was trying to find a way to kill herself that would bring in a verdict of natural causes in court when someone banged on the door."

Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo: "My name is India Opal Buloni, and last summer my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes and I came back with a dog."

How to Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell: "Long ago, on the wild and windy isle of Berk, a smallish Viking with a longish name stood up to his ankles in snow. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, had been feeling slightly sick ever since he woke up that morning."

The Boyfriend List, by E. Lockhart: "Before anyone reading this thinks to call me a slut--or even just imagines I'm incredibly popular--let me point out that this list includes absolutely every single boy I have ever had the slightest little any-kind-of-anything with."

What do they have in common? Some have such an intriguing situation that I want to know what happens next. They ALL have that nebulous quality of a distinct voice. Sometimes I think that my best writing happens when I manage to sound the most like myself. Hmm. Does that mean that Cressida Cowell speaks with Frequent Capitals?

:) Cheryl