SumShine Saturday~I mean, really...

"Why would someone sit, hour after hour tapping on a keyboard?"

  "How could someone possibly forget to eat?"

  "You just poured pasta in the sink--without a strainer.  Where is your mind?"

 And my favorite: "I mean really, who does that?"

 These are just a few questions my family directs my way.  (Except for the pasta, I switch that up with cereal in the fridge or milk in the cabinet.) Of course, they ask with a smile and a shake of the head. They are supportive of my writing, though they do not understand for a minute why anyone would spend hours writing only to rewrite it again … and again.  My drive is relentless and my family can see I am happiest when I write, so I guess they are supportive because they love me. Besides, it gives them time to boil more pasta.

Many nights, I kiss my kids and hubby goodnight with the intention of editing "just one chapter" before I go to bed.  With a cast-off Pooh Bear blanket about my shoulder, I begin--then I end up telling myself, I can't simply stop in the middle of an idea, I must rewrite that sentence or the famous just one more chapter.  In what seems a couple of  hours, the lilac patterns on my living room curtains brighten. Only then do I realize I stayed up all night. On mornings like that, my daughter asks, "I mean really, who does that?"

When I actually do go to bed, there are times I wake in the middle of the night, ideas formulating for dialogue, conflict or a twist in plot.  My husband caught me scribbling once and asked me what I was doing at three in the morning. I told him I had a great idea and had to write it down. He grinned, gave me a kiss and said he just got an idea too.  I wonder if he knows I incorporated his hot idea in my novel.

I mean really, who does that?

~*Summer Wench

photo by graur razvan ionut

Wednesday Wonderings - The Synopsis

For the next few Wednesday Wonderings, I wanted to talk about The Dreaded Synopsis. Here goes!

Pt. 1 of 2

There comes a point in every writer’s life where they have to ask themselves what they are doing. Is writing just a hobby, something to be done sporadically and without reason? Maybe it’s a life-long dream to be a published author. Or maybe you’re one of the millions of writers who can’t not write – it’s a part of who you are, like hair colour and height.

If you’re one of the latter, the time will come when you start taking yourself, and your writing, seriously. Walking through bookshops gets you excited. The covers, the beautiful covers, could one day be neighbours to your cover.

Okay, you’re going for it. To hell with the odds. You know you’re talented. You believe you have a shot at leaping off the desk of a much sought-after literary agent and are on the way to big leagues.

But wait. Rewind a bit first.  

There’s something you’re forgetting.

An all-important, absolutely crucial thing to be done first.

The Synopsis.

To some writers, the synopsis comes so easily they laugh at the thought of it being any different. To others, myself included, it is on the same level of agonizing pain as having bamboo shoved under your fingernails.

Write 90+ thousand words? Think up characters and plot lines and go through months of editing? Psshh – no worries. Write a one-page condensed version of your book? Um…Momma?

When I did my research for writing a winning synopsis, all I found were contradictions. Single space. Double space if more than one page. Never write more than one page. Write a thirty page synopsis and condense to ten. Write the synopsis first. Write the synopsis last. Don’t write it with an angle. Say how it ends. Don’t say how it ends. Make it interesting. Don’t write with a voice. The contradictions are endless.

And there really aren’t any words of wisdom I can impart here.

A good synopsis is a bit like falling in love with the right partner. When you know, you know.

When I wrote the synopsis for my second book, I did a fair few drafts. After each one I left it alone and didn’t look at it for at least a day. I didn’t stress about the length, just made sure I didn’t exceed two pages. It’s amazing how much can be culled with a good batch of editing.

Nothing was really working until I got bored and wrote a tongue-in-cheek synopsis. And that was it. I knew that was the one for me. It suited my book, it wasn’t written in my voice, but it was a distinctive voice. It hit all the key plot points and highlighted the strengths of the work, and mine as a writer.

There is no hard and fast rule of synopsis writing except keep on plugging. Show it to someone who has read your book. Do your research, and listen to your gut. 

Rainy Days and Mondays - To head hop or not to head hop? That is the question.

Are you a head hopper? I’ve been known to head hop on occasion. I admit it. However, before my manic head hopping ways could make it out into the world, my editor caught me and put paid to my head hopping days.

Wait. You don’t know what head hopping is? Well, it’s when you are trucking along in your novel from one point of view, and from one paragraph to the next, BAM, you’re in someone else’s head. Editors will tell you this is verboden - an absolute no-no. Let me show you what they never want you to do.

Love scene: (If you’re not legal, skip to the regular text now!)

Laura let her fingers slide through John’s silky hair and trace their way down his spine, revelling in his responding shiver. She arched her back as his lips nibbled and caressed their way down her throat, her cleavage, past her navel, pausing in their play to elicit a gasp of longing from her. Each and every thought left her until only sensation remained.

He couldn’t get enough of the taste of her. The slightly salty tang combined with her own unique essence tested his control. John wanted all of her, now. Her texture so soft and inviting under his tongue, responding to the slightest increase in pressure convulsed him with desire. His journey down her body continued until he reached her molten core.

Well now, what was I telling you about? Ah yes, head hopping. In the example above we go from Laura’s POV (point of view) in the first paragraph, directly into John’s POV in the second. There are no page breaks, or ***, or even a chapter break in between. This is head hopping. And though it can be used to great effect during emotionally charged scenes, it can also jar a reader right out of the moment, ruining whatever tension may have been built to that point.

So, how come you’ll find head hopping being done by authors like Nora Roberts? Maybe it’s because once you reach a certain level of fame you can break the rules. Hm. Perhaps it’s because her editor doesn’t know this rule. Doubtful. I think, just maybe, it’s because she is good enough to head hop without leaving her readers floundering.

Ah, to have that level of talent. To showcase an emotionally packed scene from both characters point of view - and have it make sense! How awesome would that be? Now that we all know I drool at the thought of being a professional head hopper, what do all of you think?

Should there be one rule for everyone? No Head Hopping Allowed, Period. What about for those writers out there who have the talent and the know how to break the rule? Tell me what you think.

Rain

Picture supplied by Dreamstime

Sunday PicNic ~ The Writers Dance

The Writer’s Dance

"You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart." ~Unknown

I’m a mega-fan of the television show, So You Think You Can Dance. It’s a fabulous platform for young dancers to showcase their diverse styles, dreams and desires. (This pertains to writing, I promise. Stay with me… hee hee)

Some dancers are confident, with years of training behind them, while others are searching for guidance to improve their skills. Whether their strength lies in experience, performance, technical training, or a blend of these factors—they all expose their souls on the stage. Each dancer is unique, yet they all share a common bond. Passion.

Writers understand a dancer’s passion. We don’t express it with technical steps, precise gestures, or flexible movements. We use words. Writers have different styles, strengths and abilities; yet, like dancers, we share the bond of passion.

Below, I’ve listed several styles of dance and their parallel writing styles. Which dance-writing styles fit you?

Lyrical Dance

"It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer." ~Shanna La Fleur

Dancers are slow and rhythmic, conveying a precise theme throughout their arrangement.

As a writer, do you write at a deliberate, fluid pace? Is there usually a central theme behind your story?

Crunk

"Dancing can reveal all the mystery that music conceals." ~Charles Baudelaire

Dancers are pumped up, electrical performers. Their performances focus on their athleticism, and their interpretation to bass music rather than lyrics.

Are you a crunker? Are your stories Action-driven rather than character-driven? 

Modern Dance

“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.” ~Unknown

Dancers concentrate on expressing their inner feelings, and defy the strong rules of classical ballet. They delve into deep emotions and display a dramatic and personal presentation.

Are your characters incensed at wrong-doings? Do they survive catastrophic incidences, or are they searching for inner-strength to overcome tragedy?

Folk Dance

"Dancers aren't made of their technique, but their passion." ~Unknown

These dancers have little or no professional training. They learn by observing others. Although they may evolve into public performances, folk dancers aren’t seeking to be center stage.

Have you dabbled with prose through the years and thought about taking the plunge into authoring a book? Are you a new writer who’s trying to stay afloat in a sea of inexperience, information, and insecurity? If you’re testing the waters, so-to-speak, you might relate to the folk dancer.

Robot Dance

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” ~Japanese Proverb

Those who robot dance are specialists in short, stop and go movements.

If you’ve stopped writing long enough to have forgotten your characters names, or have several unfinished stories boxed up in the back of your closet, you might be a robot-writer.

Jitterbug

"You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart." ~Unknown

This dance is fast, fun and exhilarating. It has swift bouncy movements that stimulate an enlivening, heart-pounding, sensation.

All writers fit the jitterbug. We write because we love that jitterbuggy feeling of being inspired and moving others.

Dance-Writer

"To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak" ~Indian Proverb

So, you think you can write?

If you’ve postponed going to bed by ‘five more minutes’ to finish a sentence, and suddenly find it’s time to eat breakfast…

If you’ve had the ‘staring at a blank document until your eyes bleed’ kind of writer’s block…

If you’ve re-written your re-re-re-written manuscript…

Then you might be a dance writer.

"We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, we create the dreams." ~Unknown

~Nic

SumShine Saturday ~*~Shadows of the Sunrise

    

Cleaning my attic began as a chore, until I came across a box of memories.  Inside, I found my old journal, wedged between a tin of keychain mementos and a scrapbook. 

The single bulb illuminated the past while I sat among the cobwebs and boxes reading the perfectly slanted words. My penmanship seemed to contradict the life I was living at that time. I found myself feeling sorry for the young woman … as if someone else lived that part of my life. I packed the journal away, but the following words remained with me.

"Love shouldn't hurt like this. Life shouldn't be something I muddle through. It's abnormal to breathe a sigh of relief just because I wasn't harmed a day out of the week.  I refuse to stumble through the motions of existence any longer. I want to live. I want to stop watching sunrises with no color in my heart. I refuse to bear another day of darkness. Today, I will leave him. "

(I did. Moreover, years later a man who really loves me is by my side and in my heart.)

Why am I telling you this? Because, moments in our lives are rich with suggestions for a story. I don't believe in writers block. There is inspiration in everything. Be it a breeze carrying the smell of lavender, sparking the scent of a character's hair … or like today, when the past creeps into the future, creating an idea for my next book.  

        ~*~Summer Wench

picture supplied  by dreamstime.com

Contest Winner!

First of all, the Wenches would like to thank everyone who participated in the contest. We were very excited to do the first of what we hope to be many awesome giveaways here on Wench Writers, and we hope you all come back for them! 

Second of all, that moment is here...the time to announce the lucky winner! 

And here it is....

Congratulations Joanie!!!!!






Well done, Joanie! We will be contacting you shortly for you to choose your prize!


Commiserations to all who didn't win this time, but there will be more chances in the future!


With thanks and love,


The Wenches xx

Wednesday Wonderings - Evil Edits

There is one word this writer loathes above all others: editing. I know a lot of author types who despise the editing process. We are creative; artistic and eager to delve into stories and characters, exciting plot lines and dialogue. So why should we spend more time nit-picking than actual story telling?

Nowhere is it written that editing is law. Maybe you’re one of those fantastic people who write perfectly first time with no need to double check anything. I doubt it, but maybe. Because writers are creative, we’re also flaky – prone to changing our minds at a moments notice.

Editing is time consuming. You need to spend time alone with your book fine tuning it and polishing it to the point of dazzling. I hate editing because I get wrapped up in the story, rushing to get to another part I like. I miss a lot. Therefore I edit a lot.

So what makes it easier?

For me it depends where I’m at in the book – maybe it’s finished and I’m editing it as a whole rather than individual chapters. If it’s whole, I think about what I’m trying to achieve with that round of editing. Am I looking for flaws? Continuity? How the story flows? Does each chapter match up with the preceding one? Could a scene or chapter be moved somewhere else? Could it be taken out entirely? Once I’ve decided, it makes it a lot easier. If I’m looking for nits I don’t notice the story, only one word or punctuation mark at a time. If I’m seeing how it flows I ignore the nits, concentrate on the book as a whole.

The most important thing to remember, especially when you get bored and lean back in your chair, open up Facebook or MSN for distraction from the editing, you are doing it for a reason. Editing is just as important as the writing, if not more. Every word has to earn its place in your book. Why use three words when you could use one?

I’m a natural rambler. It takes a lot of effort for me to shorten word count. But it can be done. Honest.

What I always remind myself is that although I hate the editing process, once the warm glow of reaching the final chapter is replaced with a hollow, empty feeling of dread at the thought of starting edits, I always find something along the way. A story line that was on the horizon but never amounted to anything can burst to life, giving me flashes of inspiration.

And if I really need something to spur me on, I open the first draft of a project I have finished multiple drafts of. I read the first few chapters then open the most recent draft of the same project. The difference, the improvement, always startles me.

So next time you get an edit migraine, take a moment to think about why you’re doing it before you procrastinate. And if you can’t think of anything, writer friends can be amazing motivators. And if all else fails, jump on MSN. I’ll probably be there. Procrastinating.