Finding the Voice Inside

I'd like to share with you a book given to me by my friend, Karen Meyers called, Finding the Voice Within, by Gail Collins-Ranadive. Published by Skinner House www.uua.org.skinnerhouse, this little book is full of spiritually inspiring thoughts to ponder and then invites you to consider a key point and write about it.

The concepts are one page - brief enough to take in on the busiest of days and thought provoking enough to get you started writing even on days that your mind is a blank as the white page you face.

There are 40 chapters (topics) a conclusion and writing samples. Themes range from: Retreat to a Safe Place (One), Realigning Yourself with the Serpent (Nine), Realize the Universal (Nineteen), Reveal Heaven Here and Now (Twenty six), Reconcile Your Worldview (Thirty Seven), Reshape Your Own Naming (Forty).  Very interesting.

Now that I have much to write about...I will sign off here for now and get busy in my personal journal. Enjoy!

Bread Crumbs

 I can't stress enough about the importance of researching a prospective agent or publisher. I recently shared my aspiring author follies in the post called, Sipping the Wine, and just so you know, I've resubmitted that manuscript elsewhere. I remain on my humbled path to publication.

Because these days are laiden with so many distractions, before and after my day job, I am convinced that investing a block of time to research the best market for each piece of work that I want to submit is the best way to concentrate my efforts.  I began writing a decade ago and now I have several manuscripts ready for publication. Can you tell that I prefer the creative process over the business aspect of novel publication? I'm sure that I am not the only one out there. It is, after all - a daunting task.

You know as well as I that we must eventually get down to business; that part where we query, prepare our synopsis, outline and determine where the manuscript should be sent to - that part, that if we never took time to do, well, our work would never be read by anyone, except perhaps on a blog, facebook, or as a tweet.

During  a recent research session I've found myself getting derailed by thinking, "Oh, this publisher isn't right for ___(whatever the title may have been), but  it would be a good home for ___(another title from my repretoire). See what a time bandit this can be? When you finally get back to considering that alternate work, you have to pour yourself over those same pages and hope to find that opportunity again. It is painstakenly long and tedious to work this way. Trust me, I know.

Having recognized this need too keep focused, I've come upon a system that works for me; perhaps it will work for you, too. Bring your bread crumbs to your work space. No, not Progresso's; what I'm referring to are Post It Notes Flags. You can find them on www.postitnotes.com . They come in variety packs with bright colors also in varying widths. You can even write on them -noting your manuscript title, tagging the margin, referencing the place you want to revisit. I now, tag all possible homes for one submission with one color, and other genres get their own color flag. They're easily removable; or you may want to just leave them there for future reference. Easy right? Piece of cake.

Due to that effort, my Writer's Market now has a rainbow of flags ready for me when I sit down to consider the markets for the next manuscript  that I want to concentrate on. Once I send a manuscript out, I log that information on a spreadsheet. Record keeping is another under-talked about subject.

Maybe you already do this or have some other system that suffices like my bread crumb Post It Flags. Whatever works to help make you more effecient in this profession is a good thing.  Please feel free to share your ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you.

Dairy Queen

Do take time to read Catherine Gilbert Murdock's novel, Dairy Queen. http://www.catherinemurdock.com/catherinemurdock/cgm_homehtml A new aquaintance (a friend of a friend) of mine passed this book on to me this spring, saying it was a funny and enjoyable read.
Since I am on vacation this week, I promised myself to read one book on my growing booklist and I am delighted to have chosen this one! Thank you, Graig Garner, for your recommendation!

Dairy Queen, is a great story with homegrown pride that incorporates good old fashion values. DJ Schwenk helps wherever and whenever she's needed, despite long hours and no real encouragement to validate her contribution. It's her own sense of pride, the way she looks at life and the way in which she works problems out before speaking up for herself that make her a memorable character.

DJ manages to fit in football training to a rival school QB.  Clearly, football is in her blood, seeing that her dad used to and her older brothers were raised playing football and now play at the college level. Humorously, the cows are named after famous football players and coaches! 

Read Dairy Queen to bear witness to intestinal fortitude, genuine honesty and the workings of a young woman's heart and mind.

Catherine Murdock's other novels are: The Off Season, Front and Center and Princess Ben

Sipping The Wine

Yikes! A month has quickly come and gone since my last post. While this is a no-no to blogging, I have good reason; I was presented with a contract to publish my third writen novel - the first to get a contract! How exciting and flattering to get that news.  Publication is what we strive for, right? Well, to the right publisher, yes. I received validation as to why my book is worthy for publication, how the topic is relevant and was congratulated for being their newest author!

Wow! How does one feel to get that news? Ecstatic, to say the least. But, something seemed a little askew. I was intuitively getting the Whoa Nelly. After all, this was my first contract - I needed to slow down and sip the wine.

Any writer might agree that it is far easier to write a novel than to do the riggorous after-tasks of researching publishers, writing query and cover letters, considering details in the synopis and sending manuscripts to publishers you hope will want to make a home for your work. After all that, we cross fingers and hope for the best. 

I took the publisher's advice and ordered, The Writer's Legal Companion, by Brad Bunnin and Peter Beren, which after review, does look like a great investment. While waiting for the book to ship, I reveiwed the contract with writing friends, who have more experience with publishing than I. Thank goodness for great friends, who pointed out to me some aspects of the contract that undermined me as an author. My greatest concerns came to light - my whoa nelly syndrome was validated.

I am a novice to getting published and I will share that this is the second time that I've found out after the fact that I was Red Ridinghood approaching a book pubisher donning Wolf fur, who wanted to take advantage of my hard work and money!

I can say that it's a good feeling to know that I almost made it, and that I didn't let my ego get ahead of clear thinking and good decision making. Since then, I have done more thorough research and re-sent my manuscript. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the publisher that I am petitioning now, is the right one for my work. While I wait to hear, I will hold the stem of my glass, swirl the Merlot, take in the bouquet and sip the wine.

On Zora Neale Hurston

It's a sad but true fact that many people don't get their hands on a novel until well after the author has passed. In this case I refer to Zora Neale Hurston who in 1937 wrote, Their Eyes Were Watching God. Her life spanned from 1891-1960.
I was recently given this novel to read because my friend was sure that I would like it. Boy, was she ever right. But liking it falls vastly short of how endearing, enriching and enchanting this story is. Not only do I feel like I'm living where the story is being told, but I also marvel at the literary contribution of this author and find myself re-reading passages because I'm struck by the depth of meaning and elegant way in which her words were chosen to make her point.

Zora Neale Hurston is author to 7 other novels, 2 books of short stories, a play and 4 children's books. I will be reading more of her work! Perhaps you've read her work? I'd love to read your comments.

Heaven is for Real

Heaven is for Real, by Todd Burpo is an excellent read. After an emergency appendectomy, three year old Colton mentions shocking things to his dad that he saw in heaven. In childlike innocense, he tells his (nearly bankrupt) father to make sure he pays his doctor,"because Jesus helped the doctor save me," and that when he was sitting on Jesus' lap, (during the surgery) he told Colton it was time to go back now. There are many extradordinary comments this child makes in this true, down to earth story. This is a must read!

Creating Characters From Life

One of the best things about reading a novel is finding out what each of the characters want and then learning how they go about getting it. What is at stake? And, for whom? Do you remember finishing a chapter that you just couldn't close the book on - didn't you just have to read on to satisfy your curiousity? That's when you know the author did his/her homework. Homework? Really?

The truth is, every good author spends time working on Character Profiles, or Bio for each character in your story. Beside age, gender and what part of the country the story takes place, you can begin with a listing of attributes. Going deeper then, is the consideration of what is the driving force to make that character behave in certain ways or situations. What are their flaws?  - Be sure to add them, because nobody wants to read about a perfect character, especially since none of us reading are...perfect.

My first novel developed from release writing. After a year or insomnia it was complete. That was ten years ago. Then I began to study the craft of writing. Wow, was there a lot to learn! While there are a myriad of aspects to consider and plan for, creating and keeping a log of character details is extremely beneficial when drafting a story. Each character needs their own worksheet to help you keep their nuances straight; this also applies to what they might say or do.

As we well know, each story has a problem to solve. It's in the telling; the weaving of characters and how they go about responding to and solving the problem that makes it interesting. The most fascinating thing I stumbled on in this process is creating each character's voice.

When considering my antagonist, Emerson Gray, (in my forthcoming novel, The Forgiveness Factor) I needed him to have a sinsiter voice, one truely psychologically scarey. To me, that cinamatic voice comes from Anthony Hopkins. Hopkins' has portrayed a host of psychologically scarred individuals and it's easy to recall his voice from any of those movies. So, in an effort to create a living, breathing character, Emerson Gray comes to life with Hopkins' voice. Although Gray's physical characteristics differ from Mr. Hopkins, what Gray says, his demeanor, etc are deratives of Hopkins' screen performances.

Putting a real life voice to your characters will help set the stage for a good reader connection. Give it a try!

Read and keep writing,
Diane Rau

Tip of the Day

Writing,reading and action are all interrelated.  Something worth writing is more times than not something worth reading, Something worth reading leaves you with a hint of inspiration, perhaps motivation, at the very least a sense of satisfaction. The simple truth is, you never know who you will inspire by your words, so...keep writing.

The Promise of May

Happy May first everyone! The break of morning on the horizon promises to show off aspects of my garden that I've been running past coming to and from the house to avoid the onslaught of recent rain. Shockingly my bleeding hearts have miracously grown two feet tall, rivaling the pink and white peony bushes and a host of other early spring bulbs reaching out of the earth.
It never ceases to amaze me how rain can make everything grow so fast - including grass, which until yesterday competed for height recognition of the flower bed. Now that the lawn has been cut back to proper scale, there are no worries of loosing small children. Ah, the fragrance of freshly cut grass and spring flowers...I fully welcome the promise of May.

April Showers

April showers bring May flowers. As most of you know, this April offered up a  parade of tornado and flood watches. Despite the unusual weather I've be fortunate to experience like-minded friendly gatherings, which soften the soul and serve to ground us on windy days. Reconnecting with friends reminds us that our bucket need never be dry, and that the walk to the well is worth the trip.

Yes, April has thus far had it's share of excitement. With two days left, there is still the Royal Wedding and a very busy end of sale day for me at work...still much to be done. May is sure to burst with color from our April showers.