angie_frazier

Imparting some Wisdom- Part II

Wed, 21 May 2008 20:30:14 GMT

The Internal Arc--compliments of Louise Hawes

We've all heard of the Story Arc, with its rising tension, climax, and then the sharply-falling resolution. If I could do a visual right now, you'd see roughly the shape of an eyebrow. The Story Arc follows the events/tension of the world surrounding your MC --the problem, the obstacles, the feats, the climatic event, and the ending.

The Internal Arc is the exact opposite. The Internal Arc follows what's happening inside your MC, and if I were to show you a visual, the line would be a reflection of the Story Arc (the two lines would create a closed clamshell).

As the MC takes steps toward her "longing" or "goal," her Internal Arc must undergo an evolution of its own, reflecting what's happening to her emotionally. Instead of rising up, and up toward the climax, it's dipping lower, and lower, as the MC's longing grows more intense, more deep, and more necessary. As soon as she reaches her "longing" at the climax (the lowest point of the arc, when it's do-or-die for her emotionally), her Internal Arc begins shifts upward with satisfaction and relief. Not to say there needs to be a happy ending to create the perfect clamshell, but that's just an example.

The hitch: getting these two Arcs to tie together organically. Events in the Story Arc should *wink* cause or reflect what's happening inside the MC's Internal Arc, and vice versa. So, in short, everything that occurs in the outside world surrounding the MC, needs to be the result of the thoughts, wants, longings (both big-picture and small-picture) happening inside your MC.

Not sure if this makes any sense at all, especially without the visuals, but it really resonated with me when Louise explained the need to be paying constant attention to the Internal evolution of your characters.

Tomorrow: Two Questions That Can Shape Your Main Character and Novel

Imparting some Wisdom

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:09:11 GMT

From the Novel Retreat at Vermont College.

Theme for the weekend--Getting to the Emotional Core of Your Novel.

On Saturday, author Louise Hawes spoke of Desire being the Cause of all Plot. Some nuggets of wisdom from Louise about digging deeper into the root of your novel's conflict:

"Without longing, there is no conflict." We've all been told there is no story if there is no conflict. But take another look at your conflict, and dissect it. Is your main character's longing the driving force of the story? Does she reflect the thing she wants? Keep that "longing" in play throughout the book because, as Louise says, "It's the yearning, not the getting, that keeps us involved."

Tomorrow: more on Louise's lecture about the "Internal Arc" of a story.

Ahhhh...Vermont

Mon, 19 May 2008 01:31:59 GMT

I'm back from the retreat, and my mind is just buzzing with everything I've experienced the last few days. This retreat is simply amazing! 25 writers, two established authors, one amazing editor, all coming together to study the craft of writing and support one another no matter where they are on their writing paths.

I met so many wonderful people this weekend, including my roomie Joette, who helped me out in a pinch right before Open Mic (where everyone read from their work for 5 minutes, and man, was that fun!). A few people even came all the way up from the Virginia/Maryland area. This retreat is THAT good!

I chose the "writing track" over the "critique track" b/c fitting writing time into my regular schedule can be a challenge. But I had no idea I'd have so much time to just write, and being able to do it under the sun out on the gorgeous campus made it feel like even more of a treat. BTW, I did a word count on my computer tonight and saw I added 4,664 words to my WIP. 27 pages!

I want to be able to share all the knowledge deposited into my head via Marsha Qualey, Louise Hawes, Sharon Darrow, and Julie Romeis, but it's kind of all still settling in. Perhaps I will share throughout the week, over a few posts. I'm just too exhausted to do anything now but head upstairs to bed, dreaming about what I'll write tomorrow.

Vermont College Here I Come!

Fri, 16 May 2008 03:10:25 GMT

No, alas, I am not joining the MFA program there :( However, I am leaving tomorrow for the Novel Writers Retreat happening there this weekend! I can't wait. A whole weekend revolving around writing and books and the opportunity to hang out with other writers....ahhhh....after a day like today has been, I NEED THIS!

You ask how my day has been? Well, let me give you a snippet: This morning I walked down cellar to where my two kitties have their matching kitty litter boxes and find they've snubbed the boxes altogether, choosing instead to rip open the two brand new kitty litter bags, spill out all the new litter over my cellar floor, and use that INSTEAD. Lovely.

Needless to say, I bought two bottles of wine for this weekend to share with my fellow retreaters :)

I plan to write more about the retreat this weekend, and when I return. It should be a blast! Have a great weekend everyone!

New Inspiration

Fri, 09 May 2008 22:04:02 GMT

A few weeks ago I discovered writing from my couch wasn't overly productive.

This week, I discovered a new place, other than my desk, where my creativity can be tapped—outside.

The sun had a restorative quality to it this week. I wanted to write, but couldn't shake the feeling that my MC had packed up and taken the red eye to another country. I wanted to clean the house, but knew I should be writing instead. I wanted to read, but knew I needed to be sans children before I could really concentrate. Being inside, I felt completely torn. As if they could sense this, A and J demanded we go outside to play.

Grudgingly, I went. But not wanting to shy away from Laurie Halse Anderson's challenge to write for at least 15 minutes every day, I brought my laptop outside. Once I brightened my screen to full capacity, my MC might as well have popped her little head out of my WIP folder and wave at me wearing all her little souvenir pins from whatever-the-heck-country she'd gone off to.

So, today, with the overcast skies and the furnace kicking off and on every now and again, it's no surprise that I only pounded out two pages. Mother's Day looks like good weather though (at least here in New England!).

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

The 5 Randoms for today

Thu, 08 May 2008 01:42:05 GMT

Theme for this week's blogs: Query letters.

Check out http://the5randoms.wordpress.com for some of the best advice I gleaned from my fave writing how-to book.

I don't have a lot of how-to advice books lining my shelves, but this one book really helped lead me through the whole query process before I found my way over to SCBWI, Verla Kay, and LJ. These communities and forums are priceless.

Critique Connect

Mon, 05 May 2008 01:13:06 GMT

Tonight I had my very first in-person critique group meeting, and it was such a blast. It's just a group of two right now :) but I've been craving the opportunity to connect with other writers in a face-to-face setting, and was not disappointed. Don't you love it when you connect with someone and you never want to stop chit-chatting? Anyway, I arrived home from our 2 and a half hour meeting at Panera in Keene still all bubbly and wanted to share my excitement over this new companionship. To top it off: we get each other's writing. Yay!

Stuck

Sun, 04 May 2008 02:30:41 GMT

Grrr...writers hate being stuck!

I've been hanging out in the same scene for two days now and I'm lost as to what to do. No signal, no bars, no GPS...gotta get out of this scene and on with the story! I'm tempted to skip to the next scene and go back later and fill in the chasm, but never before having done that, I'm worried it will be apparent that I've pulled a filling-in-the-scene job.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Interview with Melissa Marr

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:34:51 GMT

If you have two spare minutes today, I invite you to come read my interview with author Melissa Marr (melissa_writing) at http://the5randoms.wordpress.com

She talks about her new book Ink Exchange, and other, well...Random things :)

Thanks!

What's Not Fair...

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:02:00 GMT

Getting an ARC of a book.

Reading it with such enthusiasm that when you're not reading it, you're still thinking about it and trying to schedule in time to pick it up again.

Staying up way past your bedtime reading it because you can't bear to go to sleep until you know what happens.

Reaching the last page and finding out it's Book One of more to come and the resolution is no where in sight.

And it doesn't even hit bookshelves until the fall!! Ugh. Not fair!

In this case, the book is HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins, author of the Underland Chronicles series. When this book comes out in the fall, it's gonna be HOT.

Writing Revelation!

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:04:36 GMT

Because I always find it fascinating to read about how a writer writes, and her own little quirks and processes, I wanted to jot down my new revelation.

I write much better while sitting at my desk than I do while sitting quite comfortably on the couch. Why? I have no idea. But when I sit on the couch with my laptop and try and write, the words come to me at a much slower clip. But, while at my desk, I'm almost constantly typing. I don't get as "stuck" as I do while sitting on the couch.

I find this very interesting. I wonder if it's because the couch represents lounging, relaxation, and a satisfying line-up of ABC programming (is anyone else totally psyched about new episodes of Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, and Lost???). Instead my brain gets repeated demands for creativity and it shuts down out of utter confusion. The desk, on the other hand, represents work. What do you think? How about you, do you have a more effective writing spot?

I've been tagged!

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 21:56:28 GMT

This is a new game to me, and it looks fun. olmue tagged me, so let's go:

Here's how to play.
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people and post a comment to whoever tagged you once you've posted your three sentences.

I just bought Elizabeth Bunce's A Curse Dark as Gold today, and it's the closest book right now, so, even though I've yet to even open it....

At once he withdrew, easing back into the carriage seat and crossing one stockinged leg over the other. "Nonsense, child," he said languidly. "It's merely the heat of the compartment."

OK, so I tag: seaheidi, sarah_prineas, writerross, wordsrmylife and lkmadigan.

I hurt in my headmeats

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:04:39 GMT

I don't know where I saw that line, but it was pure genius. Tonight, I seriously do hurt in my headmeats. Here's how my so-called writing time progressed this evening:

I set up my new four-paneled divider screen thingy so I can pretend my desk area and the rest of the dining room are no longer joined. Viola, insta-cubicle!

I get A and J ready for bed in the usual fashion with great plans to enter my insta-cubicle and type up some YALSA worthy prose (did someone say Salsa? I forgot to eat dinner; need snack).

Sit down in comfy new desk chair mom dropped off this morning because I flat out refuse to write the sequel to Everlasting in the same wooden chair I've been using for YEARS (our dining room set is once more complete!)

Flex fingers, adjust new seat, open up said YALSA worthy document (think once again about salsa and tortilla chips) and...

"Mommy! I want to draw!" "I want milk!" "I need to go to the bathroom!" "My crayon is broken!" "My blanket fell off my bed!" "I said I want milk!" "I drew you a picture!"

And so on, and so forth, up and down the stairs for an HOUR people. An hour :( Why can't they sleep when I want them to? Why can't they pick up their own blanket that's a foot away from them without crying uncontrollably about having to do it themselves?

I ended up with a page. And I still don't have any salsa.

LJ tutorial needed!

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:11:45 GMT

OK, so when I want to talk about another LJ user, say for example olmue, how do I get it to be a link with the little head and shoulders icon guy? This should be quite simple...and wish I could have figured it out on my own. Alas, I cannot. Who can help me? Thanks!

New YA Blog

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:08:18 GMT

Over the weekend, I met author Susan Colebank who was talking up her new YA/teen book blog The 5 Randoms at http://the5randoms.wordpress.com

She asked Robin Merrow MacCready (BURIED) and myself to blog once a week on random writing thoughts, and today my first blog is being posted. Take a look if you're interested in the pitfalls of writing Historical Fiction.

Lois Lowry and Laurie Halse Anderson will be featured soon in author interviews too. Don't forget to bookmark the site!

I have an excuse!

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:14:12 GMT

Seriously, I do have a good reason for only writing 312 words tonight. This soul-crushing, energy-sucking stomach virus seems to be determined to pop a squat in every member of my family. All except me, so far, so I'm headed to bed early to ward it off. The good news is I'm STILL in the middle of a very exciting scene and can't wait to come back to it. Let's hope I'm not still there a few days from now...

New England SCBWI Conference Highlights

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:19:02 GMT

I returned home from Nashua, NH last night to find my 2-yr.-old sick with the stomach flu, about 6 loads of clean laundry waiting for my tremendously talented folding abilities, and a big dose of guilt over not being there to snuggle with my little one all day while she went through all the icky flu symptoms :( However, my husband did a great job holding down the fort. Besides, how often do I get the opportunity to surround myself with other children's writers and completely forget all other aspects of my life? A few weekends out of the year, at the most. So, ignoring the mother's guilt still stewing in my head, I want to share some of the best words of wisdom I jotted down in my notebook yesterday.

1.) Laurie Halse Anderson's (SPEAK, FEVER 1793, CATALYST, TWISTED) keynote speech was one of the best I'd heard, EVER. When the speaker starts out by showing the audience her tattoo, you know it's gonna be good. Two things she said that really resonated with me were quotes from Picasso and Faulkner.

First: "Success is dangerous. One begins to copy oneself." Meaning: Be conscious of your writing, so your next book doesn't sound like the one that came before it. Try something new, even if you're afraid it will end in failure.

Second: "Don't be a writer. Be writing." The point: always be writing. Every day if you can. The more you do it, the more in touch you'll become with your characters, and your story. They will dip into your subconscious and stay there, making it easier to access them when you finally do have a few moments to write.

2.) Sarah Aronson (HEAD CASE) said the beginning of your story, the very first page, is a promise to the reader. Make certain it rings with authenticity and voice: and not the *author's* voice, but the main character's voice. Don't try too hard to push an agenda you as the author have for this book; let the MC tell the story the way only she can.

3.) Volunteering for the conference completely changed the way I viewed the conference as a whole. It gave me a new appreciation for those involved in planning and executing the whole shebang. It also made me feel a bit more "visible" and involved, and to be completely honest, it was a great feeling. So volunteer!

4.) Perhaps the best part of the conference was the two minutes I spent with my editor, Jen Rees. It was our first face-to-face meeting, and it was so nice to do that before we go into revisions. I now have a face with a name, something I always like, and she was so nice and approachable and--gasp--human! I know, shocking.

5.) And how could I forget the Cabaret night? If you were there, you know why I'm laughing as I type this. If you weren't, try and imagine an illustrator, an author, and an editor acting out the Seven Deadly Sins at a children's writing conference, set to broadway-style music...you just can't go wrong.

OK, off to fold laundry, administer children's Tylenol, and whittle out 15 minutes of "real" writing, just as LHA ordered.

And so it begins

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:27:54 GMT

We've all heard of how women expect the men in their lives to read their minds in order to determine what it is they are *really* thinking, even if they are saying something completely different (ie: Man: "What's wrong?" Woman: "Nothing." When really she's stewing about something he did that is so wrong and annoying she can't bring herself to put it into words). I try and avoid the whole "read my mind" thing with my husband, because I've come to the conclusion after a decade of knowing him that he just CAN'T read minds the way women can :)

However, today my 4-year-old daughter displayed the cutest version of this dilemma.

Me: Want to watch a video?

A: Yes, surprise me!

Me: You want me to pick out a video for you? (reacting as if she'd just spoken in fluent Japanese b/c she never lets me choose a video for her)

A: (nods and runs into the living room to wait)

Me: (faced with the challenge of choosing the right video, grab The Secret of Nimh and present it to her) How about this? It was my favorite when I was a kid!

A: (scrunches up face and glares at me) No! Not that one!

Me: (go back into the other room, grab Rapunzel--a sure winner!--and hide it behind my back so I can present it with flourish). Taa-daa!

A: (stomps foot on floor) No mommy! I want Snow White!

Me: You told me to surprise you.

A: (smiling sweetly) Yes, I wanted you to surprise me with Snow White.

Oh, of course. Duh. I should have known that all along. Silly me.

Tally Tuesday

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:10:14 GMT

How many words did you write today?

Me: 1,493 = 9 pages

Quite pleased! I try and leave off at the start of an exciting scene each time, to give me that extra shove of anticipation to write more. What are some of your tricks?

Sequel pressure

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:27:46 GMT

I'm hoping for a little advice on this whole sequel situation. Book One is sold and completed, except for some editorial revisions that should be getting underway in the next few months after contract is signed, etc... I have about nine chapters of the sequel done (this is a planned trilogy), but I find myself constantly questioning everything I type. I know the first book so well, and am happy with the structure and pacing and character development. But with Book Two, I'm so uncertain about everything I write.

Do any of you who have done a series or sequel or trilogy found while writing the next two (three, four) books you constantly compare the WIP to the first, accepted book? How do you get over it? I'm thinking I just need to bang out this draft, get it over with and deal with all the problems later. But then I wonder if I should take better care while writing the first draft so I don't have to do massive revising later...help! Personal stories and examples are more than welcome!

Feels so good...

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:47:24 GMT

Today I added 16 pages to Book #2--that's a little over 2,700 words!! I'm in a scene that I could NOT put away, filled with love triangle tension galore. Who doesn't like a love triangle? OK, I know a few people, but puh-lease, where would romance be without it?

Has anyone tried this before?

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:42:19 GMT

Eating for your specific blood type. I'd heard of it a few times, and now my friend and I are going to try it for a month to see what the effect is. Neither of us are trying to "diet" but we just have this goal of eating healthier and raising our kids to be healthy. Has anyone heard of this before? Tried it? Have you had success with it? It really is so interesting...the book is Eat Right For Your Type by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo.

Off the food topic, I am very excited to meet my editor Jen Rees at the upcoming New England SCBWI conference! I'm sure she'll be super busy, but even if I can get in a quick hi and thank you and I can't wait to work with you (I'm sure it will come out just as jumbled), I will be thrilled. What was it like when you met your editor face-to-face? Stories are welcome!

My new obsession...

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:17:14 GMT

Book Trailers! With my new laptop I can finally view YouTube clips, etc., and after seeing a few book trailers today I want to see them all. It's part of the marketing plan Scholastic has lined up for me, and I want to imagine what EVERLASTING's trailer might look like. So, if anyone has a book trailer, or knows someone who has a fun one to watch, send me the link!

And a big bucketful of THANKS for everyone wishing me well and taking an interest in my upcoming book. It means so much to me. I can't wait!!! Is it 2010 yet? JK.

CELEBRATE WITH ME!

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:16:00 GMT

All that sweating paid off, my friends, for I have accepted an outstanding offer from Scholastic Press for a two-book deal! My debut young adult novel, EVERLASTING, is due for release Summer 2010, and is (as my editor-eek!--Jen Rees called it) "...an adventure, a mystery, and a love story, but most of all it's a sizzling romance that you will not be able to put down until you reach the very end."

Becoming a published author has been, as many of you know, a lifelong dream of mine. EVERLASTING has evolved so much since I first started writing it seven years ago. The entire premise of the novel has changed about three times; I've revised about a dozen, if not more, times; and that was all BEFORE landing an agent! I loved the characters in this book so much that I knew I had to stick with them. I knew that eventually, they would point me in the right direction and take my manuscript to better places.

There really are no words to describe how fulfilled I feel right now. All the hard work, all the rejection, all the waiting, all the months of endless revisions once I signed with my agent...everything has led me to this place--and it is one heck of a nice pad, let me tell you :)

So, for any of you who want to know how the whole process went, here's what I can tell you (without getting too specific!):

-My agent, Ted Malawer of Firebrand Literary, sent out my manuscript on Friday, Feb. 29.
-By Monday, we had lots of positive responses, with editors getting second reads.
-By the next Monday Ted had set up a few phone calls for me with a few of the very serious editors.
-That Thursday, we learned each acquisition meeting the novel had gone to, had made it through, and the offers started coming in!
-The auction was set for after Easter, and here we are today!

So come on, everyone! Celebrate with me!!! Where are those shakin' buns lindsey_leavitt posted a few days ago? That's what I feel like doing right now :)

What else could possibly sweat?

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:32:00 GMT

While I await my dream book auction taking place tomorrow, is there any surface of my body that will please stay dry??? I swear, I have sweaty hands, feet, neck, back...this is disgusting! I'm so very nervous and excited and anxious. Tomorrow, I will accept an offer for publication, and I couldn't be in a better position, so why do I still feel like I'm waiting to hear back from an agent/editor who might reject my manuscript? I think I've become so accustomed to rejection (haven't all writers?) that it's just a part of my natural reaction now.

But do please check back in with me soon, because I plan to blog all about the last two wacky weeks in which a dream and major goal of my life came into fruition. Can't wait to share it with all my LJ friends!