My Memory of Writing

So it begins. This is the first topic for the 28 day Author Blog Challenge. Enjoy the read!

Describe your earliest memory of writing. How did your writing habit/process/career develop?

My earliest memory of writing, wow. I know I wrote as far back as age four (my dear mother kept some of my stories) but my personal memory doesn't kick in until seventh grade. It is the worst memory of writing that I have and that very factor may be the reason I remember it so clearly.

My English class was assigned a short story project that I was excited about. We could write on any topic we wanted and the story had to be three pages in length. I took to it with gusto and wrote a fairy tale about a brave warrior, trolls, and magical keys that released princesses from their prisons. My mother sat in the room with me and watched me write it from beginning to end in one session. Never one to complete much (okay, any) homework, my teacher was shocked when I handed it in on time. I knew I had written well and felt good about the work I had turned in.

When I got it back a week later, I had made a B- and there was a note in fiery red ink scrawled across the top of the page: What book did you copy this out of? If I close my eyes really tightly, I can still see it. My heart sank to my feet, butterflies entered my stomach, and tears welled up in my eyes.

I had made some errors in the body of the story (misplacement of commas - JUST TWO) and that crotchety old lady thought that I copied the story. Newsflash: If I had copied the story, there would have been ZERO errors. Duh.

So I go home that day wretched, with my paper in my hand, and fall into my mother's arms. I was crying and babbling about finally doing some homework and getting accused of cheating the moment I did. I showed her the paper and cried harder.

I had never seen my mom to go war before but the lady went to war with that teacher over what she had written on my paper. It wasn't the grade that upset either of us, it was the fact that, because I couldn't diagram a sentence or tell a noun from a verb from an adverb, the teacher thought there was no way I could write that well on my own. Mama let the teacher know that I wrote the story while supervised and there was no way I had cheated.

I got an apology but it had a deep impact on my psyche. What I didn't realize at the time was, my story was so good, my teacher thought I had copied it from a real writer! But, hey, I was a kid.

No one read anything I wrote again until I was in college and had to write papers for my classes. Up to that point, I had been writing for myself. If I was assigned a paper in high school, I just didn't do it. My professors began asking me how long I had been writing. I never told any of them the story behind the reason I stopped.

I just shrugged and said, "I don't really write, I read."

When my Composition I professor asked if she could use one of my papers as an example of excellent writing, I was flabbergasted. When my World History professor told me he had never seen such an excellent paper written before and asked if he could keep it for himself, I was floored. I had something unique and they made sure I knew it. Those two professors gave me more self-assurance than anyone ever had. After all, they weren't related and they still loved my work!

World History is the class that gave me the idea for Yassa (releasing in two days) and is based on the very research that was gathered for my most excellent research paper on Genghis Khan that my professor kept.

I guess the simple answer is, my earliest memory of writing sucks but I truly began writing in college. After I graduated last year, I have taken to it like a duck to water.

I developed a writing schedule, laid my plans, and went to work. I am more satisfied with my personal success of just finishing Yassa than I have been my whole life when I finished anything else. When I finished The Abigale Chronicles - Book One, I felt on top of the World.

I can't imagine doing anything else and getting as much pleasure from it as I do from writing. It's what I was born to do.

Though I still have a hard time with the parts of speech, I can sit down and compose well because I understand. I suppose it goes back to the old saying: "Those who do not read, cannot write."

That's all for today. Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Writing Prompts FUN

Today I shall throw out a few writing prompts for all of you.

I would love to read what you come up with from these.

Rules of MY game:

Keep it to 500 words or less.
You must use ALL five (or six) senses AND be descriptive.
No full paragraphs with backstory. Work it into the tale.
No text speak, please. Be a writer.
Choose only ONE.
You must play nice and if you comment on what someone else writes and it's rude, I will remove your comment AND your post.

Let's get started!!

#1:

Phoebe is a married student going for her PhD. Her husband is Braxton. Braxton has a deep, dark secret that Phoebe discovers. How she finds it, what she does with the information, and what that secret is will be up to you to decide. What she's getting her PhD in is something else you decide.

#2:

Selina is a fairy who has no wings. She is made fun of on a daily basis by her peers who can fly. Her best friend is a snail (you may name him/her) who wants to take over fairyland. Selina must find out why and stop the snail. You decide if she gets her wings and how she accomplishes the task.

#3:

Roger is a spy for a multimillion dollar corporation who is about to turn into the bad guy. He kills people that get in the way of the corporate plan and he fidgets with electronics. Why he turns on his company or what he is going to steal or do to them is up to you to decide. Is he married and does his wife know what he does?

Let's have some fun with this. I can't wait to read what you all write.

Don't forget, Yassa releases next week!! *excited* So, keep your eyes open for that one!

Getting out of here for now, until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Yippie Ki Yay!

After a weekend of laying on the beach in Florida with the love of my life, I have SO much more in my stash of wonderful things to use in my writings.

Smells, experiences, and tastes are all slamming around inside my head. I am eager to work on my journal of experiences so I'll have something to pull from later with no need to rely on memory alone. While my memory is great now, I don't know if it'll be so great in 20 years.

I posted a while back on reasons for keeping a journal like that when I wrote Write What You Know. I had never been to lay on a beach in Florida or ridden on/driven a Waverunner before this past weekend and the experience left me with a lot of impressions.

1. Waverunners slam into the water when you hit bumps and it feels like your bones are being smashed together.
2. Seafood tastes very different when you eat it near the water it came out of. There's more of a taste of the ocean and not so much a metallic taste or a blandness that comes from being in a can or being frozen and shipped inland.
3. Jumping into a swimming pool after swimming in salt water makes you feel heavier, like you strapped rocks on your feet.
4. There is no sight quite like sand dunes projecting from the ocean while a breeze teases your face to put you totally at ease.
5. Mother nature ROCKS.

I have also discovered that I love the smell of the sea. I don't know if that stems from growing up in Louisiana or from something that is lodged deeper within myself but I know I'm gonna try to figure it out.

My new series titled Mystic has a character from Florida in it. I am very grateful for the experience this weekend brought to my writing.

Remember to get your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One by following either of the links at the top of this blog. Yassa is due out in just ONE week!! BE EXCITED! You've never heard a story like this one!!

That's all for today. Tomorrow, we will discuss something deeper.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!!

Jo

All About Query Letters

Today, I post my query letter for a roundtable discussion that will take place via Rachel Horwitz ‏@rachelhwrites on twitter. Scurry on over there if you would like to participate!!


This is my pitch for Yassa:


***Updated***

Dear Ms. XXX,

When Temujin is ten, he murders one of his half-brothers in self-defense. That one act of brutality shows him the animal that lives inside his heart, sets into motion a string of events that bring a boy named Jamuka into his life, and gives Temujin the idea to write the law he calls Yassa. He marries his betrothed, Börte, only to have her kidnapped a week later by a rival tribe and sold at auction.

Yassa law states that, above all else, you are to be loyal to those you pledge yourself to. There is only one punishment for breaking Yassa law: death. Deep conflict arises between Temujin and Jamuka when they go to rescue the beautiful and fair Börte from the kidnappers because Jamuka sees her, falls in love, and decides to take her for his own. In a fit of fever, Jamuka attacks Börte and tries to force himself on her. Setting aside the law for the love of a friend, Temujin casts the man out instead of killing him.


Jamuka is bent on revenge for being cast out and is driven to win Börte at any cost. As a result, the two men are plunged into battle over power and a woman. Love drives the conquering of the greatest continuous empire in History in the hopes that the victor will win the affections of Börte, who is being driven mad with her own choice while the men are crossing swords. Only one man can succeed and become Genghis Khan.

Yassa is a completed 90,000 word historical fiction novel set in 18th Century Mongolia.

Thank you for taking the time to read my query.

Sincerely,

Jo Michaels

I appreciate all feedback.

That's all for today, folks!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Author Interviews are Fun!

I did an author interview with Jane Hanbury over at Booketta's Book Blog this week and I have to say, it was a lot of fun! I am rarely one to toot my own horn (a crux being an indie author) so talking about myself was difficult in a challenging type of way.

Jane asked me some difficult questions.

When in person, I can talk for hours about the story behind my historical fiction novel, Yassa. When asked to write out how I came up with the idea, I struggle. Not because I don't know, just because that question is hard to answer on paper. I know where the idea came from, but tooting my own horn about it is not something I am accustomed to doing.

I think I'm too humble. I love the story but I know it's not for everyone and I know there are people out there who will hate Temujin's wishy-washy personality. I just tried to make him human; because he is. We all make mistakes in life or do things we aren't proud of, so he is brought down a notch or two from almighty conqueror by having doubts about his relationship and reacting to situations in a way that's not acceptable.

There are people who will give me crap over Kutula and people who will argue that the story isn't quite true to History. I know that. It's fiction. I used my imagination.

There are people who will give me crap over Abigale and say that's not the way a 12 year old behaves. I know that, she's not an ordinary 12 year old. If she were, what a dull story it would be!

We write to spin tales for readers. If we didn't write, how dull would life be? Remember the movie, The Invention of Lying? It brings out a good point: without writers with imagination and the ability to tell a tale with some fiction in it, we would all be walking around dull, lifeless, BORING.

That's all for today. I am going to write the hell out of some books today!

If you haven't gotten your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One, go get one now! It's great for young readers and has an element that will force them to stop and wonder what the heck is really going on.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Monkey Wrenches

Bring out the unexpected when you write. If you read your passage and have a good idea of what will happen next, flip it and make something else happen instead.

Readers don't like predictable. Predictable is boring.

If you have two people who are kissing and passionate, it may seem that they are about to make love. Why not have the police burst in instead? How about having one of them spontaneously burst into flames? I bet your reader won't be expecting that.

Why throw in a monkey wrench? It's what keeps your story moving and interesting. I use the technique in Yassa a number of times and my beta readers tell me it's a welcome surprise when the unexpected happens. They read about Jelme sitting with Kutula and some other friends and commenting on the harshness of color around the camp. How does Kutula teach Jelme to hold his tongue and be more polite?

What happens is the monkey wrench. You expect Kutula to grow angry and perhaps scold Jelme for being rude or maybe say something rude in return. But he doesn't do either of those things. What he does leaves a lasting impression on the youth about courtesy and proper manners and helps add an unexpected twist in the story.

This happens in life so why not in your story? You have a situation that you think will be perfect and something happens that you weren't expecting and messes it up. USE it in your fiction. We cannot expect the unexpected because then, by very definition, it would no longer BE unexpected.

Can we plan for emergencies? Yes. Is it the same thing? No. We look at what could happen and plan for that.

Example:

You have an emergency fund and/or insurance in case your car breaks down or a tree falls on your house, right? That's planning for something you would expect. What if an alien spacecraft comes to Earth and beams your house off the planet? Does your insurance cover that? I don't know. But it would certainly be unexpected.

You have an emergency fund and/or insurance in case your car breaks down or a tree falls on your house and a tree falls on your house. That was expected and planned for.

HUGE difference between the two. The first is the proverbial monkey wrench. Use your imagination. You're a writer because you can.

That's all for today!!

Don't forget to keep your eyes open for the release of Yassa on June 4, 2012!! If you read it for no other reason than to find out what Kutula did to Jelme, it'll be worth it!!

Go sample The Abigale Chronicles - Book One today from Smashwords! You won't be sorry that you did!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!!

Jo

When, How, Who, and What?

Those are the four questions we ask ourselves every day as writers.

When does our tale take place?
How is the feat accomplished?
Who are our characters?
What are those characters doing?

Those four questions are the basis for everything we write. If you aren't constantly asking yourself those questions, you're likely not really writing a compelling story. There must be action in every chapter. You have to keep your reader engaged and feeling something throughout the whole story. If you don't, they will lose interest and toss your book aside.

Are you having trouble with tension? Change a scene. Throw some obstacle in the path of your protagonist. That obstacle can be a rift in a relationship, an unexpected change, or the antagonist but it must be something. Characters that don't DO anything are boring. Ask yourself, "HOW can I create some tension? WHAT will my character to in response to the obstacle?"

Then, write about it.

Don't let your characters float through your story. Give them a goal and see what they can accomplish.

Is there a question you ask your characters or yourself to keep the tension? Share it!

That's all for today. Just some food for thought.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Write What You Know

In my post on Bringing Truth to Fiction, I talk about writing what you know. You know how people react in specific situations based on personal experience or by talking to those who have experienced it themselves.

I implore you to also use places you have been in your writing. You know those places, have firsthand experience with them, and are familiar with the sights, sounds, and smells. Use it. It's very difficult to write about a place you have never experienced yourself. Sure, you can read about them and learn everything there is to know before you sit down to write, but it's just not the same.

Yassa was hard to write because I have never been to Mongolia. I don't know what it smells or feels like. I used my experiences with similar landscapes to draw on the feelings the characters had while in their environments. While not a perfect approach, it worked. I still wish I'd had on-site experience.

When I write about Louisiana in The Abigale Chronicles, I am able to describe her surroundings perfectly. As I write Player, I am able to describe the surroundings without a second thought. I have been to the places in my books and I have the knowledge to draw on. I believe some of the best writers are well traveled and draw upon their experiences in various places in order to craft compelling stories. Fantasy is the same way because it's all based in some kind of fact.

Things we learn by visiting a place rather that just studying or reading about it:
1. Plant life
2. How people look
3. The feeling of the place
4. Temperature
5. Animals
6. History
7. Smells
8. Sounds
Those are just the tip of the iceberg. We have feelings when we are in an environment that we may not have anywhere else. Think of it like this: You're in a Starbucks and you smell the coffee, feel the coziness, and are waited on by friendly staff. You're in a cafe and you smell the food, feel the era, and may or may not be waited on by a friendly server. Those are very different experiences. If you are writing about a Starbucks and have never been in one, you will likely miss the mark of how a Starbucks feels. People could tell you, sure, but they may leave something out that's important.

We can use our imaginations but they are limited by our experiences. So, get out there and experience things to use in your stories! Your writing will thank you later.

What kind of experiences do you use in your writing?

I know I'm late but I hit inspiration this morning and had to get it out. More news on that one later!

Remember! Yassa is due out June 5, 2012! Keep your eyes open because you do NOT want to miss that story!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Night Writer

How many of you write into the wee hours of the morning? Why do you think you do that?

Is it the lack of distractions, the perfect alignment of all that day's events, or is it something else?

I have a theory!! Hear me out!

I think that people who are nocturnal have a different brain function from those who aren't. We think, feel, and see things in a different way. Besides being a little crazy because we are creatives, most of us are "normal" people.

Hey, if we're all crazy, at least we're together in that, too, right?

Your brain goes into maximum overdrive at night because you have been awake and alert all day. You have felt, experienced, and talked with people. You have quiet where you can think. Other people in the World are sound asleep and your phone isn't ringing with texts, e-mails, or calls.

It's that perfect moment of clarity that comes with darkness that we all crave.

I know writers that get up at 4am because their brain has had a chance to process the day before and their ideas flow from their dreams. I don't know many that can force it at a certain time of day though.

When the idea hits you, it feels like your brain will explode into a million pieces if you don't get the words out and it's SO difficult to just stop and say, "Okay, that's enough for today. I have other stuff to do."

It sometimes hits our relationships hard. Especially if that person is not a creative or if you have kids that get up at 7am to catch a bus.

When the muse is upon us, we MUST write. Most people get that visit at night (unfortunately). For you lucky folks who can write anytime, I envy you. Mine is a process. I must FEEL in order to write. This blog usually helps because it makes my brain begin to THINK about writing.

Now you know why I broach the topics I do. Welcome to my brain - watch out, it's a mess in here!!

What time do YOU write? Why?

Time to get moving. Coffee is calling my name. :)

Don't forget to pick up your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One today for $1.99!! Watch for a promotion on Abigale when Yassa is released in June!!

Heads up: I will be doing an interview with the lovely Crystal Lee next month! We will be discussing her new series, Canopy. It's one killer set of stories!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Descriptions - How Much is Too Much?

I was going to write on inspiration today but changed my mind at the last minute. This is following a conversation I had with the author Crystal Lee. We are working on designing the covers for her Canopy series and I thought about putting a likeness of the main character from each book on the cover. Some folks like this, some don't.

Here's why I think some people like it:

It gives them an instant visual of the character and they can get an idea if it's someone they can identify with right away. There's no need for long, dragging descriptions in the text because you're showing them the person; look, here they are, and this is exactly how the writer pictured them when he/she wrote about them.

And here's why I think some people don't like it:

It limits their imaginations. If the author does a good job of describing the character, most people will have an idea of what that character looks like but want to be free to form the face in their own mind.

I still don't know what we're going to do but both of those scenarios must be considered.

This passes right back to how you write. I want you to stop and consider this for a moment:

If you describe a character down to the last toenail, where does the reader get to interject their imagination? That's right, they can't. Examples:

If we allow the reader to use their imagination:


I looked at Gretchen and admired her full hips and almost flawless complexion. When combined with her raven black hair and green eyes, she was a knockout. I knew she took care of herself because of the perfect manicures I saw on her fingers and toes. She had on gold jewelry that went well with her white capris, blue top, and blue peep-toe heels that made her appear much taller than she was.

If we give a full description:

I looked at Gretchen and admired her full hips, slender legs, generous bust, and alabaster skin. When combined with her long, raven black hair, almond shaped green eyes, full lips, pert nose, and perfect ears, she was a knockout. I could tell she took care of herself when I saw the french manicures on her long, slender fingers and her elegant toes. She had gold jewelry on every part of her body that she could adorn and was wearing white capris with black stitching down the sides and on the pockets, an ocean blue top that had a handkerchief hem and ruffles around the cap sleeves, and blue peep-toe heels that made her 5'9" stature look like 5'11.

Bet you can picture Gretchen pretty well now, eh?

WOW. What a difference, eh? I'd be willing to bet every reader that reads the second passage would be able to draw Gretchen and the drawings would be similar. How about the first? I'd be willing to bet you got short hair, long hair, shoulder length hair, etc... hell, maybe even a mohawk!! Okay, not really.

I see this all too often. Writers that leave little to the imagination. So what if when they make the movie the lead doesn't look like what I pictured? I bet they look like what someone pictured.

Think on it.

I'm off to finish my edit of Yassa today. 9am and time to get busy!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Readers and Reviewers Running Rampant

Readers. Are they really as picky and fickle as we believe them to be? You betcha.

There's more to it than that though. If you tell a reader a great story they will come back. Most readers will forgive errors in syntax if they aren't detrimental to the story itself. It doesn't matter if it's mystery, suspense, romance, erotica, or a twenty word picture book. If the story is good, people will keep reading.

Reviewers are a different breed in and of themselves. They will ding you for the syntax errors.

But, reviewers are also readers and if your story is good, you will gain points as long as the errors in your writing don't screw with their flow. People will review your book and post their thoughts. Guess what? There's not a single thing you can do about it except sit back and pray they like it.

Before you release your book, find someone who is a reader that will read it for you. Find someone who is good at dialogue and have them read it for you. Then, look for someone who is conscious of tenses and POV and let THEM read it. When all three of these people agree, you have something that will fly with 99% of readers. If you have the money, hire an editor and skip the above. As indie authors, most of us don't have that kind of cash hanging out in a drawer so we have to work together.

Build your network. If you take, you need to give. Don't expect someone to read all your stuff and get nothing in return. Other indie authors are not your competition and they want to see you succeed just as badly as you do. I got into a discussion with another indie author on a blog's comment section and made a friend. Her name is Crystal Lee and her blog is a most excellent read. She is a writer of sci-fi romance and historical fiction and her books have a flavor all their own.

I hold a degree in Graphic Design. Crystal is most excellent at editing. What do you think we're trading?

So get out there and talk to other indie authors!!! Many of them have skills you wouldn't believe and most are willing to help you out - for a return favor.

How did you meet the people in your network?

That's all for today, folks. I hope this post gets you out there, talking to other indie authors and discovering their talents beyond writing - psssst, they ALL have them.

Don't forget, Yassa is due out in JUNE! If you missed your chance to get a free copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One, don't worry! It's available on Smashwords for just $1.99!! Go get one!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

These Boots Were Made for Walking!

And that's what every character must do. In every story - every good story - a character must walk through the proverbial doorway of change. When the story begins, they must be one way, and when the story ends, they must be another. After all, the story is the telling of their journey from point A to point B. Without the journey, you have no tale to tell.

Your character also has a point of decision making. If they choose the left path, they end up one way and if they choose the right path, they end up another.

I will again use one of my characters to illustrate this point.

Temujin, from Yassa (due out in June) -

When the tale begins, Temujin is just nine years old. He is an innocent young man who is about to be betrothed to an innocent young girl. When his father is murdered and he is left in charge of his family, he experiences change. "But," you say, "That wasn't a choice!" Quite right. That is not his proverbial door, he was just a victim of circumstance in that situation. His doorway presents itself when he is ten years old and is forced to make a decision on whether or not to kill his half brother, Bekhter. If Temujin kills the young man, he will be an outlaw. If he doesn't, there's a good chance Bekhter will murder Temujin in his sleep. What to do?

Once a character passes through the door, their life must change forever. There must be no way to return to what they knew before. If you murder someone, you are a murderer and will go to prison - appealing? - and that will irrevocably change your life forever. It's not something you can take back or undo and it will change you when it changes your life. A good story has this moment; usually within the first third of the book.

Yassa's prologue is written from a different point of view than the rest of the book and provides a moment of change for the antagonist, Jamuka. Temujin's moment of change doesn't happen until the end of chapter 3 on page 50. Yassa is around 400 pages long so you can see that the moment of change happens well within the first third of the story.

A journey for a character from the moment of change until some sort of resolution is reached is the rest of your book. Resolution is almost always found in the last fourth of the book. I have found a few books where resolution is on the very last page. It depends on your writing style.

Just remember, one thing is universally true no matter what kind of story you are writing. Your character must change and walk through a door.

What characters do you remember most and what was their moment of change? Discuss!

Time to head out! I will be back Monday!

If you missed it, don't forget to grab your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One today!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

"Indescribable" and Why it Cannot Work for a Writer

Ever hear someone say, "I don't know how to describe it!"? As writers, we are duty bound to describe everything. It comes with the territory. So I discuss feelings today and how we might describe them with our words.

Angry - Having a strong feeling of or showing annoyance, displeasure, or hostility; full of anger.

Okay, there's the definition. What about the feeling itself? How does it affect your body, mind, and thought process? That is what a writer must describe. Forget the damned definition for a minute and think of something that makes you angry. Dwell on it and let it consume you for a few minutes. Now, close your eyes, put your fingers on your keyboard, and describe that feeling.

My attempt (I will use a time I was betrayed by someone I considered a friend in school):

I want to rip her head off her shoulders. If I thought I could physically do that, I swear I would. My heart is racing, my stomach feels like it's on fire, everything in my vision is blurry. I am shaking from head to toe and I am scared I will not be able to control this beast if I let it out of its cage. My hands want to connect with something while balled into fists. My throat is tight and I want to scream horrible things at her. I want to ruin her life so she can feel the same way that I do right now. I would tear her hair, punch her face, and call her every name I think she deserves (which is many).

Now, you can tell someone exactly what betrayal of a friend feels like to Jo. In every book, we read feelings based on those that the writer has experienced. In every character, the writer suffers. If the writer does not suffer, the characters are flat and boring. Let's try another one.

Love - An intense feeling of deep affection

hahaha!! Now that definition is so basic, it makes me want to gag!!

Repeat steps above and write it down.

My attempt (I am thinking of my boyfriend and love of my life, Mike):

My heart is pounding in my chest and my whole body feels like every nerve ending is on overdrive. His face fills my mind and tears spring to my eyes because I am overwhelmed by the intensity of it and there's no other way to release the feeling. If I don't let it out or express it somehow, I am afraid it will keep growing and cause me to shut down completely until I feel his hand on mine or his arms around me. I feel like there is a steel cable that runs from my heart to his and that the further apart we are, the thicker and stronger it becomes. I have a pulling sensation in my stomach and chest that tells me I need to be near him. When I am near him, it stops pulling and lies at rest. I feel an all encompassing fear along with everything else because I worry that it's too good; too much. I see his face and smile because he is beautiful, he makes me unbelievably happy, and my feet and head feel light as a feather.

If you want to, feel free to draw on those descriptions. If you notice, they intertwine with other feelings.

I set this challenge for you today: BEGIN YOUR BIBLE OF FEELINGS

Open up your word processor and list every feeling you can think of. Spend a few minutes every day filling it out. I beg you not to try each and every one of them in a single day because you will end up totally spent and with such a tumult of emotions in you, you might not be able to think. In addition, drawing on all of those memories may leave you with the lingering feelings. You have memories! USE THEM!

Leave a comment today with your attempt. I would love to read them! List your feeling, the definition, and your description! Let's make it fun!

I am running late today. Time to write!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Writers that Cannot Feel... Cannot Write

Today I am discussing feelings (or lack thereof) and what happens to a writer that cannot feel.

We all have those days when we are upset and the words flow. We all have those days where we are sublimely happy and the words flow. But what happens when we are numb? When the brain empties itself of all ability to do more than stare at a blank wall?

We read. At least, I do. I find solace in the words of others and they provide me with an escape from my numbness. When I read that Mr. Darcy insulted Ms. Eliza, I feel his insult just as she would have. It provides a way for me to connect to another human being (even if they are fictional).

Readers - and all writers MUST be readers - are a hypersensitive bunch. A true reader will pick up a book and become lost in the story flowing from the pages. If the story is well written, the reader carries a little piece of that book with them for the rest of their lives; especially if the characters have qualities we admire.

Example: When I read about the totally unassuming way that Ms. Jane Bennet looks at every person on the Earth and makes allotments for their shortcomings and flaws and never speaks ill of anyone, I find that quality endearing and my drive to be more like Jane increases. Ms. Eliza Bennet has a sharp tongue and a quick wit that keeps me engaged with her and those are qualities I find most people lacking. I instantly want to be more like Elizabeth.

If you ever find yourself lost in a book or character, ask yourself why. What is it about them that you love? Maybe they are so evil that you are stunned and that's why they stick with you. You begin to watch other people for signs that the character displayed so you will know to avoid them.

Books have a deep impact on our psyche, whether we want to admit it or not. Writers need books to read in order to fuel their passion and introduce them to unique qualities in people that we may never have met in real life.

When we cannot feel, we cannot write because we cannot bring passion to the pages of our stories.

But we can always read.

Remember, today is the last day to get your copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One!! Follow me on twitter (@writejomichaels) or follow my blog to get your code for the free download.

I am early today so I am going to poke around and comment on other blogs that I follow.

A question for all you writers out there: What do you do when you can't write? What causes your block?

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Working on a Novel is Like...?

What can compare to working on a novel? Digging your way out of sand when you are buried up to your neck and the only way out is grain by grain? How about swimming in a sea of spaghetti that pushes you backward one stroke for every two you make?

Some days, that is EXACTLY what working on a  novel feels like.

Then why do we write? Well...

We write because on other days, we are allowed to fly and the freedom our writing gives us on those days is worth one hundred days in the muck. It feels like nothing else in the world to know you have written a compelling story. Most of us just want to share that story with others and allow them a peek inside something they never thought possible. Writers always think of the possible and the impossible and figure out a way to turn it into prose.

When you read someone's book, you get a look inside a whole other realm of possibility. Books can change the way people think. Books can inform. Hell, books can even inspire other books. There is a very good reason that they say the pen is mightier than the sword. Sure the sword WON the battle, but the pen is what made it necessary in the first place. People who went to war or revolted because of words on a page were opened up to injustice that they might never have seen if not for a writer taking the time to put them on paper.

Writing is like breathing to an author. We walk around with our head in the clouds sometimes - okay, OFTEN - but we are usually very charismatic people who LOVE life and see it just a little bit differently than other people. If we couldn't write, we would suffocate and be miserable - even if we had everything else one could want. It is a part of who we are.

But those days when writing a novel is like digging yourself out of that damned sand are the days we doubt ourselves.

A call to action:

Go leave a review on your FAVORITE book by your FAVORITE LIVING author today. Give them their wings so they can give you that next great story.

What do you writers say working on a novel is like? Good days and bad days?

Time to go and get to work myself!!

Don't forget, the offer for a free copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One ends TODAY!!

Follow my blog (hint: look on the right side), follow me on Twitter or come like my Facebook page and shoot me a message to get the code for the download.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Yassa Cover Art

Came up with two designs. Would love some feedback from all you readers of this blog. Which one?

Option 1

 

Option 2

I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Abigale On Fire

Work has begun on The Abigale Chronicles - Book 1 and I couldn't be more pleased. I am up to chapter 7 already and cracking it out like my brain and fingers are on fire.

I made some decisions and just began writing. Her story is flowing so well, I'm scaring myself a little. It feels a little like my writing has gone to a whole different level since finishing Yassa and I am very pleased.

For all the authors out there, have you ever had that epiphany where you realize that you can do it? Where all your stars seem to align and you feel like your dreams have finally been recognized by your muse?

I have a deep love of photography, art, and literature. I recognize these things within myself and know that, as long as I embrace them, I will find contentedness within myself.

I have to take a moment here and thank my boyfriend. If any of you have someone in your life like him, you will understand what I am about to say. If you don't, I'm very sorry.

To the Love of My Life:

You encouraged me when I needed it most and refused to let me give up on myself; even when I thought there was no way I could ever finish. Thank you. You were there and drove my passion and gave me a reason to push forward. Thank you. You offered help constantly and pushed me to limits I didn't realize I could breach while providing me comfort and a pair of arms to make me feel secure. Thank you. You provided support, love, and were a constant reminder that I could do it. Thank you. Thank you for being the man you are and for loving me so much. I could never have done it without you. Thank you.

I hope you all keep following this blog for updates on Abigale and her frienemy, Emmett. I know I said I would be linking to the new blog from this one, but I'm not sure I'll be doing a different blog for the new series. We'll see.

Time to go and write!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Bookstores

With the loss of Borders in 2011, one must ask the question: What is going to happen to the bookstore? I read Publisher's Weekly and have noticed an alarming trend where more people are purchasing e-books than ever before; those numbers just keep rising. It concerns me, not because I am afraid I will never again be able to lay my hands on a tangible book, but because I will miss the experience of the bookstore. If you are in love with the printed word and the experience, you will understand. If you are not concerned about losing the experience, then you have never had it.

Here is what I love most about being in a bookstore:

Walking through the door is like taking a step through a portal into another world. You become instantly warm from the luminescent lighting and the camaraderie you feel with every person browsing the shelves or losing themselves in a book while nestled in the large, leather chairs and couches. Your senses are bombarded with familiar, comforting scents like coffee and newsprint. You can, at times, hear the laughter of children as they traipse through their imaginary world of princesses, dragons, and fearless knights or play with Bad Kitty or the dear sweet Little Llama.

Then, the whispers start. Every book on every shelf is calling your name, whispering the promise of their story in your ear, and telling you to, "Pick me! I can take you places you've never been!" You walk along the shelves with your heart racing, possibly touching some of the spines as you move through the rows; listening, feeling, getting excited about what you can learn from the ink printed on the pages. You are delirious and everything becomes a bit hazy in your mind. You know you went there for a new adventure but can't decide between the love story or the one about government conspiracies; perhaps the one on this shelf about kings and queens long dead...

You lift a book from the shelf and weigh it in your hand; feeling the story move against your skin. You flip it open to the jacket flaps and read a synopsis to decide if it's the kind of story you want to read this week. You inhale with your nose close to the pages and allow the scent of ink on paper to take over your senses. You feel the crackling of the glue that binds the pages together. It is intoxicating to you because you love books. You may even be of the type to sleep with one under your pillow so it can whisper its tales to you while you dream.

You make your choice; not after one or two or even three books that you perform this ritual with, but after many. You bring your carefully chosen friend - because that's really what a book is to a reader - to the counter and pay, then head home with your new friend held close; excited about what the pages will bring. When you arrive home, you lovingly unwrap your book from the bag and sit down, perhaps with a cup of coffee or tea, and begin your journey.

I am at a loss when I think of a time when I cannot perform that ritual. I don't want to shop for books via a cold piece of metal that connects me to a www something or other. I want the heat of the book in my hand, its pages giving off a little bit of life that I can absorb just by holding it.

How about you? Do you prefer a tangible book or an e-reader? Have you ever experienced the phenomenon described above?

I am eager to know, drop me a line.

It is just past 9am so I am running a little late. I am forgiving myself today because I managed to pour out almost SIX thousand words yesterday. I had my story firmly in my grasp. Today feels the same... I hear the buzz of the characters in my ears...

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Motivation

For all you writers out there, what is your motivation for writing a book? Is it fame? fortune? the need to tell your story? the need to tell someone else's story? I am curious what makes you all tick.

For me, it is the telling of a story that may have happened inside a story we all know. Everyone knows that Genghis Khan took over most of Eurasia and everyone knows he had a wife, a daughter, and four sons. Everyone knows that Jamuka was his best friend until something happened that made him leave Genghis and begin to conquer on his own in direct competition of his friend. My brain starts ticking when I hear stories like that. I want to know why they had a falling out of that magnitude. Don't you?

Over the span of my life, when I have heard stories other people tell, I have always filled in the gaps with tales of knights, dragons, love, and betrayal. I used to sit in the mall and write people a new story in my head. I have gone through many learning processes in my life to learn other skills because writing was never deemed useful; like reading. My father used to say, "Put down that book and do something with yourself. You are wasting your time on nonsense." Reading and writing were considered bad form and he had the idea that reading the encyclopedia was the only way to learn.

B.S.

Things I have learned from books:

1. How to be a better person
2. How to cook things I could never have done without the instruction
3. Historical facts
4. Human interaction
5. How other people tick
6. How to be comfortable in my own skin
7. Other people have it worse sometimes
8. How to be patient and understanding
9. How to forgive and overlook
10. How to use my imagination to feel, be, and see what the characters feel, are, and see

and so much more!

I would like to send a huge shout out to the following authors as a thank you for taking the time to sit down and tell me a story:

J.K. Rowling (violence is not always necessary)
Stephanie Meyer (true love is all encompassing and can survive anything)
C.S. Lewis (be good down inside)
J.R.R. Tolkien (your friends that are true will help you through anything)
Piers Anthony (being different is okay)
Anne Rice (be comfortable with yourself)
Alice Borchardt (history can be interesting)
Christoper Paolini (always believe the impossible)
Robin Cook (hospitals are crooked)
Fern Michaels (women are strong)
Suzanne Collins (fight like every day is your last because it could very well be)
Stephen King (reality in writing can make you feel)
The Brothers Grimm (fairytales give hope and a moral lesson)
Shakespeare (it is not the language but how you use it)
Every author that has ever spent their time writing a story (perseverance pays off)

Well, that's it for today folks, off to write some more!! I hope this post got you thinking!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Weekend!!

I shipped my chapters off to my focus group this morning and am putting the first 6 chapters of edits into my manuscript before I reprint so I can share my story with someone near and dear to my heart this weekend. It makes me a bit nervous because, while I can read it and let my focus group read it and not take it personally, this is a lot more personal.

Questions to the writers out there: When you share your draft with a random person, do you take their feedback personally or do you just accept it for what it is? Is it different when you share it with someone you love?

Just stuff in my head right now.

I gotta go pack!! SO excited right now! I can think of NO better way to spend my weekend than spending time with my Babydoll in a city that is celebrating books.

Another quick question: Does ink printed on paper mean anything to anyone any more? Or are we so consumed by technology that everything now must be digital or no one will bother with it?

Thought: When that EMP destroys all of the electronics that we depend on so much, at least I'll still have my paper books...

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo