Lost in my characters

Have you ever lost yourself in your characters? I think all writers do at one time or another. What’s crazy is I was talking with someone the other day and started to tell them something that happened to a friend and then I realized it had happened to a character in my book. I just shut my mouth and decided to get my head on straight before I talked again. Maybe that’s why most writer’s choose the life of a recluse.

Sometimes when I’m writing I get so lost in my characters world that I have to readjust to my own life. It’s a fact that you have to get into your characters head in order to write a believeable character. If you don’t get involved with the character how can you even begin to tell their story. it would be like writing about someone you’ve never met or seen. It’s almost impossible.

For me I like to write a character bio on all the main characters. That way everytime they do something new, then I write it down so that my characters stay true to form. This helps when writing a series where the characters appear in several books. Oh and for goodness sakes make sure you note ages and names. That’s so embarassing when your editor asks who the new character is midway of the book and you realize you accidentally changed their name. Yep, been there done that.

Lately I’ve been lost in the 1800’s while writing Emma Rose. I’m really excited about this new installment in the Women Of Magnolia Hill Saga. But I do have to make sure I keep up with the times that I’m writing in. Emma Rose has taken over my brain, so I need to get back to her story. I’ll be revealing the cover really soon.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Starting with a good foundation

Writing a book is not as easy as it looks. There are so many steps to making a readable novel. Of course you can just write a story and publish it without following the needed steps, but I don’t recommend it. Make sure what you put out to the public is the best it can be. As I stated in my post about polishing it up, take the steps to make it the best it can be.

This starts with a good foundation. You don’t want to build your house on shifting sands, so why build your story on a whim. Writers are full of stories, it’s the way we’re made. A story line comes to us and we immediately start writing, but in many cases we need to sit down and make sure that the story line is strong enough to hold up a novel to the end. If you can’t make the story line hold up the whole book then you might want to rethink the process.

Sit down with the story idea. Think it out. See where the story goes in your mind. Most of the stories that come into my head actually keep poking at me until I do this. You all know how I am about outlines and yes, I know some of you are groaning, but they help keep the story in line or somewhat in line.

Also, you need to make sure that the story idea will keep a reader involved and interested throughout the middle part and the ending. If the story does not have enough backbone to hold out to the end, you might want to rethink it. Sometimes when you sit down and really give it some thought you can make it work. A writer has a way of making the story come alive and evolve. That’s what your story line idea has to do, evolve.

Using an outline can help build the foundation of the story. You can sway some from the outline, but make sure that the story stays consistent so that it follows neatly behind the leader. Don’t forget the reason for the story, the backbone of the story. That’s what builds the foundation on a sturdy foundation, not a sinking sand foundation. Make your book the best it can be, so start off right. Do your homework. Writing a book takes work, so give it your all.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Yes! I talk to myself, don’t you?

As a child I was always taught that you didn’t talk to yourself because someone would think you were weird. Umm, well, I guess that philosophy was lost on me. My son told me the other day that he was looking for homes to put me in. As I tried to explain to him when he caught me arguing with myself, yes I know, that’s a little overboard, but I’m a writer. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it 🙂

Sometimes when I’m writing and trying to work out a story line I say it out loud. The only problem with that is I most of the time write while in the room with my husband and son. I catch myself hashing out an argument with my characters and I start arguing out loud. Then I realize that I’m not alone. I usually turn to see my son and hubby looking at me like I’ve completely lost it. I just grin and start excitedly telling them what the argument was all about and that’s when they roll their eyes and wave me off. They don’t get into romance. Now if I wrote a romance about a fisherman or hunter maybe, but not my kind.

Now you can’t say you haven’t fussed at your computer out loud, or hashed out a story out loud. It’s just easier for me to read a part of the story out loud. It makes it sound different than in my head. I guess it’s like I filter it when I silently read, I don’t know.

I do try to hold back when I’m in the general public. Although sometimes when I’m somewhere and a story hits me I’ll laugh out and say something like, “Ooh that’d make a great one” or “Yikes I shouldn’t have killed her off.” Yeah, that last line really clears an aisle at the grocery store. Could this be why most writers are loners?

What’s bad is when I’m talking to myself and then start answering myself? My son has started just turning and leaving me alone with myself.

I was so lost in a story line the other day that I didn’t even realize I was actually doing a crazy giggling sound and some sort of clicking of my tongue. My son finally tapped me and asked if I needed medication. I just waved him away after giving him a look.

So, do you talk to yourself? Come on you know you do.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Series or finish in one?

When you’re writing the book and the story just keeps going and going, so you finish the story or do you make it into a series? Series can be a continuation of the same storyline with the same characters, they can be a continuation of characters that in the first book were in the background, or it can be just a continuation of the same type of story but entirely different story. What will it be?

For me a couple of my books have stood alone completely. I knew and felt good with ending them at the words The End. But some of my stories needed more. Some were supposed to be stand alone but the characters just pulled at me to be more. In my latest book, Open The Heart, I originally planned on it being alone. As I delved into the story around 3/4 of the way in I knew it had more to tell. You may be saying why not just go ahead and make it a mega novel with 50,000 or more words, but in some instances it’s good to just end on a cliff hanger, leaving the reader wanting more.

In Victoria I knew at the start that it would be a Saga. I knew as I was writing the first chapter how it would end and I built it up to that major cliff hanger which of course has garnered lots of readers writing to me stating that they were hanging on pins and needles. I just smile and know I did the right thing. It’s had several asking when the next book could be expected. What’s funny is they always ask what happens? I can’t tell you until the next book comes out is always my response.

So, what will you next book be? It’s sometimes a hard question. Does your story line have the stamina to carry on for several books? Does your general premise for the book have series quality? Well, let me know how you figure it out.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Choose your words wisely…

Words can be powerful things. They can inspire anger, love, romance, tears, and even envy. As a writer that’s our chosen task is to inspire with our words. Whether it be a mere 5000 word short story novella or a 80,000 word novel, we strive to inspire every emotion in our words. Sometimes the words we choose don’t inspire at all, but encourage.

Words have many different meanings. They can have many facets that follow down a path of the story. Some words mean different things with just the change of scenery. It’s amazing the changes words can bring about in a story. One word can stop the breath of the character or bring about a gasp of love.

As writers we strive to craft a masterpiece just as a sculpture uses a chisel and stone, we use a thesaurus or dictionary to craft the perfect piece of artwork.We chisel at a story and shape it to our way of thinking. We work at it hard and steady shaping out every detail so that the reader is transported to another world. Our characters have to be given the same care as a fine piece of marble ready for the chisel of a master. In order for the reader to understand or know the character we have to choose the right words to describe the character just as a sculpter chisels the features of the face of his art.

It’s amazing how a well crafted story can give you a new outlook, a small sense of accomplishment and maybe even a new set of fans. As I craft my stories I try to put everything at my disposal. Using different words to mold the story into reality can give the reader a new outlook as well as yourself.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Following the crumbs…

I’m just going to say it. Yes, I started another work in progress. I readily admit I have a problem. It’s called writers overload. I have way too many stories spinning in whats left of my brain. The story is the Christmas story that should have been started over a month ago, but I was working out the pieces and how to’s. I’ll give you a little hint, it’s going to be part of a lifetime dream of mine. I’ll get to live out my dream in fiction.

As for writing, we have to follow the crumbs to get to the goal. Each chapter, each outline piece is a crumb. Sometimes the crumbs are more visible than others. When the crumbs are large and right in front of us we can write for hours without stopping. Then other times the crumbs are so small that we have to search for them. That’s when writer’s block comes in and our mind strays away from the task at hand.

When writer’s block hits you have to step back. The more you try to get it back, the further you’ll push it away. Maybe it’s another story that needs to be finished that’s taking over. Maybe it’s something in your personal life like a load of laundry that’s calling out to be put away. Go put it away and then sit back down.

Another problem I have is the inevitable sore neck from sitting over the laptop tapping out my thoughts. I’ve learned that when my neck gets tense I have to step away for a little bit. The tense feeling overwhelms the writing ability. It takes over the thoughts and ideas. Usually I do some neck rolls and stretch, then take a little walk to loosen up. If you’re not careful it will compound itself and the next day will be out completely.

Hope everyone is having a great Monday. Enjoy this day and remember, it’s only another day of the week, try not to think of it as Monday. Yeah… Right… Time for more coffee 🙂

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

When the story throws the outline out…

If you’ve followed my blog for very long you know I’m a outline girl. As soon as a story comes into my head I sit down while it’s fresh and outline it from start to finish. It helps so much especially when you get a case of writers block and need to be reminded of the story.

Well, I’ve been working on a manuscript that is outlined already, but guess what, the outline is going astray. As I followed it for the first eight or so chapters, but things have changed. A couple of the characters just won’t cooperate and now I’m forced to change the outline. Thank goodness it wasn’t set in stone. Things change right? Well as for this story they do.

Sometimes we have to accept change and just go with it. I try to go with the flow in everything I do, but my writing has always been streamlined or I tried to keep it that way. The outlines have always kept me on track, but this story just wants to speak for itself. So as any writer will tell you, the story has the ball and it’s the stories game. So I guess I’ll play nice and see how it goes.

As always, great writing and May God Bless you…

Monday morning chill in the South

There was a definite chill in the house this morning as I crept out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make the coffee. It felt good to wrap up in a throw as I watched the news and waited on the coffee to brew. My son actually wore a hoodie this morning. I love this weather. It will bring on the Fall transformation of beauty in the trees.

I’m working on several manuscripts. I can’t seem to stay put on one particular one. Hopefully this morning I can focus on just one. Hopefully my Christmas editions will be ready in the next couple of weeks.

How do you stay focused and away from the other characters and stories crowded your mind? Sometimes a deadline can put a wall of to the over crowding, but most of the time theses stories and characters just keep right on pushing their way through. Let’s just hope I can stay focused for the hour I have before going to the office.

Today’s question: Does anyone else have several manuscripts playing inside their head? What are you working on today?

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

How to draw out a story

Have you ever been writing a story and suddenly you’re at the end and only have a couple thousand words. You sit there going, “It seemed longer in my brain.” Well, it could be. This is when you open it back up and you read over it. Look at the descriptions. Have you given the read enough to imagine the place or the real character?

A lot of times we get the story down and forget that the reader can’t see it in their mind. We as writers have got to show the reader the story around the story. Meaning, if the story takes place in a small town and that’s significant, then let the reader know about this small town. Give it life.

If the character has a flaw, bring it out in descriptions, the reader won’t know unless you let them know. Remember this story that you can see clearly has to be brought out vividly to the reader. They can’t jump into your brain and see what you see. I had to learn this. My first couple of books needed more descriptions and one day they’ll get them.

So give your character a life, home and description, not only a name.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Still waiting on SYTYCW2013 decisions to be made. Keep fingers crossed and good luck to all entered 🙂

Getting lost in the story…

Have you ever been so into a story that you got lost? This could happen either when writing the story or reading the story. You know when you’re reading a story and get lost, well the author has done a good job. When you’re writing a story and get lost, well, maybe you’re doing a good job.

The story I’m working on now has me immersed in the story. I just love romance and especially the build up to a relationship between the characters in my mind. It’s funny the architecture of a story. First you have to build the characters to let the readers know a little about them. Then of course you have to work on the story. It’s amazing how into a story you can get.

I love the build up. Sometimes I get ahead of my fingers in my mind. I have to be careful when doing this. It’s difficult to slow down my brain when the story is pouring out. Yesterday as I typed my mind was overflowing. That’s a good problem to have when you’re a writer.

I hope all of you are lost in a story. It helps you to get out of this crazy world for a little while. As I finish this post I will open my manuscript and continue the story. The outline is clear and now we’ll just see how the story fills in the blanks. Have a wonderful Thursday and enjoy the crisp Fall air.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…