How a Pantser Can Keep Their Pants on While Outlining

I've committed a great and terrible sin.  It happened completely by accident, I swear. One minute I was puking notes to my story on the page, the next thing you know....I was organizing them!  Gah!  The horror!

From the get go, I have been a pantser.  Butt in chair and write.  Start with a scene and work my way from there. Loosely keeping in mind that I had to "go somewhere with this story." I'd up the stakes a quarter of the way in, have a halfway peak high, and roll down hill after that until the end, we there's resolution.  Sounds good, right? And each time I did that, it worked.  Of course, there was this little thing called revisions and man oh man, were those rough.  I'd find myself trying to "outline" after the fact.  Which consisted of me recapping the story in bullet points and rearranging the crap out of them.  I was able to make it work but there were a lot of times that I'd get hung up on a plot point because this whole scene was written around it, only to realize the plot point must die.

I still consider myself a pantser, sort of. But what I've done this week on my new MS, has changed my way of writing forever.  Now some people can't even start a story until they have completely outlined it, that will never be me.  I know what my momma said about never say never but ...never. Here's why.  I HAVE to, I mean absolutely positively have to get the story out of me and just start writing.  Because the muse is flowing and information is coming so fast, I have to write it before all those morsels of goodness slip out into the universe and disappear forever. (I forgot shit easy.)

This is how a pantser can keep their pants on while outlining:

Jot down some notes.  Start writing your intro scene.  Puke more notes and decide to organize them, which means format them into bullet points.  Write some more or your story.  Get brilliant idea for random scenes throughout the book and make a bunch of chicken scratch notes on that.  Write more story.  Stop.  Realize you need to organize, like for real organize and start to put those thoughts in some kind of logical order.

Funny thing this so called "logical order."  It's very similar too but not quite like...an outline.  Yes, say it again with me kiddos; outline.  Don't be afraid of it.  It won't hurt you.  Now pet it, go on. Give it a good rub on the belly.  "Good, outline." See, it won't bite.

Meet Outline.  He's says, "Rub my belly!"

At this point I panicked, called Ara (also known as, Writer Freakout Hotline Operator) and she talked me off the cliff by reminding me of this thing called "Acts of a Book."  This sounded vaguely familiar. I remember doing something like this over a year ago (by The Plot Whisperer).  It had worked for a bit, then I got totally frustrated and said screw outlining.  With Ara's advice I broke my book into four quarters (instead of the 3 Plot Whisper does. Even though my 2nd and 3rd quarter equal the size of her mid-section. I needed to separate them for better clarification.)

Here is what I did: (And Ara, if I'm way off base, let me know.)

ACT I
Start with Inciting Incident, first chapter. (See this great article here.)
End 1/4 into book with first plot point.
ACT II
Run with first plot point. Run like your ass is on fire and you need to find water.
End 1/2 way through the book with Peak High (the life-can't-get-any-better-than-this feeling.)
ACT III
Burst your MC's bubble.  Shit goes from bad to bloody freaking awful.
End 3/4 in with you MC on the edge of suicide. (Not really, unless it's an issue book, then yes, go ahead.)
ACT IV
Okay shit sucks but MC finds a way to continue on and maybe there IS some resolution
End Book with rainbows and sunshine (LGBTQ or not) and whether it's the perfect hollywood ending or just closure, you may now end your book.
THE END

Aww, wasn't that a good bedtime story, boys and girls?

So does this pantser have an outline.  For the record, I WILL NEVER CALL IT AN OUTLINE. It is an  ever growing, somewhat semi-organized, thought/character/scene/dialog purging bullet point of notes for my manuscript.  And yes, that is the "technical" file name I have it saved as.

Can you fell that, kiddos? That frenzied excitement in my post here.  I'm on FIRE. Fire I tell you, and this manuscript has freed me. Because, I'm doing what Ellen Hopkins told me to, "write the story that scares you."  I promise you peeps, when you do, the muse will be good to you.

So, how about you, pantser, outliner, or undecided?

Typing My Butt OFF! Story purge.

I'm taking 30 seconds to say, I'm not going to post today. (Or post something crafty.) Ever since Monday, when the idea for my next project finally came into focus (and struck me like a bolt of lightning),  I can't seem to type fast enough.  It's coming out of my head so fast, I can barely get the bullet points to the story down.

As you know I've been savoring on this LGBTQ idea for the last two months.  And how to go about writing it just hadn't presented itself.  That is, until I decided to take author, Ellen Hopkins, advice: "write the story that scares you." That's what she told me in NY two months ago, and that is exactly what I am doing. 
Now,  THE DAMN THING WON'T SHUT UP!

I'm 4000 words into it and another 5000 in notes...which brings me to the painful point that, for the first time as a pantser, I'm outlining.

Alright kiddos, I'm out the door and off to make-out with my MS.

Next week I'll talk more on "Writing the Story that Scares You" and what that means to me.
Also, "How a Pantser Can Keep Their Pants on While Outlining."

Now What? And a Spark.

I'm in that limbo stage, between query and what next.  I've been editing this manuscript so long, I don't know what to do with myself.  Sure, I'm researching agents and sending out queries but I can't spend my entire day doing that.  Well, I could...but it's not what I should be spending the bulk of my time on.

I need to be writing.
I have to create.
It's in my DNA.

I need to consider where I'm headed next in my writing career and keep moving forward.  This getting an agent thing doesn't happen overnight.  In the meantime, I need to keep my writing juices flowing. (I apparently "need" a lot in this post, sorry.)

So,what is my next project going to be?  I have a few contemporary books I'm thinking about.  One or two paranormal books I'd like to write and then a I have a LGBTQ story that I've been mulling over.  I'm actually thinking about working on two stories at once, to start.  I'm sure one story will eventually win out the other but until then, I think I'm going to peck away at both.

Ever since SCBWI NY conference, I got inspired to write a LGBTQ book set in a rural town in Tennessee.  My original idea felt flat, it lacked  a bit of shimmer and I couldn't quite figure out why.  Then this morning bam! it hit me like a ton of bricks.  The entire book unfolded in my head and characters came to life so vivid, I jumped out of bed and grabbed my computer to purge the thoughts before they were lost forever. And that's when the spark hit me. That part of being a writer that I LOVE so much.  The excitement of a new project and the gushing of the muse that comes with.  I bet today I'll write 5000 words, easy.

I feel alive.  That's what this writing thing does to a body, you know?  I can't wait to bring to life this story, these characters.

Should I be moving on to my next project while I query?  If not, what should I be doing?
How about you, what are you doing (or plan to do) during the query wait?

Trend Bashing

For all the shit I'm hearing.

Is it just me, or have you noticed a trend in bashing the latest trend?  It all goes back to the Douche Bag my buddy Jessica dealt with last week and his complaint about The Hunger Games books.  I first noticed the "trend bashing" with Twilight, about the time the movie came out.  Now, I'm not saying you can't dislike something.  I don't like "Sex and the City" but you don't see me throwing hate parties on my blog about it.  If you want to complain that Bella was weak, Edward was too perfect, and for the love of GOD, Taylor, put your shirt on!  That's fine.  But it's the BASHING I can't stand.  The nonstop bitching and complaining and on and on and on that Stephenie Meyer sucks as a writer (though her bank account might disagree with you), and her stories are for shit and blah blah blah.

Just gets old.

I remember when The Hunger Games came out, everyone was raving about it.  How amazing Suzanne Collins writing is and well, yes, I agree.  But now, on the eve of the movie, I've been hearing a bit of bashing.  Like with Jessica's Douche Bag buddy (though he wasn't so much bashing as he was exaggerating his point.)  I also read some bashing on a blog the other day.  Saw some tweeters complaining about the movie hype, saying that there was way more hype than the quality of the book warrants because X book was way better.  (I had to look up X, at it was some literary piece.  And no, X is not the title, just a generic name.)

PEOPLE!  IT'S NOT GOING TO WIN THE NOBLE PIECE PRIZE!
That does not make it a bad book.  It's a "commercial" book and there's nothing wrong with that. And just because a book gets made into a movie doesn't mean it's bad writing either.

Sure, what I'm hearing is not as bad as the beating Twilight gets...yet.  But I wonder if it will eventually snowball into that.  I hope not.  I can only guess the reason behind bashing something so popular.  Jealousy?  A need to prove you are way cooler than the trends?  Whatever.  If you don't like something, complain in an intelligent tactful way.  Otherwise, you just look like an ass.

Have you heard about any Hunger Games bashing? (For the book.)

Arrogance vs. Confidence - Don't be a Douche Bag

The other day I was reading Jessica Love's blog post "It's My Livelihood." Where it ticked Jessica off when a guy at a party came off snobby about the wine they were drinking and then justified his arrogance with "It's my livelihood."  Then later in the evening the guy bashed "The Hunger Games" books.  Jessica, the good YA writer she is, came to the books defense with a heavy dose of her own "Well, it's my livelihood, bee-outch!"  (She may or may not have said bee-outch.)  The point is, Jessica berated herself for being the douche bag that annoyed her earlier.  I think Jessica is wrong.  I've met her a few times, love this girl!  She's fun and positive and nothing even remotely douche baggish.

People with low self-esteem often exude arrogance instead of confidence. Arrogance belittles the people around you. Confidence inspires. I find in our little writing world a bit of both,unfortunately.  And sometimes the two are confusing.  It has taken me quite some time to learn the difference.

My first experience was once when I exchanged a chapter with a fellow writer, three years ago, to see if we would be good CP's.  Um...no.  It wasn't the negative this writer pointed out in my work, but it was how they said it.  They spoke down to me.  Instead of saying "Pacing slow" and why, they wrote "BOR-ING" or "Yawn.  More yawn."  Though their comments were correct, it was their arrogance that turned me off.  Not to mention when I read their work in return, I expected it to be mostly flawless.  It was the opposite of  such.

Writing is a tough business.  We should surround ourselves with confident writers, not arrogant ones. People who build you up and look after you.  If you are a new person to the writing/blogging community (which is doubling intimidating) you might first mistake arrogance for confidence. Be aware of how you feel after a tough critique.  I'm not talking about the initial, dude-I-am-not-the-literary-genius-i-hoped-to-be-and-this-shit-is-work low feeling, we all get after a tough critique.  But do you feel somewhat inspired, enlightened or maybe pointed in the right direction on what needs work?  Or do you feel tiny and pathetic to core and think you might be better at toothpick counting?

Don't let other people's insecurity make you feel small so they can feel big.  Find a core of uplifting writers and surround yourself with positive people. You will prosper so much faster in the industry and in life itself.

Sunday Downloads: "Sugar" by Paper Route

Call me "sugar."  Somebody please call me "sugar."  This song is about a man in love begging for her to come back to him.  There's a line, where he tells her that "If there's a sonnet, that makes you feel wanted, then, sugar, I'm on it.  Sugar, I'm on it."  Oooo...I want a man to call me "sugar" and write me sonnets.  Later in the song he tells me, ahem, I mean her...."You hit like the lightning.  A beauty so frightening."  To have a man think you are so beautiful that it frightens him...oh yeah, I'm all gooey just thinking about it.

I've recently discovered Paper Route from noisetrade.com where I downloaded one of their albums.  But for the single "Sugar" you can download it free here.  There are several other amazing artists on this free album:
Cary Brothers - "Can't Take My Eyes of You" (AMAZING SONG!)
Matthew Mayfield - "Element"
Andrew Belle - "In My Veins" (Which I will feature next week.)
William Fitzsimmons - "Ever Could"

I hope you enjoy the song as much as I do.



Lyrics "Sugar"
Under the eyelids
Under the eyelids
That's where you're hiding
That's where you're hiding

Like I'm a stranger
Signaling danger
But I'm a beggar
But I'm a beggar

Take me back
Take me home
You were right
All Along
You are where I belong

If there's a sonnet
That makes you feel wanted
Then, sugar, I'm on it
Sugar, I'm on it

A world in a world
A shell to a pearl
Is how I'll protect you
I'll always protect you

Take me back
Take me home
You were right
All Along
You are where I belong
Where I belong

All I am
All I am
I've given you all I am
Given you all I am
You are where I belong

If I'm the great sea
You're what I'm reflecting
Blue in the evening
Blue in the evening

You hit like the lightning
A beauty so frightening
The Earth was dividing
The Earth was dividing

Should I Pay for a Critique at a Conference?

Maybe. It's not a clear cut yes or no answer.  I've been to several conferences (big and small) and writer workshops with different types of critiques. Through my experience, all of my paid critiques have been a learning experience, whether they were helpful or not.

Here are a few of my thoughts.

1.  Round Table Critiques vs One on One
These seem to be the top two styles of critiques. Round Table critiques usually consist of an editor or agent moderator and anywhere from 5-8 peers.  Your peers could be PB, MG or YA (assuming you are attending a children's literature type of conference.)  The peers within your genre will probably be the most helpful.  Typically you have an alloted amount of time, 8-12 minutes to read your first 500 words (everyone gets a copy to make notes on and follow along with) and hear their comments.  Your peers usually comment first ("usually" is the key word here) and then the agent/editor will give their feedback.  This is the time, writers, to listen and shut your mouth, NOT be defensive.

One on One critiques can be more stressful BUT you get one on one time with and editor or agent.  Approximately twenty to thirty minutes.  Typically the editor or agent has received the pages ahead of time and has already made notes on the first 500 words.  Usually a one page synopsis is included, to give editor/agent an idea of where the story is going.  The pages are discussed, problems and pros are pointed out. This is your opportunity to ask the agent/editor, what you can do to improve?  Where do they see this type of story in the marketplace?  It's your time to pick their brain on your project.

2.  What are you really looking to get out of it?
You've got to ask yourself, what do I want in return for paying for a professional critique?  Practice putting yourself out there? Practice making your pitch?  To honestly hear if what you have is viable? If these are your answers, then I say, yes, go for it.

If it's to possibly get an agent or a book deal? Well, your MS better be spit-shined and polished. Even then, the chances of you getting an agent/editor that is looking for your specific type of story is slim at best.  Not saying people haven't gotten agents through paid critiques but it's a rare thing, not a common occurrence. Don't get your hopes up is all I'm saying.

Or maybe you just want a critique on your work?  Why pay for something you can get for free?  Find critique partners and betas.  Found one but didn't work out? Look again, find another until you find someone that works well with you.  Where do you find them? Well, that's another post entirely.

3. Understand what you might get from a critique.
I've had people not even know what "paranormal" means and who have never read YA and wasted my alloted time asking me to explain those things.  I've had peer groups who wrote mostly picture books so they had blank stares after I read my pages. But it's not all bad.  I've had gushing comments on my writing. I've had a lady stop me in the bathroom later that day to tell me how awesome she thought my story was.  Once, an editor circled all my verbs (which, when I saw her circling away, dread took over me) and then commented "Brilliant verbs!!!" Keep in mind, that just because someone else is a writer, does not mean they will be able to give you strong, solid advice.  Most of the time I've received generic comments.  I have never received any feedback that I 1.) hadn't already heard from my CP's or 2.)knew myself I needed to fix.  No matter how the critique goes, take positive notes home.

4. My advice...learn from my mistakes.

You should never take a first draft to a professional critique.  No matter how excited you are, you're wasting your time and moola.  Even Libba Bray will tell you, "First drafts SUCK!"  You know it.  I know it. Sure, there are morsels of goodness in there and the concept is solid but don't waste your time and money on something that's not ready.  Whether, Round Table Critique or One on One, they are all going to tell you what you already know to fix.  You WILL NOT receive some ingenuous insight that will solve all your plot/voice/story problems.

My advice, pay for a one on one critique when you have a query ready manuscript. Otherwise, save your dollars.

How about you?  What's your paid critique experience?

45 Days to Write...275 to Edit

It took me six times longer to edit my manuscript than write it.  Yes I wrote a book in 45 days, but for me writing a book is the easy part.  It's the editing that's a bitch.  I've written three books prior.  All of which took me WAY longer to write but with each one, it got a little easier.  None of which did I ever edit beyond the edit-as-you-go or a final cursory glance cleanup.

So many times you hear agents/editors preach to aspiring writers DO NOT submit your work too soon.  I remember how I wanted to send my first book out because I thought it was awesome. Hahahaha...excuse me while I pee my pants laughing at myself. (For the record, that first book will NEVER see the light of day.)  Instead of committing to the work of editing, I wrote another book. Then another. Then another. But it was that last book I approached differently.  I wrote without editing as I went along with the idea of editing once I was finished.  I also told myself THIS BOOK, come hell or high water, I'm going to query.  Even if it kills me.

So, I edited.  It took me three runs through it, just to get it to a strong second draft.  Then three or four more to make it an amazing second draft.  Then, when I thought it was ready to query, I edited it again.  Now, I have a solid-holy-cow-my-brain-hurts-third draft.  At this point, there is not much more I can do.  It is the best work I have and I'm proud to query it. Before, I was a bit leery about querying because I could still see a few flaws.  I wasn't ready.

Do I think some agent will swoop in and NOT have any edits for me.  No way.  I've read enough author acknowledgements that thank their agents/editors for bringing out the best writer in them.  Because agents and editors know how to make a good writer shine.

Editing is work.  Hard work.  Will I tweak my MS more? Probably.  Can any writer EVER let things be?  Heck, I've even heard published authors say they'd like to change X,Y and Z to their published book.  It's the nature of the beast.  But at this point, I want some time in between before I make go tinkering with it again.

I read recently from an agent's tweet (or in this case I think they were retweeting Natalie Whipple), and I paraphrase...Spend more time learning to be a better writer than focus on getting published.

That is exactly what I've been doing the last few years and why it's taken me THIS long to query.  Before, I was not good enough and I wanted to be a good writer so I didn't embarrass myself.   Now I'm looking for someone to believe in me and my work.

Before you submit, ask yourself, "Are you ready?"  If you hesitate, the answer is no. For the record, those who don't give up are called "authors."

My MS before editing.

Pieces of Me - Love Note To Honey #1

This is my message board I keep in my bathroom.  My Honey and I have been writing love notes on it for years. (Well, not this particular one because kids have broken the previous 4. Now if they touch it, I have threatened to burn them at the stake.) This is my amazing stick figure art creation where I am suggesting that we need a beach vacation for two.  

And no, my husband does not have a Fu Manchu, it's a goatee.  

And no, I do not have a uni-boob.

Just wanted to share a piece of me.  Carry on with your writing.

Writer Therapy

Writer therapy looks a little like this:

And it helps to have a writer buddy to talk to you on this almost two hour hike.  And lucky for, I have the best guide Ara Burkland. Not only did we get to talk about books, writing, agents and everything else under the publishing sun, we did it with a view.

And there were tons of lizards, baby bunnies, squirrels and a few dolphins.

See that tiny black thing?  It's the tail of the fin.  You have to be super quick to catch them.  Here, there was a pod of about four.  Beautiful creatures. So elegant as the navigate the waves.

It was a gorgeous day with the best weather you could ask for at Torrey Pines. We are so lucky to be close to such beauty.  Thanks, Ara, for suggesting the hike.

What's your writer therapy?

Sunday Downloads - Soft Shock

For some reason, I gravitate toward the acoustic.  Well, not for some reason. It's because I feel more connected to the artist.  It's that stripped down voice, lyrics and guitar. All thought not all acoustic involves only a guitar but delving into the mechanics of what makes something acoustical would lead me to some serious digressing.

Annnnnddd back on point.  The song today is "Soft Shock" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs.  I like their commercial indie sound but to date, I've never been so moved to download one of their songs, until "Soft Shock." It's their acoustical version and the lyrics that really sold me.  I heard the song at the end of a "Bones" episode. (The show with David Boreanaz as a FBI agent.)  Thanks to SoundHound I have discovered a many of wonderful songs (ironically off Bones or House.)  The Yeah Yeah Yeahs acoustical version being one.

The title "Soft Shock" is a play on words to one of the lines in the song. "It's a sharp shock, to your soft side."  It's referring to being blissfully happy in a relationship and bam! the other person drops the bomb that they want to break up.  You never saw it coming, thus the knife in the heart.

It also makes for great YA breakup song.




Lyrics "Soft Shock"


Unknown, talk to unknown
Ever, lasts forever

Still, it’s a sharp shock to your soft side
Summer moon, catch your shut eye
In your room, in my room
In your room, in my room

Louder, lips speak louder
Better, back together

Still it’s a sharp shock to your soft side
Summer moon, catch your shut eye
In your room, in my room
In your room, in my room

What’s the time? What’s the day? Gonna leave me
What’s the time? What’s the place" Gonna leave me.
What’s the time? What’s the day? Gonna leave me
What’s the time? What’s the place? Gonna leave me out.
Leave me out, leave me out, leave me out.

i want 2b 6teen

I love perusing Tumblr.  Its another media platform, but instead of Blogger where you post your thoughts or Facebook where you share your life or Twitter where you connect to like minded individuals, Tumblr connects you to the world through imagery and inspiration.

Most Tumblr posts comprise of pictures that invoke artful imagery, or words or quotes that inspire.  I wanted a Tumblr page but couldn't justify adding one more thing to my to do list unless it benefited me as an author.  So I created "I Want 2b 6teen."  I didn't want to create a specific themed Tumblr page that geared to the book I was writing at the time. I wanted a page that I could reach out to my future teen audience, all the time.  To let them know that I haven't forgotten what it's like to be sixteen (the good, the bad and the ugly.)  Each image, quote or bit of art I share all have the same premise.  I want to be sixteen because_______. And let the post fill in the blank.  Though a lot of my images are positive reasons to want to be sixteen, there are some heartbreaking (or naughty) reasons, too.  Even though there were negative times in my teen years, I wouldn't change them because they shaped who I am today.  And I think I'm pretty awesome, if I say so myself.

In efforts to keep the stress/guilt of not posting everyday, I decided to post only on Fridays (though I will find the occasional piece of awesome to post other days.)  I chose Fridays because when I was a teenager, Fridays were the single greatest day of the week.  For me, it always meant another weekend to start over and right all the wrongs.  Of course, I created new wrongs but hey, I tried.

Do you Tumblr?