How much research is enough?

The topic of research comes up often. Again and again, writers are advised to make sure the information in their books is accurate. Readers have no qualms about pointing out errors in both copy and in the story.

Some genres, such as historical romance, would need much extra research. Rene, from A Little Cheese With That Whine, says she finds it hard to find some material and wonders how strict readers and other writers are about historical accuracy.

Personally, I get lost in research. It’s another way to avoid writing. I’m just about finished the research and outline for Picture Perfect, and I must say that I had a lot of fun because I could do a lot of research. But, not unlike deciding when the book is finally finished and it’s time to mail it out, writers must decide at some point when they have researched enough. I’m there. Time to start writing. I know I still have bits and pieces of research left, information specific to certain scenes (like what a 1955 Buick looks like, what year bra burning was in fashion, etc., etc.). My question to you is, do you do ALL of your research in advance so you can write straight through? Or, do you do a little or all of your research as you go? Or, do you write the first draft and fill in the bits that need research during your first revision?

Author Interview and Book Review: Brenda Coulter, A Family Forever

I had the pleasure of trying out a new genre recently, Inspirational Fiction, which are love stories celebrating traditional Christian values. The book is A Family Forever, by Brenda Coulter.

What initially attracted me to this book was the unique approach it had to love. Instead of two people ferociously attracted to each other having to overcome one obstacle after another to end up with each other, it’s two people who come together without attraction or love and learn how to appreciate and care for each other.

Coulter has an eloquent way with words that provides the reader with insight to the main character by the end of page one. Her descriptive prose was a delight and made the read fresh. And, don’t let the word ‘inspirational’ fool you. While the book does adhere to Christian values, it is still full of conflict and tension and, just when you think you can predict what’s going to happen, WHAM, a new twist is introduced. These twists work well with the story and do not seem contrived.

The characters develop well throughout the story and Coulter balances the perception of a character alongside his/her actual character very well. She includes delicious morsels of personal tidbits that leave you liking the characters more and more.

A Family Forever was a delightful read and I give the book top marks. I recommend you put it in your TBR pile, if it’s not there already.

Author Interview - Brenda Coulter

To my delight, Brenda took some time out to give me some insights about writing A Family Forever.

Tell me a little bit about A Family Forever and what inspired you to write it.

I liked what you said, Nienke, about this story approaching love from a different angle. The marriage-of-convenience story has of course been done before, but those novels are always about "accidental" love; the couples usually fight it but can't help falling for each other. I wanted to explore what might happen if the hero and heroine admitted they weren't interested in each other and then tried to make themselves fall in love.

Why do you think readers like 'inspirational' romance stories?

Two reasons. First, it's "guilt-free" entertainment. A Christian woman can read these stories without being made uncomfortable because her values are being undermined. And second, each inspirational romance novel delivers not just a falling-in-love story, but a tale of some spiritual victory. Christian women find these books not just fun and romantic, but spiritually uplifting.

What do you like best about being a novelist?

I love the solitude. And I love working at my own pace, on whatever I want to work on.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

It's all hard. Fortunately, it's the fun kind of hard. I enjoy the challenges, whether I'm plotting, writing, editing...even revising a story.

What advice would you give to aspiring novelists?

So many of the aspiring authors I see are leaning heavily on other writers, waiting for someone to show them the secret path to publication. There isn't one, and "talent" isn't sufficient to get you published. Neither is "wanting it bad." If you're not driven and determined and disciplined, I honestly don't think you have much of a chance. And you have to find those qualities inside yourself; hanging out with other writers may inspire you, but that's only the beginning. You have to do all the rest, and it's going to be hard.

For more information on Brenda and her books:

A FAMILY FOREVER

by Brenda Coulter
From Steeple Hill Love Inspired
Look for it in stores after February 28
or order it right now from Amazon.com
Read most of the first chapter at BrendaCoulter.com

Visit Brenda's blog, No rules. Just write.

Let's get motivated!

What motivates us?

WritersServices.com says only four per cent of writers expect to make a fortune but 26 per cent do hope for some income. For many writing is an ambition and 13 per cent want to make a contribution to our knowledge or understanding.

For the majority of writers, writing is an enjoyable compulsion, but 11 per cent dream of recognition. Most of us are willing to share our writing (which is what you would expect from compulsive communicators). Just a couple want to keep their writing to themselves. WritersServices.com's survey says our optimism is impressive. Most people expect to find a publisher.

Today, I share with you several links to help get you motivated to write. Not all articles are specifically about writing, but they are all specifically about motivation. Enjoy.

Victory Crayne's Motivational Newsletters
Fiction Factor: Motivation
Steve Pavlina: Do it Now!
Terescia Harvey: Turn Off Your Obsession With Perfection
10 Commandments of Motivation
Holly Lisle: Writers' Block: Are We Having Fun Yet?
Holly Lisle: Writers' Block: Losing (and Regaining) Writer's Hunger

And, a few inspirational quotes to really put you in the mood:

"Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to nurture it in solitude and to follow the talent to the dark places where it leads."
Erica Jong

"Dreaming and hoping won't produce a piece of work; only writing, rewriting and rewriting (if necessary)--a devoted translation of thoughts and dreams into words on paper--will result in a story."
Roberta Gellis

"There is no perfect time to write. There's only now."
Barbara Kingsolver

"If the writer has a masterpiece within, he had better save it on paper. Otherwise, none of us will ever miss it."
Steve Martini

"When I start a book, I always think it's patently absurd that I can write one. No one, certainly not me, can write a book 500 pages long. But I know I can write 15 pages, and if I write 15 pages every day, eventually I will have 500 of them."
John Saul

"The worst thing you write is better than the best thing you didn't write."
Unknown

Experience is one thing you can't get for nothing."
Oscar Wilde

"Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young."
W. Somerset Maugham

"Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."
E.L. Doctorow

Have a great week, y'all!
Nienke

Not Jennifer by any other name

I was telling DH about my WIP and mentioned the name of my main character, Jennifer. He almost gagged because of a past incident (which I won’t get into), which resulted in him being repulsed by the name.

“Change it,” he said.

I laughed, not even realizing the connection until that moment. For a moment I entertained the thought of changing the name. But, it struck me that I couldn’t. Although I haven’t started the actual writing of the book, I’ve done a lot of work on my outline and character development and, well, Jennifer IS Jennifer. She is not Jennifer by any other name.

DH said, “Well, use the name until you finish the book, then change it.”
I don’t think he gets it. Now I have the added challenge of developing my character to the point where my DH, as a reader, will be able to see my Jennifer for who she is without thinking about any other Jennifers. It made me realize, again, of the importance of character development.

Developing Good Characters
My favorite type of book to read is character-based as opposed to plot-based (although I can enjoy a good plot-driven story now and again, after all, my favorite movie genre is action, which is often done sans deep characters).

When it comes to writing, however, I find it very difficult to develop characters. I’ve done the questionnaires and role-playing, but I still found it difficult to show the uniqueness of my character on the page. I mean, your characters can only flip their hair and say pet words so often, you know?

Every writer has his/her own method of creating characters. Some (pantsers) fly by the seat of their pants and let the characters develop as the story evolves. Others say the character reveals herself without effort. On the other end of the spectrum, there are writers (plotters) who go to all ends of the earth and the internet, fill out all the forms they can find, and even interview their characters to get to know them inside and out. What is the right way? Each writer must determine that for themselves.

Know More Than You Reveal
The one common piece of advice I come across in most articles about developing characters is that the writer must know more about the character than she reveals. She must be aware of the characters motivation and desires.

PaperBack Writer says every character she imagines takes form by answering three basic questions: Who are you? What do you want? What's the worst thing that I can do to you?

Holly Lisle, in her article How to Create a Character, says don't start your character off with a name or a physical description. Instead, she says, start developing your character by giving him a problem, a dramatic need, or a compulsion. Lisle recently released an ebook called Create a Character Clinic which helps the reader do just this. It’s a step-by-step guide that offers examples and questions to help make the process simple, yet the character becomes complex.

What I found most helpful in Create a Character Clinic, is it taught me how to show my character’s unique characteristics and personality without resorting to crutches, clichés, or commonly used descriptives. And, the personality and characteristics are true to the deepest desires and motivation of the character.

Character Development Links
For those of you who would like to find out more about developing characters, here are some links:

• Developing Characters and Motive
• Loving Your Characters Too Much
• Everyone is Right: Creating fundamental motivation
• A, B and C List Characters
• Describing Your Characters Through Their Actions
• Character Motivation
• Character Questionnaire
• Working With Your Reader: Character Description
• Who Are You Writing About?
• Breathing Life Into Your Characters
• Creating Well-Rounded Characters
• Quick Character Motivation Exercise
• Keys to Characterization
• Mysterious Liaisons: Creating Characters from Life
• Characters as Actors--Showing, not Telling, Personality
• Crafting Compelling Characters
• The Plotter & The Pantser: A Writing Chat About Characterization

That should keep you busy for a while!
Nienke

Author Interview: Michelle Rowen

MICHELLE ROWEN

Michelle Rowen is author of Bitten & Smitten, a Warner Books publication released in January 2006, and Angel With Attitude, to be released in July 2006. If you haven't already, check out Michelle's blog. She is also a guest blogger at Warner Women.

---

First of all Michelle, I’d like to congratulate you not only on the sale of your first book, Bitten & Smitten (and subsequent books, Angel With Attitude and Fanged & Fabulous), but also on the tremendous success of Bitten & Smitten.

Tremendous success? What have you heard? Who have you been talking to? I mean... Thank You.

Please tell me how you went from unpublished writer to novelist:

I've always wanted to be a writer. Since I was about 12 years old or so it's been my major dream. It just seemed so glamourous (that has since been disproven). But I never finished anything I wrote. Nothing. I'd just get bored with it and start something else. The first long piece of fiction I finished was my Nanowrimo 2003 novel. And that was less than three years ago!

So, I always knew I WANTED to be a writer, but I wasn't putting in the necessary time or effort. Well, I finally made it a priority in my life. I wrote the novel I wanted to write. I felt it was good (or, at least, it didn't suck enough for me to hide it away forever). So I researched every aspect of publishing I could. Like, I could teach classes on the subject now. Seriously. I probably spent two hours a day for more than six months reading everything on the internet about other authors, publishing houses, how to get an agent, etc.

So I had a manuscript. I knew I needed an agent if I wanted the big publishers to look at it. So I made my list developed from my internet research. I honestly didn't really consider failure as a possible outcome. I just assumed, by what I'd read, that it would take a while...and I'd made my peace with that. I wrote a KICK-ASS query letter (if ah do say so mahself). The letter and my synopsis probably took me the better part of a week to put together. And then I started attacking my agent list. Surprisingly enough, the second agent I queried asked to see the full manuscript, and he offered me representation. Shortly after, I got a two-book contract with Warner Books.

What was “The Call” like for you?

My agent called me at the day job to tell me that we had an offer on the table. This happened only 24 hours after he'd sent out the manuscripts. I was seriously stunned. And I felt a little sick to my stomach. Not because it was a bad thing, but because I felt like I had whiplash. After all my research, I'd expected to have a little time to get adjusted to the whole process. But they say that when major things happen in life, they happen fast. I don't know who says that. But you know what I mean. Anyhoo, we gave the other houses a week to counter-offer, and Warner did, and that's the publisher I went with. Very exciting stuff.

Since selling your first book, Warner has expressed interest in more of your work. Can you tell us how that came about and how you feel?

How do I feel? Incredibly relieved and grateful. When they bought BITTEN & SMITTEN I had already started work on ANGEL WITH ATTITUDE. That was something I was planning on finishing anyhow, whether or not it was contracted. But once that was finished, I immediately started thinking about securing my next contract. When B&S received such good feedback from both Warner and top reviewers like Publishers Weekly, I thought I may as well pitch the sequel and potential series of the same characters. Luckily my editor and I seem to be on the same wavelength and this was something she was very open to. I had to write a proposal (a synopsis and 2 chapters) which went through one revision before it was accepted. The process is somewhat stressful, but rather straightforward. But since I tend to mentally live in the future, I'm already thinking about my NEXT proposal.

Please tell me how you developed Sarah Dearly (main character in Bitten & Smitten) and if and when we get to see more of her:

BITTEN & SMITTEN was developed as my project for the Writer's Digest Novel Writing Course I took over two years ago. Each assignment had to do with a very particular element of writing a novel: 1) Idea, 2) Characters, 3) Setting, and so forth. I knew I wanted to do an "everygal" kind of character. Somebody easy to identify with. But the Sarah on paper -- a shrinking violet who came out of her shell after becoming a vampire -- dissolved as soon as I started writing chapter one. She ended up being way more sarcastic and gutsy than I thought she'd be. She really took on a life of her own and became very "real."

When I first thought of the idea, I'd always imagined it to be a longer story than just one book, and I'm so excited that I have the chance to continue to follow Sarah's story in the sequel FANGED & FABULOUS, and whatever may come after that! It's really a dream come true. Now I just have to wake up and write the book! ;-)

They say humour is very difficult to write successfully. How do you do it?

That's a tough question, because I don't try to write funny. It's not a matter of saying, okay a joke has to go on this page, and two on the next. When I get into the zone, and I'm really in my character's head, it just happens. I'm incredibly sarcastic in real life (sometimes to a fault). I amuse myself with my own humor, so I guess a lot of the humor in my books comes from my own viewpoint on the world.

You are very active in the writing community (Toronto Chapter of RWA, Michelle Rowen Blog, Warner Women Blog, etc.). How does this help you as a writer?

It helps to keep me connected to other people. Being a writer is a very isolating job. When I was working on my first manuscript, it really didn't even occur to me to join a writer's group. I'm easily intimidated, and being around hundreds of women with exactly the same goal as me - to get published - wasn't something my ego needed at the time. I actually didn't join RWA until after I was contracted...mostly because until my book was bought, I didn't even consider myself to be a romance author. I'm still not entirely convinced. ;-) And blogs are great because I've always been one to keep a journal... but the fact that it's public gives it just a little extra something. It's not for everyone, but it works for me, and I've developed some regular readers whom I appreciate big time.

Please take us through a typical writing day in the life of Michelle Rowen.

Typical writing day if it's a day job work day: Brainstorm notes on my lunch hour. Write for an hour before going to sleep (I love my laptop).

Typical writing day weekend: I write all afternoon, with regular Diet Coke breaks. Dinner break. Then sometimes I'll write for a couple hours in the evening.

No music, no sound. I don't like to be interrupted. I can get very cranky if that happens. More so than normal, anyhow. I also keep a parallel journal with each book so I can "talk out" the scene I'm about to write.

I really don't have a typical writing day. If I can get an hour or two in then I'm happy. If not, then I don't sweat it. When I'm in what I call the "zone", I can write almost 2000 words an hour, so it definitely adds up quickly. The most I ever wrote in one day was nearly 8K, and I was feeling a little twitchy after that.

What is the one most important skill/habit/discipline a successful writer must have?

Perseverance. And not just in the pursuit of getting published. A novel is a long, long thing. There are a whole lot of pages in a full-length novel. And they don't all get written in one day. When you get to that middle part where you're saying to yourself: "Okay this sucks. What was I thinking? How about this other idea that looks so much better..." Just keep with it. Once you get to THE END, then the fun really begins.

What advice do you have for aspiring novelists?

Write what you love to read. Tell the best story you can. Don't worry about selling anything, or what your pen name is going to be until you've got something to sell (okay, I didn't take my advice on this one, but it really is a big waste of time). Network with other writers. Go to conferences, conventions. Don't be shy. Learn as much as you can about the craft, about the business, about marketing -- all this information is readily available on the internet through author websites, Writer's Digest online, agent websites, etc. Educate yourself about the business, because writing really is a business. BELIEVE in yourself and BELIEVE in your story. And don't forget to have fun.

---

Michelle Rowen lives just outside Toronto with an evil cat and a poster of Hugh Jackman. For more info about Michelle and her books, visit http://www.michellerowen.com/.

Happy Valentine's Day to yourself

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you and your significant other enjoy the traditions of this day of love and romance. However, this is also a perfect opportunity to show some love to yourself. Lately, I've become a proponent of self-courtship. We are so busy taking care of clients, children, and spouses, that we end up putting ourselves on the bottom of the list. So, I propose we all do something for ourselves today in honour of Valentine.

I'll go first. If I could give myself anything, I'd probably choose this (sorry dh):

But we all know this is unlikely to happen. I've left it much too late.

So, instead, I will treat myself to a manicure and pedicure and then go get my hair done (the works) at the best local hair salon. Then, I'll go shopping and buy myself a new pair of leather gloves. On the way home I will pick up some fresh spring flowers.

Then, hubby is taking me out for dinner (if he doesn't see my original gift to myself first!).

What would (will) you do/get for yourself in honor of St. Valentine?

A Family Forever arrives...

Got my review copy of A Family Forever in the mail on Friday. I'm really looking forward to reading it after reading chapter one on Brenda Coulter's website.

My favorite stories are character driven, and I love it when the characters have compounding factors such as religion that factor into their decisions. I've read too many romance novels where the heroine and hero are soooo attracted to one another, but there never seems to be a real reason why other than their looks. This story seems to come at love and romance from a completely different angle and I can't wait to delve into it.

The story description:
"Devastated by the accidental death of her fiancé just three weeks before their wedding, violinist Shelby Franklin has just learned she carries his child. She can't give up the baby, but the only way she can keep it is by accepting a shocking proposal of marriage from a man who doesn't seem to like her very much.

"Bike shop owner and semi-pro cyclist Tucker Sharpe owes Shelby more than she will ever understand. Determined to protect her and his brother's child, he presses Shelby to marry him. He insists that if they make an honest effort, God will bless their marriage and teach them to care for each other. But can it really be that simple? Can two people will themselves to fall in love?"

Look for my review in a few days. In the meantime, check out Brenda's blog called No Rules. Just Right. And, if we're really lucky, maybe Brenda will tell us a little about the book and about writing.

Best, Nienke

PS - BTW, if you feel like picking up a coffee on your way home, you may want to reconsider--especially if you're a police officer. Click here for more.
Also, a warning for Valentine's Day texters... click here.

Thanks Michele!

I’d like to say thank you to Michele Agnew for making me her site of the day on Wednesday. It generated a lot of traffic and I went to visit all the people that stopped by and found some great blogs and websites.

For those of you that have not visited Michele’s website, I highly recommend you do so. It is highly unique and a lot of fun. She posts games on a daily basis that provide people the opportunity to meet other people out in the blog world.

I also want to thank all the visitors for their kind comments. All in all it was a lot of fun.

And now on to other news.

What is the oddest book title you’ve ever come across? Bookseller.com is holding a poll on oddest title. The site has a list of six odd titles to choose from. Check it out here.

British insurance companies seem to have a lot of claims involving animals and food. Forex, British motorists made claims last year for everything from a frozen squirrel crashing through a car windshield to a cow jumping on a quad bike. Read more here.

For those of you looking to waste a little time today, why don’t you go and Dodge The Dot?

Have a great weekend everyone!
Nienke

Miracles, word clouds and new Earth discovered

Did you know that, mathematically, people can expect a miracle to happen to them at a rate of about one per month? Find out more here.

Another cool site: Snapshirts.com
Here, you can customize a word cloud based on your blog and have it made into a t-shirt. Ever cool. Here is what my word cloud looks like based on this blog:

Finally, an Earth-like planet has been found in the Milky Way. How cool is that? Can you imagine the possibilities? This brings all kinds of ideas for stories...
Click here to read the article.

Good things ahead

I finally feel like I’m getting caught up with my deadlines at work. It’s tough writing and editing all day and then coming home with the intention to write. Doesn’t happen much. So, tonight I am going to work on my day job work and get a jump ahead so I can spend some time on my WIP this weekend. I’m so excited about my new project.

I’m also excited about an author interview coming up. Michelle Rowan, author of Bitten & Smitten has agreed to be interviewed for this blog. Do yourself a favor and pick up this gem, it’s funny and adventurous and unique. Bitten & Smitten is Michelle’s first published book, and it’s been extremely successful (read this review).

Well, time to get to work. Have a great weekend folks!

Nienke

Ditching The Book Of Love

As I mentioned in my last post, Julie Elizabeth Leto has an article entitled, ‘Ditching "The Book Of My Heart" For "The Book Of My Voice".’

Leto says she never really knew what the ‘book of her heart’ was and, furthermore, if she would want to write it. She says in the article, “I believe in the ‘art’ of writing, but I believe equally in the business and marketability.”

However, the only alternative phrase she knew was, ‘The Book Of My Wallet,’ which, by the way, she says she can relate to. The problem is this: I don’t think many writers go into writing novels just to make money. With the odds as they are for ‘making it,’ even if only enough to survive on, I’m not sure any writer writes for the money.

Leto heard a new expression at a seminar she attended: ‘The Book Of Your Voice.’ She says, “The cost of the entire NINC conference was justified, for me, in that one phrase. Here's a term I can sink my teeth into, though I contend the article should be changed from "The" to "A." Just so I can keep on writing more than one.”

She goes on to define ‘voice’ and says, “Bottom line--Voice is what makes the writing uniquely yours.” If you are interested in more detail about what ‘voice’ is, I suggest you check out the article.

What peaked my interest about this article is that I do know what ‘The Book Of Your Heart’ is. That’s what my original WIP is. I have a story (yes, it’ll be cathartic to write) that I need to tell. But, after doing some research, I’m not sure it is meant to be read.

Long story short, I’ve decided to continue working on If I Knew Then and see where it takes me. Maybe I’ll send it out when it’s done, maybe not. This will also take the pressure off with my perfectionism. I have, however, started another story, tentatively titled Picture Perfect. It’s funny, as soon as I decided to do this (write a marketable book), the story came to me, one, two, three. I know how it starts, I know the ending and I have a mindful of ideas for conflict and resolution. I even have a subplot. The most important fact about this decision, for me, is that I am actually writing it for a particular market, as described by publishing house submission guidelines. Oh what fun it is to write…

What about you? I’m curious to know, was your first book a “Book Of Your Heart?”

Have a great week,
Nienke

I was set up!

I came across some great writing advice recently on Julie Elizabeth Leto’s website. She has a list of articles here, but the two that stood out for me were ‘Where Am I? The Importance of Setting to Your Romance Novel’ and ‘Ditching "The Book Of Your Heart" for "The Book Of My Voice".’

The first article, ‘Where Am I?,’ talks about the importance of setting. Now, although she talks specifically about the romance genre, it is true to any genre. Leto makes a great point that I hadn’t thought of: “Anyone who wakes up suddenly in a new place usually has only one question that must be answered first: where am I?” How true! And, looking at setting from this perspective, I realize how truly important it really is to ground a story.

Holly Lisle, in her Worldbuilding Workshop, also recommends knowing your setting well when you write a novel. Now, although she creates new worlds for her fantasy novels, she says no matter what the setting is, you need to have it mapped out. “Everyone needs a map. Even if your entire novel takes place within a single house over the course of a single day, you need to lay out the house -- the placement of windows, which side faces north, where doors, halls, and rooms lie in relation to each other. Nothing is more disconcerting than being told that sunlight is pouring through a window in a room we were previously told faced north. Or having bedrooms wandering around like sleepwalkers, on minute accessible from the kitchen and the next, only by going up stairs.”

Good point.

However, the importance of planning your setting goes further than just providing consistency. Leto says the setting is important to create the right ambiance for the story. Just like dark gloomy skies can be used as foreshadowing or to set a foreboding mood, so can the entire setting. But, it’s not just the setting that’s important, but also how you describe it. Leto says, “Setting and atmosphere must be considered nearly the same thing, since one is dependent on the other. To have setting without mood and atmosphere means a lack of emotional connection--a major no-no in romance. To have only mood and atmosphere and no concrete place invites confusion in the reader.”

Leto quotes William Noble, the author of Make That Scene: A Writer's Guide to Setting, Mood and Atmosphere, when she says, “Setting provides three crucial contributions to your story:
(1) It adds vividness to your story(2) It influences character(3) It plays a vital role in the story
If a setting you've chosen doesn't interlock this tightly with the story you're about to tell-if it's just a backdrop as changeable as stage scenery-you may not have chosen the right place for your story to occur.”

Here are some links about writing settings:
Writing Dynamic Settings
Creating a Vivid Setting
Four Ways to Bring Settings to Life
Writing Fiction: A Beginner’s Guide – part 3: setting
Creating the Perfect Setting
It's Your World: Setting Your Novel
Houses are People Too: The Structure of a Literary Device
How To Achieve Effective Setting
The Power of Place
Setting
Creating the perfect setting for writing fiction

Well there you have it. Do you think setting is important in novels? Why or why not?

Nienke
PS In my next post I will cover Leto’s other article: ‘Ditching "The Book Of Your Heart" for "The Book Of My Voice".’

What does your birth date mean?

Your Birthdate: August 27

You are a spiritual soul - a person who tries to find meaning in everything. You spend a good amount of time meditating, trying to figure out life. Helping others is also important to you. You enjoy social activities with that goal. You are very generous and giving. Yet you expect very little in return. Your strength: Getting along with anyone and everyone Your weakness: Needing a good amount of downtime to recharge Your power color: Cobalt blue Your power symbol: Dove Your power month: September

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Best Blonde Joke Ever

Perhaps it’s a case of the blonde leading the blonde, but this is the best blonde joke ever.

Have a good weekend.
Nienke

First-time novelists reviewed

USA TODAY recently reviewed the upcoming works of three first-time authors.

The first author is Galt Niederhoffer, who wrote A Taxonomy of Barnacles. Reviewer Bob Minzesheimer calls the book clever and melodramatic. It is about a rich, eccentric Manhattan family with six competitive sisters. Niederhoffer is an independent film producer and Minzesheimer says her novel could have the makings of a good movie.

The second author Minzesheimer reviews is Justin Tussing for his novel, The Best People in the World. He says the novel is an oddly engrossing tale that ultimately succeeds because of the original voice of the narrator. It is about 17-year-old boy from Kentucky who runs away from his ordinary home with his not-so-ordinary 25-year-old history teacher.

Finally, Minzesheimer talks about George & Rue by George Elliott Clarke. Minzesheimer calls this book powerful and haunting. The book was inspired by a brutal real-life murder committed by two of the author’s cousins. Clarke writes that his ancestors were physically free but were "forced to work like slaves, basically, for that was their function in the Nova Scotian economy and society, and it remained our reality, until well into the 1960s. (Nova Scotia is a displaced Mississippi.)."  Minzesheimer calls Clarke’s writing raw but wonderfully descriptive.

I haven’t yet read these books, but they are on my ‘to buy’ list. I think it’s wonderful that first-time novelists are getting media attention, although the review mostly just describes what happens in the books.

If you’ve read any of these books, I’d love to hear what you thought of them. Also, do you think first-time novelists get enough media attention?

Nienke

Personal Privacy - NOT

How much should the government know about you?
Imagine when ordering pizza comes to this.

Do you think we have enough personal privacy? Would the benefits outweigh the intrusion?

Want to create great characters?

Just a quick note. Holly Lisle's Create A Character Clinic is now available for download. To get your copy, or more information, click on the link:



Lisle says, "I want to show you, not just how to develop a character, but how to write your characters in a compelling fashion once you come up with them."

Nienke

Best-written book I've read

This week I finished reading Holly Lisle's book, Talyn. It was one of the most incredible books I have read in my life.

Now, I know that sounds over the top, but let me tell you my story of Talyn.

First of all, I've never fully read a fantasy novel (yes, that includes the Harry Potter series). It is not (or so I thought) my cup of tea. However, Holly Lisle is one of my favorite writers who write about writing, so I thought it only proper I should read one of her novels. After all, since her writing advice is so good, so should her books be, right?
(And believe me, this is not always the case...)

I came across one great review after another about Talyn so I went to my local Chapters and purchased my own copy of the 524-page book.

The book is truly 'unputdownable.' The story sucked me in and I had to know what happened next at every turn. The characters were deep, the world complete, and the story just kept moving from page one to 524.

Now, I must say here that I am tainted as a reader. After all these many years of studying writing (and as a full-time editor), I cannot read a book without being painfully aware of the writing. It really takes away from the pleasure of reading when you notice the writing technique in the story you are reading. At the very least, I am aware of the writing as a method of research for my own craft. With Talyn, I completely forgot that I was reading. I was 100 per cent absorbed in the story--and boy did it feel great. What scares me is that Lisle seems to be able to write so well in her first drafts. I know she revisits her drafts, but still, I've read her posts of snippets during the writing of the book that shows me it all comes out right the first time. I suppose this is the result of many years and many hours of practice and awareness. Lisle is one of those writers that work and produce mostly every day.

Well, that's my Talyn story. I now have a bag full of other Lisle books to help keep me from doing my own writing. Looks like fantasy is my new thing. I highly recommend all writers and aspiring writers as well as readers pick up a copy of Talyn. Even if you don't normally read fantasy, you will like this book.

BTW, I also read Lisle's blog regularly at http://hollylisle.com/writingdiary2/. It's also a great read. In addition, her website has a library of articles on writing that no aspiring author should skip.

Happy writing and happy reading!
Nienke

Welcome To A New Year

Writing Accomplished: backstory, lots of backstory
Writing Goal: in the process of creating my Plan Of Action
Recommended Website: http://www.vickihinze.com

This is it. A new year. A chance to start all over again. Get organized. Write more. Maybe diet a little, quit a few bad habits. Sound familiar? You bet. I've 'started over' many times yet continue to feel the need to do so once again.

A new year brings about a time to reflect on the past year and decide what you want to do different. Well, for me it does anyway. My foremost resolution is to do more writing. Sound familiar? This is a resolution I've made before, many times.

Well, as browsed my blog list, I came upon a very inspirational post by Vicki Hinze. I read her blog regularly and it is often inspiring and informative (as is her website). The January 3 post is about planning for the year ahead and I realized that I need to do that. I've set goals, but never actually sat down and made a plan on how to reach those goals other than figuring out how many words I needed to write each day (a number that increased with each day that passed as I didn't write).

In her post, Vicki brings up the traps that many writers fall into, albeit with good intentions. She refers to one of her articles in her website library called "Why We Need a Plan." You can link to her website here, but you will need to register (for free) to access the article library. Vicki has kindly given me permission to reprint the article here. However, I HIGHLY recommend you register at her site and take full advantage of the terrific articles she has.

"Why We Need a Plan" talks about the desire to write and how to apply discipline to the act of writing. Vicki asks the reader to take a good look at him/herself and decide what they want most out of life. She also talks about fear (yeah, know that one) and suggests writers have to have the courage to ditch the fear. "A helpful way to go about that is to look at what we as writers do NOT have to do..." says Vicki. She goes on to share her personal plan to give writers an idea of what to focus on and what to do. Want to be more productive as a writer or a person? Read the article. You won't regret it.

On another note, Hinze is one of my favorite writers who write about writing. Aside from articles on her website, she has books out on writing. One is ALL ABOUT WRITING, an awesome book that covers just that, all about writing. Another is ONE WAY TO WRITE A NOVEL, being released January 31, 2006. The cost is $14.99, but preorders are only $10 WITH the following coupon code: NIHTB-614. The publisher is also giving away a 2nd writing book to the first 100 who preorder at www.spilledcandytraditional.com.

So, my friends. The next time you hear from me, I'll be a lady with a plan.

Happy New Year!
Nienke

Happy Holidays

I want to wish you all a great holiday and hope your wishes come true.

I will leave you for now with some writing quotes to inspire you:

"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have."
~ Thomas Jefferson

"You may be able to take a break from writing, but you won't be able to take a break from being a writer. "
~ Stephen Leigh

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
~ Bill Cosby

"The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shock-proof shit detector."
~ Ernst Hemingway

"My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: when you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip."
~ Elmore Leonard

"I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil."
~ Truman Capote

"Often I'll find clues to where the story might go by figuring out where the characters would rather not go."
~ Doug Lawson

"I have written a great many stories and I still don't know how to go about it except to write it and take my chances."
~ John Steinbeck

New hope from Neverwhere

Recommended Website: http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/

I'm currently reading Neverwhere, by Niel Gaiman. The book is nothing special, yet it is spectacular. By that, I mean it's the story of an unassuming young man who needs to learn to stand up for himself and live -- he's no superhero or super detective or super moron protagonist. It's just life. The story, considered fantasy in genre, is a fantastic tale. It faces the protagonist with a whole different world in which he, in turn, must face who he is.

I think my favorite thing about this book is that Gaiman breaks the rules. He just tells the story and even commits author intrusion! I see lots of "wases" and adverbs but I get lost in the story.

What I've learned from this is that I don't have to get so tight-assed about perfection. The lack of perfection--perhaps what we may call unique voice?-- is perfection in and of itself.

Thank you Neil.

Nienke

More Best Book Lists

The New York Times has also posted its "100 Notable Books of the Year."

And, while we're at it, here is Amazon.com's "Editors' Picks: Top 50 Books of 2005." They also have "Top 50 Customer Favorites."

Time magazine published its "All-time Best 100 Novels since 1923."

Metacritic.com has posted a list of the highest-scoring books in its database for 2005.

Here are Jack Schofield's Top 20 Geek Novels.

Amazon.co.uk's Top 100 Books for 2005.

Wal-Mart's Top 50 Sellers.

The Modern Library's 100 Best Novels.

USA Today keeps a Best-Selling Books Database...

as does Barnes & Noble.

Infoplease.com has a list of lists.

Click here for an archived directory of Book-Of-The-Week Selections from the All Info-About Web Almanac.

And, just for something a little different, here is Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers.

That should keep us going for a little while.

What is the best book you've read this year and why?

Titles to add to your 'books to read' pile

The Globe and Mail (a national Canadian newspaper) has published its Globe 100 - a list of what it deems to be the best 100 books this year, as decided by its reviewers.

The list includes fiction, non-fiction, history, politics, poetry, science, etc. The reviewers admit, that since roughly 200,000 books are published in English each year, the selection is somewhat biased based on what the reviewers have read and the buzz in the industry. In any case, I always enjoy a new read list.

Private concert with INXS

Writing Accomplished: nada
Writing Goal: at least 1,500 words this weekend
Recommended Website: www.inxs.com

Okay, here are some pics of my amazing breakfast date with INXS. As it turned out, it was a small private concert. Incredible. I'm still salivating.

This is JD Fortune, lead singer of INXS. This is Andrew, one of the guitarists.





















John, the drummer. Kirk, the other guitarist.





















I can't wait to hear their new CD, Switch. The songs they played from it (including 'Pretty Vegas') are definitely going to be hits.

Have a great weekend!
Nienke

When Will You Be Published?

I took the test, and I should be published. When will you be published?

WHAT?? You're not published yet? Get those
manuscripts out there, you are overdue.

When Will You Be Published?
brought to you by Quizilla

---

Doubled my word count

Writing Accomplished: transcribed weekend writing

I took a few hours to transcribe the writing I did on the weekend. I am pleased that I almost doubled my word count. I won't be able to do any writing tomorrow and we'll have to see about Thursday - I'll be flying too high from my breakfast date with JD.

Maybe he'll let me write is biography. What do you think?

JD Fortune, here I come!

Okay, I'm sooo freaked out.

My friend Jackie won tickets to have breakfast with INXS (read JD Fortune) at CHUM FM on Thursday morning. She gets to bring a friend. For those of you who know me, I fell in love with JD during the show, Rock Star INXS. He won the competition and is the new front man for INXS. I knew he would win. Now I'm going to meet him. I feel like a 13-year-old groupy. AND, I'll also get a signed copy of their new album, Switch.

Swoon.



Aaah, don't you wish you were me?

THANK YOU JACKIE!!

Which romance writer are you?

Writing Goal: Lots of writing on plane and in hotel on weekend business trip
Recommended Website: Romance Writers of America - http://www.rwanational.org/

Victoria Alexander
Congratulations! You scored 34!

You are all about the sweet, fairy-tale side of romance. All of your stories are interrelated and involve blonde heroines.

Link: The Which Romance Novelist are You Test written by emily_infini on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Writing and fear

Writing Accomplished: important time travel scene accomplished
Writing Goal: more lunch work
Recommended Website: MamasInk - http://www.mamasink.com/node/74

Flamingo suggested I post my writings on my blog to get some feedback. Oi!

Not gonna happen. But then I considered why that was not going to happen. At first I justified my immediate response with excuses such as, "It's a first draft, it's allowed to be shitty. I don't want to have shitty work criticized" and "I will forego first publishing rights if I post my work." I mean, let's get serious. The first excuse may have some merit, but it still comes back to the fear of writing 'good enough.'

One of the ways I've decided to deal with this is by not reading and re-reading what I've written. I HAVE to get through this first draft. If I were to post my work now, I would get sick with fear of how bad it is. But, that's okay! It can be bad! Why would I put myself back into a predicament of feeling my writing has to come out perfect the first time?

On MamasInk, Monica and Ericka (who teach a course called Fear In Fiction) say writers "need the fear. It means we're ready to stir things up, work deeply. And we believe that by working with the fear, letting the fear be a guide, we can find our way in to the real, the deep, the true."

I will believe this as my truth.

What frees you up to write without fear?

Useable after all

Writing Accomplished: 500 words at lunch
Writing Goal: transcribe and some wc tonight

So far so good. I almost didn't write at lunch. Couldn't think of what to write, so I told myself, "Just write anything. You don't have to use it." But, turned out useable after all.

2,500 words and counting

Writing Accomplished: 2,500 words last week on lunches
Writing Goal: write every lunch hour
Recommended Website: Novel Advice - http://www.noveladvice.com/

I wrote on my lunch every day last week. Didn't seem like much - just baby steps - but when I count up the words, it is quite incredible (for me). 2,500 words in one week. Now to keep it up.

Momentum in place

Writing Accomplished: 500 words at lunch yesterday
Writing Goal: 500 words at lunch today; 500 words this evening
Recommended Website: Suite 101 Writing Center http://www.suite101.com/writingcenter/

Things are moving along nicely. I finally seem to have a momentum going. Now, to keep it up.

On another note, today's recommended website is Suite 101's Writing Center. This site has a variety of articles on many aspects of writing from writing a bestseller, to grammar and punctuation. It also offers online courses and a writing community.

Have a happy weekend. Hope you Nanoers get lots of writing done!