What Writing “Feels” Like

A friend of mine asked me recently, “What does it feel like to write?” This question caught me off guard. How do you explain what it feels like to breathe? But I’ve realized that most people don’t love writing (just like I don’t love math :) They are genuinely curious what the process is like.

Every writer is different, but this is what writing “feels” like to me. At the very best of times writing feels like—remembering. It is simply recalling words that are already written on my mind. They flow easy and effortlessly. There is no force, no effort, no struggle. Only the absoloute perfection of knowing you are writing exactly what you mean to say.

At the worst of times it “feels” like trying to turn water into wine. The words fight me at every turn and refuse to perform how I envision. It is at these times that I pull back.

When the words or the story fight me I have to wonder—Am I taking my story in a direction it doesn’t want to go? Is my story already complete and just waiting for me to get back on track so I can remember it again? Sometimes I really think that my story really is already created somewhere in my psyche, and it is up to me to remember it.

What do you think? Do you ever feel like you are remembering your story?

-Angie

Writing for Boys

I woke my kids up for school and as they come stumbling up the stairs I notice my 10 year old has a book in his hand (The Shifter by Janice Hardy). After we get the regular morning stuff done, he sits on the couch and starts to read. What is it that made him read for an hour before school started?

Do you write MG or YA? Do you think about the boys who will read your books? Do you know what they like in a book? Do you know what they hate?

I have access to 2 tween boys—who are avid readers and I thought I would share their minds a bit with you.

Here they are disguised in their Halloween costumes from last year. Napoleon Dynamite is 12 and in 7^th grade and Scary Goblin is 10 and in 5^th grade.

Me: What is your favorite book series and why?

Napoleon: Pendragon (by D. J. McHale) – It has tons of twists. It has suspense and romance. Action—lots of it. It’s funny and Bobby talks like a teenager.

Scary Goblin: Fablehaven (by Brandon Mull) – because I like the fantasy, adventure and how creative it is.

Me: Why do you stop reading a book?

Napoleon: Well, because things don’t happen as quickly as I think they should. They are boring because nothing happens. There should be at least something cool in every chapter.

Scary Goblin: Sometimes it feels too long, or you are just not into anymore because it is too long.

Me: What will make you stay up late at night reading ?

Napoleon: Probably if it’s good and really awesome. I get worried about the character so I need to know what happens. I’m reading and something pops up and then something else pops up and I need to know how it ends.

Scary Goblin: Sometimes comedy and adventure. I like the plot and the twists and stuff. Sometimes I can’t sleep.

Me: What is a mistake some authors make when writing for boys?

Napoleon: You need to have girls in the story too. Kind of to go along with the main character. Sometimes the book is too slow. I don’t like that.

Scary Goblin: Too much romance and not enough excitement.

Me: (I’m a little unsure what Scary Goblin is reading)

Me: If you could tell authors anything what would say.

Napoleon: There should be a little bit of romance in every book. Someone needs to do some action. Also books need to be a little bit funny. Make the main characters likeable.

Scary Goblin: Put a lot of excitement in your book. And at least one scary guy.

Napoleon: And lots of romance.

Scary Goblin: No, dude. No more romance or kissing.

There you have it (even with the conflicting romance answers :) If you have any questions you are dying to know the answer to, post them in the comments and I will ask my boys.

I’ve always believed love of reading is a matter of exposure. Since my boys were small we’ve read together. Once they were bigger I started to read chapter books to them at night. It took time and many nights I didn’t want to do it, but reading became an activity they looked forward to with anticipation. I figure I’ve read over 40 chapter books to my boys over the last 8 years.

So my advice to parents of boys (and girls)—READ! Expose them to books no matter how old or young they are :)

-Angie

False Choices

I’m currently reading a book by a well known author (Newbery Honor Award Winner) and—I don’t like it.

Gasp. I know. It feels like blasphemy saying that.

So I started to analyze what it is about the book that isn’t getting me excited, and I’ve figured it out—false choices.

Every choice the heroine makes isn’t really a choice. Die or fight—of course she will fight. Save her family or save herself—unless she's totally selfish the choice is obvious. I could go on and on.

I can see every twist and turn and I know every choice the heroine will make—it is so boring.

So what I take away from reading this is that the choices we give our characters need to be real choices. I think instead of a choice between good and bad, how about a choice between good and good or even better—bad and bad!

I’m going to look at my story and see if I have crafted real choices.

-Angie

Punctuation and Pacing

I took a great class at my last conference. It was on Pacing and taught by Josi Kilpack. She said a lot of great things but my favorite was about how punctuation can affect the pacing of our stories.

I hadn’t really thought about it in the cool way she put it:

Think of punctuation as road signs signaling your readers what you want them to do:

• Period (.) – Full stop.
• Comma (,) – Pause, or slow break.
• Ellipsis (…) – Pause, or rubbernecking at an accident.
• Semicolon (;) – Longer pause, or a rolling stop.
• Exclamation (!) – STOP. Yelled stop (That could get annoying fast, use in moderation)
• Question Mark (?) – Pause + prod to do something, or sharp turn.
• Em Dash (—) – Pause + look aside, like slowing to read a billboard.

I am a sucker for a metaphor. Thanks Josi. I won’t think of punctuation the same again.

-Angie

Endings

This post isn't about book endings but chapter endings. The end of a chapter is the perfect place for a reader to stick in a book mark and change the laundry, sleep, mow the lawn, etc.

As a writer I want to write a book you can’t put down. I want to write a book that makes you feed your kids cereal for dinner because you lost track of time.

But how do I do that? I think a great way is to end a chapter with a BANG. End with something that makes you read on:

• End with a threat
• End with a mystery
• End with a kiss, but no reaction
• End with trauma (emotional or physical)
• End with emanate danger
• End with a discovery
• End with a question
• End with conflict

There are more examples. Just think about what you want your readers to do, keep reading or do the dishes, and you will find ways to end the chapter.

-Angie

PLEASE DON’T READ AND DRIVE

Set Pieces

Last month I read a book called: PLOT by Ansen Dibell. It was fascinating. I learned so much. I marked it up with so many highlighted sections. If you have a chance to read it DO!

One of the most useful things I learned was how to use SET PIECES in your writing.

SET PIECES are big moments in your story. Almost like mini-plots within your main plot. They move your main plot along.

Stories should: build, build, build to a set piece, resolve and leave a question that makes the reader want to continue. This should repeat multiple times

in a story until the final resolution. I will try to use an example that everyone should know:

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE

Start: Harry is left as a baby.

Build

Build.

Set Piece: Harry finds out he is a wizard.

Resolution: He gets to leave the Dursleys

Question: What does he do now? Why is he famous?

Build.

Build.

Build.

Set Piece: Sorting ceremony.

Resolution: He is put in Gryffindor

Question: Why not Slytherin?

Build

Build

Build

Set Piece: Harry finds out about the Sorcerer’s Stone

Resolution: Harry’s friendship with Ron and Hermione is solidified.

Question: How do they save the stone?

Build

Build

Set Piece: Voldemort is looking for the stone too.

Resolution: Dumbledore will protect the stone.

Question: How can Harry help?

Build.

Build.

Set Piece: Harry, Ron, and Hermione go after the stone.

Final Resolution: Harry saves the stone and his friends.

This is extremely simplified. You can have many SET PIECES in your book. They are a great way to move your plot along and keep your story from sagging in the middle.

Obviously during the building parts you layer in your characters, world building, sub-plots, back story, and motivations.

Learning about Set Pieces made me understand how better to construct my story. Again if you want to learn a ton read: PLOT by Ansen Dibell.

Happy Writing J

-Angie