Read to Learn

Unexpected and life-threatening illnesses or situations can challenge anyone, at anytime. When this happened in my family recently, my astute daughter-in-law simply said, "Bad things happen to good people."

Such is life. Sometimes there is no explanation, so we adapt. We learn to live with what we've experienced. And, if we allow ourselves, we are given the opportunity to grow and change. Hopefully for the better.

Such is the opportunity in reading. As wordsmiths, opportunities abound--for us and our audience. As wordsmiths, we challenge our characters and our readers and turn the ordinary topsy turvy. Through our characters, their words, their situation, their take on life, our audience experiences life through a different set of eyes.

As writers, how do we learn to do that?

Read.

Read.

Read some more.

Whether the writing is well-penned, or not-so-well-crafted. Both give insight to crafting your own stories. Also, read in the genre you write. Read that in which you don't write. Just read.

"But who's got time to read?" Well, I sometimes don't make time to do laundry, but I do it. And not just because I'd run out of my writing attire (pajamas mainly), but because I'll have something different and fresh to wear. And my husband will be forever grateful not to see me in the same old attire. Even if it is my best pair of ratty PJs.

Reading is the same. Reading gives us, as writers--and readers--a fresh perspective on life. One that may spark a different, maybe a bizarre take on the ordinary. A take we might not have otherwise explored, imagined, or even wanted to imagine. But we owe it to ourselves and to our audience to put it out there. To think about. To chew on it. To spit it out and examine it.

Whether a story leaves you feeling good, bad, or just blah, it doesn't matter. The end result is still good. You've read. You've learned. You've experienced life through another's eyes.

Plus, when you enter another's world, you get to travel--perhaps on ships, in rattle-trap cars, on foot, or just around the block--without ever leaving home! And sometimes that's just as good. Sometimes better.

Food for thought:

In life, we experience death.
In death, life.
In fiction, we experience life, death, and everything in between.

Does Your Synopsis Twist and Shout?

I'm in the process of writing a synopsis for my next middle grade novel. For someone who, according to my husband, is "a bit wordy," that is not an easy task! For many writers, this is a dreaded task. Me included.

So, to make sure I include, or exclude, what an agent expects and wants to read in a synopsis, I searched the web for some much-needed synopsis-writing advice. Fortunately, I landed on Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents at writersdigest.com. He offered five simple synopsis-writing tips to make the task easier. So, I wanted to share his expert advice with you, in case you haven't already read it.

This article is a quick, easy read, so take a look.  http://writerunboxed.com/2012/02/27/untitled-2-27/.

But for now, I'll paraphrase Sambuchino's tips:

1. Don't surprise your agent. Reveal the ending. 

Hmmm. . . I thought that was odd the first time I heard this. But now I realize an agent should be in the loop. They are in the need-to-know business. Otherwise, how can they sell your story? They want and need to know this story doesn't just have another hum-drum, run-of-the-mill ending. Like readers, they want something new. Something with a twist.

I'll take mine with a twist of a lime, thank you.

2. Keep it short. 

For me, this is an "Oh, boy" moment. Fortunately, rewriting is what I like best. That initial blank page and getting-it-all-down part of the story is tough.

However, after I throw everything up on the page, I've got lots of cleaning up to do. Maybe it's my OCD tendencies, but I'll obsess over a single verb or phrase for the good part of an hour. Or more. But that's the thing, if I (we) don't take the time and expend the energy to write the best I (we) can, there are those who will. The competition is stiff. Make every word count.

3. Genre Fiction: Every story has a beginning, middle, and end. But does your story Twist & Shout?

It stands to reason that every story must have a beginning, middle, and end. And each should be a part of your synopsis. But does your story have that TWIST, the one that makes your agent want to SHOUT it from the rooftop--or her desktop?!

Agents--and your readers--don't want the same-old, same-old--which reminds me of a Beatles song, "Twist and Shout."

Bear with me here, and please forgive the corny twist on the lyrics. But an agent might want, to the tune of this famous Beatles song, sing the following to an author who has submitted a synopsis.

                                       Shake your, shake your, shake your story now.
                                                 Shake your story.
                                       Twist it on out.
                                                 Twist it on out.
       
                                       Make me dance on top of my desk.
                                                 Top of my desk
                                       Make me shout it all out.
                                                 Shout it all out.
                                       This book's the one I've been lookin' for,
                                                 Lookin' for.
                                       For way too long.
                                                Way too long.
                                       Wooooo!

                                       So, shake your, shake your, shake your story now.
                                                Shake your story.
                                      Work it on out.
                                                Work it on out.
                                      Really get me going now.
                                                 Going now.
                                      Just like I hoped you would.
                                                 Hoped you would.
                                      Woooo!

Okay, in all seriousness, as writers we've got to give that extra umph, that TWIST and turn to our story which makes an agent want to kick off her heels, jump on top of her desk, break open a bottle of champagne and SHOUT--"Finally! A best seller!" (Your bestseller!)

(Not to burst your bubble here, but your story in its entirety will need to follow through with all that umph. But you already knew that.)

4. Synopsis Language 

Sambuchino says, "Lean, clean language is great." Stay in your story when writing your synopsis. Avoid author intrusion.

5. CAPITALIZE Major Characters' names.
 
Another suggestion: The first time you mention a major character in your synopsis, CAPITALIZE their name. That's a new one on me, but great advice. Like he says, capitalizing a character's name says to the agent, "I'M IMPORTANT! SO, STAND UP AND TAKE NOTICE." This is definitely something all writers want their readers to do.

So, I'm on to writing my synopsis, in all its wordiness. Then I'll do the dance and break it down. "Lean [and] clean." I'll make every word count, check my spelling, and send no more than the recommended two page synopsis, double-spaced.

One more suggestion, one I'm sure you've heard time and again: Always, always visit the agent's website and read their writer's submission guidelines, as well as the genres they accept. Then follow them to the letter.

Okay, I'm off.

Cheers!

Blogging: Plan It. Schedule It. Do It.

Blogging is not one of my strong points. Although I do have good intentions.

It's just, well . . . there never seems to be enough time in the day to do chores--like laundry, which I hate, and mowing, which I hate. And napping, which I don't do. Much.

Naps do have their place, however. It was with one such nap recently, that I realized I had to stop procrastinating and actually sit down and blog. I slice out a part of the day for my writing, and blogging is writing. So, what's the big deal?

Just Do It, as the saying goes. 

So, that's what I've done. Like everything else in my life: Plan It. Schedule It. Do It.

And I promise, I won't blog just to blog just to blog. I'll put some meat into it, as the saying goes. I'll include something any writer might be interested to know, whether it be contests, workshops, tips on writing craft, conferences, new agents, bloggers, editors, websites, books! Ah, yes, books.

I may even throw in some things I've learned. After all, every writer has something to offer our community of fellow writers.

So now that I've put myself out there and committed to blogging consistently, I'll have to forego one of my naps. Maybe.

Next up . . .

Missouri Writers' Guild Conference 2013 begins today!

Take a look at www.missouriwritersguild.com to see all the happenings. I'm excited about the great lineup of agents, speakers, and publishers this year, and of course, indulging myself with a new book or two at the book sale.

It'll be good to connect with old friends, and hopefully make some new ones, too.

And learn. Learn. Learn. Learn. One can never learn too much.

I'll keep you posted.

Cheers!

Welcome to The Write Life!

This is the first post on my new blog. Although my focus is on writing for children, I will add information on aspects of writing, reviewing/critiques, and other sites that will be helpful to all writers who happen by for a visit.

Happy Writing!
Donna