Crossing the Line

Once upon a time when writers took up pen and ink they began writing simple stories. They wrote adventure. They indulged in mystery. Labored over romance, dabbled with ghosts and challenged the gods.

Gradually they became more daring and began to push for more. The cowboy who rode off into the sunset after rescuing the heroine was more willing to stick around. The bloodthirsty vampire became more likeable when he controlled his need. Some even became more human in their behavior. Romance found its way into almost every plot. The hero and heroine were more likely to have a future together.

In the last few years the idea of a simple plot has all but disappeared, and stories have become more complicated. For the most part that's good since it not only allows 'art [to] imitate life' but it encourages more complex story lines. When I first began reading romance, I found them so boring. The heroine had nothing more on her mind but plots to catch the hero. Eventually that changed and leading ladies grew up. They finally learned that having a man in their life wasn't the all important thing. In fact, some of them realized they didn't need a man around, that a dreamed of career was more important. Bedroom scenes used to be rare but gradually played a larger part in the story. In some cases there are more bedroom scenes then there is plot.

With the arrival of electronic publishing, the rules have relaxed to the point where almost anything goes. They encourage writers to push the envelope and take writing further than it has ever gone. Don't get me wrong, there are good publishers and talented writers out there who will draw the line on what they'll offer and accept. Others in the business encourage and welcome extreme challenges and are willing to promote the work. There are many writers out there who will dare to go further in crossing the line to get publishers' attention.

I understand about competition becoming greater, but I'm just putting into words what's been on my mind for some time. My concern is where we're headed as an industry. As authors there is one big question looming before us... How far are we willing to go? Is there a line we would refuse to cross? I suppose it comes down to what each author is comfortable with writing, but if the current generation of writers is willing to push the sex and violence as far and hard as they can, where does it leave future writers? We can only wonder how much further they'd be willing to go.

Breaking Out

Although I began writing as a youngster, I didn't take it seriously until about twelve years ago. At that time, another author told me it took on average some ten years to pay your dues and find your "break-out" book. To me that was acceptable since nothing comes easily. If it's worth having, it's worth doing well.

Those ten years have come and gone. I've had several books published with electronic publishers but I have yet to find that one elusive story that would make a difference.

Just what is a "break-out" book?

It's one story into which a writer pours their heart and soul and comes out with something readers will have a hard time putting down. It's a story readers highly recommend, talk about with their friends and want to reread.

I can think of a couple authors who fit that description with their first foray into the publishing world. Outlander by Diane Gabaldon, was never meant to see the light of day, never mind print. Her books are read world-wide and still finding new markets. J.K. Rowling is another author who made it big with Harry Potter, a young adult series that got kids reading and inspired other author to write magical tales.

Break-out books are all elusive and an author never knows where or when they might end up with one. Then there are authors who might never find that one book that could catapult them to fame. Until it happens we keep working, improving our craft, and looking for the best ways to promote our work while we meet other struggling writers following the same dream.

Many years ago, a well-known comedian had a signature line he used in reference to the jokes he told. He always said, "I got a million of 'em." The same could apply to writers and the number of story ideas they have. Just think of all the fun, love of craft (and hard work) going into our creative effort.

Who knows...maybe one of those plots you've been playing around with might be just the ticket to writing a break-out book and making a name for yourself.

until then...

Getting To Know You...

Writers are always encouraged to read the works of others to get a better handle on how it's done. It helps if you read books from the genre in which you write but that doesn't mean you can't expand. It's surprising the pointers you can pick up when you're not looking for them. Case in point...

I've been reading a series of books Harlequin put out called Men In Uniform. None of these books are recent releases. In fact, the one I'm reading now was originally released in 1989, entitled Informed Risk, written by Robyn Carr. What has really got my attention with this particular story is the depth of the characters. There's been quite a bit of talk lately on this topic but I thought this story best exemplifies the point.

Mike is a firefighter and he rescues Chris from a burning house. (she already got her two young children out). He thinks she's a little crazy when he finds her in the smoke filled house, with the refrigerator door open. There is a method to her madness and later, when he realizes what she's done, he gives her credit for her quick thinking. Anyhoo, Chris and her youngsters end up staying in his home until she can make other arrangements. The story goes on from there.

I was amazed at the depth of the main characters in the story. You get to know the characters in most books, some better than others. In this case you could almost think of them as next door neighbors, good friends. Even Mike's parents and siblings have a depth you rarely see in secondary characters. I felt like I was having Thanksgiving dinner with the Cavanaughs, sitting at the table with them and listening to the good-natured bantering going on. I'm about half-way through this story and I know it's going to be a tough one to put down one I get to the end.

Some writers concentrate on their story's plot, while others spend more time with characters. Every story needs both elements to get anywhere, or even survive the written page. And the emphasis on either one depends on what the author's most comfortable with.

How-to books are fine when learning basics of writing, but there is nothing like reading a good book, expanding your reading horizons to learn just how other writers put that knowledge to use. Studying the techniques of other authors can give us a better understanding of how to improve our own. The process of "getting to know you" can become a lot more challenging and fun.

A Run For the Word Count

Once upon a time someone wrote a song about the number 'one' being a lonely number. They may have been talking about love and relationships but the same can be said about writers. We are a rather lonely lot when you think about it. I suppose most creative people tend to work alone. Letting the creative part of the brain run rampant allows us to form certain ideas but it isn't always enough. Sometimes we need help to keep us going.

I first heard the term "sprinting" a couple years ago. Of course, I knew the term had to do with short distance foot races but this time it had a different connotation. Someone came up with the idea of getting a group of writers together to sprint. The idea was never meant to be a contest and it isn't. It's a means of focusing on the work at hand and writing for short periods of time.

Some 'lonely' writers can shut out all distractions, focus on their work in progress and do quite well. Ninety-nine percent of the time ... I'm not one of them. My creative thoughts have a bad habit of wandering when they shouldn't, much like a curious child's habit of wandering off when the parent isn't looking.

So this concept of sprinting caught my attention and I decided to check it out. The idea is to write for thirty to forty-five minutes (or whatever length of time you decide on) nonstop then take a break that can vary anywhere from five to fifteen minutes depending on the length of the sprint. The break gives you a chance to recharge your batteries so you can start again. Usually our group opts to write for forty-five minutes. For each sprint we keep track of our word count. It encourages you to keep striving toward your goal. It's amazing how much can be done in that span of time and if you sprint several times in a day, the word count can be tremendous.

Personally, I found it a great way to keep me focused on what I'm working on. By the end of the day, I've tripled my work compared to what I might have accomplished as a lonely one.

Writers are always looking for ways to increase productivity, especially if they're up against a deadline. Wandering thoughts have their place in the beginning, and sometimes further along the the creative process. But there comes a point when you need to focus on those all-important details and descriptions. In the long run there is a method to our madness.

Sprint, anyone?

Resolutions or Goals???

It's that time of the year again, the very last day when you look back at what you've accomplished and things you wish you'd been able to finish. Every New Year's Eve we make resolutions to do certain things, like lose weight (hahaha) take classes in whatever interests us, get rid of stuff that's been accumulating over the last year, read that book you've waited so long to get your hot little hands on.

Have you ever considered the difference between a resolution and a goal? According to my Oxford Word Finder (which is a combination dictionary/thesaurus I can't live without) I found the following meanings:

resolution - a thing resolved on; an intention

goal - the object of a person's ambition or effort

It might seem like a small thing but those words aren't really interchangeable and maybe we should give them another look. Maybe this is why so many of us see our resolutions fall to the wayside a few weeks into the new year. We intend to do certain things but lose interest in getting them done, or something derails our good intentions because there's no incentive to stick with it.

Now when you set a goal, you have something tangible to work toward, a specific result. It's something you can see...maybe not literally but you assign a certain importance to it and you're more apt to work hard to reach it. And unlike resolutions, you feel badly when you fall short of a goal. The nice thing about goals is they can be extended to finish what you started. It's difficult to extend an intention.

Consider this...when you play sports your goal is to score points. If you don't score points, you don't win, you don't reach your goal. Every point is a step closer to achieving your goal. Good intentions (resolutions) won't get you very far.

Some three years ago, I made it a point to set goals rather than resolutions for the new year. Every year I've managed to reach every goal but one. It's the same one each year but I still keep it in sight and work toward it. That goal is to find an agent. So far, the writing I've accomplished and submitted hasn't been long enough to meet an agent's expectations but I keep working at it. If I had resolved to work on it, I don't think I would have got very far. At the end of each year I've been able to look back and feel some satisfaction with my accomplishments of the last twelve months. As to the goal of finding an agent one day? I'm still working on it.

Keep in mind...when you resolve to do something, you're looking for solutions. When you set a goal you know there's hard work ahead of you with little/nothing to lose and much to gain. The gain isn't just in seeing something done, but also works for personal growth.

So will it be resolutions or goals? Best wishes for your choices in the coming year.

A Piece of History Vanishes

We often don't think about the (physical) history surrounding us until it begins to disappear. Living in an apartment complex I haven't given much thought myself, to the idea.

A block west from where I live is an old railroad track that runs north/south. Most every weekday between noon and three p.m. the freight train goes by, ambling along the track that bridges the street. Often it has an engine on either end and see-saws back and forth between the nearby businesses. There are a few days when you hear the train whistle before you actually see the train. Other days you don't know it's passing by untill you hear the clickity-clack of the wheels on the trestle.

Now when we hear the train the whistle blows forlornly as it takes another route to its destination. Will we see it again? Who knows. After twenty years of impact studies the state has finally decided to allow the commuter train in our area. While it's something we need to connect us to the rest of the state, it's slowly putting an end to an era, a piece of history.

For the last month I've been watching workers slowly dismantle the track at either end of the trestle. Surrounding trees and bushes were uprooted then the railroad ties were systematically removed. When I first heard the chainsaw buzzing and chewing away at the tree trunks I was shocked at what the workers were doing and could picture all that loose dirt being washed down the hill in a hard rain. It puts you in mind of California's mudslides but on a smaller scale.

This past weekend I kept going back to the window to watch the trestle being dismantled. Sparks flew from cutting torches and separated the sides from the trestle bed. The three pieces were separated from their supports and a large crane carefully hauled them out of the way.

The next day, the workers cut into the supports and eventually took them down. I wasn't home to see them complete the work but when I got home, it was strange to see two concrete walls devoid of the iron it flanked and supported for at least a hundred years. The land on either side, for perhaps a quarter mile, is now barren except for mounds of dirt, the new but temporary landscape.

I've seen what the new trestle will look like, sleek and battleship gray but it lacks character, as do all new things. I imagine in another hundred years, someone will write about the commuter train and wax nostalgic over its passing. "The more things change..."

Being Creative

What would life be like if we didn't have the ability to be creative? No matter what we do there's always the opportunity to create something or change it. Kids use imagination to get out of doing chores or explaining how they didn't do something they should have. As adults, we do pretty much the same thing but our methods become...creative. How we go about it is determined by the strength of our imagination.

I'm not one to follow rules, at least not any more than I can get away with. I'm always looking for a way to do something different, find a method whether it's writing or making afghans for raffles. Patterns and rules exist as guidelines to encourage imagination and creativity.

Creativity is about the greatest friend an author can have. While all fiction has some basis in fact, how those facts are used and interpreted can give a story a whole different slant. Take vampires for instance. Dracula was a really nasty character. Today, vampires live side-by-side with humans, get their meals from privately owned bloodbanks and many of them actually have a sense of humor...because a writer dared to be creative.

And what about myths and legends? More and more writers are looking at them with an eye to creating something entirely different. Some years ago I reviewed a book about the Sheriff of Nottingham and he was nothing like the character of legend. It was riveting and gave me a different perspective on the man.

There's a lot to be said for using your imagination to come up with something unique. Be wild, have fun and be creative. You never know what you might end up with.