Ideas are Flowing

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and just have to write something down?

That has been happening to me constantly week. Story ideas, marketing thoughts, blog posts. They've been coming in a waterfall breaking over the rocks of reality.

Seriously, I drove out to the mid-cities on Saturday and thankfully had my IPad in the seat next to me. One of my apps is a recorder with a big red button on it. I gave it a push and started spewing out the scene that had been rumbling through my head since I woke up. Does it count as writing if it isn't down on paper? Maybe half-credit? LOL!

The same thing happened a few nights ago with a picture I found at Pinterest. (Have I mentioned that I LOVE Pinterest?) Tons of ideas spewed out of that one. I'm even featuring it in tomorrow's blog so come back!

But much of the droplets have fallen on the stone cold reality of my busy schedule. I tell folks that I homeschool and I think images of eating chocolates on a lounger float across their minds. Ha! Shows what they know - it's chocolate cake on my couch. So there!

No really, I know everyone has their own flavor of craziness. I've always been told in ministry to give jobs to busy people because they know how to get them done. I'm probably a fair example of that, but I have learned to use the word no when necessary. Still, this week has started out with the arrow pointing near overload on my busy-ness gauge, so while ideas have been flowing, only short notes and scratched out hints have been written.

But the ideas are flowing - woohoo! And I do have notes and scratched-out hints when life slows down again - and it will. Prom is 5 weeks away. I've done it for six years now. Life comes to a screeching halt when it ends and I get some of my best writing done! Can't wait!

All-in-all, as this first round of ROW80 2012 nears finality, I'm not nearly as far down my writing road as I wished. I didn't complete a novel like I did last time, but that one is taking on a whole new path with my revisions. And I expected to be able to complete those revisions, however, that expectation came before inspiration. No argument there. Can't say that I'm really disappointed about anything except my lack of exercise. Will continue to work on that, though.

One more week to go!

Wheels Go Round in a Circle

See the little guy behind the wires? She's actually a girl.

Me.

Notice the eyes? The look of panic? The weak droop at the side of her mouth. Yep. She's tired.

I can so relate!

I think I might have told you about my new project. I've been recruited to help with a homeschool prom. Okay take all of the pictures that you have in your head of prom and throw them away. This event has all the earmarks of a royal ball crossed by a Mary Kay Convention.

No I'm not kidding. This thing has won national awards and is the largest homeschool prom in the nation - probably the world.

What have I gotten myself into?

This week, I took over the volunteer work for the event. Every family with a ticket has to have volunteer hours so there are literally thousands of people to schedule. Luckily I've got a gal who has done this work for years heading up my team and a brand new program that is tracking things in detail.

And that's what I've been doing for the last 4 days. Tracking everything in detail and learning how to work with this process so we can keep the train moving.

But I so feel for the guy on the wheel. Just when I think I'm reaching a ledge and can stop prom work and do some actual writing, another thing comes down the pipe. Well, it IS the season with only about 6 weeks left. But it leaves me in chagrin of what I love.

So I focus on the good things. I got to add 2k to my WIP over the weekend. That felt so good and I tried so hard to continue - ah well. I'm working on this project with some GREAT ladies and getting an opportunity to create a truly unforgettable night for our teenagers. I'm also getting to use my organizational talents along with developing some new abilities as I work with the programs and people. That's been fun, too. Oh and I got to design a new blog with all kinds of information about medieval times. Loved setting that up!

And today's only Wednesday. My WIP is still on the top of my stack of things to get to. I will hold out hope!

Writing a Synopsis

I've learned quite a lot about writing synopses over the last several weeks. Mostly from my failures. I'm still not sure I have everything together, yet, but I thought I should at least share what I have learned.

The summary has to cover the major plot points and address the protagonist's journey. Efficient, but inclusive, the writing must give spoilers, completing the picture of the concept. Vague writing has no place in this type of proposal. And while concise, the synopsis should still interest and enthuse. After all, it's the first impression that an agent or editor will have of a writer. Geared to hook the reader with an overview, a writer's entry will go a long way to achieving success when the reader comes to the end and is excited to keep going.

Yeah, well, that's the plan anyway.

I started my synopsis going through my protagonist's arc. Her regular life and goals started my essay. Then I explained how my inciting incident thwarted her progress. That much was easy, but I write mysteries and suspense. As I tried to describe the plot and all of it's twist, my writing became hopelessly confused. Even I was confused and I wrote the thing!

So I started over. This time I thought I had a handle on it! I explained my protagonist's arc from her point of view, then I added a major plot point from the hero's point of view. From there, I set up the antagonist's point of view, describing the details of the plot that way and finishing it up with general paragraphs that tied all the strings together.

It was better. Less distracting. But boring. Thank heaven for my critique partners. Lynne Gentry, Janice Olson, and Kellie Coates Gilbert took me by the hand and walked me through a new process. With their help, and some blogs that I found on the subject, I finally think I have a well-rounded read that hits the high points without becoming confusing or bogging down into details.

Let me tell you how I did it.

First, I used Beth Anderson's suggestion of breaking down my story data into single sentences. Doing that, I could easily see what were actual plot points and what subplots got in the way. This became the skeleton for my synopsis.

From there, I used Vivian Beck's suggestion of beginning with a back cover hook. She also suggested  an introduction to my characters. I sort of weaved that into the starting place of the story that I'd already figured out. I added the Goals, Motivations, and Conflicts like she suggested too. I'd learned a lot about that from Susan May Warren's book on the writing craft From the Inside Out.

After that, I went back to my plot points and added each as a couple of sentences. Making sure I used the Action, Reaction, and Decision that Vivian Beck suggested. (And she gives a great example of it!) I'd also learned that before, from a couple of the craft books I'd read. Just hadn't thought of using it in a synopsis! Bravo!

From there, I added my ending that I'd penned in my skeleton with some muscle and skin on it. But I wasn't done yet.

As a final section, per Kellie Gilbert's advice, I nutshelled the protagonist's arc and a broad theme of the book culminating in the spiritual lesson that my protagonist learned. (I do write Christian fiction!) It easily fits on a single page, reads smoothly, and covers the most important pieces of my story without getting knotted in the myriad of details.

As with any writing, but especially in this first impression piece, avoid to be verbs (passive), unnecessary adverbs or descriptions, and be careful of grammar rules. Oh, and synopsis writing should always be in present tense.

Do you have any tips for synopsis writing?

F is for ...

Faith-Driven Fiction.

What's that all about?

Fiction with my type of Texas Sassy tends to have a romantic flavor. It also delves into mystery and suspense. But that's not all. My characters go beyond quirky. They're laugh-out-loud, folks that anyone can relate to. Far from perfect, their flaws add both humor and poignancy to my stories.

Part of the poignancy that they draw comes from their journey of faith. My goals for my writing are sort of hard to communicate. I know there are women all over the country who, like me, love a good romance with elements of suspense or mystery intertwined, but they don't like the extra "junk" that often gets passed as romance.

My writing goes beyond clean and I don't mean the squeakiness of it. I'm so encouraged when I read through a crisis of faith. A time when a broken person reaches out to God. I've certainly been there, more than once. I love writing those sections into my stories, allowing my characters to enjoy a personal relationship and reliance on their Savior in various stages. It is my hope that my stories will encourage women like me who don't often read non-fiction, but need the Spirit to show His truth.

So that's Faith-Driven Fiction, and the play on my name - Laine, Lane - makes it more connected to me. I won't always highlight fiction on my blog, but my faith is part of my everyday life, so it's there, and should you ever have a question about it or about me, I hope you'll feel comfortable to ask. I'm not the pushy type.

What does faith mean to you?

Writing with Research

My students have been doing some non-fiction essays and I’m gonna tattle. One of my writers didn’t research their topic and ended up spouting data that just simple wasn’t true. Oops. 

Yeah, I didn’t let it slide. And it made me think of the importance and the correct methods of gathering research. Since this semester, we’ll be creating research papers, (Well, they’ll be creating research papers, I’ll be watching.) I thought a

refresher course on giving credit might be in order.

The point of research is to have the facts about a topic. Unless a topic is intensely personal, a writer will not likely have all the information that they need to fill up an entire term paper or even a five-paragraph essay. Research is the gathering of enough facts to support the statement made about the topic – thesis statement.

When collecting the data, it’s important to make a note somewhere about the origin of the data. If it is from a book, the author, title, publisher, location of publishing, and publication date should be listed along with the page numbers where the data is found. The same general information should be taken for any other source. A researcher wants to have a trail that leads back to the original source, regardless of what that source is. That way if something needs to be checked it can be found. In the same way, a reader can learn more about the topic by following the citation trail back to the original sources.

The other thing about research is that one source isn’t enough. If only one source is used, then the researcher is basically only duplicating someone else’s work – plagiarism. When several sources are used and cited, the researcher is creating his own work, basing it on the opinions and work that others have done before him. That’s the core of a correctly written research paper.

Do you research when you write or blog? What research have you done recently?

Hoping for SOMETHING!

I actually don't believe in luck or crossing fingers or any of that stuff, but the picture sure exemplifies hope. "Cross your fingers and hope real hard!" That's what I was always told, but I couldn't tell you who first said it to me.

So I'm hoping. First, I'm hoping to do better at reporting. I'm so bummed that I forgot to share an update last Sunday.

Second, I'm hoping for ... well ... you know.

There’s a time to dream and a time to act. As a writer, being part-dreamer just comes with the territory. I visualized getting “the call” the other day. I’ve delayed attempts to connect with an agent for the most part. (I don’t really count the few queries that I sent out before I had a clue of what I was doing.) Now I have a clue, thanks to the many

Wow, That was FAST!

Wow, this update is a quick one. I posted my goals on Monday and I can tell you that I have revised 15 pages on Cat’s Eyes. I’m enjoying the polishing stage of my writing because I finish a section and like the way it sounds. I feel like I’ve really completed it.

I’ve exercised once since making my goals and I’ll be playing volleyball tomorrow so I should still need one more 30 minute section before

Who Am I?

The A2Z blog that Patty Wysong started last year is about to gear up again and we’ve been challenged to begin things with a Video blog – a V-log or vlog.

Mine was recorded as we celebrated our fourth Christmas for the year at my in-laws home in Mounds, Oklahoma. I’m so blessed to get to

News and Previews

Wow! Two weeks away from writing and I hardly know what to do with myself! I'm looking forward to digging into my revisions again, and I have another story that's beginning to tickle the back edges of my mind. I'm looking forward to telling it.

First, I have some blogging to do! My A2Z leader, Patty Wysong, has challenged the new group to

Writer Tip - Those Pesky Little Details

My romantic suspense is starting to take a better shape. I really love the way the revision process tightens up my story. By the time I got to the end of the draft, the beginning needed considerable changes. I've made it halfway through chapter five and the beginning is finally matching the ending.

Except for the little details that I added without thinking. Eye color, tablecloths or pictures. Even "walk-on" characters have changed from the beginning to the ending.

• First and worst are all of those minor characters. I think my heroine's best friend had two first names and three last ones. The florist had two, one male and one female. While my hero's parents kept their

ROW80 Update

I don't usually separate my ROW80 Update from my News page over the weekend. I actually like just adding the update onto the bottom of my news, but today I couldn't help but share one of my favorite Christmas songs. If you want to check out the news feed and my plans for next week, scroll down a bit to yesterday's post.

But before I get to the update, a little entertainment:

News and ROW 80 Update!

For my Row 80, I did NOT keep up with my goals over this week. I really thought I had it all under control, but my goal of revising a chapter per day isn't working out. I find I work through a section then go back through it again at least once. My first pass is on paper with a blue pen. After I shift all of the notes to my computer, I go through the pages again. Taking the pages to a critique group provides another level of rips and shreds. But the first chapter that they tore into, they actually liked! Yea!

I've only completed two chapters this way and I'm not convinced that I'm actually done with the second one. Hopefully I'll get faster as I get more practice in tightening.

As for my exercise goal, I've failed miserably, first pulling something in my calf and then having my back go out on Thanksgiving. I've spent two full days on a vibrating heat pad and am beginning to feel the difference. Hope to get back to that workout on Monday.

My schedule IS working though! I'm able to spend more time with my kids: decorating, planning, baking, and shopping! Woohoo!

Hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving! What's working for you?

Write Tip: It's a Process - New Goals!

I teach a high school writing class. Have had some of the brightest writers involved, but every year, I have to teach them the Writing Process. We spend a while discussing Planning tricks, ways to get their thoughts in order and collect some topics for their writing. They find out quickly that turning in a Draft is unacceptable. (I have a pretty high standard.) After only a few classes, they start taking advantage of sending their work to me for notes on Revision. I'll usually give them some Edit notes as well before they turn in their Final Work.

My students have figured it out. They now completely realize the benefits of each step in the process.

I've learned the benefits, too.

Journaling the Journey - ROW 80 Update

My ROW 80 goals have taken on some major changes. My original goal was to write 1300 words per day, Monday through Friday with the hopes of finishing my WIP by the end of December. Quickly, my goal changed to 1500 words, then 1800 words as I calculated what I needed to end in time. As I clocked in more and more words, I changed my goal, antsy to reach the conclusion faster.

My current goal is 2300 words per day, Monday through Friday. I allowed that my blogs are included in this, but I'm keeping that to a minimum. Now instead of finishing at the end of December, I hope to

Writer Tip - 3 Ways to Use Dashes

LAST WEEK, I talked about sentences that go on and on. Like the energizer bunny, these guys can make a reader tired, confused, and ready to run screaming into the night.

Too melodramatic? You're probably right. And it's only 10:15, so I can't go claiming sleepiness as the blame for my random jaunts. I think I'll blame my dog. :) For more about the hound, see my article from YESTERDAY.

Run-on sentences, especially the comma-splice kind, are such easy ruts

News and Updates

At this point, I'm in the homestretch of my story. The last 30k word (or so) included the most exciting sections, the climax of the romance, the dark moments. I would say that it's my favorite part of the story - the words in the separate scenes certainly flow quickly. But it's also the part of the story where I have to make sure the two ends of the circle match up as I draw them to a close. I added 14k to my story this week. Wasn't nearly as tough as I thought it would be since I'm liking it so much!  Can't wait to finish.

I still have the goal of having it done by the end of November and am really looking forward to the revisions and polishing that I get to do during December on my first novel.

This is This and That is That

After I explained "who is what" in yesterday's post, I was reminded about how Flounder from Disney's The Little Mermaid, (Ariel's best friend) got himself and Ariel in trouble when he tried to explain things. It's where I got my post title.

Today is another ROW80 check-in, and I promised to explain some things that I've been trying. Let me give you a little background.

Back when I was in school, I was easily distracted. My third-grade teacher, WHO I LOVED, called it rabbit chasing. Today, they would likely call it ADD. Just in case you didn't know, it's not a kid's problem. It's something folks will deal with their entire lives.

I still get distracted, going into the kitchen for something and completely forgetting about it because I stopped to get the doggies water and folded a load of laundry, answered the phone and started

Writing Tip - It's Gotta End SOMETIME!

You would think, as a novelist, that I'm talking about a book ending. It's a logical assumption, and I hope to get to the end of the one I'm working on with due brevity. But such is not the topic for today.

See, I'm also a writing teacher, blessed with the challenge of learning enough to stay ahead of some of the sharpest young writers I've ever come across.

And yet, they suffer from a dire conspiracy that, I've noticed, even professionals experience from

time to time.

That of the run-on sentence.

It's not uncommon for writers to utilize fragments. They can introduce subjects, like mine just did (My "sentence" doesn't have a verb. Did you notice?) or define a situation with just a word or phrase. Sometimes, their choppiness can paint a mood across the writing.

Not so much with run-ons which tend to make the reader hold her breath until she reaches the end of the sentence it can really pinch a section as well the reader will have to go back and separate the sentences on her own since the author didn't bother to do it for her that halts the story line completely.

Sorry, I couldn't resist! :) Annoying wasn't it?

With the demands for juicy sentences and in depth explanations, along with parameters for paragraphs, I found my students stringing together up to three separate sentences. Sometimes they added commas to try to throw me off, or a series of semi-colons, looking like jewelry all through the essay. So I think I'm correct in my assessment that sometimes even the basest of grammar rules can need a little reminder.

A sentence is a complete thought that includes both a subject and a predicate. (Noun and verb) Basically, it tells who-did-what.

(Unless the sentence is the passive who-is-what, which doesn't actually make sense, because who, by it's very essence is who, and what is likewise what, so to say that who-is-what would be ... Would you repeat the question?)

(Yes, I know shades of "Who's on First." I think I'm in a loopier mood than normal.)

Feel free to skip the parentheticals. I think it's my drowsiness talking ... uh ... writing.

The problem comes when the sentence includes who-did-what, who-did-where, and who-else-was-there. I actually use "who-did-what" while I'm analyzing my students' papers.

A simple sentence is made up of the simple subject and the simple predicate. ~ When I looked across the road, I saw a funny looking man with a baseball bat.

Those parts are collectively called the simple sentence, made up of a simple subject and a simple predicate. (I was thinking of saying that they all lived together in a simple little house, but I think we've followed enough rabbit trails.) Very SIMPLY, if I find another simple sentence before the ending punctuation, "Off with his head!"

Oh, hold on. That was last week's post. This week it's just an evil laugh. *wrings hands* Bwhahahahahaha!

So here are some examples that I've actually seen before. See if you can separate the Run-ons from the complete sentences. For a double challenge, can you correct the mistakes or find the simple sentences in the correct ones?

1. In keeping with the mood of the music, the dancers work together with the choreographer their dance, composed as a team, offers the expertise of many instead of one.
2. Although the tiger cub could not survive in the cruel wilderness without the assistance of humans, he maintained his freedom, finding instead an accommodating cheetah.
3. Mercury, Chrysler, and Dodge vehicles are all very well-known, their family cars are among the best in America.
4. Whenever a nation learns of it's governments duplicity, it struggles to ascertain the importance of the deception was it slight or monumental.
5. While Captain America provided an excellent example of a hero, linking strength with courage and conviction and enduring personal sacrifice to promote the good of the country, Thor proved a more entertaining character because he began in a flawed state and progressed to the point of realizing his faults and seeking to rectify them.

For the next several Wednesdays, I'm going to talk about stopping sentences, or how to avoid energizer bunny writing. (Going on and on and on ...) There are a few tricks to it. For today, just be encouraged, as you revise or edit, to identify the main noun, the simple subject, along with the main verb, the simple predicate, in each sentence and make doubly sure you didn't do any doubling on them!

What's the hardest grammar rule you've ever encountered. For me, it was semi-colons. (I had to get tutoring to figure out how to put the dot on top of the comma!)

Weekender - Faith Readers' Daily

 

I'm so pumped about catching up with my ROW80 goals by the end of the week! What a blessing! Dealing with my rabbit trails (that's what they called ADD when I was going to school) I get easily distracted by all sorts of things - music, dogs, people passing by, but most of all the little numbers that bounce up at the top of my 6-8 internet tabs.

Come back Thursday and I'll let you in on the secret of how I worked through my problem! And I'll let you know how my ideas are working! 

For today's update, I've topped 40,000 words. (I know I could just write 40k, but all those zeros look so cool!) I've stepped up my goal a little. I'd like to be done with this novel by the end of this month. I did 40k in 32 days. I only have 25 days left so I'll have to do some hightailed writing, but I think I can make it, or darn close. My current goal is 1,500 per day, so I'm going to boost that to 2,000 and hope I can make it. 

ROW 80 Update - Putting Those Fears to Rest

After a week of talking about fears, the silly type like in the blogs for Sunday and Monday, and the Godly type as in my Tuesday blog, I thought it was time to do some wrap up. Dealing with fears of all types is just