It's Complicated

The process of waiting is happily filled with hours of writing and, that rarest of pleasures (rare for the young mother of three, anyway), reading. (And I don't count children's books, sorry). What am I reading?

A few things, actually. I've got a bookmark in William Goldman's "The Princess Bride" (for the millionth blissful time), I just started Jane Austen's "Emma" (only my second reading--I didn't like it the first time), and a book by my favorite writer.

Who is my favorite writer, you ask?

Well, that's where it gets complicated.

The answer is: Stephen King. Yes, you heard correctly--Stephen King, the Horror novelist.

Appropriate response? Shock and (yes) Horror.

But, wait. I don't actually read Horror books (or see Horror movies, comics, etc.). I don't disapprove of them, exactly, but I can't handle them. I'm not built to appreciate stories created to frighten people. They make me hurt in a bad way and I don't like it.

However, Stephen King has written more than a collection of (widely acknowledged to be brilliant) Horror stories. He created a fantasy as well ("The Eyes of the Dragon") and a marvelous book called "On Writing".

Every now and then, you find a book that resonates with you. A book you read over and over because it speaks your language and you always come out of it inspired, enlightened, and just plain satisfied. For me, that book is "On Writing".

Contained in "On Writing" are Stephen King's past experiences and advice to writers, which is all very useful, but what I really like about it is hearing his voice. Behind the terrifying fiction sits a man with admirable morals, deep inner strength, and a macabre sense of humor.

I find his writing advice useful and inspiring, but I usually get more out of his stories. Some are sad, or painful, or just plain dark, but he tells them with humor, so you're laughing when you probably shouldn't be. Or maybe you're laughing exactly when you should be. The point is, you're laughing when he wants you to.

Which is why I can never read the rest of his books. If he can get me laughing at a horrific situation, what would happen when his intention is to terrify? I guess we'll never know. Sorry. It's just not my cup of tea.

Still, I always come out of "On Writing" wishing desperately that my favorite writer had chosen a genre I actually like! Then again, if he had done so, he wouldn't be writing "Truth" he insists all writers need to do. I suspect his abilities are tied to his truth-telling, so he wouldn't be my favorite if he wrote anything else, would he?

Sigh. As I said--it's complicated.

Patience

One month ago (June 24th) my daughter, Audrey, finally joined our family and I took a month off everything. She's a great baby: sleeps pretty well, eats plenty, and watches the world through calm, interested blue eyes. We're all glad she's here--even our two-year-old!

My recovery, though slow, is progressing and the writing itch is gradually returning, but the lack of sleep and periodic illnesses in our house have kept it from taking full form. Much as I would like to bury myself in character and plot, I find my alone-time taken up with sleeping, eating, and the rarest of all blessings--showering!

Still, the itch must and will be satisfied soon. My other two children started letting me sleep at about four months old. With luck, Audrey will take a hint and follow their example, but I may not wait that long anyway. Sometimes, sleep or no sleep, you just have to write.

I'm not there yet. No.

But I will be soon.

In the meantime, I'll fill my days with cuddling Audrey and chasing my crazy boys around the house and backyard (gotta get back in shape somehow, right?), all while waiting to hear Stan's thoughts on the manuscript.

Yes, he's still reading it and I'm hoping to hear that he's ready to shop it around with publishers. Waiting and hoping--the fate of all would-be-published writers. Hmm. If I didn't have a baby to cuddle, I don't know if I could handle it just now.

Thankfully I do have my darling daughter and I can be patient. I can. I swear!

Yeah, right. :P

Waiting

Baby hasn't come yet (groan) and I can't stop thinking about the manuscript. As I said in a previous post, no manuscript is perfect and all I can think about are the mistakes I made.

I know of at least one (admittedly small) error I missed: adding an apostrophe where I shouldn't have. And I have some doubts about one or two scenes. They might be too long or give away too much information. The book might be too long or the plot too complicated.

Once the baby gets here, I'm sure I'll be able to stop fussing over these things--at least until I get feedback from editors telling me what I did wrong ;)

But that's months away. What's a super-pregers writer to do?

Well, this one is going to get a pedicure this afternoon and forget her worries in a big bowl of fresh watermelon. Ha!

At Last

I DID IT!

The manuscript is in Stan's capable hands and my baby could come any day. Talk about cutting it close!

I'm so relieved I'm actually as a loss for words. I'll update when I have more to say.

:D

Good Enough?

Here we go...sprinting to the finish!

I've completed my overhaul of the synopsis, outline, bio, and query letter. My husband is more than halfway through the manuscript and I'm already working on the part he's finished. In other words--nearly there!

And a good thing too. My baby girl is due in six weeks and they way things are looking, she may not be willing to stay inside that long. We've already had one bout of 'false labor' that seemed pretty real to me (even the doctors were nervous). I'm being told to rest, drink lots of fluids, and stay calm. (Right! With two toddler boys running around? Ha!)

Stick it out, little girl!

Still, all this time 'resting' has given me more time to work on the manuscript.
Confession: the closer I get to being done, the more nervous I feel. Knowing this is the last rewrite for some time kind of scares me. I've written enough to know perfection is never really attainable--for me anyway. I can get close, but there's always an error to fix or a phrase that could be just a little clearer. My mother (an amazing writer herself) calls it layers of editing.

So here we are, about to send my work out to editors, and I just can't be sure what layer of editing I've reached. I feel good about this book now--confident that it's the best it's ever been. But is it good enough?

I guess we'll find out...eventually.

First I have to finish! Ha ha!

The Whole Package

Getting down to the wire here, but very close to being done. My husband has the manuscript now and he's my last reader. While he's reading it over, I'm rewriting my outline and synopsis. At least my bio is up to date, so that's one thing I don't have to worry about.

You know, it was only after I found my agent that discovered I had to have what I call the Package: an outline, synopsis, and bio. I mean, come on! I already wrote an entire book--several times over if you count the different drafts. That, at least, was fun. Grrrr.

So be warned, future novelists, and be prepared. While you're sending out those queries to agents or editors, get your Package ready.

I like to start with the outline. It's easy enough. I scan through the book and express each chapter in concise, outline form. Then I read it through, removing unnecessary details, and there I have a working outline.

From the outline I construct my synopsis. Now, I've done this a few times, but I'll be honest--I'm not very good at it. How can I realistically summarize my entire novel in only four or five pages (or less) and still maintain a story-like flow? Not easy. I recommend looking up the tried-and-true techniques used by published novelists. They've already proven that can write a worthwhile synopsis, which I have yet to do--sigh.

The bio is simpler. It's basically your writing resume, but without the fancy fonts and layout. Just tell them what you've done: short stories, writing awards, plays, and education is nice too. They don't really want to hear that you worked in a candy shop for four years (unless your novel is about a candy shop, of course) or that you hate broccoli (please, please, please tell me your novel isn't about broccoli!).

The point of all this--writing a novel isn't enough to get you noticed. You have to learn the writing trade and prove you're professional enough to pull your weight. The synopsis, outline, and bio are certainly for the editor's convenience (and don't you want to make their job easier?), but they're also a great exercise for the author. I know any number of fellow writers who, when they are asked 'What is your book about?', chew their lips for a moment then say 'It's, well, I guess you just have to read it.'

Not good. The cure? Write a synopsis. And probably an elevator-pitch too (that single sentence that expresses your story in a nutshell). Good for the writer, helpful to the editors, and a life-saver for the hapless innocents who politely ask what your book is about.

And lots of work. :)

I better get back to it.

Always Another Story

Well, I'm just about there.

Only seven chapters left to edit (along with a handful of other preparations) and I can send the manuscript off to Stan for the last time. :)

You know, I've been thinking about writing and why I do it. I've read authors' bios and 'how-to' books and they all talk about why they write. Most of them say the same thing--'because I have to' or 'it's like an addiction--I can't stop!' Almost all of them will tell you frankly that you shouldn't do it for the fame or money. There isn't much to be had.

Of course, there are exceptions. JK Rowling threw the whole world for a loop with her genius and she deserves every penny and every moment of glory her work produced.

But what about the rest of us? We can't all be Rowlings and there are countless brilliant writers out there who deserve far, far more money and fame than they will ever receive.

And I don't even fit in the brilliant category.

I know it's most likely that if I do manage to find a publisher, I'll sell a few books, collect one or two good reviews, a whole lot more bad ones, be generally ignored, collect a handful of fans, and generally be unrecognizable to the few people who have read my book. The money I get will be just enough to take my family to Disneyland once or give my kids one good Christmas.

This is what I've heard. Do I believe it? You bet.

But why? Why shouldn't I be the next Rowling? Why not daydream of fame, fortune, and glamorous interviews?

Because, my friends, that's not why I write. Oh, I'll admit I have my daydreaming moments, but then reality always sinks in and I smile at myself. Castles in Spain, as my husband and I call them, are lovely as long as you remember reality is a lot more substantial and satisfying.

So why do I write? My husband once asked me that question. "What if your book doesn't sell?" he asked. "What if you don't even find a publisher?"

I laughed. "I'll write the next one. There's always another story."

I'm not the first writer to say it and I certainly won't be the last, but I write because I have to, because it's like an addiction. I love it!