Writing in my head

I love when I find myself writing in my head. It provides a welcomed escape from what normally occupies my head, which right now is something like this:

Oh my... the car's brakes and inspection cost almost $700. We have $100 in the checkbook for food and unexpected bills and it has to last throughout all of April. I have lots of schoolwork due and my textbooks for my seminar are still in the car. I hope I don't overdose on iron. I have a doctor's appointment Monday and I think I'm looking forward to it. Sh*t, tomorrow is Easter. I forgot.

So, I'm in the shower. And instead of these things I'm thinking:

Galen sits on the bench drinking coffee. A cute guy walks by. Adelaide, now dead and cohabitating Galen's body with him notices. Would she have the power to prompt a sexual response in his body? If so, what would it be? What would Galen think? And since she later uses her powers to assist impotent Étienne, maybe she should inadvertently cause something now we foreshadow that she can *ahem* assist the male anatomy.

Which also brings to mind... What kind of guy would Addy find attractive? Would he be a hip, young, American Étienne?

The Selfish Writer

My apologies to Molly Cochran for stealing her desired title for the talk she gave at last week's GLVWG The Write Stuff conference. The talk was actually titled "Finish your novel" or something equally boring, but she really wanted to call it "The Selfish Writer" because that's what it takes.

Sometimes you have to neglect your children, your life, your job.

And those of us who spend our lives being way too serious need to hear that.

I finished my agent submission Tuesday night and emailed it. When I should have been in class.

I allowed myself to work on a scene five chapters away because my emotions seemed drawn to that scene.

And I promised myself I would make time for writing. That no matter what happens, I will give myself 30 minutes to an hour of writing time a day.

Because I need this.

Uggh.

Preparing the agent submission as requested by the agent.

I got a request for synopsis plus three. That's pretty standard.

I freshened up my synopsis. (The agent's web site does not dictate a length for the synopsis, and I opted not to go with either my one page synopsis nor my five page, I edited a new 2.5 page synopsis.)

But I'm striking out on the query.

None of them sound right. I feel extra pressure since I did so uncharacteristically poor at the pitch.

Recap: GLVWG The Write Stuff

It was a fabulous conference today, put on by the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group.

My favorite author speakers were Jordan Sonnenblick and Molly Cochran. I also pitched to an agent, and let's just say she was a fabulous speaker and warm person, but I fell down on the job.

I let Étienne and his posse down.

Now, I'm not naming the agent because I know what a mix of factors lead to an agent accepting your manuscript: the right market, the right blend of personalities, that agent has to believe in your prose as much as you do (okay, probably more)... I'm not naming her because if she rejects me, as is statistically likely, I don't want anyone to say she's mean, or a bad person, or stupid.

On the contrary, I'm inclined to believe this person's a saint, because I did a terrible job at my pitch. I salvaged it enough so she requested a synopsis and the first three chapters so she's either a big saint or my ideas have some merit.

But let's talk positive.

What did I learn?

Jordan Sonnenblick mentioned a great technique for checking your character's dialogue. He suggested taking different colors of highlighters and using one color for each main character and highlighting just their dialogue in your book. Why? Because if some one read nothing else but the dialogue would that character's personality/characterization materialize?

Molly Cochran listed techniques to finish your novel. Luckily, I do most of them. But listening to her talk about "writing fast" and "allowing yourself to write [a first draft] badly," I let her pivotal advice sink in. Have a regular writing schedule. Even if it's only 30 minutes per day. Set this schedule based on your own goals and your own priorities regarding writing. Allow yourself to be selfish and write.

That made me realize:
I need to reorganize my priorities in life.
Not just in writing, in everything.

Excited about Macie

Macie Carter's novella came out yesterday? The day before? I've had a strange few days so my time sense is nutty.

Macie is a pen-name for the not-so-innocent author. She's a member of Greater Lehigh Valley Writer's Group and Pocono-Lehigh Romance Writers. And I admire her.

Every time one of my writer friends has a book published, I consider buying it. Many times I don't because the excerpts offered by the publisher commit one of the writing habits that annoy me. Macie's excerpt truly enticed me.

So, I bought it. At $2.50 even unemployed me could indulge. I am so eager to read it, perhaps after I finish my paper for school, or even after my job interview today... before the GLVWG conference.

What attracted me to the excerpt? (Pun intended.) Real life situations. No passive voice. Feelings that I could identify with.

And I'm a harsh critique. So congratulations, Macie! (I almost typed your real name... )

TAMING THE MUSE, available through WILD ROSE PRESS:
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/wilderroses/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=765

The Write Stuff

I'm getting ready for the GLVWG conference The Write Stuff this weekend. I was doing a lot of writing, two chapters over the weekend. And I felt like I was on fire.

Then yesterday I had a falling out with my boss. She made a list of criteria for me to keep my job and I didn't feel I could make it so I left.

Now I'm unemployed.

That's a scary feeling. But it's not worth the constant stress of the job, the job that only paid about $700 a month take-home. I was actually disciplined for being insubordinate on my day off, even though I did everything I was asked to do AND it was my day off.

I mention it because it happened before the conference. I was scheduled to work everyday this week so now I'll have more time. Hopefully I can practice my pitch.

Someone recently said, marketing your writing has always been a crapshoot. You still have the same terrible chances when it comes to the odds of making it, but she felt the uncertain economy had agents looking for the next great thing, instead of the predictable old thing, and maybe give us all a boost.

I don't know.

Stress

As a writer, my craft becomes a release from stress. When I can't cry, I can make them cry. When I can't beat someone up, my bad guys can beat someone up.

I have certain characters that I toy with as a way to relieve stress, some of it ends up as good scenes. Some gets trashed.

Work is really bad right now, the whole situation has me on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Never actually have had a nervous breakdown but in the last few years a certain activity in my life has introduced me to the next level of stress: the panic attack. What's hard about panic attacks, even my mild ones, are the physical reactions that seem to shut your body down.

One of my characters struggles with these. Wonder where he gets it from.

Last night I sat down to do some stress writing. I couldn't decide if I wanted to continue in the current chapter, skip ahead to a happy scene, or write something mean and awful.

None worked out.

Time has not worked out.

So without my writing, I end up popping Ativans and hoping for the best.

My writing lets me expunge my emotions. What does your writing (or reading) do for you?