Celebrate every writing milestone!

Myra here. We waved goodbye to Speedbo 2014 last week, and now many of us are deep into editing and revisions—or at least we plan to be as soon as we type “The End” on those stories we’ve been working on.

As I pondered what to blog about today, I remembered a post I’d done a few years ago based on the slogan I’d seen on a Hallmark shopping bag. Printed in big, bold, purple letters, was the statement:

Life is a special occasion

These five words are a great reminder to celebrate every moment, so as I “celebrate” getting over the crummy tummy bug that knocked me flat last week, I’m updating my earlier post for your enjoyment—and hopefully offer a little encouragement and inspiration.

A special occasion doesn’t have to be a particular event, like your child’s graduation or the birth of a new baby. It doesn’t have to fall on a holiday, like Christmas or Easter or the Fourth of July.

Nope. Life. Normal, everyday life. All the ups and downs, joys and struggles, good times and bad. We have plenty of reasons to celebrate just because we’re alive.

Do you feel that way about your writing life? Or are you holding off on the celebration until something big happens?

Maybe you’re waiting for a contest coordinator to call with news that your manuscript or published novel is a finalist in a prestigious contest. Maybe you’re waiting for the agent of your dreams to call and say she can’t wait to sign you as her client. Maybe you’re waiting to hear from the editor you’ve been sending stuff to for the last five years in hopes that finally--finally--she wants to publish your book!

But in the meantime, while you’re waiting for the phone to ring or a certain e-mail to pop up in your inbox, take time regularly to celebrate some genuine “special occasions” in your writing life. For starters, you can celebrate surviving Speedbo and doing something positive toward the achievement of your goals.

Here are a few other causes for celebration:

During Speedbo, did you . . .

• Overhear a conversation at the supermarket that gave you a great line for your book?


• Find the perfect active-voice verb to describe your hero’s action?


• Complete your main character’s autobiography?


• Experience an “aha” moment about your plot or main character?


• Finally figure out your heroine’s goal/motivation/conflict?


• Come across a Web site or reference book containing exactly the research help you’ve been looking for?


• Write a scene so emotion-packed that you were crying on your keyboard?


• Come up with a killer title for your masterpiece?


• Finish the first draft of your work-in-progress?

As you look ahead, here are some other achievements you might celebrate:

• Succeeding at a 1K/1 hour challenge.


• Gleaning helpful writing advice from a craft book and then trying it in your work-in-progress.


• Meeting a new friend at a writers group meeting.


• Getting positive feedback from your critique partner.


• Enrolling in a Seekerville Night Class.


• Registering for a writers conference.


• Sending off a contest entry.


• Working through a helpful contest judge’s critique to make some much needed revisions.


• Hitting “send” on the query letter you’ve been slaving over for weeks.


• Having your spouse and/or kids introduce you as “my husband/wife/mom/dad, the writer.”

Now that I’ve got you thinking about those everyday writing moments worth celebrating, what would you add to the list?

Whether you celebrate by popping some M&Ms, taking a Starbucks break, or just spinning around in your desk chair until you’re dizzy, mark the occasion somehow. And if there’s no one around to high-five in person, just hop over here and celebrate with us in Seekerville!

Today I’m thrilled to offer a copy of my latest release, Whisper Goodbye, just out from Abingdon Press! If you’d like to be in the drawing, please mention your interest in the comments. (U.S. residents may choose between a hard copy or e-book; non-U.S. residents are eligible for e-book only.)

~~~

Whisper Goodbye: Crippled both physically and emotionally by his war injuries, First Lt. Gilbert Ballard struggles to find himself again in civilian life. After breaking his engagement to Annemarie Kendall, he has found solace in the arms of Mary McClarney, a spunky Irish immigrant nurse he met at the Army and Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Yet Mary’s love for Gilbert goes unreturned.

If it’s not Gilbert’s insane jealousy over his former fiancée’s new marriage, it’s his addiction to pain killers and gambling that thwarts Gil’s own happiness. Worse, Gilbert’s mother, Evelyn, continually reminds him of what he lost when he pushed Annemarie away. Under Evelyn’s critical eye, Mary fights to believe in her worth, wondering if she will ever be enough.

As Mary longs for the day when Gilbert will finally let go of the past and learn to love her as she loves him, she realizes that the only way to open Gilbert’s heart is to whisper her goodbyes . . . and pray God will bring them back together.

How Rawhide and a cracking whip are like SPEEDBO

Rowdy Yates Connealy

First of all if you click play there WILL be noise, so be warned, in case you're somewhere quiet.

Second the word RAWHIDE??? Substitute the word SPEEDBO...

Here are the lyrics (modified for writers):

Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Though they're disapprovin',
Keep those words a'rollin' SPEEDBO!!!

Don't spend your time revisin',
Just write and write and write 'em,
Soon we'll be living high and wide.
A publisher is waiting, and I’m anticipatin'.A Contract at the end as I write.

Shout 'em out, count 'em up,
Count 'em up, shout 'em out,
Shout 'em out, count 'em up SPEEDBO!!!!!

Cut 'em out, write 'em in
Write 'em in, cut 'em out,
Cut 'em out, write 'em in SPEEDBO!!!!!

Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin' SPEEDBO!!!!!   Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin' SPEEDBO!!!!!

I'm particularly fond of the part that sounds like a cracking whip. I like to think that's what we do here in SPEEDBO, CRACK THE WHIP.

Of course most of the time I feel like I'm 'one of the herd'. I guess that makes Tina...Gil Favor. (Yes, we all want to be Clint Eastwood, calm down, I'm Ramrod! Write your own blog if you want to be Rowdy Yates) Gil Favor was the trail boss, Clint Eastwood was the ramrod.

Now, with the sound of SPEEEEEEEEBO!!!!!!!!!!! and a whip cracking in your ears. Let's spend today wrapping things up.

What I want to hear.............

Word count total for the month. (ONE WORD is enough to report, forward progress was always the goal)

Goals met
Books finished
Lessons learned

And finally, how did you like Speedbo? We're open to suggestions for the future. Did anyone get bushwacked? 

Did you have to rassle with any bad writing habits that had slipped into your life like a pack of sidewinders? (why oh why does this western lingo come so easily to me?)

And NO that doesn't include changing the name SPEEDBO, WE'RE KEEPING IT!!! I'M TALKING TO YOU GIL!!!! (the trail boss can be testy, but she has that rawhide whip, so we tend to obey) REPORT IN!!! Signed Mary-who gets to be the ramrod today, :D cracking the whip!

Click to buy on Amazon

Http://www.maryconnealy.com

Now the most exciting part of Seekerville today (well, maybe not counting close ups of a young Clint Eastwood!!! Excuse me while I go play that song again, with the mute on, and just think about young Clint for a while--okay back to the blog).

TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR AGENT SUSAN BROWER, with the Natasha Kern Literary Agency, for her two day training session about how to give her your Perfect Pitch.

This is your reward for a month of hard work.
 
A chance to pitch to Susan Brower. We can all learn how she wants you to pitch to her the next two days--but you are eligible to enter the contest--ONLY if you were involved in SPEEDBO--So come by tomorrow and jump in and throw your perfect pitch!

The rules are under the rules tab at the top of the page for our PERFECT PITCH CONTEST!

Never Give Up by Churchill and Other Great Stuff

ACTIVE SPEEDBO PARTICIPANT!!!!

LINE FOR RE-CERTIFICATION IF YOU'VE FALLEN OFF THE SPEEDBO WAGON

STARTS HERE!!!!

Jumping in on a writing challenge is like a New Year's Resolution...

Or a diet... We jump in, both feet, knowing we can do it, BELIEVING WE CAN DO IT, and then something happens. Life intervenes. Someone has a baby.

Someone gets sick. Family crisis. Black Fever. Plague hits. Weather devastation abounds!!!

World-wide flooding and you forgot your swimmies

 The sun came out.

 The sun didn't come out.

 You had to wash your hair.

 HA.

 I've been there. Done that. And I'm going to give you a reminder that we had in the Weekend Edition three weeks ago: The #1 Habit of a Successful Author is TENACITY. And that's something that really helps you in a challenge like Speedbo.... We've got good days,  bad days, life happens... 

That means we've got to stick to it. We fall down, we pick ourselves up and start again. We miss a day, so what? Jump back on the bandwagon the next day. And the next. Do you know that more people MESS UP THEIR DIETS by slipping off once... and staying off.

What are we thinking??? Are we one-chance-and-it's-done people????

NO!!! Perish the thought!!!! As if!!!!!!  

We aren't, we're of the Race that Knows Joseph, we're pull-'em-up-by-the-bootstraps workers, we refuse to stay down!!!

Staying down is silly! Everyone takes a day off now and again. Everyone has life interrupt them, speed bumps occur, difficulties arise. But if you can push yourself through this ONE MONTH of writing every day (and climbing back in the saddle if you miss a day!!!) you'll have created a HABIT. 

Habits can be good or bad. THIS ONE IS GOOD!!!!

There is a reason the book "The Top Seven Habits of Highly Successful People" became a best seller.

 Because everyone wants... Come closer.... Naw, closer yet, I'm whispering... 

The Secret.

Yup. That's us, all right, we all want the inside track, the new knowledge, the secret society handshake that shows us the way to success.

The secret is tenacity. Perseverance. I read an article in Publisher's Weekly that said luck was a big factor because "things happen" and if you're lucky, they happen in your favor. If you're unlucky, they happen and thwart you.

WAIT A MINUTE. WAIT JUST A COTTON-PICKIN' MINUTE!!!

 In sales they tell you "The harder you work, the luckier you get." This is so true, I mean I'm not like bossin' you 'round or nothin', but hey... unless you happen to be lucky enough to find a cache of old tin cans filled with gold coins in your back yard, it takes steady work to build your success in any business.

Writing is no exception, the thing that grabs me about writing, though, is that I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

I love to write stories. I love to create. I love what I do. So if you've fallen to the wayside, if your WIP isn't going as fast as you wanted, don't give up!!!! We have teams of helpful operators, willing to TALK YOU THROUGH IT!!! (That's not one bit true, but that would be fun, right? To have Tina or Mary or Debby answer the phone and get you back on track??? I'm all over that idea!)

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to saddle up... Climb back on the horse... And write, write, write. You can do this. I believe it. I KNOW it. Because the only think separating you from your dream is what you're willing to put into it. Go for it. Go for the Gold, but it's okay to start with an Honorable Mention or a Bronze. Because the steps toward success are there, right in front of you! Ya' just gotta keep climbin' 'em!

Today I've got one of the sweetest stories ever to give away to you.... and I was going to give away five copies, but let's double that...

LET'S GIVE AWAY 10 (TEN!!!) COPIES OF MY SOON TO BE RELEASED "LOVING THE LAWMAN"!!!!!

Check out this cover:

HOW ADORABLE ARE THEY???? DO YOU SEE THOSE BABIES???? TWINS!!!!! OH MY STARS, I'D BE ALL OVER WANTING TO WIN THIS BOOK JUST BECAUSE THOSE BABIES ARE THE SWEETEST THINGS.... Of course the hot sheriff's deputy holding them is nothing to shrug off lightly, either, LOL!

So ten copies.... I'm in a mailing mood this week, so youse caught me at a good time! And I hope you love this book, I hope you run to Amazon and leave luscious reviews, but most of all I hope you close that last page cheering for Seth and Gianna and delighted that some really cute Italians have moved into Kirkwood Lake!!!  :)

Come on in, I bet Helen's got coffee going and I brought Snickerdoodles!!!

Oh, happy day!

Ruth Logan Herne is a fun-loving writer from upstate New York where snow and cold have been her constant companion for months. Occasionally she pokes her head up, out of the burrow hole, sees more snow, and goes back to writing or taking care of cute kids by baking them cookies and letting them use LOTS OF GLITTER. A hybrid author, Ruthy writes in the middle of the night where just the occasional coyote yowl breaks the silence. You can find her on facebook as Ruth Logan Herne, same thing for Twitter, and at ruthloganherne.com

When a pantser has to plot

Good morning, Speedbo-ers! Myra here. It’s no secret around Seekerville that I’m a confirmed seat-of-the-pants writer. I’ve tried a variety of plotting systems and formulas hoping to find an “easier” way to get my books written, but I always end up ditching them and going with what works.

And what works for me is setting the characters free to tell me their own stories.

That doesn’t mean my stories have no plots. It just means I get to discover the plot as the story unfolds.

(For an in-depth discussion on plotting versus pantsing, check out these posts by Seekerville friend Vince Mooney: Part 1 and Part 2.)

But even a pantser needs a plan, and with Speedbo heading into week 2, if you don’t have some kind of plan for your story, you may find yourself stalling out. At the very minimum, you need to know who your central characters are, what they want, and why they can’t have it (yet). A hard-core plotter will also pre-plan every twist and turn the story will take and know exactly how it will end. If you’re one of those . . .

Ahem. Moving on.

Wherever you are on the pantser-plotter continuum, you may find help from the “plotting recipe” I first learned while taking the Institute of Children’s Literature Writing for Children and Teenagers course. Lee Wyndham, in her book Writing for Children and Teenagers, presents a “Twelve-Point Recipe for Plotting,” which I adapted over time based on what works best for me.

By pondering the following 12 questions, I can begin to get a handle on who and what my story will be about.

1. Who is the main character? Is he or she someone your readers will care about and identify with?

2. Who (or what) is the antagonist? Have you created a worthy opponent, whether in the form of another person or a daunting situation?

3. Who are the other people in the story? In a romance, you’ll have both a hero and heroine, and probably some friends or family members. What roles will the subordinate characters play in your main character’s life?

4. What does the main character want, and why? Is it a worthy goal? Does it suit your character’s situation and personality? Is it attainable?

5. How important is it for the character to get what he or she wants? Is it vital? Are there serious consequences for failure?

6. How does the antagonist prevent the character from achieving these goals? What is the antagonist’s stake in the outcome?

7. What does the main character do about the obstacles? What event sets off the story action? Is your character taking an active role in overcoming the odds, rather than relying on luck or coincidence?

8. What are the results of the character’s initial actions? What new difficulties arise? How will things get progressively worse?

9. What do these struggles lead to? What is the Black Moment, when things can’t possibly get any worse?

10. What is the climax? What hard decisions will your character have to make? Have you made your character strong enough to prevail in the final battle?

11. Does the character accomplish his or her goals or abandon them in favor of something else?

12. What is the theme or central truth illustrated through the character’s action and reaction? What does your character learn as a result of his or her struggles? How has the character grown and changed?

You may not know the answer to every question before you begin writing, but if you keep this recipe close at hand and refer to it as you write, the questions will help you stay on track and grow your story toward its satisfying conclusion.

I have to add one final word of advice from Lee Wyndham’s book:

Never begin writing a story before you know how it will end.

Even for us pantsers who have no idea what will happen in the middle of the story, if you can keep your eye on the ending you want to create for your characters, you have a target to aim for.

Share your story planning strategy in a comment, and let’s talk! One of our visitors to today’s blog could win your choice of a $10 Panera Bread or Starbucks eGift card! Just mention your preference in your comment.

~~~~~~

And . . . I’m thrilled to announce my first independently published novel, Pearl of Great Price, available now for Kindle at Amazon.com!

An abandoned Arkansas lake resort holds the key to a young woman’s past . . . and her future.

Raised by her grandfather after her mother died, flea market manager Julie Pearl Stiles promised herself she’d postpone the search for her absentee father until the truth could no longer hurt Grandpa. Then one crazy June day ushers in a series of discoveries that threaten to turn Julie’s peaceful, small-town life upside down. Her encounter with Little Rock socialite Renata Channing seems more than coincidental, but equally disconcerting is her grandfather’s immediate dislike for real estate entrepreneur Micah Hobart.

Haunted by a devastating childhood mistake, Micah turned his back on God a long time ago, but success has proven a poor substitute for the inner peace he craves. Everything changes when he’s blindsided by the outspoken flea market manager who quickly captures his heart.

Renata Channing has devoted her life and ample bank account to helping underprivileged children. But no amount of philanthropy can blot out the emotional abuse she endured at the hands of a mentally ill mother, and all the money in the world won’t restore the precious “pearl” lost twenty-five years ago in the depths of Lake Hamilton.

As Julie is drawn deeper into the tragic past Micah and Renata share, she finds herself questioning everything she’s ever believed about herself, her family, and her future.

Also for your viewing pleasure, these pix of my newest grandchild, Evangeline Joy, born just over a week ago! Isn’t she precious???

~~~~~

Episodic Writing Revisited

Missy Tippens, here. Since so many of us are busy writing away for Speedbo, I thought I'd take this opportunity to repeat a post I wrote in 2012. You'll see that it includes photos from the Southern Kentucky Book Fest from 2012. The 2014 event is coming up soon, April 26th! I won't be there this year, but if you're nearby, be sure to check it out.

As we head into our second full week of Speedbo, let's think about how we approach each new scene…

Battling Episodic Writing in a 30-minute (or 1-Hour) TV Show World

By Missy Tippens

Original version posted August 20, 2012

Missy, here, talking about episodic writing today, and also sharing photos from the 2012 Southern Kentucky Bookfest. I know we’ve already had fantastic posts on the topic of episodic writing. One by Cheryl Wyatt sharing input from her editor, Melissa Endlich. And another from Janet Dean where she touched on the problem in her post about scene and sequel.

Though I honestly think I’m doing better, episodic writing is still something I’m working to avoid. I hope you don’t mind going along for the ride as I try to figure out why this is a problem with so many writers.

First, what is episodic writing? Have you ever gotten feedback from an editor or agent or contest judge with this term? According to Cheryl (via Melissa), it’s “…when one scene happens then another and another and so on but there is really no point to the scenes. They end up trumping the overall story arc but do nothing to move the plot forward.”

Missy Tippens signing beside Allie Pleiter with Virginia Smith in the background .

My own take on it is that you end up with episodic writing when you write lots of fun, cute, interesting, scary, exciting (or whatever type) scenes and string them together into a story. The problem is, they often don’t have much to do with the overall story arc or with advancing the plot.

And I think one of the reasons we tend to do this is because we live in a culture where we spend a lot of time in front of the TV. (I know there are probably those of you who don’t watch TV at all. But I still think the majority does watch at least one favorite show a week.)

Ann Gabhart and Allie Pleiter

Okay, time to admit how many shows you watch or record/DVR each week. I admit I have several that I DVR and watch late at night. There are some, like Project Runway or MasterChef, that probably don’t affect the flow of my writing. But when I thought of others, like Castle, Pretty Little Liars (a big weekly event my daughter and I share), Grey’s Anatomy and Parenthood, I realized how the flow of these episodes (key word!) could affect my writing.

Lori Copeland and Missy Tippens

On the one hand, these type shows are great for teaching how to write a fantastic scene or chapter hook. Just think how long the week between episodes seems! (Who else out there is about to DIE for the next season of Castle to find out what’s going to happen?)

But these shows tend to have the main character dealing with one problem each week, solving it, and then possibly leaving you with a new problem introduced or a hint at what’s to come. The thing is, there may not be much of an overall season-long story arc. Each episode is stand-alone. And that can be a real problem in our writing.

Trish Milburn and Missy Tippens

So how do we battle episodic writing in a world where we watch weekly episodes of our favorite TV shows? Here are some of my tips:

--The most logical way would be to watch less TV and read more. :) I’m smiling but serious. The more we read, the more we “soak up” the natural flow of storytelling.

--Use the basics from The Moral Premise: Harnessing Virtue and Vice for Box Office Success by Stanley Williams. You can read Dr. Williams’ guest post on our blog by clicking here for a brief explanation. I’ve found his work has been influential in helping me make sure all my scenes relate to the premise and that they serve the purpose of tying in to progress toward the overall story arc.

--Make sure your main character has a story-long goal that she has to achieve and that she’s taking some sort of step to pursue it in each scene. Not only does this help with story drive, but it also helps make your character active and not just reactive.

--Also, make sure the conflict (the obstacles to her goal) get worse as the story progresses. This assures you have escalating conflict. I usually make a list of all the ways she can fail to reach her goal and then order them from mildest to worst.

--Make sure your story has a sense of drive, of moving forward. This is related to the previous tip. But I like to check this using action and reaction. My main character takes a step toward her overall story goal. Some obstacle stands in her way, so she reacts by making a new decision or plan of action. Then repeat. (I even create an action-reaction chart to check myself on this to make sure my character is always proactive.)

--Don’t fall into the trap of feeling like your story needs to move chronologically like you do in living normal life. If you end one scene at bedtime, don’t feel like you have to open the next scene at the breakfast table the next day. Think more in terms of what your character’s next step is in achieving her goal rather than in terms of a clock or calendar.

Alecia Whitaker and Missy Tippens

So now it’s your turn. Share what shows you like to watch regularly. :) And also what you do to make sure your writing isn’t episodic.

Heather Graham and Missy Tippens

I hope you’ll visit me at www.missytippens.com and sign up for my quarterly newsletter. I’d also love to hang out with you here:

https://www.facebook.com/missy.tippens.readers

https://twitter.com/MissyTippens

http://pinterest.com/missytippens/