Writing Tips: Write the Book You Want to Read

At last week's Wild, Wild Midwest conference, SCBWI co-founder Lin Oliver presented us with 15 (actually 17) tips to improve our writing. Some of these points were her own observations; others she had borrowed from other writers. I thought I would borrow them again for string of delicious blog posts and add a bit of my own wisdom and insights [insert grin and\or eye roll here] to the fray.

Tip #1 hails from Judy Blume: "Write the kind of book you like to read."

What is missing for you on library or bookstore shelves? What have you not been able to find in recently published stories? Think of your favorite genre--what hasn't been done yet? Find those answers, and then fill in those gaps. Because unless you are truly strange (and we'll talk about that next time), there are likely a number of other readers feeling the same void. And as writers, we have the ability to do something about those empty spaces and untapped needs.

For me: I like young adult fantasy. I have since I was a teenager and I still like it now that I am . . . not a teenager. I love high fantasy (though I'm less crazy about the prophesy aspect too often deployed in fantasy stories. That is guaranteed to make my eyes roll). I'm enjoying steam punk more and more. I like dragons and other mythological creatures. I love stories based on folktales and I like fractured fairytales. Looking at a story from a different angle--especially a "well-known" tale--has always been exciting for me.

Here's what I don't like: Love triangles (you bet that's first on the list). Other romantic drama. Paranormal. Characters who are killed and then magically and conveniently brought back to life. And when the villain does a gut dump at the end of the story and (also conveniently) tells the hero exactly how he/she did everything to bring about the evil plan.

Here's what is missing: I want to see more YA stories with less romantic drama. Yes, budding romance is a big part of teen life. But does it have to happen every freaking time a good-looking male or female enters the scene? I want to see more books with guys and girls who are friends, and are comfortable being friends, and then, if it's right for them, grow to a deeper relationship. Preferably one without all the agonizing angst and drama of "Does he love me? Or doesn't he? Or . . . does he love that other girl?"

I would like to see more stories with proactive female protagonists who are confident in themselves and make a difference in their lives and in the story around them, without having to pick up a weapon. More and more books are being published that feature female protagonists, but so many of them revolve around girls who contribute to the story as fighters. In fantasy, does the message have to be, "Girls as just as capable of leading a story as boys, because girls, too, can wield swords and shoot arrows and kill someone in the middle of the night?"

I'm not saying I dislike every one of these stories. It is fun to read them, and it is gratifying to see girls breaking through barriers in their world (and in our own) and proving that they are so much more than a pretty face to be saved at the first sign of danger. Because girls are fierce fighters and will defend the people important to them. But I'd like to see more stories where girls' strengths are demonstrated by skills other than martial combat.

And I'd like to see less stories laden with girls who melt into quivering puddle every time an attractive young man steps in to the room.

What is missing for you in the books you've been reading?

Sam's Book Bag: A Natural History of Dragons

Today I finished Marie Brennan's A Natural History of Dragons. This interesting book came to my attention via a Twitter post/blog article by Word for Teens. Initially, I thought this was an encyclopedia-type book filled with information about dragons. It seemed the perfect resource for my own writing endeavors, so I popped it onto my Amazon wish list and received it for a birthday gift.

The book is NOT, however, an encyclopedia by any means (as the subtitle rather obviously points out. In my defense, I didn't pick up on it during my quick reading of the blog). Rather, the story is a mock-memoir of the fictional Lady Trent, or Isabella Camherst, a natural historian who broke gender-barriers in her time (a very Victorian-esque setup) by becoming a dragon scholar in her own right. This book--perhaps the first in a series?--charts the beginning of her career, detailing her childhood interest in dragons and moving through her first expedition to study dragons in the wild. 

I was surprised at the contents, but happily not disappointed. Isabella's voice is astute and engaging. She could be your grandmother telling stories of her youthful escapades.

One of the many drawings in the book

I do feel the title of the book, however, could have been more aptly chosen. Granted, it does reflect the title of the text book that sparked Isabella's interest in dragons. But a quick peek at other reviews shows I wasn't the only one who came to the book with incorrect expectations. Others, for instance, complained that they expected an art book and were disappointed to find a novel. (Incidentally, the book does include a handful of very detailed and beautiful drawings that illustrate the creatures Isabella encounters. But this is by no means an art book, or a history of anyone other than Isabella Camherst.)

And, clever allusions aside, even those who know the book is a novel could be turned away because of the incredibly dry title. (Personal example: I'm having a hard time convincing my husband, who loves dragon stories, to read the book. No matter what I tell him, he won't believe the book has a plot.) 

Disclaimer: This criticism comes from a writer with little skill in titling her own stories. But I do feel I know an exciting title when I see one. And I know that a bad title can mar the success of a story. I hate to see it happen when the story behind it is good. 

Should you read the book? I'd say so, especially if you enjoy historical fiction. Even those who typically don't like fantasy may find this book enjoyable, since the story involves no magic, vampires, werewolves, wizards, fallen angels, curses, prophesies . . .  you get the idea. 

And lest you think this book still has no story to it, just pretend the front cover readers The Rock-Wyrm and the Firestone, or . . . well, I'll just stop while I'm ahead. 

When Books Go Awry: Getting the Story Back on Track

With another SCBWI conference approaching this weekend (Wild Wild Midwest! Whooo!), I'd hoped that I'd be in a different place with my writing. My first SCBWI conference back in February had me fired up to finish my novel and get it on the market. There were a few tweaks I'd wanted to make, as there is after any conference, but I'd hoped to get those patched up and send my book on its way to the editor contacts I'd made.

BUT!

I'd really wanted to get a solid, objective opinion on my book before sending it out to the publishing world for evaluation. If there were things that still needed cleaning up, I wanted those out of the way before sending the manuscript to an agent for review. So I enlisted the help of an editor friend of mine.

The end result was, for me, a rather alarming wake-up call. As the list of flaws in character development and plot continued to stretch longer and longer, the unfortunate conclusion became clear: my book was not ready to be published. It was not even close.

What followed were some very hard days--ones where I ate too many gingersnaps and spent a lot of time buried in other people's books (I burned through Cassie Clare's Infernal Devices Triology--thank goodness for Kindle Instant Download). Mostly, I was angry with myself. And extremely disappointed. I'd spent so much time writing and revising my story. And with the education I'd had in literature and writing, it seemed inexcusable to me that the story I was working on should flop so badly.


What it came down too was that I'd been working on the book for so long I could no longer see the work clearly. Add that fact that I'd developed the original premise before I'd enrolled in those writing and literature courses of mine, and it's obvious my book would need some work.

I could tell that I was at a crossroads with my story: either I needed to find a way to see the story in a new light and angle and write it in a way that ameliorated its many issues, or I'd need to scrap the story entirely and start something new. I hated the notion of giving up a project that I'd invested so much time and energy into, but I questioned whether I'd be able to obtain enough mental and emotional distance from the story to rewrite it in a new way without falling too heavily on what did not work before.

What got me moving forward was one of the more recent developments in my story--what if the dragon, Kvasir, was not a true dragon at all, but a spirit of nature? What if he was only one of many such spirits that were responsible for taking care of the natural world? What if humans had decided to exploit the powers of these beings? What if one of these spirits--Kvasir's brother, in fact--was stuffed into the Nivenrok, powering that evil stone and threatening the well-being of the world with it? 

I started toying with concepts for other spirits. What would the physical manifestation of the forest spirit be? The harvest spirit? The ocean spirit? How did these beings govern themselves? How did they interact with humans? Realizing that the spiritual world I was designing resembled the Shinto belief system of Japan, I researched Shintoism, not so I could duplicate the religion, but so I could understand how people who prescribe to such beliefs view and understand the world--so I could know what kind of questions I'd need to address about the world I was designing and how to best present them. 

Crafting these spirits was--is--immensely fun. And that was something I had also strayed from in the old version of my story. In a conversation I had on Twitter about this time, I mentioned "I think I lost sight of having FUN with my writing." And yet, once upon a time, that had been the driving motivation for working on my book in the first place! Worrying about every word I put down and how it would be received by someone else did not create a conducive environment for fun--or creativity, for that matter. And that will become the kiss of death for any story.

So here I am etching out the arc of quite a different story entirely. Most of my thoughts consist of notes scribbled onto index cards and a small journal, and timelines sketched on oversized pieces of paper. For those of you who ask about my book: Thanks for your interest--really! But know that I am not being ornery when I say that there isn't a draft available for reading. Because right now, the pieces of my book are stuffed in a folder or spread across the living room floor.

But a handful of scenes have been taking shape in my mind the last couple weeks. Which means, I think, that my story may graduate to the computer soon. :)

I'm a Reader and a Writer: Two Heads of the Same Beast

(This blog post is inspired/in response to a Huffington Post article I found on Twitter this week - Reading: It's Not Just for Breakfast Anymore)

I remember a squabble I had a few years back with a guy who also fancied himself a writer. He declared that one did not have to be a reader to be a writer. I declared that one could not write (well) without being well read.

I mean, come on. Trying to write books without regularly reading them seems akin to writing a screenplay without ever watching movies, painting or sculpting without ever looking at others' art, or composing music without ever listening to a note. Yeah, I heard some songs back in high school . . . 

Why do writers need to read? It exposes them to myriads of ways stories are constructed and presented to readers. It's concrete evidence of what plot lines and character approaches are working for readers now (and for agents and editors, for that matter). It provides a bottomless well of stellar examples to learn from (in addition to some spectacular failures to steer clear from).

And, through reading, writers learn what else needs to be written about. What matters haven't been addressed yet? What stories haven't yet been told--or could be told better? What questions do you still have, as a reader?

One person who commented on the article questioned a writer's ability to maintain his/her personal style while delving into others' books during a writing project. To this person, I would say: Perhaps writers in the rudimentary foundations of their work may experience this problem. Way back when I started dabbling in writing (and I'm talking about as a preteen), I definitely had this issue. Any story that impressed me would become the branching point for my newest project. I'd brainstorm and do some character sketches, maybe even start a little writing.

And those stories never went anywhere. Because they weren't the stories I needed to tell. But I had to learn that for myself, by continuing to read and continuing to practice my own writing, until I landed on the tale that has left me writing like crazy to get it in print.

There is far too much to learn from other stories for me to set reading aside. While, admittedly, I devote less time to reading when I'm in the midst of major story revisions with a deadline on the horizon (like now), I'm always working through a book, with several more lined up to follow. And those stories don't take over my writing--but they do often re-energize it. I see ways other authors have approached their worlds and their characters, and it jiggles me into thinking of what else I can do with my story world and my characters. While reading Rachel Hartman's Seraphina last December, I was awakened to a wonderful twist to my own dragon character. He didn't become another version of Hartman's creatures . . . but he did become a more complex, richer version of what I am able to create. And that has left me even more excited about the book I can someday offer.

Likely, this matter is why my fellow students and I took 2-3 times as many literature classes as writing classes during my creative writing major. There was a method to the madness, my fellow students. I hope each of us are better writers for it.

Now get back to reading, all of you. I have some writing and reading of my own to attend to.

Going Back to the Roots: My First Book

While revising like a mad woman as I gear up for my submission goal, I became a little nostalgic for my writing roots--when storytelling was simple and artistic angst did not exist. This led to me unearthing my very first (picture) book, Happy New Year. 

I was six or seven years old when I made this little beauty (complete with school-child spelling mistakes). We had learned about Chinese New Year at school, and I was moved enough to write a book about it. 

It was a fantasy book, if you consider that the main characters were a Siamese cat and a Chinese dog who celebrate a human holiday. 

And they were very happy! Too bad I can't repeat that phrase for some of the characters in my current book. 

I had yet to pick up on the importance of opening a story with conflict or some other intriguing stakes. 

At least they had plenty of good eating. (If you count bones as food. Poor dog. I had no idea what I was doing to him.) 

What's the New Year without a confetti tornado and an unexplained birthday present? 

The cat decorates ninja-style, by chucking those thumbtacks at the streamers. (Probably the most fantastical part of the book. Still, it would be a useful skill to master.)

And on the right, you see one of my first experiences with revision! A crossed-out "The End." The story was not yet over, and my work was not complete. (Oh, how I know this experience all too well now.) 

I realized that I'd forgotten to explain the Siamese cat's birthday. Good thing there was a blank last page to correct that oversight. 

Maybe I could remember a thing or two from my seven-year-old self: Write to my passions. Enjoy the ride. Don't be afraid of revision. Eat enough food. Be happy. 

Now, back to work (for me, at least). 

A Sobering Reality: Mid-List Authors

The final day of the SCBWI New York conference, in the midst of numerous emerging authors and illustrators receiving well-deserved awards for their promising career starts, there was a different kind of award given--a grant intended to help mid-list authors relaunch their writing careers.

What are mid-list authors? You probably haven't read any of their books. In fact, you've probably never heard of them at all. Their works aren't gracing bestseller lists or appearing on Amazon's home page. They aren't on prominent display at your local Barnes and Nobel--or even, perhaps, the most encouraging independent bookstores.

A mid-list author could be your neighbor or a relative. It could be you.

After all, being a mid-list author is the reality for many, many people who do succeed in getting a book published.

Aspiring authors (myself included) envy those who have succeeded in publishing their novels. And publication is something to admire and celebrate, because capturing the attention of an agent and editor for even one novel is danged hard work! But aspiring authors (and the people around us) sometimes fall prey to the notion that getting our books published will transport us to instant stardom. We envision quitting our day jobs and finally living the dream of being a full-time writer! We fantasize about hosting readings of our works or visiting eager school children who are in awe of meeting a real-life author--and who, of course, are wild fans of each one of our books. Meanwhile, family and friends beg for free, signed copies of our work and implore us to "remember them when we are famous."

But for so many authors, fame--especially instant fame--is not the reality. There are so many books in the market and so many matters out of our control: Is the timing right? Are readers snapping up this genre, or have they grown weary of it? Does the story respond to the need of society at this moment? Is the book being promoted to the best venues and to the right people?

And there are so many other factors that I don't even know about.

All during the course of the SCBWI conference, I was pumped on Writer's High. Yes! We can do this! I am part of a community of supportive, encouraging people! We all know what each other is going through and we are willing to assist one another through our slumps and pitfalls. Mo Willems told us to dream big, for goodness sakes! Don't just dream about being published. Dream about producing a book that will change the world!

Because of course such dreams are so hard to reach. If we dream about changing the world through our writing, maybe we'll reach far enough to at least have a book on the market.

Jane Yolen, before she announced the winners, described the reality of mid-list writers: They are someone whose books sell moderately--but not well enough. Too often, they are faced with smaller runs of their next books. Stores send back copies and are not willing to stock new titles. Book contracts shrink, then stop coming at all. The writers may be faced with restarting their careers and publishing under a new name--or, ultimately, bowing out of the publishing world completely.

Yeah, that was a wake-up call at the end of my fabulous writing weekend.

But what was the real message? Your name will never become a household word? Your writing dreams are absurd? You would be better off investing your time in a more reasonable venue?

No. The message is work hard. Keep your eyes on the stars, but your feet steady on some solid ground.  Be prepared to give writing everything you have--and then some. And most importantly, know that the work does not end with the signing of a book contract. If you're going to keep that dream alive, the work has only begun.

But we can do it. Because, at least as children's writers, we are part of a strong community of inherently supportive, encouraging people who understand what each other is going through and are willing to assist one another through our slumps and pitfalls. ;)

Twitter for Writers (Why it Actually is a Good Idea)

I have been very neglectful of my blog the past week (not to mention a number of other areas), and to any and all who feel overlooked, I apologize. But my attentions elsewhere were for a good cause: my post-conference revision of my manuscript is complete! I am that much closer (I hope) to sending it out again, after hearing feedback from a few promising beta readers.

Something else I have been attending to, post-conference, is my newly active Twitter account!

Before anyone objects: Yes, I know I have sometimes spoken unfavorably of Twitter in the past. It confused me and I didn't have the slightest idea what to do with it. I had no interest in reading other's reports about their coffee-drinking habits, traffic updates, or breakfast selections. I had no interest in reporting similarly mundane details of my life. I hobnobbed on Twitter a couple times for teaching projects (and because I am supposed to be heading up some social media work soon for the day job), but I always left the site as quickly as I could. The thought of having to manage more than one social media site made me feel schizophrenic, especially with Twitter's constant updates and ever-changing feeds.

But, at the SCBWI New York conference, I learned that my aversion to Twitter would have to change.

"Are you on Twitter?" One of my newfound friends asked.

"No. It's weird and confuses me."

"You need to be on it," my friend quickly corrected. "You can follow agents and editors and learn about them and what they're looking for in manuscripts. Sometimes they'll even post a specific type of genre or story premise they'd want to see. If you have that manuscript, you might get a book deal."

Oh.

Well, if anything was ever going to get me on Twitter, it would be those concepts. So I resurrected my old Twitter account (with my maiden name and one glorious tweet--apparently promoting some petition I'd once signed telling Google to support Net Neutrality). I updated my info, found my new SCBWI friends, and followed every agent I could find that I intend to query.

And I found that I actually like Twitter.

There is a lot of energy on the feeds, and sometimes it is too much for me. And yes, there is a lot of random information that I really don't need to know. But there's something refreshing about putting out the 140-character blurbs. Your thoughts go out, they don't take a lot of time to read, and many people can actually see them. I like the informality of the virtual chatting--responding to tweets and even retweeting blurbs and links, helping to spread the word on info that other people may find interesting. I like the opportunity to observe snippets of the thoughts and perspectives of long-distance writing friends that otherwise would not be available to me. And it's great to get a peek at the lives of agents and editors who I may someday have the opportunity to work with.

And if there are some out there who may be rolling their eyes--no, this is not a shameful plug to follow my Twitter account. It is a plug entirely without shame. Look me up: @jsamtaylor.

I do update my Twitter page more frequently than the blog. Come and learn more about my endeavors to get a book published!