Spills On A Page

So my current WIP (aka my love, my nemesis, my pride and joy, or my royal pain in the @#@, depending on the day) is a science fiction story involving a royal coup and earth being a penal colony. See this post if you would like more detail. This is my first sci fi story,and I have to admit, there are times I feel like I've bitten off more than I can chew (*cough, cough, gag, gag* Anyone know the Heimlich Maneuver?!)

It's a tough genre! World building isn't an easy thing and to those for whom it comes naturally, I tip my hate (uh... I mean hat) to you. Unfortunately, I've had to pry much of it out of my brain with a crow bar. However, I am lucky enough to have my family who helps me hash out many of my ideas and inconsistencies. They are proving to be a handy bunch!

Tonight I was trying to work out a way for one person to view the thoughts, feelings, and memories of another and bouncing ideas for this off my hubby. Now, you have to understand that my hubby is not a sci fi nut, nor does he do much illogical thinking. With this idea, he kept trying to come up with ideas that were of this world and in line with our modern technology. He wasn't understanding what I was trying to explain, that this technology, paranormal activity, or whatever it was gonna be, did not have to be a logical idea that we know and understand in our day/time/place in space. But in my attempts to explain this to him, I learned one simple truth.


And explained well, I might add, which is where many of the challenges arise. Still, every little insight is something to celebrate along the road to creating a well written story. I have since worked out my issue and come up with an interesting concept for this exchange (I told you they were proving handy).


What I want to know now is how do you come up with ways of working through story concepts?  Also, like my idea with science fiction, what insights have you learned about writing?

Head over here and check it out!

I read this article over at From Sarah, With Joy which asks six questions on submitting to literary magazines.  The questions were:

• How do you keep track of what you've submitted where and when?
• How do you find new magazines to submit to?
• How do you tell which magazines tend towards your type of work? [something more efficient though perhaps less effective than the obvious answer of reading the magazine.]
• What do you put in the cover letter when they ask you to write a cover letter.
• How do you know when a piece is ready to submit?
• How do you know when to give up on a piece, and what do you do with it then?

These are all questions I have been struggling with myself as of late, and while I don't have all the answers, here's what I have come up with:

1. Keeping track. I keep track of what I've submitted via email. Why? It's just evolved that way. Gmail uses color coded stars that I have assigned a meaning to (blue for submitted, red for rejected, green for accepted, etc.) I email most submissions but the ones that use an online form still send me a confirmation email which I then assign a color.
2. Finding publications. I find places to submit the same ways Sarah mentioned in her post. Duotroupe.com is probably my main one. Sometimes I run across others mentioned via Twitter, Facebook, or blogs, and I bookmark them in a folder in my browser.
3. Which magazines get my submission? I usually read the publications description and submission guidelines, then go with my gut. Admittedly, it's not very efficient.
4. Cover Letter. My cover letter usually includes (not necessarily in this order):
• My author bio
• Anything they've specifically asked for (word count, page number, etc)
• The website, blog, etc where I heard about them
• The title of the story I'm submitting
• Most important– A thanks for reviewing my work
5. Done? I never get to the point where I think a story is ready for submission, but there is a "good enough". It occurs 3 to 5 rewrites after several people critique it. Many times I just get impatient and start submitting to places while I'm still editing it (just being honest).
6. Giving up. I've never actually given up on a piece (maybe I'm still too new at this). I have set stories aside for future use.  If I run across a place I think may like it, I try to resubmit it again (after revising it again too). However, I know writers who have used Smashwords.com for works that weren't publishable. Offer the story for free and see what reviews come your way.  Maybe you'll learn what worked and didn't work about the piece for future reference.

What other suggestions/answers can you come up with?

This is my "Better Late Then Never" NaNoWriMo Post.

What I learned from NaNoWriMo this year:

1. Don't be afraid to start without an outline. I spent many months last year trying to outline my entire novel so I knew what I was going to do. Complete. Waste. Of. Time. I never got an outline done before NaNo started so I was forced to start without it. It was a good thing to. Many of the things I thought I would end up writing, never went into the book. As I wrote, the story took on a life of it's own and told me where it was going. Chapter after chapter, I became free to explore the world I had created and enjoy it as much or as little as I chose. It was liberating! Great way to keep it real.
2. Be flexible. Like I mentioned above, things didn't happen in my storyline as I thought they would. That turned out to be a great thing. I changed many significant ideas making for a better story then I had hoped for. But more than just being flexible in my story, I learned to be more flexible with my writing time. I found time to write where/when I previously thought I couldn't. It's amazing how much you can accomplish in ten minutes!
3. Word count matters...to an extent. Having a word count goal each day (or month, or week) can be a great motivator. It forces you to get your ideas down on paper and make progress. However, I think words for the sake of words, it not a great idea. Quite frankly, there were days I was writing crap just to reach that word count. Is that a good idea? I don't really know. I suppose it's what you do with all those word in the editing and revising process that follows.
4. Write daily. Let me first say that I am a busy woman. I have 5 kids, a self-employed husband, and a part time job. Time is precious. Before attempting NaNoWriMo, I didn't write daily. Maybe I'd have a good week and get some things down. Maybe my keyboard would be silent for a few days. It was sporadic at best. I am far from perfect now, but at least I am closer to taking that time each day to write. Sometimes, I still can't get to the computer, but those days my thoughts are never far from my writing.
5. Diet Coke/Coke Zero is my friend. Really... I should by stock!

25,155  words later, I'm better at this then I was before, but I have to admit, the thought of editing all those words is a bit daunting...

Recognize that hashtag?  If you do, you know the time is fast approaching for the yearly rush to create something wonderful! Stunning! Exciting! Or at the very least... long.

Fifty thousand words in one month is the goal of NaNoWriMo writers. We're talking one thousand six hundred and sixty seven (if you round it up) words per day for 30 days straight!

Whew! I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

This will be my first year as an official participant of the event. Last year, I was only brave enough to register (personally, I found that a pretty good accomplishment in and of itself!). Now that the day is fast approaching, I'm getting nervous.  Furiously outlining and researching for the project, I am hoping that I am prepared enough for the challenge.

Here's a quick blurb for the novel that I am planning to write. I started it earlier this year and I am planning on using NaNoWriMo to finish it.  Let me know what you think.

The Colony (book 1): Remembering Alara Zaran

Have you ever had to call 9-1-1?

Have you ever had to call for someone else?

Unfortunately, I have had to do this a couple of times. Once when my son was smacked in the head with a golf club (Do you know how much head wounds can bleed!?), and another time when we thought someone was breaking into our house (Turns out it was a friend who wanted to talk to us but not wake up our children. My husband almost shot him!).


Calling for emergency help is usually surrounded by emotional circumstances. There can be tension, sadness, anger, fear, desperation, confusion, and other emotions all vying to be dominate at once. It can create excellent drama (or comedy if the situation is right), thus the slew of medical based dramas on TV. They are popular because they invoke emotions within us and get us reflecting on our own lives.

What would we do if we were in that situation?

Would I be prepared to deal with that?

Is that hot young actor who plays Dr. So-and-So single?

Start a story with a call to 9-1-1 or one that centers around calling  emergency services.

Each week for the past few months (with a few exceptions) I have participated in the 5 Minute Fiction Challenge found over at Write Me!

This is what I can come up with in 5 Minutes (prompt = Sixty, thus the name of the story):

Sixty

You can join the 5 Minute Fiction Challenge each Tuesday at 1:30pm EST. If you don't write for the challenge, you can still vote for your favorite story. Visit Leah Petersen's blog, Write Me!

I promised my own story from the Story Starter I gave late last week. I thought it would be easier as the story I originally went with was semi-autobiographical. Turns out I couldn't make anything of that... yet.  Instead, I pondered it all week and thought up my first 6 sentence story (inspired by the blog of the same name here.)

Escaping the Valley

Row upon row of grape vines were flaming behind their house in the valley.  It was twilight on a dry summer night, no rain for weeks.  She swore this was the last time she'd pretend everything was fine when he returned from the other woman's bed.  His empty promises rang in her head as she poured the remaining lighter fluid and dropped the match.  When he pulled in the drive, he'd find his fortune burning in the California night. She and the boy would be long gone by then.

I am starting a semi-regular event here that I'm going to label "Story Starters." This is for those times when we lack the inspiration to write anything at all. Here's how it'll work:

1. I'll list one or more ideas in a post that should get you thinking of a story. It may be a word, phrase, picture, or even a song that can start inspiration.
2. If you find one of the prompts interesting enough to write something, let me know in the comments section. You can post the story itself, or feel free to leave a link to your blog, etc where you posted the story.  I may even feature some in future posts (with your permission, of course)!
3. Um... there is no third step...

There's no time involved, so if you read a story starter new or years from now (if I should be so lucky to still be around) feel free to still participate. I will also post a story inspired by the prompt as well, but seeing as I do generate them quite randomly and I want to give you the chance to come up with ideas on your own, I will do this in the near future.

And with that, the first Story Starter is:

"Row upon row of grape vines..."

Here's a little poem I did in, literally, 5 minutes for the current CCC.

Casually float here and I’ll respond to your release.

Forever will I draw the line and remove all your doubt.

Another Creative Copy Challenge. Have to say that I am really enjoying these. They can get the creative juices flowing for a day of writing.

Here was Thursday's challenge: 

I have been trying to submit several flash fiction stories to literary magazines around the country only to be stopped by one thing: I didn't have an author's bio.

This was difficult for me considering that my creative writing is yet to be published (and as much as I like my "publish post" button, I don't think any editors/publishers will count it).  So what do I write about myself?



Here is some of the advice I collected around the internet (in no particular order):

1. Always use the first person.  This is not a resume or a cover letter for a job. Using third person (she/he) makes you seem more professional and gives the reader a more objective view of you, even if it was written by you. 
2. Talk about your education. What education, degrees, or training have you had. It isn't important if you have writing training. Maybe you have medical training and have included that in your story. Listing that training in your bio will give you credibility.
3. Show your intent.  Are you writing novels? Are you interested in flash fiction, short stories, or poetry? Give the reader an idea of who you are by showing them what you are doing.
4. State your strengths.  If you are unpublished, it's not necessary to state that. Think positive and tell them what you are, not what you aren't.  For example, even unpublished authors are freelancers; if you write poetry, then you're a poet; etc. 
5. Give them something personal. Tell them where you are from, or where you are currently living.  Maybe mention your family if it brings credibility or value to the story. This makes you seem personable, and in its own little way, credible. But be careful of being too personal. Stating that you are a stay at home mom of 3 boys and a girl may make you seem unprofessional.

To continue my Story A Day challenge for May, I combined it with another little one I found here on Creative Copy Challenge.  Take ten assigned words and make a story.  Sounds like my kind of thing.

Here are the 10 words assigned and the story that ensued:

1. When I grow up
2. Just one thing
3. Flirt
4. Sign
5. Slippery
6. So far away
7. The end
8. Spice
9. Wrong
10. Fear

The Story A Day people have issued a challenge for the month of May.  I'm sure you can figure out what that challenge might be.

A story a day... the month of May...

That's right (or should I say "write"?),  a story a day for each day of May (does anyone else notice that I keep rhyming?). Luckily, they aren't checking up on me every day or I would be in some major trouble! I can take days off if needed, which I may (did ya catch that?).

So, it being May first I wanted to start this month off right (no matter how I end up finishing it). A story a day!  I'm gonna keep it short and sweet today, with a little hint fiction.  

But before I do that, let me tell you this about me, if you don't already know... I love hint fiction. For that matter I love flash fiction and short stories as well. Why?  I'm not really sure. Maybe because I am a mother of 5 kids and have a part time job while trying to write a novel and co-write a non-fiction book with my hubby of almost 18 years.  So, maybe I like the brevity of it.  Who knows for sure.  However, you may see quite a bit of the shortest of short writings here this month.

Today's story: an ode to anyone who has ever struggled with finding the right words... or, for that matter, any words at all!

1. Start with a crust.  It's not the best part of the pie, but without it, everything else will fall apart. The crust makes the dessert easier to dish out.  (Like a story, planning and preparation are essential to holding everything else together when you present it to a potential agent or publisher.)
2. Fill it with yummy stuff.  Oreo ice cream is what I'd do, but as long as you've got complimentary ingredients, you can do just about anything. (Your story is subject to whatever you put in it. Better make it good!)
3. Layer the topping.  Let's be honest, this is what really attracts us to the pie in the first place! It's the only part you can see until you get into it. It makes the whole thing look great, and it tastes good too. (We go into writing with that wonderfully, elusive dream of someday publishing our work. Often, we don't know just how involved that is until we get started.)