Brain food for writers

To be more productive, should writers chew gum, drink coffee, and nibble on chocolate?

I never heard a writer crave chewing gum, but there’s a lot of talk out there about drinking coffee and snacking on chocolate while in the midst of the creative process.

A study found chewing gum was associated with higher alertness, reduced anxiety and stress, and improvement in overall performance on multi-tasking activities.

As far as “smart foods,” science has endorsed the idea that some food can indeed play a role in your cognitive abilities. Anything with caffeine will help boost energy level, help you to focus, and aid in concentration. Sugar (glucose) enhances alertness, fish with omega 3 fatty acids enhance memory, and avocados, rich in monounsaturated fat, contributes to healthy blood flow and helps to fire up brain cells. Walnuts contain antioxidants that increase memory. We are warned though, that too much caffeine or sugar will backfire and actually make you jittery (and perhaps overweight).

So tomorrow when you sit down to write, consider chewing gum, drinking coffee, and snacking on chocolate. And for lunch have some salmon with a few slices of avocado, a handful of walnuts, and a glass of orange juice. Then maybe you’ll pen that breakout novel.

For more info: WebMD: Brain foods that help you concentrate.

Authors -- Respect your readers

This old (2008) Associate Press news article caught my eye, and I think it has an application to writing.

Trust me, I'll explain. But first, here's the story:

Woman Shoots Self While Trying to Kill Mice

POTTER VALLEY, Calif. — A Mendocino County woman who was trying to kill mice in her trailer with a gun ended up shooting herself and another person.

The 43-year-old woman pulled out her .44-caliber Magnum revolver after she saw the mice scurrying across the floor of her trailer on Highway 20 in Potter Valley, sheriff's officials said.

But she accidentally dropped the gun, which went off as it struck the floor. The bullet went through the woman's kneecap, bounced off the keys sitting on the belt loop of a 42-year-old man in the trailer and grazed the man's groin before ending up in his coin pocket.

Authorities did not release the shooting victims' names.

The mice escaped the shooting unharmed.

----

Okay, here's my take on this bizarre connection: writers need to respect their readers. When tempted to take out the big guns (READ: over explain or add too much unnecessary detail), don't do it! Our readers are smart people. They like nuance, they like to use their imagination when reading a scene. All the dots do not need to be connected to be understood.

Sometimes the big guns just backfire!

Hooking readers with a great first sentence

I’ll say it up front: I’m a real sucker for a good first sentence in a novel. I may read on if the sentence is ho-hum, but I’ll read more eagerly if the first sentence pulls me into the story.

Like many readers I’ll peruse the books on a shelf and pick up novels by authors I’ve previously enjoyed or select a book whose title or cover catches my eye. I’ll flip it over and read the back cover copy and then turn to the first page. Reading the first lines of a novel is like going out on a blind date, I don’t know what to expect, but I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised, swept off my feet, and fall madly in love.

Some people contend that the most difficult sentences to write in a novel are the first ones. After all, they are the hook that draws people in. My favorite first sentences are the ones that make me ask, “what??” —the lines that peak my curiosity and leave me panting for more. Please don’t give me a weather report or tell me what the character looks like. I want to read a provocative statement or a question that has me hungering for an answer.

Here are a few of my favorite first lines:

In the moments before, she laid a hand on his arm. “No matter what,” she said, giving him a look, “you cannot stop.”
Mercy by Jodi Picoult

A grieving woman, I’ve decided, is like a crème brulee: she begins in a liquid state, endures a period of searing heat, and eventually develops a scablike crust.
Doesn’t She Look Natural by Angela Hunt

I watched her for three days, sitting by myself in the park underneath an elm tree, beside an empty fountain with a series of uneaten sandwiches in my lap and my purse at my side.
Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner

I sneaked down to the boat that night to say this couldn’t happen anymore.
Healing Stones by Nancy Rue

I Twittered a request for favorite first lines, and novelist Lena Nelson Dooley sent me a few:
The click of a rifle being cocked stopped J. L. in his tracks.
Golden Dreams by Kathleen Yapp

On the night of the first murder, a full moon sailed over middle Georgia.
But why Shoot the Magistrate by Patricia Sprinkle

Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner also responded to my Twitter plea for favorite first lines. She teaches a workshop on writing the first page, and here are some sample first pages that she shares with students:

I told you last night that I might be gone sometime, and you said, Where, and I said, To be with the Good Lord, and you said, Why, and I said, Because I’m old, and you said, I don’t think you’re old.
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

From my first breath in this world, all I wanted was a good set of lungs and the air to fill them with—given circumstances, you might presume, for an American baby of the twentieth century. Think about your own first gasp: a shocking wind roweling so easily down your throat, and you still slipping around in the doctor’s hands. How you yowled! Not a thing on your mind but breakfast, and that was on the way.
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

I was six years old the first time I disappeared.
Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly-fishing.
A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean

Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

There once was a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb and he almost deserved it.
Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C S Lewis.

I have been afraid of putting air in a tire ever since I saw a tractor tire blow up and throw Newt Harbine's father over the top of the Standard Oil sign.
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver?

Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov?

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen?

What are you thoughts on first lines? Which are your favorites.

For more on first lines, here's the American Book Review’s list of the 100 best first lines from novels.

What buying peaches has to do with selling books

 I bought some peaches the other day. Not headline-making news, but consider this, I knew that I had peaches at home in my fridge. 

The reason for my impulse purchase was because the clerk at the store stopped me to tell me how delicious the peaches were. She said that she really looks forward to eating one when they’re this fresh and ripe. She made those peaches sound like the most delicious fruit on earth. I bought them because she hand sold them to me.

Having someone talk up a product adds perceived value to that product. Seeing the clerk’s eyes light up while she talked about the sweet, juicy fruit made me want to experience the same pleasure.

If you’re wondering, yes—this is writing related. Anyone who is concerned that the book market is down can do something about it. You can talk up some great titles that you loved to your friends and family. We can all influence the purchase of books by influencing those in our circle to purchase good books (or even borrow them from the library).

Often when a new book comes out the author and publisher will find influencers to talk up the book. Word-of-mouth advertising is a powerful tool. I’ve been an influencer and have had influencers. It’s fun to put a book into someone’s hands and say, “This is a great book. I loved it, and I bet you will too.” I’m not bashful, and when I’m browsing in a bookstore and see someone looking for a book, I’ll strike up a conversation and recommend some books. It’s as easy as selling ripe, juicy peaches.

Oh, and those peaches? D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!

Upcoming -- ACFW yearly conference!

Are you a novelist or want to be one? (Wait, didn't that sound like that old magazine ad, "Be a model or just look like one? --LOL) If so, it's still not too late to register for the conference.

Six weeks from today I'll be hopping a plane to Dallas, TX for the yearly ACFW Writers Conference. The early bird rates disappear on August 19th, so don't waste time if you're interested in going. This year's keynote speaker is Michael Hyatt.

Attending a writers conference is one of the best things you can do for your career. Just spending time with others who share your enthusiasm will fire you up. In addition you get to participate in excellent continuing sessions and  workshops. You'll have the opportunity to meet with agents, editors, and mentors. If you'd like, you can pay to get a critique of your work.

Best of all you'll make new friends and spend time with old ones talking about the craft of writing. ACFW is a very welcoming group, so if you don't know anyone, don't worry. The conference even hosts a first-time attendees orientation and a before-conference email loop. Check it out here.

So who will I see there? Are you going?

The Soul Saver by Dineen Miller

I have to tell you about a good book I just finished reading. It’s The Soul Saver by Dineen Miller. It’s a story about faith and hope woven with suspense and spiritual warfare. Yes, it’s very good!

Lexi Baltimore has an unusual ministry. She sculpts the face of strangers God will lead her to so she can minister to them. Such an intriguing idea! Lexi's ministry connects her with a local pastor, which opens up a can of worms because she begins to compare her unbelieving husband to the pastor. One thing leads to another, and accusations and rumors swirl her life into a dark place.

Dineen writes beautifully. So well in fact that I spent time away from writing my story to read hers. Lexi was a warm and relatable character, and I loved the time spent with her. 

Do yourself a favor, put The Soul Saver on your to-be-read list.

Writer's block and how to get unstuck

Last Thursday I discussing writer’s block and strategies to get your productivity back on track. Writer's block doesn’t have to paralyze your writing progress. I gave you the first few suggestions, and here are some more methods to get your fingers flying over the keyboard: 

1. Work on another project for a while.
• If you can, switch gears to another project you have in the works or make notes on a subsequent project you’ve been thinking about. You may return to your “blocked” project with fresh eyes after a little time away from it.

2. Read a great book.
• Sometimes reading great writing gives you the itch to write yourself.

3. Try to write out of your genre.
• Write non-fiction if you’re a fiction writer. It could be just a simple letter to a friend or a short article on craft that you can share with writing buddies.
• Write a poem.
• If you write non-fiction, practice fiction techniques to use in your non-fiction writing.

4. Try freewriting.
• Give yourself a time limit of 10-15 minutes and let your fingers fly over the keyboard. Even if you’re writing crazy nonsense, you may spark a thought or idea that will springboard you back to work.

5. Take a creative fieldtrip.
• Visit a museum, listen to soul-stirring music, go to the movies.
• Sometimes spending time in other creative environments, spurs the desire to be creative in your own work.

Do you have any tips on getting unstuck that you can share? Please do. 

Goodbye and thanks, Maeve Binchy

Goodbye, Maeve Binchy. Thank you for all the hours spent lost in your lovely novels.

An undated handout image provided by Christine Green Authors' Agent in London, Irish novelist and playwright Maeve Binchy passed away after a short illness at the age of 72 on 30 July 2012. Photo credit: EPA/Liam White

For nearly 30 years, Maeve Binchy has been my favorite novelist. I loved spending time in the worlds she created. I loved her voice. I loved that she wrote about ordinary people living ordinary lives. I loved the attention she gave to the importance of relationships. I loved the gentle ways her stories unfolded.

I buy books on the craft of writing, and one of my favorites is by Ms. Binchy. It's called The Maeve Binchy Writers' Club. Filled with practical advice, it's also written in her casual, warm style.

Maeve was never one of those unapproachable diva authors who looked down upon the literary world. She was one of us. A writer who wanted to speak to average people. A writer whose books were taken on vacation, to the park, read during a lunch hour at work.

She was not a prolific writer, writing 16 novels, four collections of short stories, a play, and a novella, but her words touched hearts and entertained many. And isn't that what a novelist hopes for?

Do yourself a favor, pick up one--or all--of Maeve Binchy's novels and spend time in her world. You won't regret it.

Which novelist do you admire? Who's your favorite?

For more information on Ms. Binchy and her passing, read this BBC article. 

Writer's Block

Consider yourself the luckiest writer in the universe if you’ve never experienced a moment of writer’s block.

Consider yourself fortunate if you've never experienced a moment of where do I go now? Consider yourself blessed if you've never thought, how can I tie up this loose end? Aaargh!

The most important thing to consider when faced with the dreaded writer’s block is to realize that that this is probably not the last time you’ll be stuck. Personally, I think it’s part of the writing life. Everyone gets writer’s block, even if it’s an episode that lasts only 15 minutes.

The cure? Push through.

I’m sorry if you were expecting a more brilliant answer. There are several strategies that you can use to get your creative abilities firing again, and today I will give you five of them.

1. Pray
• Keep yourself spiritually charged. I believe we’re spiritual beings, and we shouldn’t neglect our spiritual health.

2. Keep a writer’s journal.
• A journal may include memories, jokes, story ideas, writing tricks, dreams, and descriptions of people, places or situations.
• A writer’s journal may be as simple as a little notebook you carry in your purse or it could be a word document on your computer.
• Don’t get stressed about when or if you should use a writer’s journal. The idea is for the journal to help you, not make you more stressed.
• If you use an item/idea from your journal in your work, be sure to either delete it or make a note as to when/where it was used.
• Train yourself to be alert for fresh ideas when they occur, and write them down.

3. Visit a bookstore.
• Is there a writer alive who doesn’t get jazzed walking through the aisles of a bookstore?
• Pull out the books that catch your attention. Read the back cover copy. Read the first few lines.
• Think to yourself, “I can do this!”
• Go home and write.

4. Sit down and write 250 crummy words.
• Sometimes just getting started gets you in the groove.
• Don’t worry if the words aren’t pretty. You can always go back and pretty them up.

5. Invest in your health.
• Go for a walk, hop on a treadmill—just get moving. Your imagination won’t work a maximum capacity if your brain is sluggish.

How does a writer decide on an idea?

 As I’ve said before, ideas are in the air. But how do you snatch them up and make them your own?

I believe writers are peculiar people. We tuck bits of memories in our brains and hearts only to pull them out years later and incorporate them into stories.

I visited a girlfriend one day, and she told me about an experience she’d had the week before. Her in-laws were coming to visit, so she made sure her house was sparkling clean. When they were due to arrive, she gave her home a cursory glance, sure that her house was spotless.

And then she saw it. A blob of cream cheese was securely nestled into the fibers of her living room carpet. She ran for the kitchen, grabbed a butter knife and was on her knees scraping cheese out of her carpet when the doorbell ran.

When she told me her story, I saw her irritation and disappointment. It seems that no matter how hard you try to do your best sometimes, there will still be a proverbial blob of cream cheese ruining your perfection.

That story was related to me over 20 years ago, and I never forgot my friend’s frustration. That utter desperation of wanting to be on top of her life and failing despite her best efforts was the germ of an idea, the emotion of it actually, that I used in my first published novel.

All it takes is for an incident, emotion, or an idea to strike a writer’s fancy and then for the writer to ask that greatest of jumping off questions, “what if?”

So the next time something catches your imagination, instead of following the thought to a logical conclusion, ask yourself, “what if?”

That just might be the beginning of an interesting story.

Read some award-winning books!

Looking for some current, award-winning books to read throughout the end of this lovely summer?

The Christy Awards, which honor and promote excellence in Christian fiction were just celebrated this week. I'm happy to share the finalists and winners for 2012. (The winners in each category are last in the  list.)

Contemporary Romance:
My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren
Larkspur Cover by Lisa Wingate
Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig


Contemporary Series:
Dancing on Glass by Pamela Binnings Ewen
The Touch by Randall Wallace
The Amish Midwife by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

Contemporary Standalone:
Dry as Rain by Gina Holms
Words by Ginny Yttrup
Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock


First Novel:
An Eye for Glory by Karl Bacon
Southern Fried Sushi by Jennifer Rogers Spinola
Words by Ginny Yttrup


Historical:
Forsaking All Others by Allison Pittman
Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs
Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin


Historical Romance:
A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander
To Die For by Sandra Byrd
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen


Suspense:
Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins
Pattern of Wounds by Mark Bertrand
The Queen by Steven James


Visionary:
The Chair by James L. Rubart
Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee
Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl


Young Adult:
How Huge the Night by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn
The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson
Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren

How do writers connect with readers?

 Writers, have you ever thought about how to connect with your readers? About how to make them feel as if they know you or your characters?

This morning when I opened my back door to let my dog out I was greeted with happy, carefree birdsong. It was lovely to hear.

As a writer, I try to be as observant as possible about the ordinary things in life because that’s what bonds us most as people.

We all can experience the joy of listening to beautiful birdsong, we can all appreciate the beauty of nodding wildflowers alongside the road, we can all inhale the sweet fragrance of freshly cut grass (and if you’re not allergic, enjoy the aroma).

I was thrilled a few weeks ago when another writer said I was the queen of show, don't tell. (BTW, show, don’t tell is big in writing. It draws the readers into your world through their senses.)

So? Are you listening? Do you see? Can you get a whiff of that fragrant grass?

I love to scrutinize what I see, hear, smell. Earlier this year I stayed at a hotel for a weekend. In the foyer was a large table with a huge floral arrangement, composed of different types of white flowers. It was lovely, and actually looked so perfect it appeared to be silk flowers. But it wasn’t. I walked over and touched the velvet soft petals and inhaled the mix of floral fragrances. It was a wonderful sensory moment.

Who knows, perhaps some day in my writing I’ll be able to use that moment when I paused to appreciate the work someone put into arranging those lovely flowers.

And that, my friend, is one way to connect with your readers: reference common experiences in your writing. Use the ordinary in life as your word palette.

Author Voice, part four

*This is part four in a series. View parts one, two, and three. 

If you've been following this series, are you understanding author voice a bit more? Author voice is the distinct manner in which a novelist creates sentences and story.

I'd like to share a final author voice, one I've recently discovered.

Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate:

A single drop of water changes the ocean. A noted colleague of mine once asserted this as we dawdled over lunch at a restaurant near Cape Canaveral. “How can it not?” he demanded. “Some amount of matter is displaced. There’s transference of energy. Nothing is as it was before.” We were young then, certain of our own importance. Convinced that our presence in the world, that our work, was destined to change it. 

From the above sample, is there little doubt that this book is about relationships?

Here are some more tips to developing your author voice:

1. Allow yourself to be lousy—while you’re finding your voice, some of what you write may very well stink. That’s Okay. It’s all part of the process.

2. Write honestly and allow your passion to shine through. When you write from your personal feelings, your voice will be natural. Write as if you were talking to a friend.

3. Care about your subject matter. If you don’t care what you’re writing about, you’ll never discover your true voice.

4. Play games—Select a picture from a magazine, billboard, or advertisement, and write a one-line sentence about what is going on. Or go through old photo albums and write a short story about one of your favorite pictures.

In Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Brown and King say, “In order to write with a mature voice, you have to mature first.”

Be passionate with your ideas and put your feelings into your writing. Get emotional, but don’t tell your reader how you feel, show him/her.

What is your opinion? Don’t be afraid to share. Opinions give us our voice.

I encourage you to practice your craft, pursue your voice, and perfect your style. And don’t forget, have fun writing your story!

Author Voice, part three

*This is part three in a series. View parts one and two. 

I hope you’re enjoying the different samples of author voice we're including in this series. I’ve got a few more distinctive voices to share with you.

Beloved by Toni Morrison

There is a lonliness that can be rocked. Arms crossed, knees drawn up; holding on, this motion, unlike a ship’s, smooths and contains the rocker. It’s an inside kind—wrapped tight like a skin. Then there is a loneliness that roams. No rocking can hold it down. It is alive, on its own. A dry and spreading thing that make the sound of one’s own feet going seem to come from a far-off place.

I think you'll agree that Ms. Morrison definitely has her own distinctive voice. I love to get lost in her beautiful, lyrical style.

Tangerine by Marilynn Griffith

Fall came to New York like a Good Samaritan, blanketing the city with a generous wind. Clouds floated tall and wide, majestic like a grown man a good suit. Jean Guerra lent her short hair to the cold, giving the wind a place to leave some goodness. Instead, the air blew past her face a brushed her lips like a kiss from God.

One thing I love about Marilynn Griffith's novels is her use of sensory elements. Her novel Made of Honor had so many delightful references to fragrance that I had to email her one day after I was in a soap and fragrance store in Aspen to tell her that it made me think of her novel.

Here are a few tips on how you can develop your unique voice:

1. Read, read, read—fiction, non-fiction, in your genre, out of your genre.

2. Write, write, write—don’t limit yourself to one particular type or genre of writing. Experiment. Write letters, blogs, dreams, and greeting cards

3. Copy—sit down and copy the voice of an author you admire or whose work is distinctive. You will always put your own spin on the style, incorporating your worldview and your own tone of language.

4. Limit yourself—write only 140-character thoughts. Twitter challenges you to write your thoughts in only 140 characters, you must be able to distill the essence of what you’re communicating. It helps you to boil down your language to the most meaningful idea.

Visit my blog again onThursday for the rest of the list.

Understanding Author Voice, part two

*This is part two in a series. View part one.

Earlier we started discussing author voice, which is the distinct manner in which a novelist creates sentences and story.

In other words, your voice is your exclusive worldview: your beliefs, your fears, your attitudes, your dreams, the way you react to situations.

All of this means that you have to put yourself on your page. This is what is known as developing your voice. Voice isn't merely style. Style would be easy by comparison. Style is watching your use of adjectives and doing a few flashy things with alliteration or simile. Style without voice is flat. Voice is style, plus personal observations, plus passion, plus belief, plus desire. Voice is revealing yourself on the page, and it can be a powerful, frightening experience.

Yesterday we looked at two samples of writing, today there are two more “voices” to listen to:

Women's Intuition by Lisa Samson

FLANNERY DESERVES TO KNOW THE TRUTH about her father. One day I'm going to have to tell her. But not tonight. I am worn out.

It's a tiredness of years.

You know how those ladies' magazines pretend women can do it all and still appear fresh as a sweet-smelling daisy by a clear Swiss spring? Wearing cute loafers, tweed miniskirts, and a camel cashmere twinset, they deposit their kids at soccer in sleek silver cars, green vans with television screens, or gargantuan white SUVs. Drive-through windows constitute meal planning. They see the best doctors because they don't mind going across town. Malls and boutiques bark their clothing on glitzy, stylistic posters. They instantly rid themselves of the nasty Flair inserts in the Valu-Pak coupon collections I look forward to each month. And they throw them into a recycling bin they bought from some woodsy, catalog-driven company.

They adroitly embroider their own existence with the silk threads of others' lives as though the fabric of their day-to-day duties was spun of gossamer and not the heavy mail plates that make up mine.

Was I ever like that?

Once upon a time, I suppose.

Magdalene by Angela Hunt

SILENCE, AS HEAVY AS DOOM, wraps itself around me as two guards lead me into the lower-level judgment hall. When I fold my hands, the chink of my chains disturbs the quiet.

My judge, Flavius Gemellus, senior centurion of the Cohors Secunda halica Civum Romanorum, looks up from the rolls of parchment on his desk, his eyes narrow. I don't blame him for being annoyed. I am not a Roman citizen, so I have no right to a trial. Besides, I have already confessed and am ready to die.

Do you see a big difference between Angela Hunt’s and Lisa Samson’s excerpts? What do you hear that’s very different?

Can you see the difference in style, personal observations, author’s passions and beliefs in these two samples? Can you glimpse into their worldviews through their voice? I think so. Also, both authors wrote in first person, yet Lisa’s is introspective, and Angela’s character is evaluating her surroundings. Both authors have a very distinctive voice.

Be sure to come back next Tuesday. I’ve got some more wonderful samples to examine and some tips on developing your voice.

Author Voice

A lot of time is spent in writing circles discussing author voice. What is it? How do you perfect it?

According to bestselling author Brandilyn Collins, author voice is the distinct manner in which a novelist creates sentences and story.

Let’s look at some passages from books by two authors and “listen” to a few different voices and what they say to us.

Coming Home by Rosamund Pilcher:

The Porthkerris Council School stood half-way up the steep hill which climbed from the heart of the little town to the empty moors which lay beyond. It was a solid Victorian edifice, built of granite blocks, and had three entrances, marked Boys, Girls, and Infants, a legacy from the days when segregation of the sexes was mandatory. It was surrounded by a Tarmac playground and a tall wrought-iron fence, and presented a fairly forbidding face to the world. But on this late afternoon in December, it stood fairly ablaze with light, and from its open doors streamed a flood of excited children, laden with boot-bags, book-bags, balloons on strings, and small paper bags filled with sweets. They emerged in small groups, jostling and giggling and uttering shrieks of cheerful abuse at each other, before finally dispersing and setting off for home.

What does this author’s voice say to us? Ms. Pilcher invites us into a fictional setting with rich detail but without lingering on the minutia that might bog down the story. (Confession time, she’s one of my all-time favorite authors.) She seems affectionate in describing this scene and wanting us to see the excited children as they head on home. I imagine that I’m sitting in a toasty kitchen, sipping tea while a dear friend tells me a good story.

Here’s another sample:

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote:
The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call "out there." Some seventy miles east of the Colorado border, the countryside, with its hard blue skies and desert-clear air, has an atmosphere that is rather more Far West than Middle West. The local accent is barbed with a prairie twang, a ranch-hand nasalness, and the men, many of them, wear narrow frontier trousers, Stetsons, and high-heeled boots with pointed toes. The land is flat, and the views are awesomely extensive; horses, herds of cattle, a white cluster of grain elevators rising as gracefully as Greek temples are visible long before a traveler reaches them.

Capote’s description of Holcomb is almost clinical in style. His voice colors his description of the setting, especially when talks about the local accent. He seems to show no special affection for the area, yet he’s invited us to Holcomb to journey with him as he investigates the story behind a family murdered. His is such a different voice than Pilcher’s, don’t you think?

I have good news and bad news for you today.

The good news is that no one, no other writer, speaker, or thinker can steal your voice. Your voice is what publishers will buy. Your voice is the only product readers can’t get anywhere else.

The bad news is that no one can teach you how to create your voice.

But, I have more good news—with practice, you can discover and develop your voice.
Join me again tomorrow when we look at a few more authors’ voices and continue this discussion.

But, tell me—have you found your author voice?

*This is part one of a four-part series on author voice. Check back on Thursday for part two. 

Writers' Spaces

What does the perfect writer’s space look like? 

Remember those old black and white movies? The ones that showed writers toiling over a manual typewriter in a dingy office, with a cigarette wasting in the ashtray and a cup of joe sitting ignored on the desk? That’s a romantic image, but it’s no longer a realistic view of the space a writer uses in 2012. That's my office on the left. The photo was taken around the holidays--can you see the decoration on top of my desk?

What’s necessary for a writer to work productively? It used to be you needed a research library at your fingertips or at least a bookshelf with reference books. I think that because of the Internet, an author’s writing space has become more manageable. You can do so much research online now that you don’t need that cumbersome reference library. Personally, I don’t have a large reference library, other than books on craft, and I can’t even tell you the last time I cracked open a dictionary. I’m not saying I don’t use a dictionary, I go online now instead of using a printed book.

Have you ever seen photos of David McCullough's writing shed? He’s written in that little structure on Martha’s Vineyard for years. I wonder how many writers have daydreamed of such a writing space.

There’s a cool blog called The Plot Thickens that’s all about novelist’s spaces. Take a look and enjoy the gardens where novelists work and find their Muse.

So, where do you write? Is it the same place every day? I write on a laptop, so my office is wherever I want it to be. I’ve written in the kitchen, the dining room, and on my bed propped up by a huge pillow. Lately I’ve been writing outside. As soon as temperatures hit 80 degrees and stay there, I work outdoors on my patio or in my Adirondack chair set in my perennial garden.

JK Rowling revealed in an interview that her ideal writing space  is a café with a window seat. Part of Ms. Rowling’s cachet is the story about writing her first Harry Potter novel in a café while her baby slept in a stroller.

I don’t think the location matters quite as much as the dedication of the writer. What you really need to write is determination, a grasp of the craft, and a good story. Anything else is just extra.

As for dedication, when my children were younger my husband set up a desk for me in our unfinished basement to write. He placed it under a heat vent, but still it was a bit chilly. On cold evenings I wrapped a scarf around my neck, wore a fleece jacket, and used a space heater.

A writer friend was visiting one day and asked to see my space. After I showed it to her she shook her head and said, “Man, you must really want to write.” No truer words were spoken. After her appraisal, I thought I’d dress up my space, and I took apart a pretty calendar and hung the pictures over the desk on the concrete wall with packing tape. I liked it, but when my daughter saw it she said, “You know what? This reminds me of those movie scenes when the cops go into the mass murderer’s apartment and all the freaky photos are hung on the walls.” Well, at least I tried.

What does your space look like?

Books Relieve Stress!

In our hustle-and-bustle culture, some folks feel that reading is a guilty pleasure--especially when so many other activities vie for our attention. If you're one of those folks, DON'T feel that way.

I ran across an online article from The Telegraph (UK) that reports on a study that concludes reading can help reduce stress. “Reading is the best way to relax and even six minutes can be enough to reduce the stress levels by more than two thirds.”

So the next time you need a stress-busting break, remember that getting lost in the pages of a good book works better to calm your nerves than listening to music, going for a walk, or enjoying a cup of tea.

According the Telegraph article, “Psychologists believe this is because the human mind has to concentrate on reading and the distraction of being taken into a literary world eases the tensions in muscles and the heart.”

I can’t say that I’m terribly surprised by the study’s findings. Reading is a mini-vacation for me, available any time of the day or night. Ahhh.

Some of my strongest memories are centered around books. I’ve never been without reading material, and I often feel refreshed after a good read. (Also, I’m often fired up and itching to write more after I read a good book.)

I remember stretching out on my mother’s bed as a child and struggling to stay awake while she read to me. I can't imagine I had much stress as a pre-schooler, but those books sure did the trick of helping me to unwind and take a nap.

Books are like old friends who help me to put life in perspective. My first hardback series of books, Anne of Green Gables, was a Christmas gift to me when I was in elementary school, and I still have them all. I can even recall some of the assigned books I read during my high school and college career and how I felt when I read them. The college semester I had to read Forever Amber was one of my busiest, and yet I remember my desire to steal away and read some more chapters of that l-o-n-g book.

I’ve always loved to give and receive books and to talk about books that have moved me, and now I’m in a season of my life when I love to write books to move others.

Just thinking of the worlds I’ve visited and people I’ve gotten to know between the pages of a book is a balm to my spirit. Some books are like old friends, and they deserve a visit now and again to relive the joy of losing yourself in the fictional dream.

How about you? What books have helped to ease your frazzled mind?

Evaluating a Story Idea

How do you evaluate a story idea for your novel? How do you determine if it will fly? 

As a rule of thumb, if a topic fires your passion, it’s a good idea to pursue a story based on that topic. However, if the topic is only important to you or only familiar to you or only true to you, it doesn’t necessarily make it universal enough to interest readers.

So, how do you know if your topic’s a good idea? Evaluate it on the basis of these questions:

1. Does your topic/idea transport your readers to a new world they can explore? Even if it’s simply an unusual career or a different socio-economic lifestyle, a new world will create interest for your readers to experience. The movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, based on the book These Foolish Things take readers into the chaotic streets of India as you journey with a group of retirees searching for a piece of paradise to live out their golden years.

2. Are your characters active? Do they get up and do something? Characters who sit on their porch and ruminate about life are b-o-r-i-n-g.

3. Does your character have a goal? You need to give your characters a goal, a quest they can journey on or a desperate need that must be met. In Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees, 14-year-old Lily Owen runs away to find out about her dead mother.

4. Does your idea have high stakes? The stakes need to be high enough to create enough tension to carry the story. If the biggest stakes are, “Will the electricity stay on long enough to cook dinner?” then your story will fizzle before it gets a chance to sizzle. In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy’s stakes were high. She had to get the witch’s broomstick or she would never get the help from the wizard to return home. Seeking out a wicked witch and stealing her broomstick to ensure a ticket back to Kansas is the ultimate in high stakes. If Dorothy failed, she was doomed to spend the rest of her days in Oz.

So, what about your big idea? Will it fly? Will your story captivate readers?

Inspire Your Creativity

There are many reasons why a writer’s creativity gets blocked, but there are also many strategies to get unstuck. Here are the last few on my list to help you get your creative juices flowing again.

1. Talk to other writers.
• A kindred spirit can soothe your troubled mind.

2. Try to write in a different place.
• Sometimes a small change of scenery can help you overcome a block.
• Leave your laptop at home and write with a pen and notebook.
• I've had a productive writing session at Grease Monkey while waiting for my car to be serviced.

3. Do some cluster writing.
• Choose key words and ideas, then write associated ideas and words in clusters around them. This process may help you form new ideas.

4. Follow a routine to get into the writing mood.
• Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.
• Listen to CDs.
• Light a scented candle

5. Write out of sequence.
• If you’re having trouble with a transition paragraph, put a marker where you are and write the next section.
• If you have a scene or section idea, write it now, and insert it at a later date when your project “catches up” to the scene. I love to do this. When it comes time to insert the scene into the story, it’s like being given a bonus scene.

Eliminate "writer's block" from your vocabulary. Best-selling author Angela Hunt once told me, "You never heard of a plumber having plumber's block, did you?" Uh, no. So maybe the best thing to do is to press on and not even accept the term writer's blog.

The photo is of my newly painted Adirondack chair tucked in my perennial garden. This is a favorite spot of mine to read and to write. I put a lap desk across the arms of the chair, and if my laptop is charged up, I'm good to go!

What ideas do you have to rev up your creativity?

Where do story ideas come from?

When you hang out with authors, there's often discussion about where the idea for a story came from. The answers are as varied as the stories. Dreams, hopes, fears, what-ifs, news stories, family history . . .

Being in possession of an overactive imagination, I came up with the beginning of a story yesterday. It's only in my mind, I didn't write it down. Yet.

My idea came from an experience I had. Our mailbox is one of those community mailboxes that holds the mail for about 12 homes. The other day I got a piece of mail that had my house number, but the street was clear across town. I slipped the letter back into the outgoing mail slot, hoping the letter carrier would deliver it to the correct address.

The next time I checked my mail,  the letter was back in my mailbox. Since it was first delivered on a Saturday, and showed up again on a Monday, and since it obviously was some kind of check, I thought the person waiting for it might be a bit anxious to receive it.

Yesterday I had to go into town and decided to drop the letter off at the Post Office, but then I changed my mind. Since the address was less than a mile from the PO, and it was a business address, I decided to drop it off there.

The gentleman to whom the letter was intended was very happy that I went out of my way to deliver his check. But by the time I got back into my car, the beginning of a story was taking form in my mind.

Suppose the situation had occurred exactly as I lived it, BUT when my character gets to the office building and knocks on the door she hears something . . .

That's as far as I got. What could she have heard? An argument? A threat? The voice of a loved one, upset? A neighbor saying something scandalous?

The possibilities are endless, and all because a letter was misdirected to me.

What do you think she could have heard??

The Positive Effects of Reading Fiction

For as long as I can remember, I've been a reader. The world of fiction has fed my soul. How about you? Do you feel fiction has benefited your outlook?

I've learned about other cultures, points of view, religions, and lifestyles. Books have allowed me to experience others' lives by presenting universal emotions and viewpoints that help me to see my world more clearly.

I've become more compassionate and softened my edges by reading about people who struggle with difficulties that don't tempt me.

I've had readers email me to say they've seen a different viewpoint that has softened them or they've been challenged to be a kinder person after reading one of my novels. You can't imagine what a blessing that is to a writer.

Books open my world and tell me I'm not alone. Fiction lets me know I'm not the only person who's felt a particular way. Isn't that wonderful?

F. Scott Fitzgerald also commented on this, "That is part of the beauty of literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolate from anyone. You belong."


Please, share your thoughts. How has fiction enriched you?

Denver-area Summer Writing Course

Local friends, have you always toyed with the idea of writing a novel?

What's holding you back? If the task seems to overwhelming, and you live in the Denver area, here's some good news--a local author is teaching a series of three two-hour session on writing your novel. 

 In the words of Dr. Seuss: "Today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way."

Alison Stobel, a multi-published author, is presenting the seminar twice this summer. The first session is June 12, 19, and 26 (Tuesdays, 7pm - 9pm), and the second session runs July 2, 9, 16 (Mondays 7pm - 9pm). The classes will be held at Cherry Hills Church Middle School in Highlands Ranch. Total cost for a session is only $150.

After completing the series, you'll be equipped to write a full-length novel, and you'll  have an understing of the publication option that best suits you and your writing dreams. 

Keep Calm and Carry On

You've seen this poster, haven't you? It's become widely popular in the past few years.

I've just learned the story of the poster, and I'm delighted to share it with you. I love that the poster was discovered in an old box of books in a bookstore.

Watch the video. It's short and very sweet. Oh, and drool over that lovely bookstore.