Writing lessons from the Super Bowl

There are lessons in writing all around us everyday, it's seeing them and apply it. One of these lessons happens to be from football of all places. This is what I learned about writing by watching the Super Bowl: 

For the most part, we all know women are usually not into sports the way men are. So when I do watch football games, it has to be exciting. First I'll start with what I learned from football and then we'll move on to applying it to writing.

Back in November I went to a San Diego Chargers game. Although I was excited about being there and in row 18, field level, I didn't really feel the need to pay all that much attention to the game. It was boring. It wasn't because I don't like the Chargers (I do), it was because they were getting their butts kicked.

They weren't going to make some huge comeback. Even if by some miracle they did win, they weren't going to the playoffs. So, since I knew they were going to lose and beyond that, there was nothing at stake, it didn't seem to matter. I wanted to cheer for my team, but my feelings weren't invested.

Then came the Super Bowl.

I chose to cheer for the Ravens since everyone else I knew was rooting for the 49ers. 

If you watched the game, you know the Ravens were kicking butt. Sure, it was the playoffs and I was thrilled the "underdog" of the two was winning, it wasn't exciting. 

Suddenly, the power went out. At last it was fixed, the game resumed, and it was a power play for the championship. The Ravens were suddenly makings mistakes and fumbling. The 49ers stole the ball, they made touchdowns, they were going to win?!!? I was freaking out. My friends were going wild. No one knew what was going yo happen and we were on the edge of out seats. Every second counted, literally.

Some how, the Ravens won and just barely.

This is what I learned from those two games and how to improve writing. 

Like I said before, my feelings weren't invested in the Chargers game. If your readers aren't invested, they aren't going to keep reading. Your characters have to be relatable and the stakes have to be clear. And I don't just mean long term. They have to have smaller immediate hurtles to overcome to reach the ultimate goal. Think of it as their training.

The Super Bowl really had me nervous, cheering, and on the edge of my seat. Great, your character is licking butt, but unless there is failure along the way, why do you care. You know the outcome and it's a boring ride. But if your character(s) picks his/herself up and keeps going although the antagonist has stuck a blow and has the upper hand, it's exciting. You don't know at any given moment who will succeed or fail. Who will strike next and how? 

Readers have to cheer and cry with the character. They should want to keep reading late into the night because they simply must know the outcome. 

Your character has to face failure to make the reward more sweet and worthwhile. The battle has to be memorable and the victory worth everything lost.  

In short, give the reader something and someone to cheer passionately for.

When is it worth the money?

Last week I was browsing my twitter feed, as I often do, and saw a tweet by agent Jill Corcoran about lunch, tea, and her. How could I resist clicking on the link?

There before me was an opportunity: How To Hook An Agent Hosted by: Writing Pad
For $200, 12-15 people would be attend a writing class hosted by Jill, lunch, tea, and 1-on-1 time for a ten page critique. It is to take place in Beverly Hills.

I have NEVER been to a writing conference, let alone anything like this. And I thought, "Is this worth $200?"

I have read Jill's blog several occasions and many times visited the agency website. I've learned to research agents before querying, it saves your time and theirs.  Why query someone who isn't looking for what you have? I even came across a link to a YouTube interview with her a while back and thought she seemed like the friendliest person, ever. In fact, she reminded me of Nina Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding).

My current ms is fantasy. From everything I've read that genre isn't one of her interests (I pretty much felt like a stalker trying to find if she ever mentioned liking any book that was remotely fantasy). The answer I came up with was no.

"So, what did you do?" you may ask.

I spent $200 and signed up for the class.

I can imagine a few of you saying, "Why?! She doesn't rep fantasy!"
Here is why:

It's in LA. Since I live in San Diego it's only a few hours drive.

Second, although she doesn't have a strong interest in fantasy, you never know. Not that I think my book will be the excepetion to the rule, I can still hope. Besides, she may like my writing and ask to see something else, or refer me to an agent who would like this particular book. I have more wips than I can count in files on my computer/flash drive. Picture books, my illustrations, middle grade adventure, to all sorts of young adult. Not all are done, but some are.

But that is just a small part of why I decided this class was in my best interest and worth the money. The main reason: I want to become a better writer. I want the advice she's willing to give an aspiring author.

Even if Jill thinks this plot/story line isn't great, she still knows good writing from bad. More importantly, she can give me an idea as of to what I'm doing wrong, regardless of it being fantasy or contemporary. I want to stand out from the crowd, make my stories unique, and my writing flow.

Reading blogs and books about writing has helped me (2 specific blogs come to mind:  Aimee Salter and Plot Whisperer-Martha Alderson-Martha also happens to be one of Jill's authors. A great book: Tarot for Writers-Corrine Kenner- I don't believe in 'fortune telling,' but it really makes you get creative, I can't speak highly enough of this book). I know I'm better than I was when I started this journey. But what blogs and books can't do is give feedback. They can't give you suggestions or brainstorm with you.

Don't get me wrong. I love and appreciate my friends reading my working and giving me feedback. It helps. They see things I don't. I already know the story and the characters, it's getting others to. My friends do tell me things they like and don't like, and their honesty is great. But it's not quite the same as someone who isn't my friend. I love constructive criticism and I want the hard honest truth. I am going to invest in me and my unwavering determination to write something amazing (and get it published the traditional way).

Wish me luck for Saturday! But in the meantime feel free to let me know: What would you, or have you paid for to further your career/dream job and was it worth it?

What was I thinking?!

All I can say is, "Wow."

A few weeks ago I pulled out my print-out of the very first book I ever wrote, Angel's Grace, and went through it with a red pen.

What was I thinking?!  I slashed thought that thing like there was no tomorrow.  I couldn't believe how many things needed to be fixed.  I'd actually sent a query letter to agents for it?!?!  It is no longer a surprise to me why I never had a single request for it.  It was AWFUL!

Well, not awful per say.  But it reeked of a seriously inexperience writer.  I still love the story, the plot was great, and the characters were well thought out.  It was the wording, sentence structure, descriptions, and the voice for each character needed more personality.

I wrote Angel's Grace over two years ago and since then I have learned so much about writing.  Through reading blogs, reading what agents are looking for, twitter, reading more current Y.A. novels, and from simply writing and finding my own style, I can't believe how much I've improved as a writer.

I cannot tell you how important it is to take a step back from your book before you send it out to agents.  Not necessarily two years like I did, but enough that when you read it it feels like you are reading another writer's work.  It is hard to find your own mistakes when you have read something a million times.  The lines simply start to blend together.

And don't even get me stared on my query letter.  Towards the end of it I'd actually put, "This is my first YA novel."  Bwahahahaha!!!!

In short: Write.  Try different styles until you find your own.  Read.  Read blogs, read about writing, and read what you want to write.

Pay It Forward-

There is someone I would like to thank who has helped me so much on my writing journey.  In fact, there are five, but one in particular.

It all started in high school.  I had a wonderful creative writing teacher named Mrs. Cahill.  Not only did she encourage my writing (and always give me an A), but she was also a kind of surrogate mom.  I became her student teacher my senior year and when my birthday and graduation rolled around, my family did nothing.  She, on each occasion, got me a gift.  We talked about her writing when she was a journalist before becoming a teacher, which encouraged me to dream about my own writing career.

Second is my good friend and “adopted cousin” Joey who is now attending Georgetown University, so far-far away from San Diego.  Over two years ago when I first started writing seriously for young adult and middle grade, he would read everything I wrote and go over it with a fine tooth comb as we’d sit together at our local Starbucks for hours.  As a senior in high school and busy with applying to colleges, teaching at his own school, and teaching Spanish on the side, he made the time.  Brilliantly smart that he is, Joey often found mistakes I often overlooked since I was so eager to write, blowing through pages like I did coffee.  With being so young, Joey gave me an inside view of life in current day high school, slang kids were using, and silly events that happened.

Third I need to thank my boyfriend, Leo.  This man has encouraged me so much when I wanted to give up after having countless requests on one of my books, only to end up with rejection letters.  Leo, who is a literary omnivore (I seriously need to put blinders on this man when we go to the bookstore, for he will spend hundreds of dollars each time-I am so not joking).  His room is lined with bookshelves, overflowing so much, that they are stacked and pilled to the point you can’t read the bindings.  From Tolstoy to Faulkner, Bronte to Robert Jordan and Paramahansa Yogananda, needless to say, he has a very critical eye and knows more ‘fancy’ words than I do.  Not to mention his bachelor’s degree in literature from Tulane has helped so much!  This man can seriously write, reading what he writes about a sunset makes me want to cry.  One day, he’ll get that surf novel done!

Fourth is a name you all should recognize, Suzanne Young- author of: The Naughty List and the upcoming novel: A Need So Beautiful.  I have emailed this girl on several occasions and she has been very generous with pointing me in the right direction from web-sites, a few writing tips, to her opinion on a few chapters I’d sent.  Without her, I have no idea how long it would have taken me to find absolutewrite.com!

But how did I find my way to Suzanne?  Because of my best friend in the whole wide world, Amy (who is her sister-in-law)!

Amy is the fifth and most important person of whom I need to thank.  Let me tell you a little about this amazing woman.  Not only can she write herself, but no matter how much I bug her with story ideas or ask for her opinion on what I’ve already written, she makes the time.  With her two kids, working, and a husband, she has always been there for me despite her crazy busy life, and not just when it comes to writing.  We have been there for one another during break-ups, family issues, and babies.  We have been one another’s shoulder to cry on, listening and understanding, but giving the truth-even when it’s hard to hear.  Most importantly, we support one another.

To my best friend-I love you!

Feels like Autumn

Here in San Diego it felt like a perfect autumn day....in May.

The air was crisp and clean just like I loved about living in the Mid-West and East Coast all of those years ago, it reminded me of the first book I completed in writing.  Not because it was set in that time of year or in either of those places, but because it was when I first began writing it.

As I did some shopping and drank my beloved iced coffee, I began to think about how inspired I'd become during those months I took to writing at least four hours a day, just about seven days a week.  I had a passion for a story line I fell in love with. 

Recently, writers block has been bombarding me.  Writing has come in spurts.  I begin a book and quickly find myself bored which in turn makes me skip to starting yet another story.

I am thankfunl for the weather today.  It reminded me of the passion I had to write and focus even when I found myself stuck.  Over the next week I will be going over "ANGEL'S GRACE," editing, and re-editing, to send it out once again.