Win a Chapter Critique!

Hi Guys!

I just stopped in to share some good news - I'm currently writing for a site named, Nerd Appropriate!

Better yet, we're running a contest to win a chapter critique from awesome BioWare writer, Patrick Weekes in celebration of his new book titled, The Palace Job!

All you have to do to win is answer this simple question:

What is your favorite thing about unicorns?

Easy, right? Visit my review page and then answer the question in the Comments section.

You can also tweet your answer to @NerdAppropriate or leave a message on our Facebook page!

Be sure to check out the site for all your nerdy needs and listen to our weekly podcast!

Good luck!

@hilaryheskett

Fan Fiction: Real Writing or Not?

I’ve been a secret lurker of FanFiction.Net for about a year now, consuming stories from both the "Mass Effect" and "Dragon Age" universes, but just recently started to create my own.

Some writers feel fan fiction is a cop out with its already-established characters and for some, plot lines. I take a different stance. What about it being a great way to exercise the writing muscles? When you’re on a treadmill you’re not actually running a marathon, but you could be training for one. Isn’t the same true for fan fiction?

What do you think?

Day of Yays

Today was a good day. Of course some bleakness crept into my silver lining, but overall, it was a very good day indeed. You know it’s true when I throw down the word, “indeed.”

Yay #1 – Got a free pedicure.

Yes, my friend and I inadvertently forgot to pay, but that’s beside the point. No one told us to fork over the dough, no one chased us down like dogs to rip away the marrow of our wallets, and certainly no one reminded anyone involved including myself, my friend, the nail, um, technician(?), the receptionist, other patrons, and security cameras that we hadn’t paid. Not to worry, you moral compass enforcers, we’ll make it up to them. It was still cool though. Moving on…

Yay #2 – Worked out at the gym for the first time in years.

The best part, each cardio machine had its own TV. Rachel Zoe, thank you for entertaining me during my calorie inferno. I’m not about to mention that my face took on the hue of an eggplant by the end… *cough* I’m a little out of shape.

Yay #3 – I’m finally over caffeine.

Diet Coke and coffee, you have no power over me!

Yay #4 – Started my new sci-fi book.

Only 300 words, but hey, better than nothing.

Yay #5 – Went to a great tapas restaurant for dinner.

Another friend and I swapped stories of married life betwixt bites of paella. Super yummy. The remainder of the night consisted of me trying to sell our server on the idea of trying the Mass Effect video games.

All in all, a great day. Just thought I’d share.

Discovery

Huh. I've been ignoring this blog lately. As if you couldn't tell. No doubt a lot of you have given up on me. But for those of you special people who haven't, I give you a rockin' high-five.

To tell the truth, I've been ignoring writing altogether. Perhaps being a "Writer" is too much pressure. Maybe the scrutiny got to me. I don't know.

I do know that I've started a new project; one that deviates wildly from anything I've ever created before.

(My blog, my rules. I can use as many freakin' adverbs as I want in this post.)

So, I will continue to tap the keg of creativity and hope you'll stick with me. I promise to write more often.

Funny Thing Happened...

I cut my hand open today. To be exact, I was pulled into a metal door jamb by my dog and scraped two layers of skin from my index finger. And because of my awesome aversion to blood, shock set in almost immediately.

Yep, that’s right, dizziness combined with nausea and sweating in equal parts. Loads of fun let me tell you. The one thing I thought as my head tumbled between my knees in the “I’m not gonna faint” position was how am I going to type with a bum hand?

A startling question since I’ve been hosting an epic-scale pity party for the past two months, the theme being, “Everyone’s making it but me” complete with depression draught and procrastination pie. Maybe scraping up the layers of emotional epidermis forced inspiration to flow to the surface.

I think it’s time to work on a new book. What do you say?

Caught Up

Have you ever been so caught up in something that everything else vanishes?

I call this “Tunnel Vision Syndrome” AKA “Hilary’s Personality.”

There are positive aspects to this, I assume. Things like completing tasks quickly and perfecting the results… but at what cost?

Over the past month or so, my laser focus shifted to the negative and I completely dropped out of my online life. Sorry, guys. The good news is I’m coming out of it as evidenced by this blog post.

Being a writer can take its toll. For all of your hard work, there’s no external accolade, no one there to pat you on the back save friends and family, but aren’t they just a bit biased?

I’m no pessimist. Pshaw!

Anyway, part of getting better is forcing my eyes to see the whole spectrum, not just the one color I’ve deigned to be my obsession. And that’s what I’m determined to do. I’ve reevaluated my goals and set them against reality. I should write for me, improve my skill for me, tell a story for me – not for the hope of becoming the next Brown / Meyer / Rowling. Delusions can seduce you then leave you bitter.

Any thoughts on this?

Someone sent me this quote a while ago and it cracked me up. They suggested I substitute “publication” for “truth.”

“The road to truth is long, and lined the entire way with annoying bastards.” – Alexander Jablokov

Just don’t let your self-doubt become the biggest bastard. :)

CONTESTS!

For YA and MG writers, Kidlit is running a contest for the best beginning of a FINISHED manuscript. Entries need to be less than 500 words.

Click this link to read the rules:
Kidlit Contest
Deadline - January 31st

Nathan Bransford is also having a contest for the best teen diary entry less than 500 words. Here is the link to that:
Secret Year Diary Contest
Deadline - January 6th

Good luck!

Holiday Epiphany

So, my Christmas tree is up, but no ornaments adorn it. The reason, you ask?

Doing anything other than working on my latest project makes me cringe.

Obsession is fickle. Usually, by this time of year, the Carpenters Christmas album has been played a million times, the house is covered with evergreen and twinkle lights, and all of the presents are wrapped. Not this year. No ho! This year, rather, this holiday season, all I think / dream / talk about is Summer’s End.

I’m pretty sure friends and family want to slip me a roofie and lock me in a closet until I come back from fantasyland. And yes, loved ones, I’ll be watching my eggnog very closely come Friday. Just kidding.

Or am I?

Anyway, the thought occurred to me that maybe my blog is like my tree. It’s set up with a few (SHINING) posts, but I’ve kind of been ignoring it. This might be a good time to slip in the cliché about the lights being on… NO! No clichés. Bad writer.

So, in the honored tradition of New Year’s resolutions, I would like to try and decorate my blog with more (SPARKLING) posts in 2010.

What are your resolutions?

Quick Update: Autumn Made the First Round

Over the weekend, I pitched my first novel, Autumn Leaves, to Agent Shop on Musetracks. 24 finalists, including me, will have the opportunity to have their pitches read by the awesome Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Cross your fingers for me.

If you haven't frequented the Musetracks sight, you should start. The four writers who run it often collaborate with agents to hold pitch sessions. They also have a great archive of author interviews.
That's all. Now back to writing Summer's End and driving my neighbors crazy with constant Christmas music.

hhs

See. Think. Do.

Not too long ago, a friend and I discussed how to write fictional scenes. I came up with a succinct way to explain how I do it and she encouraged me to share, so here goes:

Characters see things, think things, and do things. Sounds easy, right?

Let me break it down:

See – This is where the movie plays within my mind. The imagination wanders and I begin to construct the setting. At this point, the only sense I’m using is sight. I can see the room, the way light filters through dusty eaves, and the way a person’s face shadows. Light is huge for me. Maybe because I’m obsessed with interior design, but I always have to know how things are lit.

Think – This is what I call, “The Flourish”. Here's where you get to dive into characters’ brains. In my latest project, I’m writing from the 1st person past perspective. I can really delve into why my MC wants something and how she feels about external stimuli. Now the other senses become paramount. For example, how the air smells of rain or how the wind whistles through the trees and how it reminds her of her childhood, first date, etc. She can touch things and taste things. All the while, I’m keeping in mind motivation. The same is true for the other characters, but I can only write down things from her vantage point. There’s a different balance with 3rd person POV, but living inside the head of every character crosses all POVs.

Do – Characters say things and they move around to do what they’re compelled to do. It’s pretty straightforward. A woman can pick up a sword and swing it at her cheating husband. A man can smile and fire a gun. Someone might say a snappy line while they fry in the electric chair. Sorry for the violence, but it’s more fun than listing what people eat or fiddle with. Using what you know from their thoughts, you can create their actions.

I’m sure you have your own theories. Of course, this isn’t the only method for scene construction nor does it have anything to do with developing plot. Plot is its own animal and I would strongly recommend James Scott Bell’s Plot & Structure.

Also, for the record, I do not in any way feel I’m an expert. I just love going to writer blogs and learning something new or at least seeing something in a cool new light.

There are so many parts to the puzzle. I hope this post can give you one small piece. Maybe just an unimportant one from the edge.

Be sure to tell me what you think. I’d love to read your methods and learn from you.

Kumbaya, Writers. Kumbaya.

I'm sure you've all heard this: "I can't believe <insert NYT bestselling author here> ever got published. Their writing sucks!"

Whenever I read / hear something remotely akin to that sentiment, I cringe. Look, we've all been scrutinized and will continue to be no matter what level of success we achieve. Shouldn't we then, as writers, try to support each other?

So what if someone relies too heavily on adverbs?

So what if an author ends sentences with prepositions?

Tom Swifties? Big deal.

People still buy their books. Their stories entertain the masses. Isn't that what it's all about - telling a story that allows a reader to escape?

Most readers won't realize if a writer "breaks the rules". I didn't notice until I tried to write.

And what if by bucking the institutionalized system, more creative freedom trickles down to all of us?

Then there's the personal aspect. Big name authors started out like you and me. They loved their characters and pined over plot, just like we do. I can't tell you how many Facebook and Twitter posts I've seen lately of writers declaring their love for the latest manuscript.

We all make mistakes. There's a flaw in everyone's writing. But just as no one's face is proportionally perfect, beauty still shines on those with a good balance. Yes, even with a crooked nose or a small chin.

All you can do is appreciate other voices and attempt to better your own. Support each other because one day, you'll be the author other writers bitch about.

Okay, rant over. ;)

Imaginary Friends

Hey guys -

I’m back to query letter and synopsis fun. Yuck. Summarizing shouldn't be this difficult. The upside is I’ve already done the bulk of the work for the old version.

Another positive note, I wrote part of Summer’s End yesterday. Pretty exciting stuff. There’s something comforting about reuniting with characters. I know their motivations, speech patterns, mannerisms, etc. It’s like getting together with old buddies – which brings me to my question:

EL Doctorow says, “Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia,” but is it really?

My characters live in real life. Before you get all “she’s nuts” on me, here me out. When I’m involved with a project, sponge-mode takes over. I begin to analyze everything for possible use.

For example,

What would Autumn do if confronted with this mean tech at CVS Pharmacy who seriously cannot give me a straight answer on copays?

Or what would Nathan do if stuck behind this friggin’ idiot who keeps stopping for no reason?

Or would Jonah want Jack in a Crack or Tacos Smell?

It’s a litmus test for how well I know my imaginary friends. Do you do that?

Writers have different methods, so it would be interesting to hear yours. Do your characters take a backseat to everyday living? Are you able to hit mute on the “voices in your head”?

hhs

PS - I also sent the new (and oh-so improved) version of my book to an agent. Cross your fingers for me.

Another Post on Editing

Hey Awesome People Who Read My Blog!

I’ve missed you guys. What’ve you been up to?

*Hilary grabs a piece of cheese and stuffs it in her mouth while she pretends to care*

Just kidding, I care. No, really I do. I care so much, I’m going to post more editing advice.

*cheers erupt*

Let’s get down to business. Over the past couple of weeks, I slaughtered 15,000 words from my manuscript.

*audience gasps*

Yes, I know it’s a lot, but they were all unnecessary. What deems a word unnecessary, you ask?

Here is a list I found helpful from agent Rachelle Gardner’s site:
→ Adverbs, especially those with “ly” endings.
→ Adjectives. Often people use two or three when one or none is better.
→ Gerunds. Words that end in “ing.”
→ Passive voice: Over-use of words like “was,” "were" and "that" indicate your writing may be too passive. Reconstruct in active voice.
→ Passages that are overly descriptive.
→ Passages that describe characters' thoughts and feelings in too much detail (i.e. long sections of narrative or interior monologue).
→ Passages that tell the reader what they already know.
→ Unnecessary backstory.

Words to watch for. Carefully consider their necessity and effectiveness:
about, actually, almost, like, appears, approximately, basically, close to, even, eventually, exactly, finally, just, just then, kind of, nearly, practically, really, seems, simply, somehow, somewhat, sort of, suddenly, truly, utterly, were.

Also, I participated in a recent #askagent Twitter-fest and received the best advice ever from super-cool agent Colleen Lindsay. And here it is:

ColleenLindsay: @hilaryheskett It's all about 1.) Voice, 2.) Brevity and 3.) Authenticity

I hope this reiteration of stuff you already knew helps your book tightening efforts. Go team writers!

*awkward microphone screech*

At least it’s in one place if you ever need it?

*crickets chirping*

No?

All right. Have a great weekend.

Just In Case...

I'm sure most of you already know this, but on the off chance you missed it, Nathan Bransford is running a contest for the best 1st paragraph.

Read the rules and submit your work here.

The contest expires tomorrow at 4pm Pacific, so get a move on.

Good luck!

Help Needed: Do you want to keep reading?

Hiya, Folks.

I need your input. Please read the first page of Autumn Leaves and let me know if you would want to keep reading. Be honest. Be unapologetic. Be... well, just give me your feedback. I appreciate it. :)

“I’m sure this trip is going to kill me.” I held the phone to my ear with one hand, clenched the handrail with the other, and launched myself onto the moving step. The smell of coffee laced with grease weakened as I descended to the airport’s lower level.

“Stop being so dramatic. You sound like your sister.” Eve laughed.

The escalator lurched, almost sending me tumbling, but I regained my balance as it chugged downward. “Listen, I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Sure. Stay safe. And don’t die,” she teased with a giggle.

“I’ll try.” I hung up and jammed the phone in my pocket preparing to zigzag my way to the baggage claim.

The San Francisco airport bustled with people, all seeming to struggle against the confines of time. A family of four draped in diaper bags darted in front of me, almost running me over with their stroller. The disheveled mother didn’t seem to notice and yelled at her son, “Stop it! Stop pulling on me!”

The little boy began to cry and I wondered if they were here out of obligation just like me. His mother yanked him away and they disappeared, swallowed by the masses of frenzied passengers.

A crowd filled the space around me, forming a circle surrounding the carousel, like a mob before a hanging. It lunged and surged forward as luggage moved to meet impatient owners. My purple suitcase rounded the corner and I pushed my way to the front, bumping and nudging through the pulsing wall of people.

A hand sprang out in front of me and ripped my bag off the conveyor. “Let me get this for you, Autumn,” a stranger said.

With a sharp inhale, I spun around to confront the would-be thief.

His eyes, a staggering shade of blue, considered me as I tried to think of something else, anything else, other than how beautiful he was.

“H-how did you know my name?”

His lips parted in a slight smile, but before he could answer, the conveyor belt died causing a noisy sputter. A loud bang followed as one of the fluorescent lights exploded above, raining sparks down on the unsuspecting travelers. Screams ensued and I remained still, used to strange things happening around me.

So, what'd you think? Would you keep reading?

Rejection Science

Rejection sucks. Well, it does, doesn’t it?

From a manuscript dismissal to a query letter denial, it all stinks. Let’s discuss Rejection – the one with a big “R.” (You are free to now say ARRRR!)

So, how do we balance the negative with the positive, even when there doesn’t seem to be any in sight?

Why not be scientific about conquering “Rejection Depression?”

Newton’s Laws of Physics seem like a perfectly rational place to start. Very logical.


First Law - A body persists in its state of rest or of uniform motion unless acted upon by an external unbalanced force.
If we don’t receive a bunch of brush offs, we won’t send out many queries. Meaning, our masterpieces wouldn’t touch the lives of the agents / editors to which we submit. Oh. That sounds like they’re our overlords… perhaps they are. By the way, don’t you just love the term “unbalanced?”


Second Law - Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma): the net force on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration.
I’d like to change this to: First publication equals the magnitude times the activity (F=ma): the first novel published is equal to magnitude of the project (which is AWESOME) multiplied by the author’s activity. The more people you talk to, the more agents you query, and the more publishers you find that take un-agented talent, the better your odds. It’s a numbers game in the end.


Third Law - To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
I’m resisting the urge to scream, “Karma!” (mostly since I’m sitting in a stuffy cubicle-ridden space)
Newton’s third law is my favorite. With every negative force, create a new opportunity for greatness. Send out more letters. Re-edit your manuscript. Start a new project.


Conquer the Rejection by pushing ahead.

(I’d rather be Spock than Debbie Downer anyway.)


How ‘bout you? Any tips or tricks?

A Matter of Trust

I finished reading a book a few days ago by bestselling author Rebecca Wells (don’t worry, the review is coming) and it dawned on me that I didn't scrutinize the words at all. My normal skepticism faded and I just enjoyed her work. I didn’t debate the use of passive verbs. There was no analysis of the repetitive concepts. Nothing.

Then it hit me – I trusted her.

I trusted Ms. Wells to create the right setting. I trusted her to choose the right words. Most of all, I trusted her to carry me through the entire story, letting me believe her characters were living, breathing people with real wants and needs. (How’s that for repetition?)

So, what makes us trust an author?

Is it status or education? What about sales figures – do they factor into our decision?

I would love to believe that if you’ve proven yourself to be a competent writer, readers will give themselves to the story without question. But, alas, that is not the way it is. I’ve read several books by people considered “great” and I still find myself nit-picking the technique. For example, why would they elect to use a “to be” verb when an active one would have been so much cleaner? Or what’s with all the stinkin’ adverbs?

It’s a conundrum really. Any thoughts out there in cyberspace?

Music and Writing

Hello, fellow wordsmiths!

I've been thinking about the process of writing. Everyone's approach is different. For me, I like to lock myself away and listen to music while creating or editing. Time and responsibilities fall away, leaving only me and the words to drift along in harmony.

How do you write? Does music help you?

Last week, my friend and I debated the influence of lyrics on prose. As much as I can tell, lyrics don't tend to bleed into my passages as much as they inspire a certain feeling or mood, but I can see how distracting words sung in succession might be. We both decided that listening to movie soundtracks was a good compromise. With that in mind, I've recently discovered a few inspirational soundtracks that have helped me with the Elementalist Series. They are:

Solaris

Revolutionary Road

The International

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Bram Stoker's Dracula

I'm always looking for more music suggestions. Please send some recommendations my way. :)

No “Write” Reason

I’ve been spending a lot of time reassessing my motivation to write. With Autumn Leaves completed and the sophomoric book looming, the term “writer’s block” has become real to me – something I never thought would happen. What used to be 10,000+ word weeks are now zero and the joy of creativity seems more akin to burden.

Disappointment hangs over me, doubt weighs me down, and guilt pulls at my feet like an undertow.
The dark waters of failure that used to appear so distant on the horizon engulf me. Faint were the sounds of crashing waves now deafening...
Perhaps a little too dramatic.

After evaluating my process, I’ve come to realize that writing is my motivator; the language, the art, the expression. Maybe the salability aspect of publishing has harmed my desire to create. Just a thought.

I hereby vow to write what I want the way I did before with Autumn Leaves. The words poured out of me. I could barely contain them. Before query letters and synopses, agent blogs and writer forums, I wrote for me. Only me.

Whatever your motivation for writing, be it the love of the craft, the potential for glory, or even the ever-elusive payment, it’s the right reason for you.

Thanks for reading and wish me luck.

Truth and Encouragement

Literary agent Rachelle Gardner posted a blog today on the topic of encouragement. The idea stemmed from her belief that realism makes for the best type of courage-inspiring support. She said, “I think hearing the difficult truth CAN be encouraging, because it forces you to make an internal decision: Am I up for this, or not? How much am I willing to give this? How badly do I want it?”

I do agree with her, but have found that praise on top of truth strengthens the intent to help. When going over another writer’s work, tempering a harsh critique with a positive comment goes further than just the negative alone. Just my opinion. Maybe Rachelle’s point is you shouldn’t seek it from your agent or editor.

But what about at your critique group?

As a member of two amazing and completely different critique groups, I’ve witnessed feedback as either bitter reality or sugar-coated half-truth. Do they have to be mutually exclusive? Each can be beneficial for various reasons, but isn’t the purpose of attending to get better at writing? Hearing what you’ve done well can be a wonderful motivator, however, delusion doesn’t help anyone. So, where’s the balance?

I would rather err on the side of being too honest than not. Of course, I always slip in an upbeat observation, but the heart of my critique is raw truth. My hope lives in the expectation that the other members of the group don’t hold back. Thick skin is a requirement in the quest for publication. Perhaps sensitivity bleeds through surface cuts, but positive reinforcement from colleagues can act as a bandage along with increased learning. Armed with feedback and determination, a writer fights to get noticed.

What do you think? Do you find criticism alone encouraging?