To Young Writers

Those of us who blog never know exactly who is reading our words. We see statistics and page views, but we don't know who people are. Are they readers? Writers? Publishing professionals? Friends who want to support us? Old classmates curious about who we are now? Random visitors who arrive from some combination of terms typed into a search engine?

That's why I made my email address public - so that anyone who wants to can step forward, reach me, and tell me who they are. And that's how I know that there are young writers reading this. I know that there are people out there on the brink of something new, whether it's high school, or college, or post-college life, and that they are wondering whether writing will ever be a part of it all.

I know you're reading because I've heard from some of you, and it makes me happy that my blog can give you some sense of comfort and camaraderie.

Listen, I'm just a nobody. Just some girl out there in the wide world who happens to write about writing. I am not published. I do not have an agent. I am completely amateur. I am in no position to give advice or guidance, because I'm in the same boat as you. I'm in the same dark room, reaching out blindly to feel my way.

But what I can offer you are my experiences. I can tell you how I came to be here, and why. I can share my goals and what I'm doing to try to achieve them. And if that helps you at all, then I'm glad.

I know what it's like to feel like you're standing at a fork in the road. To be afraid that choosing one path will keep you from the other forever. But here's the thing... you can always go back. You can always retrace your steps and make another choice. Yeah, it might be harder to do later on, but it's possible. You are never locked in.

If you love to write, you will come back to it. Maybe you won't choose it right away. Maybe you'll go to medical school, or study to be a social worker, or go to Italy to learn about architecture, or apply to that engineering fellowship that your parents have been hinting about. Maybe you'll choose these things and love them. Or maybe you'll choose these things and hate them, and wish you'd picked writing in the first place.

Don't do that. Don't waste your time like I did (and sometimes still do), moaning about things that are already past and can't be helped. Don't regret those years and don't regret any of your choices. You can make a new choice: to come back to writing. It will always be there.

All those years in high school and college I spent on the wrong path helped me realize what the right one was. I wouldn't have known this had I picked writing in the first place. I would have always wondered what if.

So take heart and don't be afraid. Graduation is a big deal, but just think of all that awaits you. If writing is what makes you happy, I guarantee you'll run into it eventually. It might take weeks or months or (in my case) years, but it'll happen. And when it does, it'll feel like you're coming home at the end of a long day.

I remember how much reading blogs helped me when I first decided to write seriously, back in 2008, so I really hope that this helps you.

A Tribute To Movie Music...

... but mostly to John Williams.

This week, I got to see him conduct the Boston Pops live. It was an incredible experience, to say the least. My friends made fun of how much I was fan-girling out, but I couldn't care less. This man is arguably the greatest composer in Hollywood history, and we were all going to be in the same room with him, listening to him conduct his own music. From Indiana Jones. And Star Wars. And Jaws. And E.T. *incoherent gurgling of excitement*

This guy is a rock star in Boston. People LOVE him. There was a standing ovation for him just for walking onstage at Symphony Hall. The applause and the cheers went on and on and on, and it struck me how many lives he has touched by sharing his gift with the world. Even if someone has no idea who the heck John Williams is, all they need to hear is a few bars of the Imperial March or Superman or Harry Potter, and they will recognize the music.

If you haven't seen the Pops play live, you definitely should. This was my first time and will not be my last. Theirs are not the stuffy concerts where you get the evil eye if you're the unfortunate soul who accidentally claps between movements. At this show, people clapped after EVERY movement. Music sounds great while watching a movie or listening through headphones, but there is just no comparison to hearing it played live and in an auditorium with sick acoustics. (Star Wars Throne Room music, played live = EPIC.)

They played a bunch of selections that I didn't recognize, mainly because I haven't seen the movies. The Cowboys Overture was one I enjoyed.

They also honored the music of other composers. They lowered a large projector screen over the stage and showed clips from all kinds of movies - from Casablanca and Gone With the Wind to Toy Story and Aladdin - while the orchestra played a mishmash that was really well done. I recognized a ton of my favorites: John Barry's score for Out of Africa (sweeping, gorgeous), David Raksin's Theme From Laura (pretty violin solo), and Ennio Morricone's Cinema Paradiso (main theme at 3:00), just to mention a few.

What was really cool was that Williams took the microphone throughout the evening and talked about the process of composing. At one point, to demonstrate, they showed the opening scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade... without music.

He narrated and made suggestions the whole time, the way he might in the studio: When Indy jumps on the horse and misses, have the music slow down; when he gets on the horse and rides away, speed it up. When the bad guy is approaching, have the horns and basses make it sound ominous. When Indy escapes, have it sound heroic with a hint of the main theme.

And then they showed us the movie clip again, this time while Williams conducted and the orchestra demonstrated the elements he had just told us about. AMAZEBALLS. The scene was that much more exciting and full of life with a soundtrack.

It makes me think about why I love movie music so much, and why I always write with it on: because music can take a story to the next level like no other. That's what music really is about: storytelling. It doesn't matter how great the acting is, or how beautiful the costumes are, or if the screenplay is the best that's ever been written. If a movie doesn't have music, it's just gray. Music is what adds the color.

I don't want to go all crazy and suggest that Star Wars and E.T. and Indiana Jones wouldn't have become the blockbusters they are without John Williams' music, but... after attending a concert like that, it makes me wonder.

He also said something during the evening that really stuck with me. I knew I had to remember it so I could share it with all of my writerly friends. Are you ready for this?

"So much of what we do in this life is forgotten," he told us. "We tell stories so that part of us will live on. We tell stories so that people don't forget that once... we were here."

Could he be any more awesome and inspiring!? I THINK NOT.

He seems like the nicest guy, too - hugging the concertmaster, giving one of the cellists a pat on the back, shading his eyes to look out at us as though shocked to see a fully packed house.

I don't think I need to tell you that the audience encored him, like, five times. As soon as he brought the baton down for the final beat of a song, he'd bow, leave the stage to thunderous applause, and then people just kept cheering him back on. There was this one song that they played between Star Wars and E.T. that I loved but I have no idea what it was, or what movie it came from. The people around us didn't know either. So frustrating!

They ended with Stars and Stripes Forever, and he conducted the audience in their clapping. Finally, they had to end the concert because it ran way over time.

In another life, I think I would have liked to study music composition. I really would have liked to write music for the movies. In essence, it isn't really that much different from writing books, is it? It's just a different medium for storytelling.

Okay, END gush-fest. I'm sure I've bored some of you senseless - sorry! Bottom line is... just go listen to some John Williams soundtracks. Or have an Indiana Jones marathon. Or buy a ticket to your local orchestra concert. Support the arts! (/soapbox)

Me, Myself, and 21904720179451 Story Ideas

Still no major news on the writing/querying front, although I did get another partial request for PPP yesterday! *happy dance* God, I hope I find someone who loves this story. I would be okay with PPP not being my first book published, but I hope hope hope that it finds its way out there one day.

This weekend was so busy. I did a lot of work, paid bills, ran a million errands, got to catch up with a close friend and discuss wedding planning...

I did have a few spare moments to write, though, and cranked out a little over 3,000 words of ANCHOR ISLAND (working title of my YA rom-com until I can think of something better). For this book, I'm back to writing in first person, which I really enjoy. There's something more intimate about writing as your main character. Not that you can't get a good grasp on who they are when you write in the third person, but it's a different experience putting yourself directly inside their head and "becoming" them when you use "I."

Alex is whip-smart and deeply sarcastic, as I found out in just a few pages, and I can't wait to write more of her! She's also Asian-American, so it's going to be a lot of fun blending the quirks of growing up Asian with American values, something I *may* know a little bit about. (Haha.) I try to have a multicultural cast of characters in every book that I write. Maud, the principal fairy godmother in PPP, is Asian. In ELEGY, the main character and her best friend are Asian and black. FOTL will obviously feature major Asian characters, and I'm also toying with the idea of bringing in some Middle Eastern influences as well (think the diversity along the Silk Road).

As you may have noticed, I have a zillion new WIPs in the sidebar that I want to write. I hope they hurry up with the human cloning technology, because I desperately need five more me's to churn all of these books out. I haven't found any time to go on that solo writing retreat I talked about a couple months back, but I'm hoping to schedule one sometime this summer. Perhaps the end of July?

I'm the type of writer who likes to focus on one project at a time (remember when I discussed writing ELEGY and FOTL at the same time, to stay motivated/inspired? Yeah... ended up focusing only on ELEGY. And finishing it, so at least that's good!), so it'll be sort of interesting to see if I can switch back and forth between multiple stories. I think it'll be good practice for me, and you know I like a challenge! Plus, if I'm feeling more inclined to work on a particular story during any given week, I can allow myself to work on it - guilt-free.

I'm very excited and happy. I just wish - not for the first time - that I had Hermione's Time-Turner, because there simply aren't enough minutes in an hour. I also wanted to bring my blog back to a high note, since I reread last Wednesday's IWSG post and it sounds kind of pathetic and low self-esteemy. Not what I want. No pity parties here!

I will write books (GOOD ones, however many it takes me to get there) and I will get published. Some way, somehow. Failure is not an option.

How are you doing this week? Are you focusing on one project, or do you have several calling your name?

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a genius idea of a blogfest, created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, that takes place on the first Wednesday of each month. It's been around for a while and has a massive following (300+ people signed up as of today!).

So why is this my very first IWSG post? What has kept me from hopping on the bandwagon? Do I not have any insecurities? (Hahahahaha!)

See, I'm generally a positive person. Look at the name of my blog. I'm someone who tries to keep the bright side in perspective. But just because I'm smiling doesn't mean that I'm not flipping out inside. In fact, I'm flipping out most of the time. I worry about everything. (What does it mean when a CP says they only liked my story? Why didn't they love it? Why hasn't this agent gotten back to me yet? Does she think my book is awful? Why can't I get past the 52,376th word in this freaking manuscript!?! I'm a FAILURE! *Oreo binge*)

So, since it's not good to bottle up the crazy, I've decided to let some of it... a very tiny little bit... out.

And here's what I'm most insecure about.

I'm worried about being a good writer who can't write a good story.

The thing about being a good writer is that... well, it's not really that special. I have solid spelling and grammar. I can string together a decent sentence. I can form a coherent story with all the parts that I'm supposed to have: a story arc, characters, dialogue. I rarely find myself at a loss for shiny new ideas.

But how many people out there can say the same things? A whole lot, that's how many.

There's not much that's unique about being able to spell and to put together a nice description or a line of dialogue. In fact, those are prerequisites for an aspiring writer. If you've come far enough to want to be published and to work actively toward that goal, it's an unspoken assumption that you have all of these pieces in place and ready to go. That's why getting published (and here I mean the traditional route) is so tough.

Because you need more than just that. You need to stand out from the crowd somehow. You need to have that extra super secret magic ingredient - and that's in your story. Is it original? Is it unique? Is it compelling enough to pull people into the book against their will?

What scares me the most is the thought that maybe I've got everything but that secret ingredient.

Writing makes me so deeply happy, but I'd be lying if I told you that getting published wouldn't bring it all full circle. That's the ultimate goal. It's not enough for me to write, write, write, and dream up stories and build worlds on the page just for the sake of doing so. Maybe it should be... but it isn't.

....Phew. It feels good to finally let that out.

What are you, as a writer, insecure about?

WRiTE Club 2013 Submissions Are Open!!!

GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!!

DL Hammons' overwhelmingly popular WRiTE Club competition has opened its doors for submissions.

Whether you've taken part or are new to the concept, you're in for a treat this year.

There are some big changes, but the essence remains the same: anonymous writers go head-to-head each week with 500-word submissions. The strongest contenders get the most votes and advance another step toward the final round, where they'll have a chance to be judged by a panel of agents, editors, published authors, and our reigning champs Tiana Smith and Mark Hough.

Also... those who vote this year will be eligible to win a big prize themselves. Pretty cool, amirite?

Submission deadline is June 30th, 2013.

Reminder that if you want to take part in any way (as a competitor or as a voter), you need to sign up. Check out DL's blog for the official rules and the sign-up sheet.

As always, please leave a little note of appreciation for DL and his lovely wife Kim, who have been hosting and organizing WRiTE Club for three years running!

Spread the word! I'll see you at the ring!

WIP It Good Blogfest

Today I'm participating in the WIP It Blogfest hosted by DL Hammons and Elise Fallson. The idea is to share a little bit about our latest work-in-progress, so everyone can see what others have been up to!

Since ELEGY's first draft is all done (and has been critiqued!), AND because I've talked about it so much, I'll take the opportunity to feature another story. It's one of four new ideas that I want to work on! I've barely started it, but here's a little bit about what I'm intending for it.


WIP Title:

UNTITLED (I know... fancy!)

Word Count (projected/actual so far):

Only 1,500 so far!

Genre:

YA Romance/Humor

How long have you been working on it?: 

I haven't! I came up with the idea for last year's WRiTE Club, but have been so wrapped up in PPP and ELEGY that I haven't had time for anything else. So it's very brand new :)

Elevator Pitch (if you came across an agent in an elevator ride, what couple of lines would you use to summarize your book):

Inspired by Jane Austen's PERSUASION, the story follows a girl to the wealthy summer community of Anchor Island, where her mom's advantageous marriage gives her a second chance to win over a boy who was always too far above her.

Brief Synopsis (250 words or less): 

Alex has always known that she and Garrett were meant to be. The only problems? She buys fries from the McDonald's on Dover Street; he can buy the McDonald's on Dover Street. On weekends, she stocks embarrassing hygienic products at the pharmacy in a polo; he and his friends go to the country club to play polo. And then there's his girlfriend, Sally. And he's a Republican. (Little details, really.)

But when the summer before college threatens to separate them forever, Alex begins to lose hope. That is, until opportunity arrives in the form of her mom's gaudy, chest hair-baring boyfriend-turned-husband overnight, who whisks Alex off to Anchor Island - land of yachts and fifty-room "cottages" - and back into Garrett's life.

Forced to transform from socially impaired grammar geek to captain of the S.S. Awkward through preppy mine-laden waters, Alex knows this is her one chance to prove herself. And maybe, just maybe, while trying to win Garrett's heart - she'll learn what her own is worth.

Are you looking for a Critique Partner?:

I have a great CP already! But I wouldn't say no to a new partnership with someone who writes in this genre (and is in the same boat as me: multiple books written, frequently writing, actively seeking an agent).

Are you looking for a Beta Reader?: 

Not at this time!



Let me know in the comments if you're also participating in this blogfest, and I'll head over!

Character Tropes: Chatty Cats... and Other Animals

I don't know about you, but I love it when animals talk in books. Generally, I see this trope a lot more in MG than I do in YA or adult, but I think it can fit in anywhere if done well. Being an animal lover, I've often wondered what they were thinking or what they would say in a given situation.

Growing up, I used to lie on my stomach next to my golden retriever and watch her stare out into the backyard for hours on end. Being only a human with dull human senses, I wouldn't be able to see anything.  But her eyes would be moving - back and forth, back and forth - and sometimes her nose would wiggle and her ears would twitch, so I was positive that she could see things that I couldn't and was thinking deep, meaningful thoughts about them. Oh, the things she could have told me, if only she could put them into words!

Sometimes, because my family is crazy, we would pretend to talk for her. You would know that Sunny had entered the conversation when someone interjected with a high-pitched voice. For example:

Mom: What does everyone want for dinner?
(assorted responses)
Brother: (high-pitched voice) Those are all stupid. I think we should get KFC.
Mom: Oh, REALLY. But you still gotta eat your dog food. KFC might make your tummy hurt and you'll poop weird.
Brother: (high-pitched voice) Then make Julie pick up the poop.

OR:

Me: (home from college, just walked in the door) I'm back! Hi, Sunny ... Dad, what are you feeding her?
Dad: What? (guiltily hides bag of Doritos)
Me: You know you're not supposed to give her that crap! She's already really fat... the doctor said... (continues ranting)
Sunny: (blank stare, wagging tail)
Dad: (high-pitched voice) Julie, when are you going to go back to your dorm?


Back when I rode horses, my instructor Rosemary would do the same thing. She had different voices for every animal at the stable. If I ever gave Sneakers a carrot, Rosemary would say in a high-pitched voice, "That hits the spot!" Or if I were riding Gretel (an older Thoroughbred), she would give me instructions in a gravelly old-lady voice: "Keep your heels down, young woman!" or "Apply pressure with the outside leg. That's the ticket!"

And there was this gigantic, bristly black pig at the stables named Hamlet. He LOVED my youngest brother, because whenever my mom or dad came to pick me up, my brother would run over and take the big brush that hung on the fence and scratch Hamlet's back. We'd crack up to see the pig waddling over as fast as he could, and we'd make voices for him (always a deep manly one): "Aha! My masseuse is finally here!"

So I guess, in a way, I grew up surrounded by "talking" animals. It was only a matter of time before they made it into my writing. My latest is Muffet, a very vocal taffy-colored cat in PPP who enjoys strawberry yogurt and the finer things in life. Once a witch's familiar, he now belongs to a fairy godmother and will be featured in a third PPP book that I would like to write one day!

What about you? Do you like talking animals in books, and do you include them in your own?

What To Do With All This Time?

ELEGY is done and has been sent out into the world! *throws sprinkles and confetti* I always feel nervous when I let go of a new story, even if it's to friends/CPs who are supportive and wonderful, but I felt especially nervous with this one. It lost another chunk during the rewrite, putting it at sub-50K. (Sub-50K! This is so crazy to me. My books are never that short.) And then there's the ending, which I totally didn't see coming.

But there's also a sense of pride and relief. Whether or not it gets published (or any of my novels, for that matter), it got written. I dreamed, I planned, I typed until my fingertips ached. It might not be as exciting as landing an agent or signing a book deal, but hey, it's an accomplishment. Right?

So now that PPP is out ringing doorbells and ELEGY is with my CP, I guess that makes me an empty-nester.

What should I do with all of this free time?

1. Plan and research for FOTL. I made a decision not to continue writing this just yet, because I've applied to something pretty exciting that may give me the chance to do it this fall. I don't want to jinx myself, so I won't say any more at present, but there is plenty of research to be done.


2. Work on another PPP book. I miss my characters. I miss that world. This book would also be funny MG, but it would be a stand-alone and written in a male voice. I'm longing to write it, even if it may not be a smart move to write a "sequel" to something that may not get repped/sold. So I'd definitely be writing this for myself - and I think that's okay.


3. Write my mermaid book. This is another one I'd be writing for myself. The market is saturated with paranormal right now and this would just be white noise... but I like the story and I want to give it a chance. At least I can get it down on paper, y'know?


4. Take a whack at my YA rom-com. I wrote a snippet for last year's WRiTE Club. It's inspired by Austen's "Persuasion," and is about a girl whose mom's advantageous marriage gives her a second chance at winning a guy who was once too far above her. Lots of humor. Might be a nice break from the darkness of ELEGY.

And of course, I could just sit back, enjoy, and read the mountain of books that have been languishing away on my nightstand.

Either way, it looks to be a fun and productive summer!

Next month, I'll be helping out with WRiTE Club again, so that'll keep me busy. If you're interested in pitching in, check out this post here: A Call For WRiTE Club Volunteers

What are your summer writing plans?

A Little Write Music #29: Mermaids

Last year, in between wrapping up edits on PPP and starting work on ELEGY, I got this idea for a mermaid story. I wanted to explore the myth in a modern-day setting and write about a teenager who moves to a town on the coast. He learns that not only are the mermaids real, but that they seem to be exacting revenge on his family for reasons hidden in his grandfather's shady past. I sketched out a story plan in my notebook, but that was as far as I got because 1) I wanted to work on ELEGY, and 2) mermaid stories seemed to be hot at the moment and I didn't think mine would really stand out.

Then, in October, I flew to Hawaii for a family event. My aunt and uncle live on Oahu, just a short drive from the southern coast of the island, so we spent a lot of time on the beach. I remembered thinking it was funny that people brought stuff to do - books, magazines, laptops - because lying on a towel with your feet in the sand and staring for hours at the ocean seemed so completely enough.

One night, my cousins and I returned to our hotel and decided to go out in search of a drink or two, then hang out at the hot tub. But the bar we had visited earlier - which made the most amazing piña coladas - was closed, and so was every other bar/restaurant on the property. Undaunted (and not ready to sleep just yet), we decided to just go sit on the beach for a while.

The resort itself was well-lit, but there was no moon that night and the adjoining beach was dark and empty. All of the colors blended together: the shaded beige of the sand, the endless deep navy of the sky, and the water turned black by night that we could only hear but not quite see.

What an experience that was - to feel as though we were not that far from the other side of the world (Google Earth told us we were facing Australia). I felt very small, listening to the ocean. How vast and terrible and mysterious it seemed. How much we still didn't know about what lay beneath it. I thought about all that it had seen over the centuries, and how many secrets it kept, and how many legends and fairy tales had been born from that mystery.

Well, I flew home and continued to query and write, but I couldn't get that mermaid story out of my mind. I had promised myself that FOTL would be my next big project, but something urged me to give this new idea a chance.

And then, one day, I heard this music on Pandora (on my Howard Shore playlist, which you should add if you like movie scores because there are some fantastic soundtracks to be found).




I was working when it came on, typing away without really listening, and then that gorgeous, haunting soprano caught my attention (Hila Plittman... look her up, she won a Grammy and her voice is AMAZING. I think she also sang on the "Da Vinci Code" soundtrack).

"Mermaids" is so creepy and atmospheric, and every time I listen to it, I think about sitting by the ocean that night. It has convinced me to give my mermaid story another chance, as soon as I get ELEGY off to my CPs (sometime this week!) and do some heavy lifting on FOTL first, of course!

Give it a try and let me know what you think. Is it dark, evil mermaid story-writing material?

Back in Business!

Well, hello! That was a nice, long blog break!

I hope everyone had a great month. I've been catching up on blog reading this week and I see a lot of people successfully completed the A-to-Z challenge (which, for those of you who aren't familiar, involves blogging every day for 26 days on topics beginning from the letter A through Z. It's quite a feat!), so congrats if you participated!

April was... an interesting month. There were some dark, scary days that I hope none of us will have to live through again. There were some brighter days. There were hints of spring. There was plenty of eating, reading, and writing.

So here is a list of writing-related things that I did:

1. I started rewriting parts of ELEGY. When last you saw me, I had the first draft done and was getting ready to send it off to CPs. But upon rereading, I found a plot error that needed to be fixed ASAP or the story would make NO sense. See, this is why I love and hate writing stories that revolve around a timeline. It's fun/cool to switch back and forth between the past and the present, and see how the two plots fit together, but things can get really screwed up and uneven if you're not careful. I'm still playing book-tailor and patching chapters together, but hopefully it'll all be straightened out by end of May!


2. I came up with another story idea. Which is neither strange nor out of the ordinary, but this project just refuses to be ignored. After ELEGY is done, I'll be working on FOTL, but maybe I can find some time for this new book. I've wanted to do a mermaid story for years and years, and when my main character - who is a guy (!!!) - appeared in my head, I knew that the time had come. (Some of my sharp-eyed Pinterest buddies may have already noticed a new storyboard.) More on this in my next blog post, which is about the music and the night I spent sitting on a dark beach in Hawaii that inspired this story.


3. I spent a glorious afternoon at Barnes and Noble. For the first time in AGES! I came out of there  with a HUGE bag of books. It is a goal very dear to my heart to help keep brick-and-mortar bookstores alive, whether it's B&N or local indies. I've promised myself not to be lazy and hop on Amazon anymore, not when books (real, paper-and-ink books) and the stores that sell them need us.


4. I started re-reading the Harry Potter series. I always set aside a couple of months to do this every other year, both for enjoyment and for craft-learning purposes. I try to learn something different each time I tackle the series. This time, I'm paying attention to foreshadowing and details that become more important later on. So much fun! Join me - I just cracked open Book 2 the other night!


5. I queried five more people. One agent passed, but with the nicest compliments that made my entire month. I'm saving the form rejections in one email folder and the personalized responses in another. I use both to motivate myself and it's really been helping. Haven't heard from anyone else yet, but I'm keeping busy and trying to keep my mind on my new projects!

So there's my quick update!

How are you doing? What are you writing and reading nowadays?

A Conversation With My WIPs

ELEGY: So.

Me: So.

ELEGY: Looks like we're done.

Me: Yep.

ELEGY: And you're already thinking of what you're going to write next.

Me: Yeah, that's what writers are supposed to do. Why, what's with the long face title page?

ELEGY: (casual shrug) Oh, I dunno. It's just... well... I'm the shortest first draft you've ever written. I'm not sure how to feel about that.

Me: You should feel good! 60K is a great number.

ELEGY: Yeah, but Pee-pee over there keeps bragging about how she was once 110,000 words.

PUMPKIN PATCH PRINCESS: I told you to never call me that.

Me: But I ended up having to cut 46,000 words from her. Wouldn't you rather not have huge chunks of stuff chopped off you?

ELEGY: Well... no, I guess...

RICE FLOWER MEMOIRS: (clears throat) If I may butt in here, I was once over 100,000 words myself...

ELEGY:  (grumbling) Everyone has a longer word count than me. Even that secret novel she posted online.

SECRET NOVEL: 75,000 words, baby. (waves at Julie) Hey, pen lady. It's been five years. I know you're ashamed of me, but how about some acknowledgment from time to time?

Me: I'm not ashamed of you!

SECRET NOVEL: (rambling on) I mean, I'm the reason you got back into writing again. You posted me anonymously and people didn't run away screaming. How about taking another look at me before you go crazy with your 219074751092 other story ideas, huh?

PPP: (snorts) Why would she ever do that? You're just a rough draft. I'm the one she's sending out to agents and important people like that. I'm the one she loves. (preens)

SECRET NOVEL: (smugly) Yeah, but have strangers read and reviewed you in your entirety? No. I'm the only one, suckers. But as I was saying, Julie... some boys take a beautiful girl and hide her away from the rest of the world.

Me: ....You didn't say that, Cyndi Lauper did.

RFM: At least she's been thinking about you, Secret Novel. (sighs) I've been on the shelf since 2009.

Me: You know I love you, Ricey. You're the story of my family and I'm proud of you, but you're just a little too personal to share right now.

ELEGY: Okay, okay, BACK TO ME. What's with my measly word count? How come everyone else on the field is nice and fat, and I'm the scrawny kid on the bleachers with a bunch of towels? Even Rip Van Winkle over there has been sleeping for a year, and he's guaranteed to have a ginormous word count, being an epic fantasy...

FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS: (rolls over, begins snoring)

Me: Look, Elegy, I think you're putting too much store by word count. Word count is just a number. It's the story that counts, and if we go by story, I think you are extremely fat.

ELEGY: (pauses) Do you really mean that?

Me: Of course I do. I've been seriously writing for 5-6 years now, right?

ALL NOVELS: (nodding)

Me: So of course I'm going to get better at it. I'm less wordy. I can recognize and leave out unnecessary stuff, instead of having to cut it out later. I know how to get to the gist faster. I leave out backstory. I do more showing and less telling.

RFM: (whispering to the others) I love it when she gets all cheesy and inspirational.

Me: So you should look at it this way, Elegy - I brought you to "The End" on a much smoother road. The others had a lot more potholes.

PPP: She's not kidding. The plane ride from YA to MG was rough. Horrible service.

RFM: Yeah, after I hung out at Amazon for months, showing off my excerpt like a floozy over a subway grate, she realized that my modern storyline sucked. That's half the book, you guys.

SECRET NOVEL: Oh, please. She posted me chapter by chapter. To tell you the truth, I'm not even that continuous, bros.

FOTL: (mutters in sleep)

Me: See? So don't worry, Elegy. To me, you are the beefiest of manuscripts. Stout. Rotund. Ponderous. Elephantine.

ELEGY: ....Oh my god. That's so beautiful. You really are a writer. (cries)

Me: Okay. I'm glad we had this meeting.

RFM: So what's next, boss?

Me: Well, PPP's out on submissions. Elegy's gonna get polished up a bit before he goes out to CPs. You and Secret Novel are hanging out for a while longer. So I guess it's time to wake up FOTL.

PPP: Cool, can I do it? (creeps toward FOTL with bucket of ice water)





These guys... they really keep me on my toes!

I'll be taking a blog break this month to keep my novels happy! Hope you and yours are doing great :) See you in May!

Why Fairy Tales?

No matter how long you've been reading my blog, I'm sure you've realized that I love fairy tales and fairy tale retellings. I love reading them and (of course!) writing them, since PPP and FOTL are based on Cinderella and Snow White. Yes, I'm a "grown-up" who admits her fairy tale love freely, without shame. And with the recent amped-up fairy tale craze in books, movies, and TV, I'm not the only one!

So what is it that keeps us coming back to princesses, witches, and dwarves? What's the big deal about wishing wells, poisoned apples, and glass slippers?

Well, I can't speak for other people, but here are some reasons why fairy tales will always be my favorite.

1. Fairy tales gave me my start in reading and writing. I grew up with a healthy dose of folklore and fables from around the world. I still have every volume my parents bought me and am still acquiring new ones (especially the grimmer Grimms I wasn't allowed to read!), not only for myself, but as gifts for friends and kiddos. I know both popular and lesser known tales like the back of my hand (The Golden Goose or Donkeyskin, anyone?). Which brings me to...


2. Fairy tales are familiar. As Neil Gaiman says, "We encounter fairy tales as kids, in retellings or panto. We breathe them. We know how they go." Even if you haven't read a particular story, the elements are the same: i.e. good vs. evil, the jealous witch/stepmother, the benevolent godmother/protector. When retelling a tale, it's fun to try to seamlessly weave new ideas and familiar threads of story together.


3. The possibilities for creativity are endless. A retelling can easily become an original story because there are so many angles you can take. All you need to do is ask questions. Why did the witch... what happened to the prince... what if the godmother never... where did the dragon...


4. Fairy tales are universal. One of my favorite picture books as a kid was this beautiful African retelling of Cinderella. Every culture has fairy tales and folklore, and I think it's fascinating to compare the themes, conflicts, and the way they are told based on where they are told.


5. Fairy tales are all about conflict. The characters only get what they want by working for it, and sometimes they still don't get what they want. Don't get me wrong - I love a happily-ever-after as much as the next reader - but I think unhappy endings can be even more interesting and compelling. These are more common among the older versions of fairy tales (see: Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid).


6. Fairy tales teach lessons. I really like a book with a message, as long as it's not heavy-handed or religious (The Chronicles of Narnia = total overkill for me). But subtle ones that make people think and apply the lessons to their own lives, and many modern fairy tales do this well.

Here are a few fairy tale retellings that I've read recently and love:

• SHADOWS ON THE MOON by Zoe Marriott. I heard about this retelling of Cinderella set in a fantasy Japan just around the time I began drafting FOTL, my retelling of Snow White set in a fantasy Asia. Blog buddies recommended it to me as an example of how a different culture can be written in a respectful, creative way, and I LOVED it.


• BREADCRUMBS by Anne Ursu. This is a middle-grade retelling of the Snow Queen legend woven in with a story of growing up, letting go, and moving on... and oh, how it tugged at my heartstrings. I highly recommend.


• ASH by Malinda Lo. This is another Cinderella retelling that I enjoyed. Beautiful, mystical, and unexpected - especially the romance! Come in with an open mind and I think you might really like this.


• BEAUTY by Robin McKinley. I think the first time I read and fell in love with this retelling of Beauty and the Beast was in third or fourth grade. The author stays true to the tale, but writes it in such an effortless, lyrical way as to make you forget it's not a completely original story. *writer envy*

And here's one that isn't a retelling, but is still very fun if you're into fairy tales: THE GRIMM LEGACY by Polly Shulman, which is about a girl who works in a library that stores famous fairy tale artifacts in its vaults. Loved it!

Do you like fairy tales? Which ones are your favorite?

BLOG BLITZ

Do you remember a simpler time in your life? When power and prestige were measured not by politics at work, your tax bracket, or relationship status, but by... how fast you could capture the flag? What kind of tree fort you could build in the woods? How quickly you could freeze when someone yelled "RED LIGHT" and then as soon as they hollered "GREEN LIGHT," start sneaking up behind them again?

Do you remember running as fast as your light-up Reeboks could carry you to the jungle gym that was the only designated "safe" area, trying not to pee your pants and/or be tagged by your friend who would holler "YOU'RE IT!" and then everyone would pile on top of you?

Well, if you haven't been scarred (too much) by those experiences, you're in luck. My critique partner DL Hammons - who I'm sure, was king of Red Rover, Capture the Flag, AND Hide-and-Seek back in the day - is throwing a big blog party that is the grown-up, writerly support version of Tag.

Except this time, you shouldn't be terrified/alarmed/in danger of throwing up your purple Kool-Aid. Because this time, when you are tagged "It," everyone signed in on the linky list will bombard your blog and leave supportive, inspiring comments on your latest post.

What a GREAT idea, right? You think I'm corny when I wax poetic about my blog friends, but these people are seriously the best - I've never come across a support system like this. And if you're laying yourself out on the publishing chopping block, praying for a chance to show your stuff on the bookshelves, you're gonna need all the support you can get.

SO, spread the word... share the image below... sign your name on the linky list... and prepare to be tagged! (Check out DL's official Blog Blitz post for more.)

Reasons Why I'll Finish ELEGY This Month

I always hit a giant wall when I get through three-quarters of writing a story. ANY story. I don't know why, but everything starts to turn against me (or maybe I turn against myself...?). I second-guess the plot and wonder if anyone will like it, let alone want to publish/buy it. I fight with the characters. I get nitpicky over every sentence. I consider being melodramatic and huffily deleting every word so I can start again fresh.

I know a LOT of us go through this, and I also know that no books would ever be written if people didn't push through the wall. SO... after managing to write 3,000 words yesterday (yay!), I decided to make a list of reasons why I will succeed.

1. I want to get published.


2. I have written THREE novels since 2009, all of which clocked in at 75,000+ words. I've pushed through before, and I can do it again.


3. I've been having incredible luck with picking good reads lately, which means that I've been insanely inspired by writer envy. I just finished THE SCORPIO RACES yesterday and I can't remember the last time I got so into a story. (Also, it reminded me of the movie Hidalgo, which I love love love - and not just b/c of Viggo.)


4. I am drinking hot chocolate. Hot chocolate is brain food.


5. I rediscovered over a dozen writing playlists I made on Grooveshark forever ago. The one for ELEGY is pretty mindblowingly awesome (if I say so myself).


6. DL Hammons will shake his finger at me disapprovingly if I do not finish.


7. I finally figured out how to kill one of my characters. She's been doomed from the start; I just didn't know how/when/where her demise would be, but it happened yesterday when I wasn't thinking too hard about it.


8. If I finish the novel in March, I get to have cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.


9. I need to distract myself from the agent waiting game. And I need to have something else to show/revise/query should things with PPP not work out.


10. The Magic 8 Ball said I would finish. It also told me that I would find a dress for my friend's bridal shower (true), that I would find a parking space on trivia night (true), and that I would not have fun at the gym (true), so I see no reason to doubt its powers.


11. I will be treating my writing as a second job and spending more time on it, as per my New Year's resolution.


12. I really do love this book.

How do you break through the wall?

The OVERCOMING ADVERSITY Anthology Launch!

Today I'm participating in the launch blogfest for OVERCOMING ADVERSITY, an inspiring anthology put together by Nick Wilford in celebration of his stepson, Andrew, who has cerebral palsy. As you'll read below, the stories are for a great cause: helping to send Andrew to school.

Nick is a terrific blog buddy and I am so proud to be part of this effort. Please spread the word if you can!

Blurb:

A collection of seventy moving and uplifting original pieces - real life, flash fiction, and poetry - about battling against the odds and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. The contributors include Amazon bestselling authors Alex J. Cavanaugh and Kyra Lennon, and the cream of upcoming talent.

The anthology is part of a fundraising effort to send the editor's stepson, Andrew McNaughton, to a specialist college in England. Andrew has cerebral palsy, and is a remarkable young man with a promising future. However, the free further education options offered in his own country of Scotland will not challenge him and allow him to progress. In order to access the education he deserves, Andrew will have to pay exorbitant fees, thus creating a situation of discrimination.

Help us get Andrew to college by buying a book that runs the full gamut of human emotions, ultimately leaving you inspired and glad to be alive. Whatever struggles you are going through, our sincere hope is that this book will help.

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Adversity-Anthology-Andrew-ebook/dp/B00BM62EZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362210101&sr=8-1

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Adversity-Anthology-Andrew-ebook/dp/B00BM62EZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362210134&sr=8-1&keywords=nick+wilford

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/290822

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17452314-overcoming-adversity

Editor Bio: Nick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad. Once a journalist, he now makes use of those rare times when the house is quiet to explore the realms of fiction. When not writing he can usually be found spending time with his family or cleaning something. He has four short stories published in Writer’s Muse magazine. Nick is also co-running a campaign to get a dedicated specialist college built in Scotland. Visit him at http://nickwilford.blogspot.co.uk/.

Cover Design:

The cover was designed by D.R. Cartwright (DRC) from a concept by Ella Wilson. Here are their blog links:

DRC: http://nhwcwritingexercises.blogspot.co.uk/

Ella: http://ellasedge.blogspot.co.uk/

 

On Spoiler Alerts (Spoiler Alert Included)

Important: DO NOT read this entry if you watch Downton Abbey and have not finished season 3. You've been warned!
























If you scrolled down this far, you probably know (or don't care) that another major character was cut out in the finale. I read that the actor had been wanting to leave the show for a while, which is why they had to find a way to get rid of Matthew. And since he's happily married, lives in a gorgeous castle that will one day be his, and has just fathered the Crawley heir, having him run off with a maid or decide to move to America to pursue the stage just wouldn't do.

That's where the biggest plot device of all came in: death. They had to kill him somehow. Murder wouldn't work, since everyone likes Matthew, and neither would suicide, for the reasons mentioned above.

Aha! How about a freak accident. A completely out-of-the-blue, nonsensical accident where - basking in the glow of fatherhood, beatific smile in place - Matthew is driving to Downton to share the good news and ends up driving off the road to avoid colliding with a milk truck going about 10 miles an hour. And he DIES. We know he's DEAD because there's a close-up of his face, eyes wide open, mouth agape.

This is a man who survived a horrible spinal injury in World War II that made him unlikely ever to walk again, let alone father children. And yet he did both. He came through it all to be with Lady Mary... only to die by milk truck.

I mean, I get that they needed to kill him (although I don't know why they couldn't just have him die on the Scottish Highlands, where he and the other men were hunting deer).

My problem is that I knew all through the episode that he was going to die. I didn't read any spoilers or interviews. No one told me. I just knew.

How did I know? Because they practically shoved his happy marriage down our throats during the entire finale. They had not one, but TWO scenes with him and his wife in bed, cooing and saying how much they loved each other. They had a scene after the birth where he promised she'd be his Mary for all eternity. And then his father-in-law - who has been miffed about Matthew's newfangled suggestions to improve the running of the estate - suddenly declares that these ideas are invaluable and that he should have accepted them all along.

Any time stuff like this happens, you know that it's a set-up for a tragedy. It's a writer's manipulation of the reader/viewer - you catch them emotionally, show how important this character is to other characters, and then BAM, when you kill them, people care more because they're invested. But there's a line between doing this subtly (see: death of Sybil) and doing this in a way that's too obvious. It makes the reader/viewer feel cheated at the end because there's a huge build-up... and an anticlimactic conclusion.

See, in real life, that's where the tragedy lies. People often forget to tell loved ones that they love them. They forget to tell them how much they mean and how much they are appreciated. And if they remember, they don't do it over and over and over. Realistically, pre-accident life would have gone on for Matthew without the repeated declarations of love and the assertion of how important he is to everyone. Sometimes these things can - and do - go unsaid. It's understood that loved ones are loved; they don't need to be told again and again because they know it (although it's nice to tell and be told from time to time).

That's why this is so clearly a set-up in books and movies, and that's why it hits you harder in the gut when a character dies unexpectedly (again, see: death of Sybil). Too much reader/viewer preparation is, in itself, the biggest spoiler alert of all.

If you watch the show, what did you think about the ending? If you don't, are there other books or movies in which aggressive foreshadowing ruins a character's death for you?

Character Tropes: The Nosy Neighbor

One of my favorite things to do when I read is to collect character tropes. It's fun to recognize them in my own work, especially when I realize that I've unintentionally modeled them after people I know in real life!

One trope that keeps popping up in my stories is the Nosy Neighbor. I'm sure we've all come across that well-meaning but meddlesome person who peeks out of the window when you pull into your driveway or lurks by the mailbox, pretending to sort through the bills but really keeping an eye on everyone else's activity.

A few years ago, I wrote a story set in a village entirely populated by busybodies. I loved writing the scenes where they all got together to speculate about my MCs.

But I realized something upon re-reading it... and that is that I happen to know exactly which real-life person each busybody was based on, even if I didn't  consciously connect that at the time. In fact, it's so obvious that if I ever wanted to try getting that manuscript published (which I don't), I'd have to change everyone a LOT, for fear that people would recognize themselves!

I have a lot of experience growing up with nosy but well-meaning neighbors. My family lived in a quiet, friendly neighborhood where the houses were all close together, everyone knew everyone else's kids' names (and practically license plate numbers), and a non-inhabitant could be sniffed out the minute they set foot in the development. It made for a very safe place to live, but definitely not private.

People knew when my dog had eye surgery because they'd peer out at me walking her in her cone of shame.

They knew when my report card came in the mail because of the look on my face when I went to get it. (Direct quote: "Your folks gonna freak out about another B, eh?")

They knew something was wrong when we dumped my little brother in the car and sped off in the dark of night (he cut himself on the lid of a soup can).

They wondered whether I was going stag to the senior prom when they saw Mom and Dad driving me off in my long wine-colored dress (I had to explain that my date and our group were all waiting at my best friend's house, where the parents were gathering to take photos).

And when my parents got divorced, and my dad moved out, two neighbors actually had the guts to approach me and my mom (on separate occasions) and ask point-blank where he was. Another one chose the beating-around-the-bush-method ("Is he away on a business trip? No? That's a pretty long vacation, isn't it?")

Maybe they were genuinely concerned, and I appreciate that, but when you're going through a painful family situation and outsiders demand the details, you do what I did - laugh with disbelief, offer no explanation, and walk away. (And then write about it in books.)

Now I think it's hilarious and Nosy Neighbors are a favorite character trope for me to read and write. They say to write what you know, and I definitely know about this!

Do you write about meddlers and busybodies? Do you know any in real life? Can you think of any books or movies that feature them?

A Little Write Music #28: Masquerade Waltz

The latest round of PPP revisions... is DONE. 
I finally got the word count down from 77K to the lower 60Ks. I had to scrap a ton of unnecessary description and dialogue, cut out a chapter or two, and basically be merciless with the 'Delete' key, but it's official. This thing has finally crossed the border between YA and upper MG land.   And that means that my work is cut out for me this weekend, since I'll be getting ready to resubmit, beef up my MG agent wish list, and see if my query letter needs any changes.   As soon as that's done, I'll pull out ELEGY, which is nearing the home stretch. I just have to figure out how the ending is going to work, since I hate twist endings that you can spot a mile away or that make you go "WHAT. WHY." I'll try to avoid that...   I made a Pandora station for this manuscript and The Masquerade Waltz by Aram Khachaturian keeps popping up. I love it. I already have a theme song for ELEGY (the Massenet Elegie, which I'll post about another time) but if I didn't, this would be it. It's so grand and sweeping, yet there's a definite undertone of eerie... which is basically what I want people to think about this book.   Hope your week is going well so far! (And if you're in the Northeast, I hope you're planning to hunker down with some writing this weekend like me. All this snow would have been nice around Christmas *grumble*)    

Solo Writing Retreats

Something I've been considering for a while is doing a solo writing retreat. No noise, no people, no distractions - just me and a laptop, if only for the weekend.

I've got some extra vacation days this year and I want to put them to good use, instead of lying on a beach or sitting around stuffing my face (although, let's be honest, I am saving time for that...).

Because you know what I've realized?

I never put my writing first. Ever.

I put it aside in college to study something I didn't love. I put it aside when I started working because it was "just fun to do on the side." I put it aside now whenever I have other weekend plans, which is often.

The reality is that if I want this to ever become a full-time job - pipe dream or not - I need to start letting it take some precedence in my life. Reading over that timeline I made for PPP has made it clear to me that if I ever want to become a real, live, WRITER, I cannot take 2+ years to write one book. Random spurts of productivity are not gonna help me get to my goal - at least not as quickly as I'd like.

I mean, this is the time to do it, right? One day I'll be juggling my writing with my husband, our children, a house, the bills, the grocery shopping, etc. It's totally possible to do, but it'll be tougher.

So, in 2013, I'm going to prioritize my writing a bit more and my first step will be a solo retreat.

I have no idea when and where. Google turned up a bunch of ideas, but most people mention group getaways with other writers. I have to say... that doesn't really appeal to me at all. Is that weird? I don't like writing my stories when other people are around, even if they're just typing away too.

I would LOVE to go to Europe, but 1) I've never traveled alone internationally and it makes me nervous, and 2) I would be way too distracted by wanting to sight-see and eat everything within reach.

So the States it is. Maybe some cozy quiet bed-and-breakfast somewhere?

Have you ever taken a solo writing retreat? Where did you go? Did it help your productivity? Any tips?

The Evolution of PPP

This past weekend, as I dove into the latest round of PPP revisions (and hopefully the final round before I resubmit!), I got to thinking. Writers sure spend a lot of their time revising. In fact, you might argue that we spend just as much time fixing what we've written as we do writing it.

Each of my stories has a folder where I keep the drafts, from the earliest version to the one that I query. I hit "Save As New File" every time I make revisions, so in the PPP folder, I end up having files titled "PUMPKIN PATCH PRINCESS - Version 1" and "PUMPKIN PATCH PRINCESS - Version 2 - CUT 20K, AGENT" and "PUMPKIN PATCH PRINCESS - Version 3 - NO PROLOGUE, ALTERNATE ENDING," etc.

It's fun to compare the first draft to the latest, because sometimes they're so different, it's like reading two different novels! It's also a boost to see how much better the story has gotten over time.

Here's a timeline I put together for PPP, from conception to (nearly) complete and all the revisions in between:


2009

• December: I finished RICE FLOWER MEMOIRS and submitted the unpolished, NaNoWriMo rough draft to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. (Yikes. YIKES. I would never even consider doing this now. How embarrassing.)


• I wanted to work on something else in the meantime and had been toying with the idea of writing a teen book. I had just reread my beloved copy of The Arabian Nights, where many stories dealt with the curse of the genie: no matter how powerful a genie was, he would always be a prisoner to the wishes of others. Coming on the heels of another viewing of Cinderella, one of my all-time favorite Disney movies, I transferred this idea to fairy godmothers. Et voila - PPP was born!

2010

• March:I got distracted by someone taking pity on RICE FLOWER MEMOIRS and making it an ABNA quarterfinalist. MIND BLOWN. I tossed PPP aside to focus on it, especially after my critique partner very gently pointed out that it still needed a LOT of work (and she couldn't have been more right).


• My critique partner and I decided to add some weird guy to our group. Three years later, he's still hanging around and I can't seem to get rid of him. :D


• April: RICE FLOWER MEMOIRS rightfully got axed before it could reach the ABNA semifinals. After a pity party involving lots of wine and chocolate, I put the manuscript on the shelf with a sigh and spotted PPP nestled there under a blanket of dust. I began working on it again... very slowly, since I was preparing to leave my job and move to the city.


• December:PPP still not finished. The new job was keeping me busy, busy, busy, and I was lucky if I could get 3,000 words down in a weekend. Plus, I kept hemming and hawing about where I wanted the story to go, whether I wanted it to be a comedy, and how much Cinderella I wanted to put in there.

2011

• July: Yes. JULY. Earlier in the year, I got a promotion that made my life a lot easier and I came home every day happier and less stressed. This was the perfect time to get back to PPP. I finally discovered how I wanted the book to end, so it was just a matter of connecting the dots to take the story there.


• August: I finished the first draft! I knew that revisions would take no time at all and was pumped to start querying in the fall. (Ha. Ha. Haha. Hahahah. Hahahahahahah. Oh, innocent 2011 Julie, you tickle me.)


• December: Life distracted me, AND I scored a shiny new job offer. I planned it so that I could resign from my old job and enjoy almost three weeks in between to focus on PPP edits. That worked, because it led to the completion of Round 1 of revisions!

2012

• February: I did another readthrough and had Round 2 of revisions, which was mostly copyediting. Then I calmly emailed the manuscript to my critique partners and readers and proceeded to curl up in the fetal position and bite all my nails off while I waited for their feedback. To keep busy (and sane), I started a sparkling new WIP that became what is now ELEGY.


• April: My readers got back to me with good news: they loved PPP! BUT (and there always is a BUT, and always should be, when it comes to writing) there were plenty of changes to be made. They wanted more world-building. They wanted loose ends tied up. They wanted entire scenes and whole chapters chopped. (*Darth Vader voice* Nooooooooooo...) And at least half of them mentioned that the story seemed too young for YA... that was clue #1.


• May: Armed and ready, I dove back in for Round 3 of revisions. In the meantime, I drafted a query letter and made a list of agents I wanted to represent my book. At the very top was one who had indicated interest and had given me some terrific feedback, which led to me killing the prologue and getting into the story more quickly.


• June-September: After nudging a few queries out the door (and getting feedback saying that the story seemed more appropriate for a younger audience... Clue #2), I began to seriously consider turning PPP into a middle-grade novel. In the meantime, I participated in WriteOnCon to beef up my query letter and first pages, where an editor from Entangled Publishing complimented my pitch (eeeee!) and suggested that PPP might be better suited for younger readers (Clue #3). I re-queried the interested agent, who kindly agreed to read my partial.


• November: I received an R&R from the agent, who suggested changing the book from YA to upper MG (...Clue #4). Folks, when almost all of your readers, an editor, and three agents suggest the same thing, LISTEN TO THEM. I embarked on Round 4 of revisions and sent the upper MG version of PPP back out into the hands of my readers.


• December: My readers and CPs unanimously agreed that the story read a lot more genuinely as an upper MG. However (surprise, surprise) it turned out that more revisions were needed since the word count was too high. 77K is right in the sweet spot for YA... not so much for MG. Which meant at least 10-15K had to go. *muffled sob*

So that's where I am right now. Pruning down the word count has been much easier than I anticipated. I try to remember that this story was once 110,000 words. (Yeah. I know.) And I brought that sucker down to 80,000, then to 77,000. Bringing it down to the 60Ks should (hopefully) be a breeze. Wishful thinking, anyway...

What about you? How many rounds of revision has your story been through and how many more before you query/submit?

Back To the Grind

Happy New Year!!! I hope your holidays were as relaxing as mine and that you're well-rested for all of the writing we're going to be doing this year. I know I am! Basically I sat around for a whole week stuffing my face and watching movies, including The Hobbit (loved it, of course; it felt like coming home) and Les Miserables (in which I got teary only ONCE - must have been an off day).

I got some writing done, but I have to be honest... I really didn't do as much as I wanted to/should have. I won't punish myself because I did need that mental break, but I'm trying to be as productive as I can this month so I can catch up a bit.

This past weekend, I had some free time and debated whether I should continue revisions on PPP or write ELEGY. I'm glad I went with ELEGY, because I ended up pounding out nearly 8,000 words. That's one of the things I've learned over the course of writing novels - to never push myself on a project when I'm not feeling it. I have been a little burned out with PPP lately, since I've looked at it SO many times in the past few months. It was nice to work on something else!

ELEGY is going well. I'm a little worried about Stella, my main character, being too unlikable, because she's... well, kind of a stuck-up snob. But I'm hoping to show her growing out of that as the story progresses, and I want readers to discover a better side of her right alongside her new friends. Yesterday, I got to indulge my inner music geek when I wrote a scene in which Stella and her friend Paul are investigating a dark wing of the music school, and all of a sudden a loud burst of music breaks out into the silence and they recognize it as the devil's chord. (Also called a tritone... listen to the beginning of the Danse Macabre and you'll hear it.) How often do you get to write about someone threatening someone else through music? (/nerd)

Eventually I will get back to PPP, but I want to make sure I'm inspired and excited to do the revisions so that it'll be in perfect form for the agent.

I also really, REALLY want to get back to writing FOTL. I just need to keep pounding out ELEGY until it's done, and then it'll be full-speed ahead!

Are you juggling projects too? How are they coming along?

Dao Unplugged: The Holiday Edition

Nope... still not giving a concert. I'm just unplugging from the internet for the holidays!

Things have been hectic, so I apologize for the delay in responding to comments. It will be done eventually, I promise!

I have two big writing goals for the break:

• Prepare PPP for 2013. There are still a few things to be polished before I resubmit, AND it needs to be chopped down about 10,000 words. Yeah... yikes. The word count was right in the sweet spot for a YA length, but now that this is an MG, it needs to trim down a smidgen. Thanks to the wonderful Pitch Wars coaches who brought this to my attention and had such kind words to say about the query and pages!


• Get as close to finishing ELEGY as possible. I have over 50,000 words written right now, and I'm almost there! I've changed the main character's name, oh, about four times now, and I've changed the way a major character dies. I'm both excited and terrified to see what people think of this story. *bites nails*

Happy holidays to all of you. Whether you've been reading and commenting on my posts, or just reading (it's okay, I lurk, too), you are greatly, greatly appreciated. Silver Lining wouldn't be the same without you.

Thanks for sticking with me in 2012. Can't wait to see what this bright new year brings us!

DOUBLE-HEADER: Happy Hobbit Fest!!!

Today, I am participating in not one, but TWO blogfests! For the Deja Vu blogfest, please click here.

Hobbit Fest is hosted by the lovely Tyrean Martinson at Tyrean's Writing Spot and M. Pax at Wistful Nebula in celebration of the movie!

Unless you're new to my blog, you probably know what a huge LOTR dork I am. I've seen each movie several times in theaters, own all of the extended versions, and even drove to Boston to attend the film exhibit when it was at the Museum of Science.

It was such a fun experience! They had a bunch of the weapons on display, including Gandalf's staff, and many of the costumes. My favorite was the chainmail (pieced together by HAND) and Galadriel's long white dress. And do you remember the scene where they send Boromir's body over the falls in a boat? That mannequin was there too. Amazing! I wish I had pictures to share, but unfortunately, cameras weren't allowed in the exhibit hall.

The Hobbit was one of my favorite books growing up and I'm pumped to see it come to life on the screen.

For the blogfest, we have to answer four questions, so here goes!

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What is your favorite hobbit characteristic/or the one that you think closely resembles you . . .?

Out of all of the inhabitants in Middle-Earth, the hobbit is my favorite. I don't want to be an elegant elf or a warrior princess ... I'd want to be a HOBBIT. I want to live in a comfortable hobbit-hole with a big round green door and a garden. I like the quiet life... although, like Bilbo, I'd be one of the strange hobbits who wouldn't mind a taste of adventure every now and then. But my favorite hobbit characteristic is that they love to eat, because I love to eat, too!

If you could choose between a scrumptious second breakfast and a perilous unexpected journey – which would you prefer?

I want both, but if I have to pick one, I'll go with the perilous unexpected journey. Seems to me like that would be something that would come along once in a lifetime, whereas a second helping of pancakes and bacon could happen any time (and, in fact, does happen. A lot).

Have you ever left behind something on a journey (expected or unexpected) and wished you could have it over and over again? (a pocket handkerchief?)

I can't say that I have. I take good care of my stuff and rarely lose anything important. I think I do remember leaving behind a brand-new bag of caramel Chex Mix at the airport once, and that was pretty sad, because caramel Chex Mix is the bomb.

What is your Favorite part or quote from the book that you hope will be in the movie?

I have many, many favorite quotes, but I love the dwarves' song: "Far over the misty mountains cold / To dungeons deep and caverns old / We must away ere break of day / To seek the pale enchanted gold." And I know for a fact it's in the movie because I heard it in the trailer! *goosebumps*

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What are your favorite Hobbit quotes? Are you going to see the movie? If you also participated in Hobbit Fest, please let me know in the comments so I can go read your responses!

DOUBLE-HEADER: Deja Vu Blogfest!!!

Today, I am participating in not one, but TWO blogfests! For the Hobbit blogfest, please click here.

For this blogfest, hosted by DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude, we are supposed to re-post something we've written in 2012. I've chosen to re-post my entry for ANOTHER blogfest that took place earlier this year, asking writers how they got their start in writing.

So here's how I got my start!

I got into writing because I love reading. Some kids kick and scream when their parents tell them to sit down with a book instead of playing video games or going outdoors. My parents (and sometimes my teachers) had to tell me to stop reading. I was the kid with the huge glasses and the messy hair, preferring to sit in corners and get lost in Narnia, Lilliput, the Shire ... wherever my current book wanted to take me. Books were my passport out of reality.

I loved fairy tales most of all. I was the quintessential Disney kid. Whenever my parents made me go outside to play, I'd pretend I was a princess. I had this wicker Easter basket that I would hook over my arm and I would waltz out into the woods in our backyard, singing and hoping animals would come hang out with me. (They never did. I'm pretty sure I traumatized more than one squirrel with my singing.) I even dressed up as Snow White for Halloween one year, wearing a beautiful dress handsewn by my mom and a huge red ribbon in my chin-length black hair.

Everyone knew my weakness. Books poured in on Christmas and my birthday from friends, relatives, and neighbors. I still have my two favorite books from my parents, both beautiful gold-leaf volumes that compiled all of the famous fairy tales and fables from around the world.

I remember spending hours lying on my stomach under the lilac canopy of my bed, absorbing stories the way I inhaled the breeze from my windows. I began filching notebooks and pens from the den, putting my childish hand to paper and rewriting those fairy tales in my own words. Pretty soon, I was adding and embellishing - and writing about my efforts in a unicorn diary with a lock on the side - and before anyone even knew it, I was gone. I was so in love with writing that I couldn't stop.

I feel truly lucky to have known what I wanted to do with my life since I was a kid, because some people go a long time without ever finding out.

I still haven't outgrown fairy tales. I still dream about one day owning a library like the one in Beauty and the Beast. I don't prance around the woods in a crown and a dress singing anymore (which is probably for the best) but I haven't lost that desire to jump into a book and let it become a sailboat, a winged horse, a vessel for my dreams. I'm still not tired of the crisp smell of paper, the feel of a book's spine between my fingers, the sound that the pages make as I turn them.

I'm still hoping to see those words - "written by Julie Dao" - in ink one day, on some cover on a table where a girl or boy who wants an adventure will use it for their passport.

How about you? If you're participating in this blogfest, please let me know in the comments!

A Few Announcements and ELEGY/PPP Updates!

The final round of WRiTE Club 2012 has been posted at DL Hammons' blog! Please check it out and cast your vote. If for some reason the judges' panel is split between the two contestants, your votes will act as the tiebreaker. While you're there, please extend your thanks to DL for all of his hard work in hosting the competition!

Congrats to not only the top two writers, but to everyone brave enough to submit their work for critique. It's pretty terrifying. I should know... I competed this year under the penname RING GIRL (inside joke; my friend Ali and I once saw a sketchy craigslist ad looking for ring girls for some kind of local boxing club and joked about applying, even though we don't have the right... shall we say... body type? LOL). I had mini anxiety attacks every time one of my pieces went up and people started voting/commenting.

I didn't make it to the finals this year, but I was in the top four! So if you voted for me or left critique/feedback, THANK YOU. I'm improving every year!

This weekend was very productive. I got a ton of Christmas shopping done, cleaned the house from top to bottom, worked out twice, AND *drum roll* cracked open my poor manuscript for ELEGY that has been gathering dust since I started working on the revise-and-resubmit for PPP. I don't know why, but I always cringe when I'm about to reread something I've written months ago... and then I'm surprised to find out that it's not half as terrible as I thought it would be. Maybe it's a perfectionist thing?

Anyway, I ended up padding on just over 2K words. Nothing too crazy, but going back to a WIP requires the slow-and-easy technique - just like stretching a muscle you haven't worked out in a while. I like the direction that I'm taking with this story, so all that remains is to get it finished.

In PPP news, almost all of my readers have sent in their feedback, and it's generally minor stuff (more explanation of the details, a little bit more juice in terms of world-building, etc.), which makes me super happy. I'm thinking about waiting until January to resubmit to this agent, since it's been brought to my attention that most agencies/agents close for the holidays. I don't want to be THAT writer and bug someone right before her vacation!

SO. I'll have a little bit more time to polish it up even more, and I also think it's very fitting... 2013... a new year and a new PPP. And a new list of agents that I'll query who are looking for upper middle-grade action.

Speaking of queries... who's sending their work in for Pitch Wars? And did you get a confirmation email? I submitted but haven't received one yet. It sounds like a fun contest (styled after The Voice) and it's open until Wednesday night, so there's still time!

Happy Monday, all!

P.S. Shout-out to my beautiful friend Suzy Hayes, whose beautiful book THE WITCH OF LITTLE ITALY will be published in the U.S., Italy, AND Brazil!!!