Writing the Query: Believe it or not, you already know how

It's coming, my friends. The next step: querying. That's right, I finished Devolutionaries last night! I sort of hate to say "finished," because I don't think it'll ever be really finished until it's in the hands of readers (fingers crossed). But at any rate, it's ready for that next step. And I'm two parts excited and one part nervous.

I've been working on my query for literally months. I have three completely different versions, and each one has gone through at least a dozen revisions. And, call me crazy, but I actually kind of like writing queries. Of course, it's still hard. There's a reason a lot of us freak out about queries. I don't know how to do this! we cry. It's so different from writing a novel!

And it's true. In many ways, query writing is very different from novel writing. But in all the revisions I've done on my query, I realized something else.

Writing queries is not so different from writing novels after all.

You know what that means? You already know how to do this. So how exactly is a query the same as writing the actual book?

You're telling a story. A story has the 4 c's: A Character in a Conflict who makes a Choice with certain Consequences. A query is the exact same thing. As Sarah LaPolla says in her recent post on queries, the query doesn't have to be complicated. All you need to do is TELL THEM WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT. Who's the character? What's the conflict? What choice do they have to make, and what are the consequences of that choice?

You already know how to do this-- you just did it for a whole novel! Writing it shorter is of course harder in some ways, but that's okay. Writing a novel is pretty gosh-darn hard too. Try starting as short as possible by writing your one-sentence pitch that contains the four C's. Then, add a few well-chosen details. It's a lot easier to expand from one sentence than it is to shrink down 70,000 words.

Choose specific details. You've got 250 words in a query. You can't show a clipping of the scene where your character discovers his mysterious power. I tried to do that initially, and it was just too long. However, if you just say, "One day, he discovered he could shoot laser beams out of his eyes," that's a little generic. So how do you find a balance? In a novel, you choose specific details to show a setting or a character. It's the same thing in a query. You can't show all the details, but you can pick a few specific ones to show the uniqueness of your novel.

Too many details: "Jeb crept through a dank forest on a hunt for the zombie squirrels who attacked his sister. When a squirrel lunged for his face, Jeb's instinctual reaction caused laser beams to shoot out of his eyes, frying the squirrel mid-lunge." Just enough details: "When Jeb is attacked by the same zombie squirrels that maimed his sister, he defeats them by discovering he can shoot laser beams out of his eyes."

Don't forget critiques and rewrites. You've done it on your novel for many months/years. People have torn it apart. You've rewritten it. They rip it apart again. You rewrite it again. A query letter is no different. You cutcutcut those unnecessary words, then go back and realize you can cutcutcut some more. You restructure. You write it again from scratch. People rip it apart again. And eventually, it's better. In fact, it's pretty freakin' awesome. A query doesn't have to be awesome from the start. It takes as many or more drafts as a novel to get it right. And you've got lots of experience in rewriting now!

So, my friends, don't freak out. You know how to do this! It's hard. But really, writing a novel is harder, and you've already done that. You've got the skills, so have confidence. And share with us-- do you have any tips and tricks that helped you write your query?

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4 Tips for Writing Characters Not of your Gender

Before I dive into today's post, I wanted to let you folks know about a few contests from fellow writers! You can win some great books (and follow some great blogs) from David Powers King and Chantele Sedgwick! Go check them out!

So today, let's talk about a tough one-- writing point-of-view characters that are a different gender from the writer.

When the idea for Devs first came to me, something happened that rarely does: it came with the main character intact. I had an immediate image of a shaggy-haired teenage boy, and so Ash was born. I didn't really think about the fact that writing a POV boy character would be a whole different experience.

In my first draft, Ash was an odd conglomeration of female mannerisms, a whole lot of action, and not much thought. I had to do some serious revision on him-- and in fact, my current rewrite is focused primarily on deepening his character. Through the process, I learned some very helpful things if I ever do this again.

1. Treat them like any other character.

I tried to think of Ash as a person first and a boy second. By fully developing his character profile and by writing him in terms of HIMSELF and not BOY, I was able to focus on who he was. Like I said, this has taken multiple drafts to get right. However, each time I came to a point where Ash had to take action or react in some way, I tried to think what Ash would do, not what a boy would do.

If you want to avoid falling into gender stereotypes (which I admit, I did), this is the absolute most important thing to do.

2. Don't forget the internalization

This is a big one I'm focused on right now. Basically, I was afraid to get inside Ash's head. He was a boy. I have no idea what goes on in a boy's head (or heart), so I just steered clear of the whole thing.

Bad idea. Not only did it make him pretty hard to relate to, it also underplayed many of the issues that come up in the book. I didn't address them, because I'd have had to address them through Ash. It's really kind of funny how terrified I am of a fictional 16-year-old boy...

At any rate, I've been doing my best to get over that, and discovered some fascinating things about how my character works. It goes straight back to number 1-- I have to focus on how Ash himself would think about these things. And it's amazing how much better the book is for all that internalization!

3. Have someone of that gender read the book

DO NOT LEAVE OUT THIS STEP. If I had, Ash would have spent the book with female mannerisms that are, in some cases, laugh-out-loud funny. The male members of my crit group have been invaluable to point out things like Ash swishing his hair back with his hand. For the most part, Ash's actions, reactions, and thoughts have been fine, though a few of those had to be modified as well. I wouldn't ever have seen them if it hadn't been for the awesome guys in my group.

4. Don't be afraid!

Of course, I should be one to talk. But don't be afraid of getting into your character's head, or letting them feel emotions, or writing them altogether. It's a whole different ball of wax to write a character that's not your gender, but it's actually quite a fun challenge. So if that's how a character comes to you-- dive in! After all, if it doesn't work, you can always rewrite things later.

So, my friends, have you ever written, or thought about writing, a character not of your gender? What things scared you? What tips can you share? What books have you read that do this well?

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How to Write Strong Character Relationships

Note: If you're here for the Show Me The Voice blogfest, you can find my entry here!

Writers talk all the time about creating strong characters, dynamic characters, memorable and unique characters. It's the core of our stories-- it's not just about what happened, but who it happened to. But there's a side of character development I think we often neglect, and it's one of the most important parts of who human beings are.

Our relationships with other people.

Characterization-- who a person/character is-- can sometimes be shown more strongly through relationships than through anything else. A relationship between characters is often a whole plotline itself. But even when it isn't, your characters will never feel as strong, dynamic, memorable or unique if you ignore their relationships.

As I've gone to conferences and worked on Devolutionaries, I've tried to make my relationships as strong, dynamic, and memorable as the characters themselves. Here's a few things I've learned.

For a strong relationship, no matter the type, your characters should need each other. There should be something about each of them that needs the other. In Devs, my main character Ash needs each of the others, even if he doesn't like it (or like to admit it). He has a distrustrustful and antagonistic relationship with another character-- but he also needs the training this character can give him. And this character needs Ash's ability to take risks to get what he wants.

There should be at least one reason-- and maybe more-- that each of your characters needs the others. This is especially important in romantic relationships. They need to fulfill a need in each other.

Of course, if that's all you use to define your relationships, you'll have a boring story. Your characters should also be in conflict with each other. This doesn't mean they have to be fighting all the time, or even that they have to have exactly opposite characteristics. But there should be some aspect of your characters that causes conflict. In Devs, Ash and his love interest have conflicting moral views on a key issue. For Ash and another character, their similarities (stubbornness, distrust) are actually what puts them into conflict.

Just like a character changes, relationships must change throughout the story. A static relationship is a boring relationship. However the relationship starts in the story, it needs to be grow and be different in the end. Through the conflicts and the needs, the way the characters see and interact with each other will be different. This is not restricted to romantic relationships-- Ash's relationships with each of the main characters evolves over the story.

And finally, don't forget about the relationships of the non-main characters with each other. This is something I'm trying to fix in my revisions. Ash's relationships with the other characters are the most important, but the other characters have relationships with each other that make the story stronger and more real. It doesn't have to be a focus, but it should be an element in the story.

So, my friends, how do you approach your character's relationships? What have you found that helps make them stronger? What are some of your favorite character relationships in books and movies?

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How to Write a Life-Changing Book

I recently read a book that touched me in a way books rarely do. Don't get me wrong, I read a lot of books and have a lot of wonderful experiences with them. But it's rare that a book gets to me the way this one did. It changed the way I looked at the world, just a little. It made me gasp as it wrenched and healed my heart.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. Read it, folks. I'll do a full-scale review next week, but for now, just know that this book is one that changed me. It's the book I wish I could write. I want to write books that capture people's minds and change their hearts. And I think I'm not alone in that desire. So the question is, how in the devil do we do that?

All the standard stuff applies. You've got to write a darn good book. But a good book doesn't mean a powerful book. The kind of book that changes people has a little something extra, that emotional core that readers can relate to at the most fundamental level.

In my freshman creative writing class, the professor made us all write a credo. A credo is a document where you state all the things that you strongly believe, no holds barred. You basically bear your soul about all the things you hold most dear. And then you use those things to write your stories.

Because only when you write about the things you believe to your core can you reach the core of a reader. This is hard. It is painful. It's even a little bit frightening sometimes. But if you really want to write a deep, powerful story, this is one way to do it.

1. Write your credo. It can be as simple as you want-- mine is just a string of sentences starting with "I believe..."

2. Read your credo. Think about what you want to write about. Which ideas give you a little thrill of fear? Mark them-- and then use those in your book.

3. Don't preach. When we write about things we believe, it can sometimes come across too didactic. Try to focus on asking the hard questions, not answering them. Let readers do the answering for themselves.

4. Write your heart out. That's one thing first drafts especially are great for-- writing from the heart. Tell your story, and don't be afraid to face those big bad beliefs.

Of course, that's all easier said than done. You don't have to go through those exact steps. You can start with a haunting question, or a single idea you feel clear to your core. Just find your heart, and write it. If your book can change even one reader, all that work is worth it.

So, my friends, do you have a credo? Have you written about the hard truths you firmly believe in? How do you face the fear? What books have you read that changed you?

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Creating Strong Settings from Real Places

One of the things I love about writing a new book is discovering the setting. I love fascinating places, and I love working them into my stories.

For example, the city where TUGL takes place is based loosely on Dubai. On my second trip to Ghana, I had a 12 hour layover there. It would have been yuck anywhere else, but I've never been in an airport like that. It was a cross between a luxury mall and a swanky hotel.

Dubai is the height of luxury, with man-made islands, indoor skiing, and elaborate architecture. It fascinates me, so I took it, modified it, and stuck it in my story.

My husband thinks it's odd that I base so many of my settings on places I've been in real life, but for me, it makes the setting come alive. So how do you take a place you love and turn it into a unique setting? I'm going to use an example from Devs, since it's fairly complete at this point.

1. Think about what the story needs in a setting. I have a scene in Devs that involves a secret meeting. I wanted the setting to be creepy, and symbolize decay-- but I also wanted reminders of how the world was before the decay.

2. Think of places in your life that could fit those needs. I had a hard time with this one, actually. I didn't want it to be a warehouse or an abandoned mall. Those felt too cliche. After some thought, I decided to place it in a looted and abandoned sporting goods store. I've been in plenty of them, and it was a good, "normal" type of place you'd find on any American main street.

3. Come up with details from that place to enhance the needs of the setting. I pictured my own local sporting goods store in my mind, going over all the things that were there-- and figuring out what things would be left if the place got looted. That's when I came up with the pool table. Nobody could carry it out during a looting. So I left it there in my scene. It was a perfect, haunting representation of the world that had decayed.

4. If you can, twist the setting a bit so it's more unique. That particular scene in Devs actually didn't need much twisting (beyond turning it into a dilapidated dump). It was small, and worked for the needs of the scene. But one of my larger settings is based on Dugway Proving Ground, which I visited to do some research. The base had some awesome places I could use for my setting, but I had to modify them.

I twisted the entire base around, changing locations, adding whole areas, removing things I didn't need, and tossing in new details. I used the nature of the setting to enhance my twists. Dugway, for example, tests military weapons in the middle of the desert. So I added a testing mine field that makes things a little more complicated for my protagonist. Is that mine field really a part of Dugway? Nope, but it sure worked out well for the story.

Using places from your own life can be a wonderful way to bring life and vibrance to your setting, and therefore your story. I love building settings that way-- and I love all the twists and turns that come up along the way.

So, my friends, do you use real places when you create your settings? What are some examples? What are some of your favorite settings in books you've read?

Don't forget, tomorrow is the last day of the raffle! You've only got one more chance to enter to win a critique from Sarah LaPolla and C.A. Marshall, and help five kids in Ghana get an education!

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How to Write Sequels that Stand on Their Own

After a month of letting Devs sit without touching it, I'm starting to remember the things I love about it. In fact, I'm getting downright anxious to finish my last round of rewrites. It's still out with a few beta readers, though, and I want to wait until I get the rest of the feedback.

So, I started planning the sequel.

And let me tell you, I was awfully naive about sequels. No prob, I thought. I already know my characters, built my world, and know what I'm going to do with the plot. It'll be a cinch!

I'm sure those of you who have written sequels are laughing at me now. Here are a few things I've learned while starting to sketch out the sequel.

1. You still have to develop character arcs. Yes, I know my characters now. But some of them changed through the course of Devs. They're starting at a different place in the sequel, and they'll have to grow some more. I won't have to start from scratch, but I do still have to incorporate character arcs.

2. You have to deepen the world. I did a fairly extensive amount of worldbuilding with Devs, and some of the details didn't actually show up in the book. Some of the background information just wasn't necessary at that point. But it becomes necessary in the sequel-- and some of it is still a little vague. I'm going to have to work out more of the details, and show the reader the same world they saw in Devs. I just have to make it deeper, and even more real and complex.

3. Even though it's tied to the previous book, the plot must stand on its own. One of my pet peeves in sequels is when the plot feels flimsy, and doesn't have its own beginning, middle, and end. I still have to go through the process of defining the story question, subplots, and structure. I have to have a separate-- but related-- story. I can't have a flabby middle, an unsatisfying end, or a slow beginning. All the same rules of plotting apply.

4. You have to fulfill expectations-- but you still need to surprise the reader. After reading the first novel, your readers will have certain expectations about the sequel. If you don't fulfill those, they'll throw the book into a pyre and dance around it while cursing your name to the heathen gods. (Or possibly something less dramatic.) Basically, they won't be satisfied. You need to fulfill those promises you made-- but if the book unfolds exactly how the reader expected it, you also run the risk of boring them to death. And I think we'd all like to keep our readers alive. So you still need to work in twists, new characters (or change character relationship dynamics), and surprise moments that turn those expectations on their head. It's a fine line to walk between providing satisfaction and surprise.

Basically, writing a sequel is possibly harder than writing the original. I don't plan on actually writing the sequel yet (I'm still working on TUGL, and I've got some work to go on Devs itself), but I want to have the basics sketched out before I start querying Devs.

So, my friends, have you written sequels before? Have any great tips you'd be willing to share? What are some of your favorite book or movie sequels-- or least favorites-- and why?

And there's just five days left to enter for your chance to win critiques from an agent and an editor, and help five kids in Ghana get an education! Enter the raffle here.

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Strengthen your Story: The Art of Lingering

I've got several awesome beta readers dutifully plugging away at Devolutionaries. I've even gotten feedback from a few already. And it's amazing to me how incredibly helpful it is to have readers who have never seen the story give their thoughts.

Two of those awesome readers (hi Hannah! Hi Teralyn!) mentioned something that got me thinking quite a bit. They said to take some more time on certain moments. Let the character experience that twist, feel the emotion-- because the reader will too. I thought back to a blog post I read ages ago (I wish I could find it again!) about letting moments linger.

There are certain points in your story that need to linger so the reader can feel their full power. Moments of great change or emotional impact. If those moments are passed by too quickly, they lose their impact.

Movies often do this by slowing the cinematography-- literally letting a moment linger by putting it in slow motion, or just letting the camera linger. Like in the newest Pride and Prejudice, when Darcy is striding across the misty field toward Elizabeth. The camera focuses on him for longer than a normal shot, allowing the audience to take in this moment where he's coming back to Elizabeth. It is thoroughly swoon-worthy (I'm getting fluttery just thinking about Matthew McFadyen in the mist with that billowing coat and open shirt). And the swoon is stronger because the camera lingered, letting the audience soak in that moment.

Lingering is useful not just to heighten the impact of a moment, but to deepen your character. Lingering on your characters thoughts, feelings, and reactions shows your reader what kind of person he/she is. It's also a moment for your reader to connect to your character through their own emotional reaction. I like to think of lingering as the action/reaction (or scene/sequel) sequence on a smaller scale.

So I'm putting that on my list of further revisions for Devs: let it linger. And I'm all kinds of excited about the possibilities.

So, my friends, what can you do to let it linger in your stories? What are some of your favorite lingering moments, either of your own or in another book or movie?

P.S. The awesomeness is coming. This Friday. You won't want to miss it.

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The Writing Process: Creating Characters

I had planned on doing three posts on the writing process this week, but my Blogger dashboard crashed! It seems to be back, and hopefully won't crash again before the What's Your Process Blogfest.

So now, let's talk about characters. I always have to do some character sketching before I can really move on to writing my story. Of course, my characters ALWAYS change throughout the course of writing, but I have to have an idea of who they are before I begin.

This is the character sheet I use, created by Anne Olwin. It's one of the most complete ones I've ever found. I love that it contains various traits and characteristics.

However, I add several other things to this sheet. Sometimes, if I have a vague idea of the type of person my character is, I start off with the color code personality profile and the Myers-Briggs personality profile. Sometimes I do these a little later, if I'm not really sure yet who my character is going to be.

The last thing I add to the standard character sheet is the 3-2-5 questions. Who is this character? Who are they becoming? What stands in their way? How are we like them? How do we want to be like them? What are their flaws, handicaps, strengths, quirks, and motivations?

I do this one last because it's hard to do it without knowing a few things about my character first. Sometimes, I don't even complete it until after the first draft.

I keep all of this in one document labeled with the character's name. Then, I do a Google search to find a face that could be my character, and sometimes do a Polyvore wardrobe set. All of this is kept in a file within my story file labeled Characters.

And voila! It can sometimes take a while to do all this, but I've found if I at least do the protagonist and antagonist before I start, I can write a much stronger first draft.

So, my friends, how do you create your characters? When do you design them? Do they come to you fully formed, or do you have to drag information from them kicking and screaming? Share with us-- or sign up for the blogfest and share it then!

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The Writing Process: Developing the Idea

With the What's Your Process Blogfest coming up next week (sign up here!), I thought I'd do a whole series on the writing process (or rather, MY writing process). On blogfest day, I'll do the biggie-- my process for rewriting.

But today, I wanted to start at the beginning: the idea.

There are a million ways an idea for a book starts. For Devs, it started with a quote from a movie. For BaB, it was another book I read. For TUGL, it was a conversation with my dad and husband about an article I'd read online. The point? Ideas can come from anywhere.

I've tried to train my brain to look for them. With every new thing I find fascinating, with every odd person I see on the street, with everything I read, I ask myself this: Where is the story in this?

Once that little spark of an idea takes root in my brain, it percolates for a few days-- or sometimes much longer. My subconscious works at it even when my conscious brain doesn't. I start to form a story from the initial concept. Who is my main character? A girl or guy? What's the setting? How does this, that, and the other work-- what are the rules?

After my brain has hashed out some of the basics, I create a new file under my "Shallee's Stories" file. The very first document that goes into this new file is my idea dump. I type out all the things my brain has come up with, and then I just let it go. I ask a million questions about all the details I've come up with so far, including a lot of "whys" and "so whats." I start developing the world. I start finding out about my characters beyond their gender. I try to figure out where the actual STORY is in all this mess of questions.

This usually takes days, at least. The very last thing I do is something new I'm trying out with TUGL. I got it from this amazing article by Donald Maas. I ask myself the questions he says to ask:

"The gift: Think about your favorite fiction…what element unifies it? In other words, what do you love best about the novels that you love?...Make sure that element’s strong in your WIP.

The challenge: What is it that you—yes, you—least want to accept, refuse to feel, fear is true, find unbearable, feel angriest about, or avoid at any cost? What do you see around you that makes you sick? What in yourself makes you terrified?

Go further: What’s the truth that underlies all things? What principle guides human behavior? What’s the greatest insight you’ve even had about yourself? Or even just this: What do you know about anything that nobody else does?"

I was amazed at how much of my actual story became more clear once I answered these questions, and how strong it made my initial story concept. Once I have this all figured out, I separate out the different parts of my idea dump into new documents so it's all organized.

Then I'm ready for my next step: characterization. We'll talk about that on Wednesday!

So, my friends, how do your ideas come? How do you develop them? Share with us-- or sign up for the blogfest next Tuesday, and give us the nitty-gritty details then!

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Announcing the What's Your Process Blogfest!

So, I'm starting a new novel. And no, it's not the new novel I've been talking about for a few weeks (BaB). It's...another one. A three-million-times-cooler one. It's tentatively titled The Unhappening of Genesis Lee (TUGL), and I'm really stoked about it.

As I've been hashing out the idea, coming up with characters, and formulating a plot, I've thought a lot about my writing process. It changes a little every time I write a new book-- hopefully for the better. I started out years ago as a die-hard pantser because I didn't know there was another way to do it.

Since then, I've learned about and tried many different tools for planning my novel, and I've learned something important: I don't have to do it like everyone else. And I shouldn't do it like anyone else. My brain works differently than someone else's, and that's okay. That's really good, actually!

All writers have different process for different parts of their writing, and I have learned a lot about what works for me and what doesn't by trying out other writer's processes. So...I'm hereby announcing the What's Your Process Blogfest!

If you want to participate, sign up below. On Tuesday, January 18th, blog about ANY part of your writing process-- how you create characters, how you plot your novel, how you organize your rewrites, your whole writing process from start to finish, anything. Even if you're a complete pantser, tell us your pantsing process. Do you write chronologically? Jump around? Edit as you go, or just dump it all on the page? Let us know!

Hopefully, we'll all be able to see how other people write, and pull out a few new gems to help us with our own creations! Sign up below, and pass the word around. The more of us there are, the more we can learn from each other.

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Strengthen your Story Through Your Character's Wants

Over the Christmas holidays, I watched Disney/Pixar's Up with my in-laws. I'd seen it before and loved it, and since the story was no longer new to me, my brain did what it always does with a familiar story. It dissected it.

One of the biggest things that stood out to me was how the story was driven so clearly by the character's wants-- their desires. Those are what motivates them to action. It's one of the most common pieces of writing advice: define what your character wants in order to drive the story forward. It creates a stronger story to have characters who act rather than react all the time.

But let's dig a little deeper. I'm going to be using examples from Up, and there may be spoilers, so if you haven't seen it, you have been warned. Let's break down wants into smaller, more useful bits.

Unique and specific wants - Say your character wants to find adventure in South America. Cool. Say instead your character wants to take his whole entire house on an adventure to South America to fulfill a promise to his wife. Way cooler. A lot of the uniqueness of Up is in the uniqueness-- and specificity-- of Carl's wants. What he wants drives him to find a fantastic and original solution: he flies his house to South America with helium balloons.

Emotional wants - Carl's desire to fly his house south isn't just a whim. It's a very deep, emotional want. He feels as though he broke a promise to his wife by never taking her to have an adventure in South America. The guilt and sorrow he feels strengthens the emotional ties to the story, and makes the ending that much more cathartic. It makes it easier for the audience to be connected to the story when there's emotion involved.

Complex, multiple, and hidden wants - Russell, the young stow-away on Carl's flying house, has one initial want: to be of service to Carl so he can earn a badge for his Wilderness Explorer group. As the story progresses, Russell also wants to help Kevin (the giant bird) get back to her babies. This want echoes the deeper desire underneath Russell's initial want-- he wants his final badge so his father will come to the badge-pinning ceremony. The intertwining and hidden wants make Russell a more complex character than just a boy scout trying to do some good.

Changing wants - Near the end of the story, Carl finally acheives his want: His house sits in Paradise Falls, just where his wife always wanted it. However, feeling somewhat unfulfilled, he pulls out an old scrapbook his wife made and realizes their adventure was in their lifelong relationship. At that moment, Carl's wants change-- he wants the adventure of an unselfish relationship again, starting with his new friend Russell. This change of his want is the change in his character that drives the satisfying end to the story.

Every character in Up had desires, from Kevin's desire to get back to her babies to Dug's desire to bring Kevin in so his doggy-friends would like him. (I can't even tell you how long it took me to catch my breath after laughing over Dug's "please, oh please be my prisoner!" line.) All of these wants are what made this story-- one that could have been small and unimportant-- into a story I fell in love with.

So, my friends, what do your characters want? Is it unique, emotional, complex, or changing? Is it strong enough to drive your story? How do you determine your character's desires?

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How to Write Humor That's Actually Funny

There's a character in Devolutionaries that's given me trouble from the beginning. I love him-- he's goofy and funny and knows how to lighten dark situations. In some ways, he reminds me of my husband. But that makes him a tough character to write, because that goofy, joking person is not me.

It's not that I don't have a good sense of humor. I just have a different sense of humor than Lucas, my character. In my first draft, sometimes I had to write "[insert funny line here]" in place of Lucas's dialogue. My husband helped me make him funnier in subsequent drafts, and I also thought a lot about some notes I took in a class on being humorous from funny-man Howard Tayler. Here are a few tips from Howard (with a little Shallee-extrapolation) on writing humor that's actually funny.

1. There are five elements to being funny (He said six, but I apparently missed one. Sorry.):

Be recognizable- if the audience doesn't know what you're talking about, it's not funny. Be sure to introduce context early on.

Be clever- This can be a hard one, but it doesn't necessarily mean to come up with something brand new. Find a little twist on something old. Think about your audience's expectations, and bend them.

Be bizarre- Pull something out of your hat that doesn't just bend expectations, it completely takes your reader by surprise.

Be cruel- Just a little. Make your humor wry and just a bit biting.

Be cute- Or sweet, or silly, or goofy. Slapstick is still funny as long as it's not the only type of humor you rely on.

The key is to try to hit as many of those as you can-- even within the same joke. Layered humor has a much stronger effect on your reader.

2. Leverage the audience's imagination. Let them tell themselves the punchline-- the more you explain the joke, the less funny it is. This makes the audience find humor from inside themselves that you might not have even intended.

3. Context is the most important thing to humor. Introduce the context of a joke early on, so the audience knows what to expect. Lucas's very first line makes the reader realize he's a goof, so they know what's coming every time they see him.

4. Point of view can change the type of humor you use. Something can be funnier depending on whose head you’re in. If you have multiple viewpoint characters, you may want to tell a certain scene from one point of view to change the humorous effect it has. In Devs, Lucas isn't a witty character, or a sarcastic one. He's just a goofball. Some of his quips are genuinely funny, and some are silly-- but they're made funny by his goofy personality. In setting up his character and point of view, I can make even stupid things funny through him.

So, my friends, any tips to share on how you write humor? Or any tips on what you find humorous when you read? What are some of your favorite books or movies-- comedy or not-- that have humorous moments you can learn from? Please share!

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Novel Planning Tools Even Pantsers Will Love

I've been buried in the planning stages of my new WIP this week, and...um...I love it. Not the WIP (although I do love that), but the planning. I call myself a pantser, but I'm sort of a hybrid pantser-plotter. I have to have several things in place before I can start a draft (or get very far into it): basic character sketches, a basic plot outline, and a basic setting.

And I'm here to tell you, it can actually be fun! Even you die-hard pantsers out there would have fun with some of these tools:

Polyvore - Create a character's fashion. Honestly, I thought this was silly when I first heard about it. Then I tried it. Do you have any idea how much fashion can tell you about a person? You can design sets that include outfits, jewelry, shoes, accessories...it's awesome. Check out my protag Vaea's fashion sense. It's a little telling, no?

MyWebFace - My crit buddy Chersti put me onto this one. I always have a basic idea of what my characters look like, but it's hard finding pictures on Google that match (I even signed up for one of those matchmaking sites so I could browse pictures of people!). On this site, you can design your own character how you want them. It's not exact, and it is a cartoon, but it's pretty fun. Here's Vaea. [PLEASE NOTE: Since writing this, I've learned MyWebFace is infamous for attaching spyware/malware to the required download. I had to remove it and the associated bad content from my own computer, so I regret to say I no longer recommend this!]

And, on the character note, I use the personality color code and the Meyers-Briggs personality types to help me get some of my first basic ideas for who my characters are. They give a very good basis to start a more detailed character sketch.

Freemind - This is the plotting tool for pantsers (and plotters, too!). It's a mind map software that author Simon Haynes uses to plot his books. If you check out his post, you can even see the base mind map he uses over and over. I use this base for every story, because you can be as detailed or as sparse as you want. I've even included such incredible outline points like "more bad stuff happens." I am, after all, somewhat of a pantser. But even so, it helps to get a linear look at my storyline.

I haven't found anything cool for designing a setting out there, so if any of you know of any sweet map creation software or something, feel free to share in the comments! I'm a big fan of Google images to get some ideas for my settings.

And...the new WIP does actually have a title now! For the moment, it's being designated Black and Blue (BaB), and it's a YA sci fi. Woot! I love starting a new book.

So, my friends, any planning tools or tips to share? What's your progress on your own WIPs?

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Create a Stronger Story-- Be Intentional About Viewpoint

One of the things that always gives me pause when I start a new book is viewpoint. I don't have a favorite, so it usually takes me a little bit to decide whether first or third person is the way to go.

Viewpoint is something that doesn't seem like it should be that important, right? It's just first or third, past or present, whatever floats your boat. Um...sorry. No. Viewpoint is the lens through which the reader sees your story. That makes it pretty darn important!

You should always be INTENTIONAL, not accidental with your viewpoint.

Here's a quick look at the differences between different viewpoints, and what the advantages and disadvantages are.

Third person - This viewpoint is good for when you can't tell the story through one narrator. I've used it before in stories where the reader needs to know things the main character just wouldn't know. It's also good for deeper characterization of more than one protagonist (or even antagonist).

Third person limited-- where you are telling the story strictly through one character's head at a time-- generally gives you a stronger story than third person omniscient (where you view everything from "above" the story). It's stronger because the reader is more closely connected to the character. Third person omniscient disconnects the reader from the characters, though if that's what you're going for, it might be a good choice.

First person - In this viewpoint, you have the ability to characterize one person really, really well. It creates a character your reader immediately identifies with. This viewpoint is popular in YA for just that reason. It doesn't lend itself as easily to viewpoint switches, however, and it can be limiting to tell things only from one person's head.

Tense - While past tense is the generally used form in literature, present tense is becoming popular (a la The Hunger Games). Be very careful if you choose present tense; it's difficult to manage. It gives the feeling of immediacy, but that can backfire if you don't keep your narrative flowing with your character's situation. I'm going to go out on a limb and say by and large, past tense should be your default unless you have a really good reason to write in present tense.

Viewpoint is an excellent way to ensure strong characterization. When you color EVERYTHING through your character's eyes-- whether in first, third, past, or present-- your reader gets to know the character. The way they look down the street can tell us mountains about them. Are they looking for a specific person? Are they studying the artsy window displays? Are they calculating the ratio of colored cars to black and white ones? Are they unconsciously judging the people walking past by their clothing?

So be conscious about your viewpoint-- when you pick it, and throughout your story. Polish that lens until the reader sees exactly what you want them to, and in the manner you want them to see it.

So, my friends, do you have a favorite viewpoint? Why? What makes you choose one over the other?

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Combining All Your Great Ideas to Make One Great Story

I'm letting Devs sit for a while so I can revise again with better perspective. Meanwhile, I've started on a new book. I've had two ideas vying for my attention lately, so I started developing both to see which one would get more interesting to me at the moment.

Whenever I'm trying to flesh out a basic idea, I do what I call an "idea dump" document. I write down the idea, and any others that come to me while brainstorming. I also write down all the questions I have-- like "why," and "how," and "so what" and try to answer them. As I did this for one of my ideas, I had a sudden stroke of genius.

What if I combined this idea with the other idea? And then combined it with an older idea from an unused story?

My wheels began to turn, and the ideas clicked into place. I went from one interesting but possibly unoriginal idea to a story combining three of the greatest ideas I've had yet. And it's going to make one awesome story.

If you've ever listened to Writing Excuses, this is actually a method they advocate for creating an original story-- combining two or more ideas that seem different into one story. If you used one of those ideas, you might have a neat story. But if you use them both in the same story, it goes from pretty good to pretty amazing.

But you might be crying, "Wait! I don't want to use all my ideas in one story! I won't have ideas left for another one!" Lest you forget, you are a writer. A storymaker. Someone who can take a line from a movie or a picture on a wall and ask a "what if." You will have more ideas.

So, my friends, take a look at the stories and ideas floating around in your head. Can you combine any of them? Have you combined ideas before, making your story more complex and unique?

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5 Tips for Writing Memorable Romantic Scenes

I have a confession to make: I do not like most chick flics.

It's not that I'm unromantic-- it's actually the opposite. I feel like so many romantic movies are so full of tropes and stock characters that they kill the romance. This actually makes me extremely wary writing my own romantic scenes. I'm always terrified I'm going to fall into the sappy trap, and squash the real romance.

One of my favorite romantic scenes in any book or movie is in the movie The Village. You've got your painfully shy Lucius and your outspoken Ivy, who are in love but haven't admitted it to each other yet. There's just been a dangerous and frightening moment in the village, and Ivy wakes up to find Lucius on her porch. They sit and talk, but it's not particularly poetic-- they don't even touch. Then, Ivy, being her outspoken self, asks Lucius about their future wedding, which shocks him into finally saying what he's never been able to-- that he loves her.

Go watch the scene. I'm not kidding, you'll swoon over it. And why? Let's take a look at some things this scene did right.

The setting is unique

It's not a bedroom. It's not raining. It's not on a bridge. It's freezing cold, it's night, and it's on an uncomfortable front porch. Okay, so maybe it's a little cliche. But the fact that Lucius is sitting there, despite the potential danger from the "creatures," to protect Ivy-- well, that's romantic. And it's not the type of scene you'd expect to be romantic, but it is for just that reason.

The characters do not act outside their character

In fact, they act decidedly within their character. The unique blend and contrast of Lucius and Ivy's characters and how they interact makes this scene memorable. Lucius doesn't suddenly break out into poetic confessions of love. Which brings us to point three.

The characters don't break into poetic confessions of love

Okay, well, Lucius does actually make a confession of love. And I suppose you could even call it poetic. BUT. Let's look at what he didn't say. "I have loved you since before I could remember." "I can't take one more minute without telling you how much I love you." In fact, he didn't even use the words "I love you." In fact, the very thing that makes his words romantic is the fact that they are his. Even their delivery-- his frustration and agitation behind his love-- makes them better. Which brings us to the next point.

There are more emotions at work than just romance

Lucius and Ivy aren't wrapped in a rapturous romantic moment. There are a myriad of other emotions here. There's the fear of the attack that happened earlier that night, and Lucius's frustration and even irritation. There's Ivy's surprise when Lucius begins talking. And all of these emotions are inspired in the audience-- that's the key. In fact, the audience even feels an additional emotion-- amusement. Maybe it's just me, but I found Ivy's "will you dance with me on our wedding night" very funny. All of these additional emotions add realism, and even enhance the romance.

There is more focus on the relationship, and less on physical love

Now, don't get me wrong with this one. I'm not saying your characters shouldn't kiss or hold hands or even touch. They should do those things! But not every romantic scene needs to focus on them. Romantic tension is built in the scene from The Village precisely because the characters aren't touching-- but they want to. The scene is about the characters focusing on their relationship, which includes physical love but isn't limited to it.

So, my friends, now I want to know. What are some of your favorite romantic scenes in books or movies? What are some things you do to make your romantic scenes unique and memorable?

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How to Strengthen your Writing by Not Writing

The last week has been very "meh" around my neck of the woods. A cold plus a bad back made sure that all writing went out the window. However, I still managed to make some good progress on my third draft of Devs.

Wait, no writing but still progress? How does that work? Well, I spent the week redefining all the background "things."

Before I ever start writing a draft, I do basic character sketches, world-building, and a (very) loose outline. By the time I'm done with the first draft, those are all woefully out of date. I already redefined my outline before I started the second draft of Devs, but my world-building and characters needed a ton of work. I did some more research (which I love) to build up and add details to my world, re-sketched my characters (oh, how I LOVE the clarity the 3-2-5 method brings!), and then, did something totally cool that I've never done before.

I outlined each of my plotlines individually.

Now, my overall outline is fairly complete at this point. Still, I knew my plot needed tightening--one subplot managed to fall entirely by the wayside in my second draft. So I pulled out each storyline and did a mini-outline for it, detailing what happened in which chapters. And it was amazing.

In the process of looking individually at all my plots and subplots, I found the weak spots. I picked out where one needed more conflict, where another completely fell off the map, and where two of them came together, sort of mirroring each other. All of you mega-outliners are probably laughing and saying, "how can you NOT do that?" But it sure was a revelation to me!

Even though I did little to no actual writing this week, my wip has gotten stronger. And I can't wait to actually write all those little changes in.

So, my friends, what do you do to strengthen your story when you're not actually writing? What specific behind-the-scenes tricks or tips can you share that you've found create a stronger story?

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How to Make Your Writing Stand Out in a Crowd

So last week I blogged about stealing ideas and still being original with them. It got me thinking about the idea of being original. Don't we all dread being just like somebody else? We want to write something new and unique, something that stands out. But how, exactly, do we do that?

One of my crit group buddies said something to me last week that made something click in my brain. I'm submitting chapters of my rewrite of Devs, and as we left, my buddy said something along these lines: "Your first draft felt so similar to a lot of things out there, but all the details in this draft are making it stand out."

And there it is! That's what makes your book original, even when you follow the three-act structure or use one of the seven basic plots. The details. That's what makes your book yours, what makes it stand out from everything in the slush. Details like these:

Character details. We hear it all the time: make your characters real/flawed/unique. Behind all of that, I think what we really want is to make our characters memorable. We want a character that sticks out in someone's mind. It's all in the details! Why do we remember Katniss from The Hunger Games? She poaches food from the woods to survive. She kicks butt with a bow and arrow. Her dad was killed in a mine explosion. It's those kinds of details that make your character stand out in a readers mind. For more on developing this kind of character, check out this post.

Setting details. Your setting/world should NOT be ignored! It's one of the biggest ways to differentiate your book. The thing is, you can have a totally fascinating world, but nobody's going to care unless you bring out fascinating details. Think of the book Uglies, and all the details brought out about the world. Everyone has interface rings that are basically tracking devices. The pretties have crazy things like "safety fireworks" to play with. Tally eats bucketloads of reconstituted food like Spagbol. Bring out those details in your setting! What small things will make it stick in the reader's mind? For more on setting, check out this post.

Plot details. This can be a tough one. The story is the most critical element-- it's what we do, right? We're storytellers. So how do you keep your plot original, something that readers won't expect? Again, it's in the details. Look at the small (and big) turning points in your story. Usually, it hinges on the character taking some kind of action. But what action? If your character does the first thing you think of, I can just about guarantee it's unoriginal. So think of two or three or six different decisions your character could make. Which one will turn the reader's expectations on their head? The tiny moments of the plot-- the details-- can be great places to make your story stand out.

So, friends, go forth and be original! And please share-- what do you do to make your writing stand out? How do you create uniqueness in your writing?

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Writers-- Are we all just a bunch of thieves?

There is some debate in the world over whether there are truly any unique stories anymore. People talk about things like the seven basic plots, and how all of us writers just recycle and steal from each other. And really? Who am I to say otherwise? After all, I did steal my idea for Devolutionaries from an episode of Fringe.

BUT. Who says that throws originality out the window? Maybe most stories really do follow the seven basic plots, but that doesn't mean we're all writing the exact same story. Even if twelve of us had one idea, we'd come up with twelve different stories with different characters, settings, themes, and probably even genres.

Besides, Shakespeare himself stole his ideas from other writers. And if the Bard can do it, I'd say that sort of gives the rest of us permission.

So, my friends, now I'm curious. Where have you "stolen" your writing ideas from?

And now, just for fun, here's the Reduced Shakespeare Company's hilarious take on Shakespeare's theivery in his comedies.

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Beauty in Layers: Writing Powerful Scenes

I've been thinking a lot about powerful moments in my life, and what made them powerful. And of course, I've been thinking about how to put this into my writing. This morning, I thought about the summer I was on a crew team (rowing), and something clicked. It was something small, but something that changed me. It was powerful for me. Let's take a look at why.

In college, a friend of mine had hooked up with a crew team, and said it was a blast. The catch? We had to be up at 4:30 am. On a Saturday. But I was curious, so I said yes.

I had no idea how crewing worked. I had never met anyone else on the team. I stood, bleary-eyed, on the shore of the Great Salt Lake that Saturday morning, wondering if this was a good idea. The captain eyed me.

"You're short," he said.

I sighed. Was my 5 foot 1 stature going to get in the way? It wouldn't be the first time.

"Short's good."

I blinked. "It is?"

"Yeah. We need a cox, and you're perfect."

Well. Never before had my shortness been labeled perfect. I would cox til my arms popped off for perfect.

Cox was short for coxswain, and it meant I was in charge of navigation, steering, and giving general orders to the eight-person team. Cox's are generally preferred to be small and lightweight, because they don't contribute by sweeping, or rowing. I was a perfect cox.

After a little training, we rowed out into the lake. Using the "cox box," (basically a mic and a speaker system), I relayed the captain's orders, keeping strokes smooth and navigating in the right direction. We were the only people on the lake. The sun was just coming up, and the seagulls swooped around, calling to each other. The world was wrapped in cold shades of blue. Soft splashes sounded as the oars cut cleanly into the water, perfectly synchronized.

We flew across the lake, our rhythm dictating our speed, and the salty breeze chilled my cheeks. Out there, we were a team, moving as one to achieve our common goal. And I had a part in it-- a part that I filled perfectly because of what I had so long considered a defect.

Is it any wonder I continued to turn out at 4:30 every Saturday morning that summer?

It was powerful to me because of its beauty, and because of the layers of the beauty. So how does this apply to writing? Think of the most powerful scenes you've read recently. Whether they are tragic, happy, horrible, or incredible, there are aspects of beauty in them.

There is physical beauty. Of course, this doesn't mean that every powerful scene takes place in Eden. Even desolation can be hauntingly beautiful. When writing your powerful scene, make it take place somewhere distinctive. Somewhere that echoes the tone you want to create. And be descriptive, using all five senses. I found crewing beautiful because of the colors, the cold, the salty air, and the swishing of the water.

There is emotional beauty. Crewing was powerful for me because it took my weakness and turned it into a strength. It touched me on an emotional level, and changed the way I saw myself. It also turned me into part of a team, giving me relationships with other people. For a scene to be truly powerful, it must have emotional implications for a character-- and therefore a reader.

There is the beauty of the language. The scene must be written beautifully to be powerful. There's just no way around it. I think of it like the rhythm of the rowing. There is a specific knack to rowing, to make sure your oar doesn't get caught in the water. It must be done in perfect synchronization for the boat to move at its fastest. When perfect rowing happens, the cadence and flow of the boat is beautiful and swift. Make your language like that. Precise, but evocative.

It's difficult to create layered beauty in writing. But when it's done right, it can have a powerful effect on the reader. Good luck, my friends, and may all your writing be beautiful!

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