Part of being a writer is good people-watching skills. You know, studying others and how they interact in different situations.
While I was sick the week before Christmas, I was in bed watching the Today show. I found myself studying how the hosts adapted to their celebrity guests. And it made me think about character development.
One of the guests was Matt Damon. He's a nice guy, laid back. A dad with four girls for whom celebrity came early with a writing Oscar. A kindred spirit.
When Matt Lauer interviewed him there came that obligatory point where Lauer says to Damon that everyone in Hollywood sings Damon's praises, what a nice guy he is, etc., etc.
And then Lauer says, "I just don't see it."
Everyone laughs, even the camera guys. Damon makes some witty reply.
Segments later, the group is with Liam Neeson talking about Toys for Tots. They're also talking about the new Voyage of the Dawn Treader movie and his role as Aslan. Lauer makes a comment about how hard it is to talk to Neeson because of his voice and the Aslan character. It's meant to be a joke.
Neeson replies that Aslan has become something of a goodwill ambassador in the protection of large cats around the globe.
The hosts become serious again, yes, this is a weighty matter. The smiles are still there, but there's no belly laughing.
Neeson is a serious-minded fellow, who got his start playing extremely serious roles on the stage.
Then I got to thinking, "How would that scene have changed if Neeson had begun spouting Aslan lines and tried to intimidate Lauer." I think it would've been very funny. It would've changed the entire tone of the scene.
I just wanted to note this interaction for future writing authenticity. So what's on your minds, writer-friends? Then New Year maybe?
Have an awesome weekend and a fabulous Friday! Do some people-watching while you celebrate.
See you next year~ (wink)<3
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
While you're making the rounds...
Just a quick off-schedule note: My mom and I are over at Mason Canyon's blog talking about writing and such today.
If you have a minute, run over and check it out. (link)
And I highly recommend following Mason's "Thoughts in Progress." She's given me several great book recommendations through the months, and I love her author interviews.
Thanks again for having us, Mason! <3
If you have a minute, run over and check it out. (link)
And I highly recommend following Mason's "Thoughts in Progress." She's given me several great book recommendations through the months, and I love her author interviews.
Thanks again for having us, Mason! <3
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Monday, December 27, 2010
Book Review & Author Interview - The Hating Game
OK, True Confession: When I first started reading Talli Roland's witty, entertaining debut novel The Hating Game, I was concerned. I didn't like a single character. (Rut-roh!)
Mattie Johns, the protagonist, is introduced as a calculating media agent with no apparent moral code outside of financial independence. Her male clients are bullies with disgusting habits, and it was hard for me to believe she would touch them (let alone do anything more).
The other male plot-mover and creator of the reality show Second Chance for Romance (which becomes The Hating Game) Nate Reilly is introduced as a cowardly, doughy, barf-covered, bad-haired children's television show host.
Yik!
But almost as soon as I'd decided that, Talli slowly began peeling back the layers to reveal these characters' dreams, their betrayals and heartbreaks, and their determination to succeed--all the elements that lead them to Nate's fictitious reality dating show. (Reunion show?)
Mattie's facing financial ruin precipitated by Kyle Cook, her ex-business partner and the only guy she ever loved. Nate's manipulated by the television executives handling his show. And the truth is, other than Kyle, most of Mattie's exes really are idiots. Or worse...
As readers follow these two through one humorous double-cross after another, Nate and Mattie become sympathetic characters who are just trying to move up the career ladder to success.
Mattie's defensive-aggressive personality is explained, and readers will hold their breaths in anticipation of her giving Kyle another chance. (Will she? Won't she? But it was all a misunderstanding...)
Talli does a super job maintaining tension throughout the book, and I giggled more than once at Mattie's snide observations (e.g., "decomposition was the only chemistry in that relationship"). Talli also has clever fun with names (e.g., "SiniStar Productions" and "Silver Hatchett" is Nate's cut-throat boss.)
The chemistry between Mattie and Kyle is fantastic, and while I had an idea of what was coming, the conclusion plays out in an unexpected (and satisfying) way. By the end the characters have grown and changed, and readers will be cheering for them to win.
The Hating Game is a romantic comedy for grown ups that I gladly give it a smiling A and recommend you run out and purchase right away. (link)
And now for my interview with Talli!
Thank you! They are completely made up – I shudder to think about anyone’s chances of finding love if they were genuine. I looked at real life dating statistics, then I flipped them around, exaggerated numbers, and in many cases came up with my own from scratch (using some of my negative dating experiences…).
Actually, I love reality television! I’d make a great spectator at the Coliseum back in the day – I love giving a thumbs up or thumbs down to people on the screen – and the fact that it’s real lends extra drama. But as much as I enjoy watching, I’m very skeptical. I’ve worked in the media and as an intern on TV shows and I’ve seen how editing can influence outcomes.
When I’m thinking about new ideas, I try to take things I’ve already seen and flip them on their head. I had a think about all the reality shows I know and tried to give them a twist… and The Hating Game came to life!
Funnily enough, I’ve written a few novels with ambition versus self-fulfillment as the central theme. But in this novel, Mattie’s ambition and the threat to her business is really just a set-up to propel her to make a decision she wouldn’t have made otherwise. The central theme in The Hating Game is more about love and trust than ambition.
Thank you! Mattie was a tough one; she needed to start off brusque and aggressive, but with a hint of a soft centre. I don’t like wishy-washy characters and I’d much rather have them slightly over the top than passive.
Usually when I start writing, I don’t have a clear enough sense of what they want to make them much of anything. By the end of the first draft, their personalities are fully formed and I can go back and make them really come into their own.
I really love Nate, the misguided TV producer, because he’s like a giant cuddly teddy bear who desperately wants to be cool but is just… not. Silver, the managing director of the production company, was the most fun to write. I’ll never be able to bite into a sausage again without thinking of her! And of course I empathize with Mattie, since we’ve all been hurt by former loves in our lives and want to protect ourselves from that pain.
I’ve written five novels which will never see the light of day! But I don’t consider them wasted – I learned something from each of them, from plotting to characterization. It took awhile for the penny to drop that execution is not enough; you need to examine the core concept carefully before you start writing. Is it different? Does it fit into a genre? And does it have enough potential for conflict to carry it through at least ninety-thousand words?
I had already published two travel guides with Prospera and helped to edit a few other projects, so I had a very good relationship with the publisher already and a clear understanding of how they worked. When it came time to pitch The Hating Game, it just made sense to continue working with them. It’s been a great experience, since I’ve had input into the cover design, release strategy and been consulted every step of the way.
First of all, a massive thanks to everyone who helped me spread the word and supported me on the day! It exceeded my expectations and I’ll never forget it. To anyone who ever doubted it, social media does help sell books. I managed to get to 24 Paid Kindle on Amazon UK and 460 Paid Kindle on Amazon.com. (Link to Talli's blog post about it. And another link about working with Amazon.)
I’m really excited about Watching Willow Watts, about a small-town girl who becomes an overnight YouTube sensation.
I love how technology is transforming our idea of celebrity, making it possible for almost anyone to become famous if the fates allow. It’s still in the very beginning stages, and it’s due out November 2011.
Mr Talli Roland, of course! He was the first person to really give me a boot up the butt and tell me to quit whining about wanting to write and actually do it! Plus, he’s a great motivator and is the first one to let me know when I’m slacking off. All that and he bakes delicious coconut cookies, too.
Yummy! Thanks, Talli~
Talli's a great writer and a super bleep. I think you'll enjoy her debut romantic comedy, and I think WWW sounds even more fun--can't wait! (Now I'm wondering if that title was intentional... www?)
Have a great post-Christmas recovery week, guys. Til Thursday~ <3
Mattie Johns, the protagonist, is introduced as a calculating media agent with no apparent moral code outside of financial independence. Her male clients are bullies with disgusting habits, and it was hard for me to believe she would touch them (let alone do anything more).
The other male plot-mover and creator of the reality show Second Chance for Romance (which becomes The Hating Game) Nate Reilly is introduced as a cowardly, doughy, barf-covered, bad-haired children's television show host.
Yik!
But almost as soon as I'd decided that, Talli slowly began peeling back the layers to reveal these characters' dreams, their betrayals and heartbreaks, and their determination to succeed--all the elements that lead them to Nate's fictitious reality dating show. (Reunion show?)
Mattie's facing financial ruin precipitated by Kyle Cook, her ex-business partner and the only guy she ever loved. Nate's manipulated by the television executives handling his show. And the truth is, other than Kyle, most of Mattie's exes really are idiots. Or worse...
As readers follow these two through one humorous double-cross after another, Nate and Mattie become sympathetic characters who are just trying to move up the career ladder to success.
Mattie's defensive-aggressive personality is explained, and readers will hold their breaths in anticipation of her giving Kyle another chance. (Will she? Won't she? But it was all a misunderstanding...)
Talli does a super job maintaining tension throughout the book, and I giggled more than once at Mattie's snide observations (e.g., "decomposition was the only chemistry in that relationship"). Talli also has clever fun with names (e.g., "SiniStar Productions" and "Silver Hatchett" is Nate's cut-throat boss.)
The chemistry between Mattie and Kyle is fantastic, and while I had an idea of what was coming, the conclusion plays out in an unexpected (and satisfying) way. By the end the characters have grown and changed, and readers will be cheering for them to win.
The Hating Game is a romantic comedy for grown ups that I gladly give it a smiling A and recommend you run out and purchase right away. (link)
And now for my interview with Talli!
1-First, love the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Where did you find those? Are they real?
2-I got the impression while reading that you're not a fan of reality TV. But I actually thought "Second Chance for Romance/The Hating Game" was a great idea for a reality show! How did you come up with it? And which came first, the book idea or the reality show idea?
When I’m thinking about new ideas, I try to take things I’ve already seen and flip them on their head. I had a think about all the reality shows I know and tried to give them a twist… and The Hating Game came to life!
3-Mattie's a successful business woman who's on the verge of losing everything. I remember you blogged once that if you hadn't lost your own job, you'd never have tried to write a book. Any correlation between art and life here?
4-You did a great job taking these initially unlikeable characters and giving them depth. I got misty reading one of Mattie's memories of her father (the ring). Did you start writing them that way or did you change them to be less likeable at first?
Usually when I start writing, I don’t have a clear enough sense of what they want to make them much of anything. By the end of the first draft, their personalities are fully formed and I can go back and make them really come into their own.
5-Who was your favorite character and why? Or which character did you connect with the most (and why)?
6-You’re also a travel writer, writing 24 Hours London (link) and 24 Hours Paris (link). How much of a switch was it for you moving to fiction? How did your approach change?
Since I trained as a journalist, writing non-fiction was very natural to me. My dream was always writing fiction, but after years spent trying to write the bare-bones facts, I did – and do – find it hard to ‘make stuff up’. I tend to write very sparse first drafts and rush through scenes with scant level of detail. The second and subsequent drafts are where I add in much-needed details and try to flesh things out.
7-Tell us about your journey to print. How long did it take? Any ups or downs you'd like to share?
8-You went with a small, independent publisher (Prospera Publishing) for your first book. What made you choose that route? Would you recommend it? (Tell us about that experience briefly.)
9-We have to mention your marketing success for THG, as you put together an impressive "web splash" for the Kindle launch of THG. Any brief thoughts on that?
10-And you're already off to the next book! Tell us a little bit about your new book, Watching Willow Watts, when you expect it to be ready, how it's going.
I love how technology is transforming our idea of celebrity, making it possible for almost anyone to become famous if the fates allow. It’s still in the very beginning stages, and it’s due out November 2011.
Bonus Question: Spill it! Who's "A" in THG's dedication?
Yummy! Thanks, Talli~
Talli's a great writer and a super bleep. I think you'll enjoy her debut romantic comedy, and I think WWW sounds even more fun--can't wait! (Now I'm wondering if that title was intentional... www?)
Have a great post-Christmas recovery week, guys. Til Thursday~ <3
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Thursday, December 23, 2010
Happy Holidays!
It's that most wonderful time, and I (like I'm sure all of you) am buried with holiday guests and traveling. But I'm thinking of you, and I'll do my best to check in if/when possible.
Have a safe and happy holiday season, and check back Monday for my review of The Hating Game by Talli Roland!
Until then~ <3
Have a safe and happy holiday season, and check back Monday for my review of The Hating Game by Talli Roland!
Until then~ <3
15 comments:
Labels:
holidays
Monday, December 20, 2010
Be Jolly Blogfest
It's Christmas week! And I'm scrambling... but I love participating in holiday cheer, so here's my contribution to Jen & Melissa's Be Jolly By Golly blogfest.
First, a photo of my Christmas tree. (I think that would've been better at night...)
The truth is, since we got our cat Flower, we've had to switch to a smaller, artificial Christmas tree. And while I want to say that bugs me, honestly, it doesn't.
You see, our cat is appropriately named. She loves to eat any live plants brought into the house, be it Christmas poinsettias (which are not poisonous, btw), or lovely bouquets of flowers (all of which must go on top of the fridge), or fragrant Christmas trees...
For fun I'll give you a photo of our booger cat (below). My daughters added a bow to her head. To make her festive, I guess. To me, that look says, "I'm about to bite your leg." (Which she does without warning.)
Back to the blogfest!
Part of the deal is we have to include a recipe for our favorite holiday treat, and then our favorite holiday drink. First the favorite holiday treat!
I love Christmas cookies, but my buddy PK Hrezo noted that everyone posted Sugar Cookie Recipes this year. So here's the link to her recipe, which is pretty similar to mine.
And I'll give you a recipe I was afraid wasn't "Christmasie" enough. But it is so good and super easy. I had it at a work party and asked for the recipe, which I discovered is from Weight Watchers, so Bonus!
CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
Ingredients: (Makes 2 eight-inch pies)
Crusts
22 reduced-fat chocolate grahams
2 Tbsp. margarine
Filling
2 cups nonfat cottage cheese
One 8-oz box nonfat cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp confectioner's sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
Now for the Truth: I buy my graham cracker crusts. (I think you can even get the RF kind if you want to be faithful to the Weight Watchers spirit of the recipe.)
But if you want to make yours, here's that part: Spray 8-inch pan w/nonstick spray. In food processor, crush grahams, pulse in margarine. Transfer to pan, pressing firmly over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides. Refrigerate until chilled (15 mins).
Filling: Puree cheeses; blend in sugar, etc. (all other ingredients). Pour into crust. Bake until set (approx. one hour). Turn off oven, prop open door and let cool one hour. Then cool completely on rack. Refrigerate before serving, then unmold and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
As for my favorite holiday beverage... I have to confess... I don't have one. Wah wah waaahhh... BUT! I'm planning to run around and get ideas from all of you. So have a super holiday, guys.
No post Thursday! MERRY CHRISTMAS~ <3
First, a photo of my Christmas tree. (I think that would've been better at night...)
The truth is, since we got our cat Flower, we've had to switch to a smaller, artificial Christmas tree. And while I want to say that bugs me, honestly, it doesn't.
You see, our cat is appropriately named. She loves to eat any live plants brought into the house, be it Christmas poinsettias (which are not poisonous, btw), or lovely bouquets of flowers (all of which must go on top of the fridge), or fragrant Christmas trees...
For fun I'll give you a photo of our booger cat (below). My daughters added a bow to her head. To make her festive, I guess. To me, that look says, "I'm about to bite your leg." (Which she does without warning.)
Back to the blogfest!
Part of the deal is we have to include a recipe for our favorite holiday treat, and then our favorite holiday drink. First the favorite holiday treat!
I love Christmas cookies, but my buddy PK Hrezo noted that everyone posted Sugar Cookie Recipes this year. So here's the link to her recipe, which is pretty similar to mine.
And I'll give you a recipe I was afraid wasn't "Christmasie" enough. But it is so good and super easy. I had it at a work party and asked for the recipe, which I discovered is from Weight Watchers, so Bonus!
CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
Ingredients: (Makes 2 eight-inch pies)
Crusts
22 reduced-fat chocolate grahams
2 Tbsp. margarine
Filling
2 cups nonfat cottage cheese
One 8-oz box nonfat cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp confectioner's sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
Now for the Truth: I buy my graham cracker crusts. (I think you can even get the RF kind if you want to be faithful to the Weight Watchers spirit of the recipe.)
My brother who lives in Key West sent me these seagrass wreaths that he says are traditional Christmas decor there. |
Filling: Puree cheeses; blend in sugar, etc. (all other ingredients). Pour into crust. Bake until set (approx. one hour). Turn off oven, prop open door and let cool one hour. Then cool completely on rack. Refrigerate before serving, then unmold and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
As for my favorite holiday beverage... I have to confess... I don't have one. Wah wah waaahhh... BUT! I'm planning to run around and get ideas from all of you. So have a super holiday, guys.
No post Thursday! MERRY CHRISTMAS~ <3
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Friday, December 17, 2010
The Magic Formula
It might've been the drugs (for my sinus infection!), but my last post got me to thinking about what makes books ginormous hits.
We were talking about Twilight and Yo Gabba Gabba and marketing. A few bleeps brought up word-of-mouth as being so important. Talli demonstrated that, yes?
So I made up this formula:
And I'd go so far as to say Engaging Story trumps everything--even mastery of the craft, which you see isn't in my little formula up there.
Now just hold on a minute, I'm not throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Of course craft is important, and yes, we should only ever send our cleanest MSs off for consideration. Don't shoot yourself in the foot.
But I believe regardless of how unsophisticated your writing style is, if you've told a great story that grabs readers and doesn't let go, it's going to be a hit.
How can I say this? Well, because of Twilight. Seriously. And I'm not a hater!
I read Twilight before I ever thought about trying my hand at novel writing, so I was clueless about all the falderall over adverbs or showing versus tellling. All I knew was I picked up the first book and four days later I'd read all three and couldn't wait to get my mits on the last installment.
Sure, it's anti-feminist, sure it's not perfectly written (adverbs!), sure the dialogue is embarrassing, sure it's basically a not-so-thinly veiled abstinence sermon, but it's an engaging story that grabs readers and doesn't let go.
And that's the secret: It's the story, silly!
Let the discussions begin! Til Monday~ <3
We were talking about Twilight and Yo Gabba Gabba and marketing. A few bleeps brought up word-of-mouth as being so important. Talli demonstrated that, yes?
So I made up this formula:
Engaging story + Outstanding Word of Mouth = Smash Hit
And I'd go so far as to say Engaging Story trumps everything--even mastery of the craft, which you see isn't in my little formula up there.
Now just hold on a minute, I'm not throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Of course craft is important, and yes, we should only ever send our cleanest MSs off for consideration. Don't shoot yourself in the foot.
But I believe regardless of how unsophisticated your writing style is, if you've told a great story that grabs readers and doesn't let go, it's going to be a hit.
How can I say this? Well, because of Twilight. Seriously. And I'm not a hater!
I read Twilight before I ever thought about trying my hand at novel writing, so I was clueless about all the falderall over adverbs or showing versus tellling. All I knew was I picked up the first book and four days later I'd read all three and couldn't wait to get my mits on the last installment.
Sure, it's anti-feminist, sure it's not perfectly written (adverbs!), sure the dialogue is embarrassing, sure it's basically a not-so-thinly veiled abstinence sermon, but it's an engaging story that grabs readers and doesn't let go.
And that's the secret: It's the story, silly!
Let the discussions begin! Til Monday~ <3
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Thursday, December 16, 2010
Marketing & Yo Gabba Gabba
In view of Talli's enormous marketing success on Amazon, I thought this would be a fun repost. And I've got a raging sinus infection. So to the recycle bin!
Yo Gabba Gabba finally got an article in Entertainment Weekly. (link)
Now I've admitted I'm a techno-lover (I blame formative years spent in the late-1980s).
I recall the Kraftwerk-"Music Selector is the Soul Reflector"-turn on the strobe light and "Dance Your Love Away"-scene as the ultimate in Good Times.
So two years ago when the girls and I happened across this odd little show on Noggin starring a funny black guy in an orange jumpsuit, furry hat, and horn-rimmed glasses dancing around to the musical stylings of Mark Mothersbaugh, we were checkin' that out!
Muno did give me pause, but the girls assured me he was just a hot dog from outer space. (Me: OK!)
Yo Gabba Gabba songs are available on iTunes. I recommend the following: "Don't Bite Your Friends" (good message for kids and adults); Party in My Tummy" (see above); "Working Together" (again, good for parents and kids); The episode "Dance" (for obvious reasons).
What does all this have to do with marketing you ask? Well, I'll tell ya. Recently, I came across an online forum dedicated to why the Twilight series was so successful.
There were a lot of haters going on about how badly the books were written (e.g., adverbs overload!) and feminist yadda yadda yadda. Personally, I thought the books were a lot of fun. I read them all in less than two weeks with a Disney trip thrown in the mix. They were entertaining and escapist and had an engaging love story.
But seriously, why would those books do better than say, a Sarah Dessen novel? My response = Marketing!
My reasoning was I would never have been aware of the books if I hadn't seen a big feature about Stephenie Myer and "the Twilight phenomenon" in Entertainment Weekly.
On the other hand, I've known about YGG for two years, and EW's just now getting around to going ape over the show.
So Marketing isn't the answer.
I don't know that they did much marketing for YGG and it still became huge. Maybe because it's on TV? Maybe because there's a buncha fan-parents out there who can't stop singing the songs and giggling about it to their friends?
What is making these books/shows so successful?
From what I understand there were lots of Moms out there reading Twilight before it went viral as well. Maybe that's it? If you can find something the kids like that the parents find irresistable as well, Eureka! You've done it?
I think it's the stylish clothes myself. I mean, heck. You can't beat that orange hat. And if I ever get anywhere near famous, I'm begging DJ Lance to please please please let me be a guest... I could teach everyone my Coco the Bird Lady dance!
Til Monday--Have a great weekend~ <3
Now I've admitted I'm a techno-lover (I blame formative years spent in the late-1980s).
I recall the Kraftwerk-"Music Selector is the Soul Reflector"-turn on the strobe light and "Dance Your Love Away"-scene as the ultimate in Good Times.
So two years ago when the girls and I happened across this odd little show on Noggin starring a funny black guy in an orange jumpsuit, furry hat, and horn-rimmed glasses dancing around to the musical stylings of Mark Mothersbaugh, we were checkin' that out!
Muno did give me pause, but the girls assured me he was just a hot dog from outer space. (Me: OK!)
What does all this have to do with marketing you ask? Well, I'll tell ya. Recently, I came across an online forum dedicated to why the Twilight series was so successful.
There were a lot of haters going on about how badly the books were written (e.g., adverbs overload!) and feminist yadda yadda yadda. Personally, I thought the books were a lot of fun. I read them all in less than two weeks with a Disney trip thrown in the mix. They were entertaining and escapist and had an engaging love story.
But seriously, why would those books do better than say, a Sarah Dessen novel? My response = Marketing!
My reasoning was I would never have been aware of the books if I hadn't seen a big feature about Stephenie Myer and "the Twilight phenomenon" in Entertainment Weekly.
On the other hand, I've known about YGG for two years, and EW's just now getting around to going ape over the show.
So Marketing isn't the answer.
I don't know that they did much marketing for YGG and it still became huge. Maybe because it's on TV? Maybe because there's a buncha fan-parents out there who can't stop singing the songs and giggling about it to their friends?
What is making these books/shows so successful?
From what I understand there were lots of Moms out there reading Twilight before it went viral as well. Maybe that's it? If you can find something the kids like that the parents find irresistable as well, Eureka! You've done it?
I think it's the stylish clothes myself. I mean, heck. You can't beat that orange hat. And if I ever get anywhere near famous, I'm begging DJ Lance to please please please let me be a guest... I could teach everyone my Coco the Bird Lady dance!
Til Monday--Have a great weekend~ <3
Monday, December 13, 2010
Those pesky weaknesses
In my mid-20s, I worked at the TV station in Baton Rouge (WAFB, the CBS affiliate). I started as an intern, working for credit toward my master's, but within two months I was "promoted" to production assistant.
I put that in quotes because I went from not getting paid to doing the same job for minimum wage--a paid intern with a title.
I learned a lot about television news there--things that never would've occurred to me as a passive viewer. One of my duties was to roll tape. (A position I'm sure is obsolete now.)
Here's how it worked: during the news program, the anchors talked about different stories, and after a brief intro, the director said in the headset, "Roll Tape B." Or A, depending on which deck the huge VHS-sized tape was in. That was my cue to press the red button, which started the news story.
It was a simple job that only required following directions and being able to press the correct button on time. Occasionally a tape would mess up, or there'd be some snafu, and I had to think on my feet. (Or panic.) But in the end, it wasn't really that big of a deal.
And production work was fun. There was always chatter in the headsets, and I was constantly giggling. It was also super-fast-paced, so it fit well with my undiagnosed adult-ADD brain.
I was there less than two years, but I got very good at writing copy for the anchors to read over B-roll. (That's when you're watching footage and the anchor's telling you about what happened.) I was never good at being an actual reporter--I've blogged about how painful the tags to my news reports were.
So what does this have to do with writing?
As writers, we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes they're the same thing. For me, my work experience has taught me to write very fast and get to the point quickly. That doesn't translate so well to novel writing.
I'll get a great idea for a storyline or a scene, and I'll charge right in there and get it down before it's gone. But the problem is while writing that scene, my undiagnosed adult-ADD brain often gets another idea for another great scene, and I'm quickly off to write that one down.
My first beta reader always complains.
JRM: This was a really cool scene, but you rushed off to the next thing.
LTM: I did?
JRM: Yes, I want to know more about what happened here.
LTM: Wait, tell me again how I wrote something really cool...
Is there a way to fix this weakness?
I don't know. I do know I'm usually able to beef things up in revisions, but gah! That's such a painful process, and I'm always convinced it would be so much easier to cut text than have to come up with new content.
Any of you guys struggle with this? Anybody got a trick or tip for me?
Alternatively, do you have a writing weakness you managed to conquer? I'd love to hear some success stories. Or solidarity! What's a writing weakness you're working on and want a tip to fix?
Til Thursday~ <3
I put that in quotes because I went from not getting paid to doing the same job for minimum wage--a paid intern with a title.
I learned a lot about television news there--things that never would've occurred to me as a passive viewer. One of my duties was to roll tape. (A position I'm sure is obsolete now.)
Here's how it worked: during the news program, the anchors talked about different stories, and after a brief intro, the director said in the headset, "Roll Tape B." Or A, depending on which deck the huge VHS-sized tape was in. That was my cue to press the red button, which started the news story.
It was a simple job that only required following directions and being able to press the correct button on time. Occasionally a tape would mess up, or there'd be some snafu, and I had to think on my feet. (Or panic.) But in the end, it wasn't really that big of a deal.
And production work was fun. There was always chatter in the headsets, and I was constantly giggling. It was also super-fast-paced, so it fit well with my undiagnosed adult-ADD brain.
I was there less than two years, but I got very good at writing copy for the anchors to read over B-roll. (That's when you're watching footage and the anchor's telling you about what happened.) I was never good at being an actual reporter--I've blogged about how painful the tags to my news reports were.
So what does this have to do with writing?
As writers, we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes they're the same thing. For me, my work experience has taught me to write very fast and get to the point quickly. That doesn't translate so well to novel writing.
I'll get a great idea for a storyline or a scene, and I'll charge right in there and get it down before it's gone. But the problem is while writing that scene, my undiagnosed adult-ADD brain often gets another idea for another great scene, and I'm quickly off to write that one down.
My first beta reader always complains.
JRM: This was a really cool scene, but you rushed off to the next thing.
LTM: I did?
JRM: Yes, I want to know more about what happened here.
LTM: Wait, tell me again how I wrote something really cool...
Is there a way to fix this weakness?
I don't know. I do know I'm usually able to beef things up in revisions, but gah! That's such a painful process, and I'm always convinced it would be so much easier to cut text than have to come up with new content.
Any of you guys struggle with this? Anybody got a trick or tip for me?
Alternatively, do you have a writing weakness you managed to conquer? I'd love to hear some success stories. Or solidarity! What's a writing weakness you're working on and want a tip to fix?
Til Thursday~ <3
39 comments:
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revising,
technique,
writing
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Tell your story
Hubs and I were watching the 2006 documentary Maxed Out last night (link). It's all about predatory lending, consumer debt, and how the American economy was (is?) teetering on the brink of ruin.
Yes, I said 2006.
LTM: Wow. Did this guy get any awards?
JRM: I don't think so.
LTM: How was this movie received?
JRM: It was largely ignored.
That got me to thinking about writing, of course. Because that's all I think about these days. That and crickets. And I was thinking about how you just have to write your story.
The fellow who made the documentary (James Scurlock) was intrigued by a phenomenon he saw happening, and he made an incredibly prophetic film that too bad nobody heeded.
Well, I say that, but I bet all the pinch-pennies in the audience (like me) did. I remember listening to Elizabeth Warren on Fresh Air in 2007 predicting the sub-prime mortgage crisis and thinking I was going to have to pull over and barf.
But back to books! I know agents say it all the time, but I imagine it's hard with all the vampire books and angel books and demon books and Hunger Games books and etc. etc. etc. books flying off the shelves. It's tempting to say, "(you know) it. I'm writing one of those!"
I say don't.
(I mean, unless that's your story.)
Maybe I'm just a cock-eyed optimist, but I believe if you've got a great story, you're passionate about it, and you're able to tell it in a compelling, well-crafted way, it's going to do well--whether it's fantasy, literary fiction, chicklit, historical YA, or whatever else isn't considered "hot" right now.
In 2007, vampires weren't hot.
So what? Do you agree? Disagree?
Would you say "If you're a good writer, write to trend, get your foot in the door, and after that, do what you want?
I'm just wonderin... Otherwise, have a great weekend! We're doing the Nutcracker. (link) <3
Yes, I said 2006.
LTM: Wow. Did this guy get any awards?
JRM: I don't think so.
LTM: How was this movie received?
JRM: It was largely ignored.
That got me to thinking about writing, of course. Because that's all I think about these days. That and crickets. And I was thinking about how you just have to write your story.
The fellow who made the documentary (James Scurlock) was intrigued by a phenomenon he saw happening, and he made an incredibly prophetic film that too bad nobody heeded.
Well, I say that, but I bet all the pinch-pennies in the audience (like me) did. I remember listening to Elizabeth Warren on Fresh Air in 2007 predicting the sub-prime mortgage crisis and thinking I was going to have to pull over and barf.
But back to books! I know agents say it all the time, but I imagine it's hard with all the vampire books and angel books and demon books and Hunger Games books and etc. etc. etc. books flying off the shelves. It's tempting to say, "(you know) it. I'm writing one of those!"
I say don't.
(I mean, unless that's your story.)
Maybe I'm just a cock-eyed optimist, but I believe if you've got a great story, you're passionate about it, and you're able to tell it in a compelling, well-crafted way, it's going to do well--whether it's fantasy, literary fiction, chicklit, historical YA, or whatever else isn't considered "hot" right now.
In 2007, vampires weren't hot.
So what? Do you agree? Disagree?
Would you say "If you're a good writer, write to trend, get your foot in the door, and after that, do what you want?
I'm just wonderin... Otherwise, have a great weekend! We're doing the Nutcracker. (link) <3
Monday, December 6, 2010
Book Review - A Great and Terrible Beauty
So a few months back I won a contest on Sheri's blog (link), and I chose a copy of A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray from the prizes.
You might recognize Bray's name from her award-winning 2009 book Going Bovine.
The premise of Bovine sounds hilarious to me--kid gets mad cow disease, starts having hallucinations, and sets off on a Don Quixote style journey. I'd be interested to read a review of it.
As for her 2003 debut A GTB, well, I didn't really love it. But I think I'm in the minority saying that.
There's a movie in the works, and it was on the NYT bestseller list. And there are like 400 raves for it on Amazon. So I'm sure the problem was all mine. Here's the (link) to reviews and how you can buy it if you're interested.
Just fyi, here's my review:
A GTB opens in a busy marketplace in Victorian India. There's a quick series of events culminating in main character Gemma seeing her mother die in a vision to protect Gemma from "Circe," an unseen evil spirit.
Gemma's immediately sent to a boarding school in England where she continues having visions. Then she learns she's a portal to another spiritual realm where she is warned Circe could be lurking.
She's warned by this fellow Kartik, who follows her back from India. He's a member of some ancient order that isn't clearly explained, and he's constantly (inexplicably) appearing in the forest around the boarding school watching her and warning her to stop.
Problem: she brought three friends over with her, and they beg her to take them back because it's a place where all their dreams come true. Gemma's mother is also there, and Gemma longs to see her mother again.
So they keep going back until bad things start happening, and they start to lose control.
It sounds really action-packed, but the truth is, I found the book slow going. And I gotta be honest, while I cared about Gemma, her behavior was often inexplicable--and not in the "I'm a teenager, I don't always make sense" kind of way.
I didn't buy her friendship with the other three girls. Bray sets her up as fiercely independent, and then has her manipulated by them in ways that were inconsistent with her character.
But it's a beautifully written book. Bray adores luxurious description, and it's not hard to read. Still, more than once it seemed like an exciting event was lost in all the lush detail.
Perhaps I wasn't in the right mood for it.
There were a few disturbing scenes and tense moments, and there was a hint of romance, although it wasn't deeply explored. I did get a thorough knowledge of the four main girls, and I did want to know what was going to happen to them...
And I love the cover. It's absolutely gorgeous~
So I give this book a solid B.
If you're a fan of historic paranormals or gothic novels along the lines of Jane Eyre, or if you liked that movie The Craft (remember that one?) you'll probably like it.
It's not a super-fast page-turner, but it has its moments of intrigue, which got me thinking about something completely different.
Personally, I love a good page-turner, but at the same time, I hate it when a good story ends. (Don't we all?)
JRM says J.K. Rowling is a master of the long novel. (I only read the one, so I don't know.) He said all those later Harry Potter books were long, but Rowling kept the story moving and readers engaged.
That's very much a goal of mine as a writer: To master the art of the long page-turner.
What do you guys think? Yes, long books? No to long page turners? I guess my house does get super messy when I find a good, long book I can't seem to stop reading...
I'd love to hear your thoughts. Til Thursday~ <3
You might recognize Bray's name from her award-winning 2009 book Going Bovine.
The premise of Bovine sounds hilarious to me--kid gets mad cow disease, starts having hallucinations, and sets off on a Don Quixote style journey. I'd be interested to read a review of it.
As for her 2003 debut A GTB, well, I didn't really love it. But I think I'm in the minority saying that.
There's a movie in the works, and it was on the NYT bestseller list. And there are like 400 raves for it on Amazon. So I'm sure the problem was all mine. Here's the (link) to reviews and how you can buy it if you're interested.
Just fyi, here's my review:
A GTB opens in a busy marketplace in Victorian India. There's a quick series of events culminating in main character Gemma seeing her mother die in a vision to protect Gemma from "Circe," an unseen evil spirit.
Gemma's immediately sent to a boarding school in England where she continues having visions. Then she learns she's a portal to another spiritual realm where she is warned Circe could be lurking.
She's warned by this fellow Kartik, who follows her back from India. He's a member of some ancient order that isn't clearly explained, and he's constantly (inexplicably) appearing in the forest around the boarding school watching her and warning her to stop.
Problem: she brought three friends over with her, and they beg her to take them back because it's a place where all their dreams come true. Gemma's mother is also there, and Gemma longs to see her mother again.
So they keep going back until bad things start happening, and they start to lose control.
* * *
It sounds really action-packed, but the truth is, I found the book slow going. And I gotta be honest, while I cared about Gemma, her behavior was often inexplicable--and not in the "I'm a teenager, I don't always make sense" kind of way.
I didn't buy her friendship with the other three girls. Bray sets her up as fiercely independent, and then has her manipulated by them in ways that were inconsistent with her character.
But it's a beautifully written book. Bray adores luxurious description, and it's not hard to read. Still, more than once it seemed like an exciting event was lost in all the lush detail.
Perhaps I wasn't in the right mood for it.
There were a few disturbing scenes and tense moments, and there was a hint of romance, although it wasn't deeply explored. I did get a thorough knowledge of the four main girls, and I did want to know what was going to happen to them...
And I love the cover. It's absolutely gorgeous~
So I give this book a solid B.
If you're a fan of historic paranormals or gothic novels along the lines of Jane Eyre, or if you liked that movie The Craft (remember that one?) you'll probably like it.
It's not a super-fast page-turner, but it has its moments of intrigue, which got me thinking about something completely different.
Personally, I love a good page-turner, but at the same time, I hate it when a good story ends. (Don't we all?)
JRM says J.K. Rowling is a master of the long novel. (I only read the one, so I don't know.) He said all those later Harry Potter books were long, but Rowling kept the story moving and readers engaged.
That's very much a goal of mine as a writer: To master the art of the long page-turner.
What do you guys think? Yes, long books? No to long page turners? I guess my house does get super messy when I find a good, long book I can't seem to stop reading...
I'd love to hear your thoughts. Til Thursday~ <3
31 comments:
Labels:
books,
writing
Thursday, December 2, 2010
It's a Blommunity
It was so fantastic to watch Talli Roland's debut novel The Hating Game soar up the Amazon charts yesterday.
Maybe it was because I'd just read an agent saying publishers didn't care about blogs, because "even if you have hundreds of followers, that's no guarantee they'll all run out and buy your book."
Maybe it was because Talli's one of my bleeps, and I'd just done a Thanksgiving post about how supportive our little writing community is.
Maybe it was because I'm a fan of horse races, and I love it when the underdog comes out of nowhere and wins big.
As far as I know, Talli didn't have a huge marketing budget, but when I checked the numbers before signing off last night, her book was at #25 on the Amazon UK site and #591 on the mac-daddy Amazon.com site.
I don't know how many units that equals, but I do know Talli has 569 blog followers. She's also got 1,173 followers on Twitter, but I bet several of those are also blog followers. My point is, I bet more than 1,742 units were moved.
Sure, it could be described as expert social networking, but I think it's more than that. I've said it before--this writing community is the greatest. The members truly care and want each other to succeed.
That might not mean everyone moves from zero to the Top 100 on Amazon in one day, but I don't know. It might.
For sure it means there's always someone helping another writer out (or several). From Alex and Stephen popping up all over the place last month to Clarissa's three book deal (Karen G!). Even Matt's always-kind Query critiques are such a helpful resource.
And it's not just tangible help. There's support like when Jessica felt insecure about her MC's voice and got 50 virtual hugs and words of encouragement, or when I freaked out over a revision request and got 31 kicks in the pants... (e'rhm words of encouragement). Thank you!
Yep. It was nice watching what we could do yesterday, and swapping emails and comments as everyone cheered on one of our buddies. The blogosphere was pink and purple, and it was too cool.
So Hooray for Talli! And here's to everyone who splashed her up the charts.
Have a great weekend~ <3
Maybe it was because I'd just read an agent saying publishers didn't care about blogs, because "even if you have hundreds of followers, that's no guarantee they'll all run out and buy your book."
Maybe it was because Talli's one of my bleeps, and I'd just done a Thanksgiving post about how supportive our little writing community is.
Maybe it was because I'm a fan of horse races, and I love it when the underdog comes out of nowhere and wins big.
As far as I know, Talli didn't have a huge marketing budget, but when I checked the numbers before signing off last night, her book was at #25 on the Amazon UK site and #591 on the mac-daddy Amazon.com site.
Update: This just in, she ended up at #24 on Amazon UK, #460 on Amazon.com. Woo!!!
I don't know how many units that equals, but I do know Talli has 569 blog followers. She's also got 1,173 followers on Twitter, but I bet several of those are also blog followers. My point is, I bet more than 1,742 units were moved.
Sure, it could be described as expert social networking, but I think it's more than that. I've said it before--this writing community is the greatest. The members truly care and want each other to succeed.
That might not mean everyone moves from zero to the Top 100 on Amazon in one day, but I don't know. It might.
For sure it means there's always someone helping another writer out (or several). From Alex and Stephen popping up all over the place last month to Clarissa's three book deal (Karen G!). Even Matt's always-kind Query critiques are such a helpful resource.
And it's not just tangible help. There's support like when Jessica felt insecure about her MC's voice and got 50 virtual hugs and words of encouragement, or when I freaked out over a revision request and got 31 kicks in the pants... (e'rhm words of encouragement). Thank you!
Yep. It was nice watching what we could do yesterday, and swapping emails and comments as everyone cheered on one of our buddies. The blogosphere was pink and purple, and it was too cool.
So Hooray for Talli! And here's to everyone who splashed her up the charts.
Have a great weekend~ <3
29 comments:
Labels:
books,
friends,
marketing
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Amazon Splash - The Hating Game
Talli Roland is a great bleep, and her debut chicklit novel THE HATING GAME hits the Kindle store today on Amazon.
Many blog-friends and I are trying to help her reach the bestseller list by spreading the word today. (And if you've got an extra $3, grab a copy! Even a few sales in a short period of time on Amazon helps push the book up the rankings, making it more visible to other readers.)
Here's the Amazon link to the book.
And you can download the FREE Kindle for Mac, iPhone, PC, Android, etc., when you get it. It's really easy to use--I did it. Seriously.
You can also follow Talli's blog (she's a travel writer living in London) at www.talliroland.com.
About THE HATING GAME:
When man-eater Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating strategy. After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £200,000 prize?
Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes. Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end?
Many blog-friends and I are trying to help her reach the bestseller list by spreading the word today. (And if you've got an extra $3, grab a copy! Even a few sales in a short period of time on Amazon helps push the book up the rankings, making it more visible to other readers.)
Here's the Amazon link to the book.
And you can download the FREE Kindle for Mac, iPhone, PC, Android, etc., when you get it. It's really easy to use--I did it. Seriously.
You can also follow Talli's blog (she's a travel writer living in London) at www.talliroland.com.
About THE HATING GAME:
When man-eater Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating strategy. After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £200,000 prize?
Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes. Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end?
18 comments:
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books,
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