Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, May 01, 2008
When Anything Goes
More Ammunition, Ad for Western Pulp from Art.comLast night, Ryan and I watched 3:10 To Yuma because as I've admitted in the past, we don't get out much anymore. (And when we do, we'd rather talk than sit in a movie theatre.)
If you want to learn how to create tension throughout an entire story, then I suggest you watch this movie. It's based on an Elmore Leonard short and he is the master of "anything goes." Mr. Leonard has no sentimental attachments to his characters and as such, when you start one of his books you get the sneaking suspension that someone important might not make it to the end. His characters - heroes and heavies, equally - are capable of anything. Anyone could buy it at any moment and when they do, it's just like death in real life - unrelenting and final.
One of my favorite death scenes in literature is at the end of Out of Sight - the book, not the movie - when a lovable secondary character dies. My second is when Jay Gatsby is shot in his pool. And when I say favorite, I don't mean that I have a thing for death scenes. I mean that they're so effective, they make you gasp and then at random moments, long after you've finished the book, you can still remember how you flinched and then reread the scene to make sure the author really killed that guy off.
The key to this idea of "anything goes" - for me - is to think of my readers as the other character riding along with the story. I'm usually into the third or fourth draft when I invite them in because at that point I know my characters and what they're capable of doing. So when I let the reader in, I think of that person sitting there with the book in her hands and then ask myself, "how do I get a reaction out of her?" What does she expect and what can I do to turn that expectation around on her?
Donald Maas has a chapter in his book, Writing the Breakout Novel in which you take your character and then think of a bad thing that you could inflict on them. And then something slightly worse. And then something even worse than that until you bring them to the impassable obstacle that would make then turn around and give up the goal.
It is exhausting, frustrating work. When I did it with Switchcraft, the process nearly made me give up. But when I think of what I did to my girls, Aggie and Nely and the emails I got from readers reacting to those final scenes, it was worth it.
If you want to learn how to create tension throughout an entire story, then I suggest you watch this movie. It's based on an Elmore Leonard short and he is the master of "anything goes." Mr. Leonard has no sentimental attachments to his characters and as such, when you start one of his books you get the sneaking suspension that someone important might not make it to the end. His characters - heroes and heavies, equally - are capable of anything. Anyone could buy it at any moment and when they do, it's just like death in real life - unrelenting and final.
One of my favorite death scenes in literature is at the end of Out of Sight - the book, not the movie - when a lovable secondary character dies. My second is when Jay Gatsby is shot in his pool. And when I say favorite, I don't mean that I have a thing for death scenes. I mean that they're so effective, they make you gasp and then at random moments, long after you've finished the book, you can still remember how you flinched and then reread the scene to make sure the author really killed that guy off.
The key to this idea of "anything goes" - for me - is to think of my readers as the other character riding along with the story. I'm usually into the third or fourth draft when I invite them in because at that point I know my characters and what they're capable of doing. So when I let the reader in, I think of that person sitting there with the book in her hands and then ask myself, "how do I get a reaction out of her?" What does she expect and what can I do to turn that expectation around on her?
Donald Maas has a chapter in his book, Writing the Breakout Novel in which you take your character and then think of a bad thing that you could inflict on them. And then something slightly worse. And then something even worse than that until you bring them to the impassable obstacle that would make then turn around and give up the goal.
It is exhausting, frustrating work. When I did it with Switchcraft, the process nearly made me give up. But when I think of what I did to my girls, Aggie and Nely and the emails I got from readers reacting to those final scenes, it was worth it.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
"Just when I thought that I was out ...
...they pull me back in."
Which Godfather movie did that line come from? I don't have a prize. You'll just look really smart in the comments section.
But the spirit of its sentiment applies to me now as I've put the NaNoMo book aside to polish up the mariachi story. My agent read it, loved it, had a few comment here and there and you think that would be good enough for me. But oh no. As a neurotic writer, I had to go back and make sure that its perfect or as close to perfect as it can get.
So if I'm a good girl and quickly wrap up this post, I'll be back to the NaNoMo book on Thursday.
Cheers,
Mary
Which Godfather movie did that line come from? I don't have a prize. You'll just look really smart in the comments section.
But the spirit of its sentiment applies to me now as I've put the NaNoMo book aside to polish up the mariachi story. My agent read it, loved it, had a few comment here and there and you think that would be good enough for me. But oh no. As a neurotic writer, I had to go back and make sure that its perfect or as close to perfect as it can get.
So if I'm a good girl and quickly wrap up this post, I'll be back to the NaNoMo book on Thursday.
Cheers,
Mary
Monday, April 30, 2007
Hee-bee-jeebies
Have you ever seen the movie, Chinatown with Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunway? If you haven't, there is a scene where this guy cuts through Jack Nicholson's nostril. It's one of those scenes that are branded in your mind forever and when you think about it, you shiver and say, "blech!"
Well, I've just written three chapters that gave me the hee-bee-jeebies. Not so much "blech" in that blood is flying everywhere. More like "blech" in that I'd cut down to the bone and exposed the raw emotions of my characters. The exposure was necessary and not always pretty (or gory for that matter). But still, when I faced having to write those particular scenes, it was scary (in that I wasn't sure I could go there), exhilarating (when I found that I could go there and beyond) and now, exhausting because I went there and I know I have to go back and do it again.
In spite of the doubt and fear that goes hand-in-hand with being a writer (and don't get me started on the pay), I'd much rather be doing this than sitting in traffic every morning to get to a job that I hate.
Well, I've just written three chapters that gave me the hee-bee-jeebies. Not so much "blech" in that blood is flying everywhere. More like "blech" in that I'd cut down to the bone and exposed the raw emotions of my characters. The exposure was necessary and not always pretty (or gory for that matter). But still, when I faced having to write those particular scenes, it was scary (in that I wasn't sure I could go there), exhilarating (when I found that I could go there and beyond) and now, exhausting because I went there and I know I have to go back and do it again.
In spite of the doubt and fear that goes hand-in-hand with being a writer (and don't get me started on the pay), I'd much rather be doing this than sitting in traffic every morning to get to a job that I hate.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
How do you know it's any good?
This week I've been in deep revision mode and I was on deadline for an article that will be published in the June/July issue of Tu Ciudad! Busy! Busy!
But the other day I was nosing around online and came across a message posted from a writer who asked when do we know a story is any good? How do you know if its worth pursuing?
For me, it's gut instinct. If the characters come to life and refuse to go away until I finish their story, then I know this is a journey I have to complete. I don't judge if the story is "good" or "bad." My agent does that for me. How I feel is that every story and character who has come into my life has done so for a reason.
Right after I turned in In Between Men (waaay back in September 2004), I wrote a drama about two sisters who never knew the other existed until their father was diagnosed with cancer. I loved the characters Dori and Sela, but the story was so so. I talked to my agent about it she asked me what I was doing writing a heavy-handed drama when I've been writing comedies? Unfortunately, she has a really annoying tendency to be right and that story has since become an organ donor.
But I missed those sisters. Five or six months later, I was at a wedding and while eavesdropping on a conversation, found the story for Sela and Dori. Next month, "Till Death Do Us Part" will be inflicted on the reading public in Names I Call My Sister.
I'm not sure if I successfully answered this question. For those of you writing out there, how do you know if your story is "good enough"?
But the other day I was nosing around online and came across a message posted from a writer who asked when do we know a story is any good? How do you know if its worth pursuing?
For me, it's gut instinct. If the characters come to life and refuse to go away until I finish their story, then I know this is a journey I have to complete. I don't judge if the story is "good" or "bad." My agent does that for me. How I feel is that every story and character who has come into my life has done so for a reason.
Right after I turned in In Between Men (waaay back in September 2004), I wrote a drama about two sisters who never knew the other existed until their father was diagnosed with cancer. I loved the characters Dori and Sela, but the story was so so. I talked to my agent about it she asked me what I was doing writing a heavy-handed drama when I've been writing comedies? Unfortunately, she has a really annoying tendency to be right and that story has since become an organ donor.
But I missed those sisters. Five or six months later, I was at a wedding and while eavesdropping on a conversation, found the story for Sela and Dori. Next month, "Till Death Do Us Part" will be inflicted on the reading public in Names I Call My Sister.
I'm not sure if I successfully answered this question. For those of you writing out there, how do you know if your story is "good enough"?
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Rereading Old Favorites
Before I start a new story or a major revision, I like to reread one of my favorite books. I read them because I want to be swept out of my world and into someone else's. I like discovering the small nuances that I might have missed or forgotten. A favorite book simply reminds me why I am a writer. It's not for the website or the publicity or smart business plans. A favorite book reminds me of the miracle in creating a whole world out of words, ink and paper.
So what am I reading? Diary of a Blues Goddess by Erica Orloff. Someone "borrowed" my copy, as in they'll stole it and I happened to find it when I went to their house the other day! Anyway, it has been years since I last read it and even though Erica has written many amazing books since this one, it holds a special place in my heart.
Do you have favorites you like to read over and over again?
Cheers,
Mary
So what am I reading? Diary of a Blues Goddess by Erica Orloff. Someone "borrowed" my copy, as in they'll stole it and I happened to find it when I went to their house the other day! Anyway, it has been years since I last read it and even though Erica has written many amazing books since this one, it holds a special place in my heart.
Do you have favorites you like to read over and over again?
Cheers,
Mary
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Welcome To My World
Every now and then, especially when I'm deep into the writing of a story, I dream about a town where all of my characters live. I even see those characters from past books as I walk down the streets. But what's really weird is when I'm writing a new story, old characters pop into the narrative to say hi.
Last month, I turned in the copyeditted manuscript of Switchcraft and was reminded that Isa and Tamara make a surprise appearance in the story. It wasn't deliberate on my part. I remember writing that scene and suddenly there they were, walking into the boutique and giving me an update on what's happened in their lives since we last left them in In Between Men.
When Stephanie Laurens spoke at OCC RWA this Saturday, she mentioned that she can see her story unfold like a movie playing in her head. But somewhere in the recesses of my head, it feels as if there is a whole world. Occcasionally I find a window or a door into that world, and it's comforting to know that it's always there.
So I'm curious. How many of you have a world in your head, or see your stories or hear your music?
I'd like to think I'm not the only one!
Cheers,
Mary
Last month, I turned in the copyeditted manuscript of Switchcraft and was reminded that Isa and Tamara make a surprise appearance in the story. It wasn't deliberate on my part. I remember writing that scene and suddenly there they were, walking into the boutique and giving me an update on what's happened in their lives since we last left them in In Between Men.
When Stephanie Laurens spoke at OCC RWA this Saturday, she mentioned that she can see her story unfold like a movie playing in her head. But somewhere in the recesses of my head, it feels as if there is a whole world. Occcasionally I find a window or a door into that world, and it's comforting to know that it's always there.
So I'm curious. How many of you have a world in your head, or see your stories or hear your music?
I'd like to think I'm not the only one!
Cheers,
Mary
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Go There
Yesterday I hit a wall with the mariachi story I'm currently writing. Basically, my heroine decided to do something that I never imagined she'd do. I jumped out of my chair when I realized where we were going and paced my office and then finally turned off the computer thinking, there's no way I'm gonna go there.
But then Ryan and I were watching Inside the Actor's Studio with Clint Eastwood. James Lipton asked Eastwood about his character, Harry Calahan from the Dirty Harry series, specifically about how he would do his own stunts. When Lipton asked if he was afraid, Eastwood replied, "No. When you're really in the character, you can do anything."
I almost jumped off the couch but I was also in the middle of eating a chocolate croissant.
Anyway, I realized that writing is like acting except we play all the roles of our characters. But are you ever writing a scene and then suddenly you realize that you're stomach is tingling with fear just like the character, or that for a moment, you could actually see the room in which your character was in. And just like actors when they spontaneously discover a new bit of dialogue or action, the writer has to go bravely forward in the character's skin.
But it's scary as hell sometimes. But necessary.
So with that brave comrades, I head off to my favorite coffee shop and jump off the bridge with my character.
P.S. Wish me luck.
But then Ryan and I were watching Inside the Actor's Studio with Clint Eastwood. James Lipton asked Eastwood about his character, Harry Calahan from the Dirty Harry series, specifically about how he would do his own stunts. When Lipton asked if he was afraid, Eastwood replied, "No. When you're really in the character, you can do anything."
I almost jumped off the couch but I was also in the middle of eating a chocolate croissant.
Anyway, I realized that writing is like acting except we play all the roles of our characters. But are you ever writing a scene and then suddenly you realize that you're stomach is tingling with fear just like the character, or that for a moment, you could actually see the room in which your character was in. And just like actors when they spontaneously discover a new bit of dialogue or action, the writer has to go bravely forward in the character's skin.
But it's scary as hell sometimes. But necessary.
So with that brave comrades, I head off to my favorite coffee shop and jump off the bridge with my character.
P.S. Wish me luck.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Almost a Real Book
I just finished reading the copyeditted version of Switchcraft and the story wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
When I started this book way back when I was six months pregnant, the wiring in my brain got all twisted around because I've been living with this bone-chilling fear that the story is the worst I've ever written. My agent loved it. My editors loved it and so you would think that I'd believe them.
But until I read the manuscript again, I realized that it's pretty good. There are some areas that need a bit of work. Overall, I think Switchcraft is touching, sexy, funny and honest and I can't wait for you to read it.
(By the way, it took me five minutes to write the previous sentence because I have a weird thing about praising myself.)
Quick reminder: the sneak peek to "Till Death Do Us Part" (from the anthology, Names I Call My Sister) will only be up for two more weeks! So if you haven't checked it out, or you haven't entered the contest, you better get over there!
Cheers,
Mary
When I started this book way back when I was six months pregnant, the wiring in my brain got all twisted around because I've been living with this bone-chilling fear that the story is the worst I've ever written. My agent loved it. My editors loved it and so you would think that I'd believe them.
But until I read the manuscript again, I realized that it's pretty good. There are some areas that need a bit of work. Overall, I think Switchcraft is touching, sexy, funny and honest and I can't wait for you to read it.
(By the way, it took me five minutes to write the previous sentence because I have a weird thing about praising myself.)
Quick reminder: the sneak peek to "Till Death Do Us Part" (from the anthology, Names I Call My Sister) will only be up for two more weeks! So if you haven't checked it out, or you haven't entered the contest, you better get over there!
Cheers,
Mary
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