#Wwow - Writing from the Gorilla's Point of View by Sharon Struth

I was having lunch the other day with a friend who shared a hilarious story about purchasing gorilla suits for her sons one Christmas (thank you Lisa O. for a great tale). Later that night, while I read a new book, visions of the gorilla suit returned to me. It wasn’t because the story was about primates. The story stopped me because the writing violated some basic rules about point of view (POV) making me wish the author had slipped on the main character’s suit to tell the story.

Having a story unfold through a single character’s viewpoint isn’t an easy thing to do. However, once you decide to reveal your story through either first person (I, me), third person (she, he) or omniscient narrator (hey, it’s those guys down there), it’s important to stay in a single character’s head. NOT forever, but for—let’s say—a scene or chapter or place clearly marking a POV shift. Otherwise, you’re hopping from head to head, like the story I was reading.

Some writer’s like to argue that “head hopping” makes for a richer experience, so a reader can learn what everyone is thinking or feeling.

The problems with this approach?

First, to agents and editors it shows you’re an amateur. They like books where there is a clear POV character speaking to them…one at a time. Otherwise, the story reads a little like a meeting where everyone is talking at once and it’s difficult to become invested in who matters in this tale.  Also, unless you’re a pro (I’m talking a Nicholas Sparks-like pro), then you probably won’t be able to write this way in a fluid manner. Sure, some author’s head hop. You’ll note their published books typically have printed on top, “NY Times Bestselling author…”

Second, letting everyone know what everyone else thinks at the exact moment of each scene reduces the stakes of the story. As a reader, I want to fully be the character…mind, body, and soul. Consider this: have you ever done something stupid and wondered what everyone who is politely smiling at you really thinks? Yeah, me too. So do my characters. When an author head hops in their writing, the mystery is gone. Good writing is about creating page-turning novels

Third, when you stay one character’s head for a while, EVERYTHING from this one perspective, it gives more opportunities to slowly reveal conflict in your story. An example from The Hourglass, where Brenda (heroine) talks to hero CJ (hero) about her first husband:

“People change.” She shrugged. “Not everything can be fixed.”

The topic left her uneasy. For Brenda, every time the signs appeared—slurred words, a shift in his demeanor or the odor of liquor on his breath—the old wounds of her childhood reawakened. A crater of angst would swell in her gut while her inner soul waited in the same gloomy place as Jack’s until he returned to normal. She pressed her lips tight, unwilling to say more.

CJ’s jaw tensed and, even though he looked at her, it seemed his mind wandered deep in his own life. He replied quietly, “You’re right. Not everything can be fixed.”

Sadness filled the space between them. An emptiness in CJ’s expression left Brenda wanting to know more.

Did you want to know more about what CJ was thinking? Then it’s a good thing I stayed in Brenda’s point of view.

Now go toss on a gorilla suit (or your character’s suit) and pursue your writing journey. What it reveals may surprise you.

THANK YOU to our guest author, Sharon Struth.

You can find The Hourglass here: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Sharon’s Website: www.sharonstruth.com

For a trailer, excerpt or book group questions visit www.thehourglassnovel.com

Author Bio:

Sharon Struth writes from her home in Bethel, Connecticut where she lives with her husband and two daughters. She's a graduate of Marist College and was raised in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Her debut novel, The Hourglass, is published by Etopia Press. Other writing credits include essays in several Chicken Soup for the Soul Books, the anthology A Cup of Comfort for New Mothers, Sasee Magazine and WritersWeekly.com. She is represented by Blue Ridge Literary Agency (http://www.blueridgeagency.com/)

Stuck on the plot. My tips. #wwow

It's been a few weeks since I posted, and for that, I'm sorry. I've had some personal things going on that pulled me away from blogging as well as writing.

Today I wanted to talk a little but about writing, writers block, and plot bunnies. I often see authors posting status's or asking in groups what they should do when they feel stuck on a book they are writing, and yet

another story is calling to them.

First off, I don't believe in deadlines. Of course, if you follow me on facebook, you'll see I mention them for myself and now you're thinking I'm some weirdo. But what I mean is setting deadline and stressing about it. I usually start writing a book and make a goal as to when I'd like it done. It either happens or it doesn't. And guess what, I'm fine either way. Stressing makes this job no fun. And I intend to enjoy this career.

So what to do if you're stuck. Do you force the words out or walk away? I usually say, walk away for the time being. You can come back and most of the time you will. If another story is calling, then write it. I can't tell you how many times I've been working on a book and something else calls to me. And bam, I can write that book in no time. Yeah, you might have about five work in progresses, but eventually you will finish them and they will make out to the world. But don't force a book.

I'm gonna be honest here too. I have one book out that was forced. It's in a series and in that series, it's the one that gets picked up the worst and has lower ranked reviews. At the time the book was with a publisher and I had a set deadline to have the book with the editor. And the book just wasn't flowing for me. So I forced it.

The best part of being a indie or small press writer, is that you usually don't have those dreaded deadlines. So enjoy it. Don't push yourself to write something that just isn't ready.

-Lacey

#NaNoWriMo Steps for Success

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? If you are, to be on track, you should have hit your half-way point (25,000 words) by now. BUT that's only if you are writing steady. Some of us write more sporadically, each day a varying word count. It's okay if you're behind - maybe you plan to pull out all the stops during the second half of the month. You have two more weekends and plenty more time so DO NOT QUIT.

To get your "NaNo Winner" badge, you have to hit 50,000 words BUT to feel proud of your accomplishment and to have a product worth publishing, all you have to do is WRITE - regardless of your word count at the end of the month.

If you're like me though (or any bit competitive) you want to WIN! I first participated in 2012, completed the 52,000 words and went on to publish the book "HOLD MY HAND" in April 2013. My goal is to do the same this year. So, here's what's worked for me in the past and some tips that might help you...

Write Every Day.

Even if you don't write a lot one day, always write something. And if you don't feel like it, do it anyway. Writing leads to writing. Once you get started, sometimes the words begin flowing out of nowhere. Write every day.

Create Milestone Goals.

50,000 is a big number. Create milestones -5,000-10,000-15,000-25,000- made up of smaller goals that you can celebrate along the way. It's also less overwhelming to think of the month in stages. Try having weekly goals.

Have a Writing Buddy.

Writing is a solitary venture which sometimes makes it hard to be accountable. Make friends on NaNoWriMo through Writing Buddies, an on-line networking service as part of NaNo. You can message with them to share your goals and get advice and encouragement. Or there might already be an author you know also doing it - connect once a day to compare progress.

Track Your Progress.

Use the NaNoWriMo website to keep track of your word count. It's motivating to watch the count climb throughout the month. You'll see how even just a little a day adds to your total word count. It's a great affirmation!

I'm hovering at 29,000 words right now. And I promise that I'm speaking from personal experience because I'm using these tips I suggested to you. If you want to look me up, I'm happy to be your buddy!
Here's a snippet from my NaNo Project 2013 "Ivy Intertwined". It's my first venture into New Adult Romance and I'm having fun with it. This is in it's rawest form with no editing, proofing or polishing. Enjoy at your own risk! 

Ivy hesitantly steps off the ferry and gazes around, careful to keep her eyes averted from those around her. She might be looking for someone but she might also be hiding from someone. To her relief, nobody approaches her and she recognizes no one. An older man passes her by. A girl about her age runs to meet the handsome man who shared her view of the ocean on the ferry trip across the water.
To the common observer, Ivy appears untouched by the happy people around her but that’s not true. She’s touched. Inside. It’s there, where she’s nearly hollowed out at the same time growing more full with life. A new life that meant giving up an old life she adored. An exchange-one loss for another loss-that will be made even in the end when Ivy will find herself alone.
She snatches up her bag that the crew tossed off the boat into the pile of suitcases accompanying the passengers to the island and begins a pace inward towards town. She carries just one bag, large enough only for an overnight trip. It’s not nearly enough but it was all she could manage. Ivy just needed to escape.
Passing through town quickly, she doesn’t stop to look in the shops or seem to notice the string of people stopping to rent mopeds. Soon enough the island will be flooded with tourists buzzing along the quiet country roads, creating a stir in the willows. By then, Ivy will be tucked away in a place that feels more like home than any place she knows. Needing none of these things tourists need, she looks out past the small town and sets her eyes on the open land ahead. In the distance, she sees a small gray house and smiles.
As she gets closer, the small gray house opens its door to her.  Her grandmother waves as Ivy walks up the path to the old house.

If you're participating in NaNoWriMo and would like to share a snippet of your project, please do so in the comments. Keep it under 500 words so we can read one another's excerpts without taking too much time away from our own WRITING!

Now, get back to it. Go Write.

Paloma

#WWoW! It's NaNo Time! @NaNoWriMo

What's NaNoWriMo?
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by November 30.

YOU WRITE. NOT EDIT. YOU ONLY WRITE. WRITE. WRITE.

Who can sign up for NaNoWriMo?
Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel. That means YOU can do this.

**I participated for the first time in 2012. The result was my book HOLD MY HAND that I published in April 2013. Proof that this system can work.**

How do I sign up for NaNoWriMo?
Go to their website. Register. It's that easy. The accountability is all yours. If you try it and don't succeed, try again next year (or not).

Is there any support?
Yes! You can find writing buddies -these are other writers in your genre who you can share ideas with online. You are also placed geographically into regions of writers. Each region has a leader who often hosts in-person writing events too.

There's also this great program called COME RIGHT IN where local venues are supporters of NaNoWriMo. What does this mean for you? Well, if you’re a Wrimo, it means you’ll have a space in your neighborhood where you can get to know your fellow writers and simultaneously pen your NaNo masterpiece! If you’re a staff member at a library, bookstore, another community organization with space for writers—or a student or faculty member at a college or university—you’ll be able to welcome a flood of avid novelists and engaged community members into your space.

Think about it. If you're looking for incentive or a jumpstart or need to power through a new book, this is a great program. I wrote my first self-published book HOLD MY HAND during NaNoWriMo 2012 and plan to do it again this year. Want to join me? Once you register, look me up and I'll be your on-line Writing Buddy!

Paloma

Edits Every Author Should Learn

Happy Thursday! We're one step closer to Friday! Today I wanted to talk a little bit about editing and the basic things all authors should know to save time on their own edits as well as making life easier for their editor.

Know the house guidelines. You won't know these the first time you publish with them, but you'll learn them quickly. You need to know if your publisher uses OK, okay, or ok. You see, each house has a preference on how they want all there stories to be and your story is no exception.  Some use alright, while others use all right. Another thing to learn is scene breaks. Does the pub was three asticks close together *** or three with a space between * * *. Is there a difference with scene break and point of view change? All things you want to pay attention to and know. It never hurts to ask your editor for a style sheet

as well  you can save.

Aside from that, learn some of the basics for commas and dialogue tags/action.

"I am Lacey," she said. <--A comma goes before the quotation because this is a dialogue tag. And the she is lower case.

"You're funny." She laughed. <--A period is before the quotation because laughing is an action. Also note that she she is capital.

"I don't like Joe." <--No comma before Joe because the person is not talking to Joe.

"I don't like you, Joe." <-- A comma is before Joe because the person is speaking to Joe.

So, there is a little editing 101. Nothing complex or will make you the next star editor. But knowing these few things will save you and your editor time.

Got a tip of your own, I'd love to hear it!

#WWoW! Weekly Memes Grab Reader's Attention!

Today, I'm sharing about memes. I had no idea what this word meant the first time someone used it with me. So, let me explain... When a writer begins their career as a published author, we're encouraged to start a blog to interact with readers. This is one of those "sounds easier than it actually is" pieces of advice. A blog takes a lot of thought but here is a SIMPLE way to get started before you know what to blog about.

Memes: a meme is a weekly blog feature posted across multiple blogs centered on a common theme. A blogger can choose weekly to participate so if you need a break, you take a week off. One of the most recognized memes was Six Sentence Sunday. The organizers just discontinued it - it grew huge - but several off-shoots have now taken root in the blogging community. There is power behind a group and memes are driven by the group.

First, let me suggest some common memes that I participate in. There are many, many more - these are just a few. Check them out and see if you might fit into any of these groups. Then jump on in and you've got yourself a weekly blog feature with the benefit of a group of people interested in the mutual success of your blogs.

Sexy Snippets

This has become my new Sunday post. In Sexy Snippets, participants select seven sentences from a WIP or published manuscript. This gives you the chance to feature a piece of your work, along with a short book promo weekly. See a sample of my Sexy Snippets. This meme operates out of a facebook group. You can sign up weekly at the Nuthouse Scribbler's website. The heat level in this meme runs across the board from sweet to spicy. As a participant, you are encouraged to read and comment on as many others as possible.

Tantalizing Tuesdays

Participants select a photo of their choice and write an original 200-word story to post every Tuesday. It's an awesome way to keep your writing sharp because telling a story in 200-words is not always as easy as it sounds. See a sample of my Tantalizing Tuesday post. This meme operates out of a facebook group where you can sign up weekly and also has a website. Erotic Authors will be most comfortable with this group. A special note about this group is that as a participant, you're expected to read and comment on the other stories - they extend you the same courtesy. Hey, it's guaranteed blog traffic!

Hump Day Hook

Wednesday, commonly referred to as Hump Day, has a few different variations of Hump Day memes. In Hump Day Hook, participants select only one paragraph from a WIP or published manuscript. This provides you with the opportunity to post a piece of your work and a little book promo weekly. It's easy because you've essentially already written the post. See a sample of my Hump Day Hook. This meme operates out of a facebook group and has a website where you can sign up weekly. The heat level in this meme runs across the board from sweet to spicy. As a participant, you are encouraged to read and comment on as many others as possible.

Saturday Spankings

This meme is for authors of spanking fiction (but there are other genre-specific memes out there too). Participants post a brief sample of a spanking scene from their book and can include a short book promo. Again, this is an easy meme because you've essentially already written the post. See a sample of my Saturday Spankings. This meme operates out of a website where you can sign up weekly. It's important to know that as a participant, you are expected to read and comment on the other posts.

Thursday 13

This meme is not exclusive to authors. But it's easy and can be fun if you get creative. Participants simply post a list of any 13 things. You include your link on the group's website and others will pop around from blog to blog reading the lists. Here's a sample of one of my more creative Thursday 13 posts. I've hosted other authors as guests for this feature. I've also posted 13 sentences from one of my books, listed 13 character names, quotes, super heroes, chick flicks, romantic places, etc, etc... the list is endless and can always be used in a way to promo your writing.

SO, what other memes do you participate in? COMMENT BELOW and INCLUDE LINKS so we can learn about all the opportunities for weekly posts.