Weekend Writing Workout: Seven Deadly Sins

I’ve been zonked with a nasty head/chest cold this week and am feeling a bit behind. But, since I feel behind most of the time, I’m not going to fret about that. I do wish I could breathe through my nose, though.

This week’s exercise was inspired by an interview with author Jack Remick. I believe it was the interview on the The Ashley Fontainne Show on Artist First Radio Network: http://www.artistfirst.com/ashleyfontainne.htm

(and even if it’s wasn’t, you should listen to the interview anyway, because Jack gives great interview)

Hieronymus Bosch’s Seven Deadly Sins

The interviewer brought up the idea of working with the seven deadly sins, which are: wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony. I’m sure each of us has experienced every one of these sins personally in some way, shape, or form. Perhaps we can relate to one of them more than the others. I’m not so much a wrathful person, but my pride has made me stubborn in the past, and hindered me from looking at something from someone else’s point of view. In the end, it was only a disservice to myself.

Which is how I want you to view these “sins” in terms of your characters. Which sin resembles the cause of each character’s misery? Is it envy that spikes her bitterness toward her sister? Is it pride that won’t allow him to forgive his best friend? Is it wrath that guards her heart?

If you’re not sure, try several of them on for size and see what fits. And try this out on multiple characters, not just your protagonist. Every character deserves a sin!

YOUR WORKOUT

1) Set your timer for 5-7 minutes.

Start at the top of the page with the following startline:

My character is stifled by the sin of  . . .

Write, don’t stop, don’t edit, don’t cross out.

2) When the timer stops, Set your timer for 7-10 more minutes.

Start with the following line: 

She/he must confront this sin when . . .

Write, don’t stop, don’t edit, don’t cross out.

3) NOW, set your timer for 10-15 more minutes.

WRITE THE SCENE in ACTION and DIALOGUE ONLY (to keep you moving forward – don’t get caught up in the minutia of description) in which this character is confronted with her sin.

Use the start line:  In frustration, He/She picked up the . . .

Even though you are writing a scene, just WRITE, don’t stop, don’t edit, don’t cross out.

Read your exercises and your scene, make notes, highlight what makes sense.

And have a fabulous, healthy weekend.

How do authors make a living? (or, approaching the middle class of writerdom)

It surprises many people to learn (people not in the industry, anyway), that the majority of authors do not make a living off of their writing. Not exclusively, at least.

I’m not saying it’s impossible, or that it doesn’t happen, or that it won’t happen for you. I honestly hope it does! Between advances, royalties, and options I’m sure Stephen King doesn’t have to consider whether to take that editing job or not.

I think it’s good to be aware, though, that most authors are in what Cory Doctorow refers to as “the middle class of writerdom.” i.e. they have day jobs. Same goes for every kind of artist: dancer, actor, musician, painter, etc.

Below, in an interview with Bill Kenower, Doctorow speaks of having been surrounded by “working authors” when he was young, which gave him an appreciation for where he is today.

Even though I have quit my day job, and I earn quite a good living writing, I never take it for granted, and I never assume that all writers will do it or that it’s just hard work and talent. I understand that what I’ve got is the combination of, yes, hard work and talent, but also a lot of luck.
~Cory Doctorow

I know authors who have gotten sweet advances, who have become self-published successes, who have optioned their books as movies, or who write 3 books a year and consistently end up on the best seller list. And those I know who live solely off of their writing work extremely hard to do so (they’ve also become marketing machines, which truthfully is time not spent writing, but part of the game these days).

But mostly, I know authors who are teachers, librarians, microsoft workers, A/V workers, and accountants. And I know other artists who are dog-walkers, bartenders, and event producers. As long as they find time for their creativity, they’re not going crazy.

Some people, like my husband, get panicky at the thought of not having a regular paycheck every 2 weeks, while the idea of having a 9-to-5 job makes me short of breath. For the past 20 years I have primarily lived my life contract to contract and pieced together a living for myself. My finances have always fluctuated.

Yes, I still fantasize about that mega hit that will keep me afloat for years to come, but in the meantime, I’ve created my own “writer’s life.” It all depends upon your level of comfort and if others are financially dependent upon you. If you prefer the consistency of a 9-to-5 job, by all means, stay there while you carve out your writing life.

But I do encourage you to take risks. I believe if you reach toward a writing life, and allow space for it, if you’re willing to get creative with your lifestyle and career, you can do things that are related to your art and may fulfill you more than just another “job.”

My other two loves are teaching and performing, so I’ve been fortunate to be able to incorporate those into my career. Below is a list of all the things I’ve done to earn money to supplement my income since my first novel was published:

ESL tutor
creative writing tutor
story editor
script reviewer
studio teacher
creative writing instructor
school author visits
book club author visits
convention instructor / speaker

Other than ESL and studio teacher, everything else has been related to being an author, which makes me happy. If you assess your skills and passions, I’m sure you, too, could create a satisfying life that supplements your writing.

What have you done to create your author life? How have you gotten creative around your work?

MGM (or YA?) The Sweet Revenge of Celia Door by Karen Finneyfrock

(Cynthia Heinrichs is the winner from our FUTUREDAZE anthology draw – yay)

Last week on MG Monday, Barbara Watson discussed and listed several MG books that she thought were on the cusp of YA. As a matter of fact, some of these books are difficult to place on shelves for this very reason.

These are the type of MG books that interest me the most. Books that challenge exceptional readers, have complex characters, address important themes, but steer clear from any sex and graphic violence. Teens who are not into love triangles need great stories, too.

Interestingly, on a panel at FaerieCon this weekend, I heard an author define YA as ages 14+, and this is not the first time I have heard someone in the industry say this (though many will define it as 12+). Since most people define MG 9 to 12 years old, where does that leave the 13 year olds?

The SWEET REVENGE OF CELIA DOOR by Karen Finneyfrock falls into this zone for me. A sweet coming-of-age story that cultivates in a cringe-worthy moment when we are reminded of the emotional pain and cruelty of 9th grade.

From GoodReads:

Celia Door enters her freshman year of high school with giant boots, dark eyeliner, and a thirst for revenge against Sandy Firestone, the girl who did something unspeakable to Celia last year.

But then Celia meets Drake, the cool new kid from New York City who entrusts her with his deepest, darkest secret. When Celia’s quest for justice threatens her relationship with Drake, she’s forced to decide which is sweeter: revenge or friendship.

I have known author Karen Finneyfrock for about 15 years. We met in the Seattle poetry scene (she used to MC the Seattle Poetry Slam and I used to run the Seattle Poetry Festival). Her poetic background is revealed with her lovely language and imagery. Of the protagonist’s nemesis she writes, “That’s Sandy Firestone. And if my heart were a crossbow, every arrow would be pointed at her.” Of the boy she meets, “His blue and yellow sneakers were a foot from me, their fat laces pouting over the shoes’ tongues like bloated earthworms after the rain.”  It’s this language that will make it a great read for older middle graders.

As well, the main character is a poet herself and writes poetry every day.

Call me a planet orbiting a revenge-colored sun
Or a seed growing in the soil of settling a score…

What makes this a more mature read are the subject matter and a bit of swearing. The book claims on the back that it’s for the 12+ reader and I think that’s a good call. Parents should know that there are a few F-bombs dropped, but they don’t seem out of place in the halls of 9th grade (and the character gets into trouble for using the word at school). As well, bullies at the school call Celia a lesbian at least once. She’s not, although one of her friends turns out to be gay. This is only spoken about between the two friends and the book’s one kiss happens “off screen.” Some drinking also occurs “off screen,” but it’s not at all pervasive in the story.

This is a story of outcasts and bullies. I would have loved this book in 6th or 7th grade. I was also a poet as a kid, so there’s that, too. For the mature middle grader, I think would be a fine choice.

For more Middle Grade Monday selections, see Shannon Messenger’s Blog!

Weekend Workout from FaerieCon West

Greetings from FaerieCon West, where I will be storytelling and causing mischief all weekend.

Before the workout, I have a few announcements:

First, today is the LAST day to enter the drawing to WIN a copy of the FUTUREDAZE anthology of YA science fiction. Co-editor Erin Underwood has generously donated a copy. (I’ll close comments at midnight PST)

Second, the 2013 Nebula Award nominations are in and Hydra House’s own Cat Rambo was nominated for her short story “Five Ways to Fall in Love on Planet Porcelain” from her Near + Far collection.

The Nebula’s Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy nominees are:

Iron Hearted Violet, Kelly Barnhill (Little, Brown)
Black Heart, Holly Black (S&S/McElderry; Gollancz)
Above, Leah Bobet (Levine)
The Diviners, Libba Bray (Little, Brown; Atom)
Vessel, Sarah Beth Durst (S&S/McElderry)
Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Random House; Doubleday UK)
Enchanted, Alethea Kontis (Harcourt)
Every Day, David Levithan (Alice A. Knopf Books for Young Readers)
Summer of the Mariposas, Guadalupe Garcia McCall (Tu Books)
Railsea, China Miéville (Del Rey; Macmillan)
Fair Coin, E.C. Myers (Pyr)
Above World, Jenn Reese (Candlewick)

CHECK OUT the entire list of nominees and congrats to all (I wouldn’t want to have to pick a winner from this lot).

YOUR WORKOUT

I NEVER PICKED YOU POEM

This is a BRAND SPANKING NEW exercise that has nothing to do with character or plot or editing. I developed it for a recent writing workshop and had such a good time with it I wanted to share it here.

The workshop was for kids, so it’s broken down into small steps. Feel free to take whatever you’d like from it…

STEP ONE:

Create 5 columns across a sheet of paper and write:  Colour, Fruit or Vegetable, Instrument or type of Music, Location, Day of the Week. Then, below each, list something or place you’ve never really liked in this category. Something that doesn’t appeal to you and you’d never choose it voluntarily.

For instance, you do not like the colour brown, brussel sprouts, harmonicas, Los Angeles, or Tuesdays.

STEP TWO:

Next, under each category, write a sentence like this: “When I think of ______, it reminds me of ______.” Example:  When I think of brown it reminds me of camping in the rain with my Dad.

STEP THREE:

Choose one of the things that don’t appeal to you and write for 10 minutes straight using the start line:

I never picked you _____…

(without stopping, editing, or rereading – the more you write, the more material you will have)

STEP FOUR:

From the 10 minute stream of consciousness writing, circle all the images, phrases, and lines that appeal to you and pull them out of the piece. Rewrite them on another piece of paper. When done, it might look like this:

orange reminds me of my softball jersey in 6th grade
we were the “losingest” team that year
I got in trouble for picking a bouquet of orange California poppies that year
orange is like a prison uniform
orange was never in my favour and i never had an “orange phase”
I had a “purple phase,” my bedroom was purple and pink with white curlies on the bedpost
I also had a “green phase” where everything I wore was green and I looked like a forest
I had a very brief “red phase,” I was trying it on for size
Even though sunsets and fire are orange, I still don’t like orange

STEP FIVE

Carve out your poem from these lines. There are many ways to do so: rearrange lines, leave out words, change words to create alliteration, add interesting space for breath, etc. Expand and change the language where necessary. Add more imagery.

never orange

I’ve never picked you orange
as a favour as a phase        my youth
spent through pinks and purples
stringing the edges of my bedroom
with the white curliness
of imagination

orange was never curly it was
twang and offense
a softball team jersey hoisted upon
the losingest team on the playground
where only once      for a moment
I thought I might find comfort in you
orange, the poppies, sprung about the hill
and me picking a bouquet only to be told
those are California poppies,
you can’t pick them it’s illegal

orange, you betrayer, you
prison sentence
you were never the greens of my wardrobe
of my fern forest         nor were you
my brief liaison with red
when it offered a chance
a sports car
a mini-skirt
a swiss army knife

orange, I’ve never loved you
never let you under my skin
even in your soft sunrise I’ve taken you
for an imposter even in your flames

Have a Great Weekend! I’ll be HERE.

Middle Grade Monday: The Chronicles of Harris Burdick

Current Giveaway: Enter to Win a copy of FUTUREDAZE: an anthology of YA Science Fiction. Click Here for information (Deadline: Friday, Feb 22)

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When I first came across THE CHRONICLES OF HARRIS BURDICK  in an elementary school library, I knew I had to get a copy of my own. You may not think you know who the mysterious “Harris Burdick” is – - but I’ll bet you’ve seen some of this artwork before (which is really the work of award-winning author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg of Polar Express and Jumanji fame).

In 1984, Van Allsberg published a book called The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. The “gimmick” around the book was that a mysterious author-illustrator dropped off 14 black-and-white drawings, each from a different picture book he had written, at a fictional editor’s house. He left with a promise to deliver the complete manuscripts if the editor chose to buy the books, but, as the story goes, Burdick was never seen again. The 14 illustrations were all that remained of his supposed books and readers were challenged to imagine their own stories based on the images in the book.

Fast forward 25 years… The CHRONICLES of HARRIS BURDICK re-releases these 14 subtly surreal pieces of art and pairs each with a short story by a renowned author. The list of participating authors reads like a veritable Who’s Who of children’s literature, and upon coming across the book I’ll wager that any contemporary author immediately thinks, “I want to play, too!”

At least that’s what I said to myself.

The list of participating authors includes Sherman Alexie, Cory Doctorow, Kate Dicamillo, Lois Lowry, Walter Dean Myers, Louis Sachar, Jon Scieszka, and yeah, you get the idea. Some of the stories landed better than others, some incorporated the illustrations more organically, but all were at least interesting. That’s the joy of a short story collection, though, isn’t it?

I think my favourite was Cory Doctorow’s piece, based on the illustration above, which deals with a young boy’s loss of his father at sea, at the same time the little guy grapples with the idea of non-linear time (and space). I was also drawn to Sherman Alexie’s story about a set of twins who pretend they have an invisible triplet sister and carry an empty dress around with them everywhere they go, insisting everyone treat the dress as a real person. It’s a fantastically dark comedy on an MG level.

With an introduction by Lemony Snicket, you can bet it is a strange collection. The stories tend toward the dark, and even twisted, although there is nothing graphic or inappropriate here. Some of the most frightening ideas are simply left to the imagination. That said, I’d recommend this for the 10+ crowd.

What I most love about this collection, though, is the opportunity for personal interpretation of the surreal illustrations. I am looking forward to using them as jumping off points in my own classroom assignments and discussions.

FOR MORE MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY MAYHEM,
PLEASE VISIT SHANNON MESSENGER’S BLOG

Interview… Giveaway… Futuredaze!

~~CYNTHIA HEINRICHS is our WINNER~~

It’s overwhelm-mode here at Writing to Support My Teaching Habit (I need a good acronym! How about WritSMyTH?), and I won’t bore you with the details. It has to do with the sound of deadlines swooshing by and juggling the universe with my fingernails and valentines (or lack of time for) and 10th wedding anniversaries and 45th birthdays…

And, I’m off to Seattle for FaerieCon in a week. Wheee!

What do you do when you go into overwhelm? Eat sugar? Go on a crying rampage? Stay in your pajamas for a week? Or are you more of a take-the-bull-by-the-horns kind of person?

One thing I suggest for anyone like me who flits from one task to another with no time between work and domestic responsibilities – take time to celebrate your accomplishments. You are DOING IT! You are having the writing life. I know it doesn’t look so glamorous from the inside, so enjoy it wherever you can.

This week I’m celebrating the launch of FUTUREDAZE: an anthology of YA science fiction by giving away a copy of the book. My short story “String Theory” appears along with work by Jack McDevitt, Nancy Holder, Gregory Frost, Lavie Tidhar, Sandra McDonald, Brittany Warman, Stephen Covey, and many more.

Win a copy of:

If you’d like to be entered to WIN a COPY of FUTUREDAZE (an ebook if you’re outside of North America), all you have to do is tell us what you’re celebrating this week and you’ll be added in the drawing.

Also, Underwords Press recently moved over from the Underwords Blog to a separate press website, so I’ll give you a bonus entry into the drawing if you GO HERE and give some love (or at least some like). Just tell me in your comment that you did.

Deadline for entries into the drawing is Friday, Feb 22.

And now, without further ado:

Interview with Erin Underwood, Futurdaze co-editor

Underwords transitioned to a small press in 2012, specializing in new short science fiction for Young Adults. What initiated this change and why this particular niche?

This is really a multi-part question for me. I used to enjoy reading when I was a kid, but there wasn’t a very strong YA presence in my local bookstore in the 1970-80s. Fast-forward 20 years later and I’m assisting bestselling young adult author Nancy Holder. That’s when my love for YA fiction rekindled. Around the same time, I also started the Underwords blog and realized how much I enjoyed working with writers to create new content for readers.

However, the true decision to begin a small press came when I realized how few science fiction anthologies for young adults were being published compared to YA anthologies for other genres. It was a moment in which I realized I could bring together my professional YA experience with my personal experience as a writer and my love of science fiction. Really, it was the “perfect storm” of opportunity.

It’s true . . . there’s far more YA urban fantasy and paranormal short fiction out there. I hadn’t really thought about that before.

So, Futuredaze is the debut anthology from the Underwords Press, what surprised you the most about this project?

Yes, Futuredaze is the first official publication from Underwords Press, and there were a number of things that surprised me ranging from the amount of time it takes to set up the text to all of the nitty gritty details associated with selling a book…things that you don’t even know you need to do until it’s time to do them. However, the biggest surprise, or perhaps the most rewarding surprise, was having the first hand experience associated with seeing how an anthology’s character and its themes shift with the inclusion or removal of just one story. I guess this is my way of saying, “When dealing with an anthology, every story makes a big difference. Every piece counts.”

That’s really interesting. I’ve edited a few anthologies and one of my favourite things is ordering everything to create the dynamic (although I’ve recently been told that the majority of people don’t read anthologies in order – haha).

Okay, so I’m not going to make you pick favourites . . . but how about – which story affected you the most?

Thank you. It really would be impossible to pick my favorite because they are all my favorite story…for different reasons. That said, when I read “The Cleansing” by Mark Smith-Briggs I remember being really tired, and I had gone through a bunch of pieces that weren’t working out for the anthology. The next thing I knew, Mark’s story was in my hands and I had tears in my eyes.

However, every piece affected me in some way, which is exactly what I look for in a story. After all, during the editing process you have to read a story, over and over again, and again, and again. So, every story you choose has to be able to stand up against that kind of repetitive scrutiny without getting old or stale. I am glad to say that I still enjoy reading these pieces.

Are you working with schools at all to use the stories in high school English classes? 

I would personally love to see kids reading stories and poetry from Futuredaze in their high school English classes or library book clubs. However, we haven’t set up anything with schools or libraries yet. That is one of our next steps. We’re a very small, emerging publisher. There is so much to do and never enough time. If only time travel were possible!

If there are any schools or libraries that would like to contact us, we’d love to hear from you.

Do you hear that everyone? You never know, Erin, I have a lot of teacher/librarian types who read my blog.

Are you going to do more specifically themed anthologies like time travel or dystopian or steampunk or do you like the open call aspect?

I’ve been considering a few different options for the future. The beauty of science fiction is that there are so many rich and creatively flexible subgenres to choose from. Right now, I’m thinking primarily of themes that would focus the content a little more than we did with Futuredaze, but nothing has been decided yet. We’re hoping to make an announcement this spring that will answer this question and others…so stay tuned!

So, I’m guessing that means we’ll have to wait for a deadline for next anthology? (because after this, everyone will want to be in the next one!)

I would love to know this date, too! Again, we have some ideas for where we want to go with the next anthology, but nothing has been decided. However, we’re hoping to make some sort of announcement this spring. We’ll definitely let you know as soon as we have something to share.

Anything else you’d like to tell us about the anthology?

I think the most important thing to share is that Futuredaze is written for teens, but good storytelling goes beyond simple age requirements. So, while teens will feel like this anthology was made for them, adults will also enjoy it as well. A well-written YA book really can be for people of all ages.

Also, for people who live outside of the US, we have distribution agreements in Canada, the UK and Australia. So, you should be able to find either a printed edition or an eBook in any of those countries. The Kindle edition is available at all of the country specific Amazon web sites.

Thank you so much for the chance to do this interview.

Thanks, Erin!

Underwords Press publishes anthologies with a special focus on young adult science fiction and also features a literary blog that explores a wider variety of genres.

Underwords was originally founded in 2010 as a popular fiction blog that specialized in author interviews, book reviews, and all manner of fun literary exploits. Then in 2012, Underwords transitioned into a small press, changing its name to Underwords Press in order to find and publish new short science fiction for young adults. Our first title, Futuredaze: An Anthology of YA Science Fiction, is due out in February 2013 and has received considerable praise from the literary community. Underwords Press will publish one title per year in the Futuredaze series and is looking into expanding to add additional titles in 2013.

Our books are available through the standard publishing channels including brick and mortar bookstores and the major online retailers.

For more information, please contact Erin Underwood.

Futuredaze Launches Tomorrow (or MGMless in MGM Land)

The print edition of FUTUREDAZE: an Anthology of YA Science Fiction launches tomorrow (Feb 12) and I am over the moon to be included in this book. Seriously, the whole experience has been a treat.

The ebooks have already been internationally launched and may be purchased HERE.

You can read the reviewer praise for the creative work HERE, but I would like to “big up” the editors themselves.

Erin Underwood was my main contact, but I’m sure co-editor Hannah Strom-Martin is just as professional and personable as Erin. Futuredaze is the first of an annual anthology series of YA Science Fiction (I will keep you posted on future deadlines), and I think this series will garner respect from the sci fi community.

The Underwords Press folks were timely, communicative, professional, and enthusiastic to deal with. I appreciated how they kept all the authors informed along the way, from sending advance reviews to sharing the cover with us before it went public. They are also distribution savvy, something a lot of small presses struggle with. They sent out copies of the books and checks when they said they would, and then emailed to confirm.

Really, every small press should be as pleasant to deal with. I’m hoping to post an interview with Erin Underwood this week, but she’s a bit busy.

I have no Middle Grade Monday post of my own today, but please do visit the folks below who do:

(MGM list from author Shannon Messenger’s blog)

- Mark Baker joins the MMGM fun with two features: THE BRONZE BOW, click HERE. And to see his review on THE DEAD MAN’S MINE, click HERE.

- Andrea Mack has chills for MAKING BOMBS FOR HITLER. Click HERE .

- Flash, the Feline Extraordinaire, (and Professional Mews to Cindy Strandvold) recommends THE ELLIE MCDOODLE series. Click HERE to see what that’s all about.

- Brennan and Meyrick Murphy are cheering for BUNNICULA. Click HERE to see what these two middle grade readers thought of it.

- Janet Smart is spotlighting THe WHIPPING BOY.  Click HERE to see why.

- Katie Fitzgerald sings praises for A SONG FOR BIJOU. Click HERE.

- Dorine White is raves about THE MAGICIAN’S TOWER. Click HERE.

- Michael Gettel-Gilmarten reminds us of FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER. Click HERE to see why he thinks this classic still holds up.

- Laurisa White Reyes is taking her turn at WONDER. Click HERE for her review.

- Barbara Watson highlights SUMMER AT FORSAKEN LAKE. Click HERE.

- Rosi Hollinbeck is featuring DESTINY, REWRITTEN–plus an ARC GIVEAWAY. Click HERE for details.

- Pam Torres: Click HERE.

- Michelle Isenhoff: Click HERE.

- Joanne Fritz: Click HERE.

- Karen Yingling: Click HERE to which ones she picked this week .

- The Mundie Moms are always part of the MMGM fun (YAY!). Click HERE to see their newest recommendations.

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