Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on their blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.
This Week’s Topic: Who (from real life) have you written into a book?
In the manuscript I’m currently querying, Where Poppies Bloom, Callie is sent to Oregon for the summer to help her Aunt Lucy renovate an old Victorian into a B&B. Aunt Lucy is the type of person who tells it like it is. She’s sort of eccentric, easily distracted, and nosy. Under stress, she becomes anxious. She’s an excellent cook and is really into 1980s fashion and music. In my head, Aunt Lucy looks something like Debra Messing on one of her wild, curly-haired days.
That said, please meet the inspiration for Callie’s Aunt Lucy:
My first baby, Lucy 'Pup'perman
That’s right. Fictional Aunt Lucy is based heavily on my dog, also called Lucy. They share similar characteristics: My Lucy is unpredictable, in-your-face, and a bit neurotic. Though she’s never voiced a particular taste in music, I get the impression she’s totally into Bon Jovi and Motley Crue. She doesn’t cook, but she’s passionate about peanut butter and bacon. And hello?! She’s a redhead!
What about you? Have you ever based a character on a “person” from your real life? And don’t forget to stop by YA Highway to see how everyone else responded!
I’m starting a new manuscript. Mostly because I had this burst of inspiration a few weeks ago that’s finally had enough time to simmer, but also to help preserve my sanity while trudging through the query trenches. The idea of “starting to write a book” is so intimidating, and while it’s always a scary prospect, I’ve gotten into a sort of preliminary planning routine that seems to be working for me. While I’m certainly no expert, I’ve done this a few times now, and I thought I’d share a bit about my process.
WIP inspiration...
After I’ve mentally toyed with my shiny new idea for a few weeks (or a few months), I dive in to Lori Wilde’s Got High Concept ebook. Going through her various brainstorming exercises helps me flesh out my idea, narrow the focus of the story I want to tell, and get to the heart of my of my characters’ backgrounds, desires, and vulnerabilities. I’m also able to come up with ways to really challenge my characters, as well as integrate plot devices, enticing topics and universal themes.
By the time I finish with Got High Concept, I’m able to write a compelling pitch that helps me stay focused on the heart of the story. Big rule: the pitch must be twenty-five words or less. Later, I use this pitch to craft a three-line pitch, and then a query. The pitch I came up with for Where Poppies Bloom (before I ever started writing the story itself) was: Guilt-ridden Callie Ryan chooses between life with the golden boy who dulls her pain, or eternal escape with the ghost who holds a dark secret.
Once I’ve zeroed in on the basic premise of the story, I make a really basic list of the scenes I already have in my head. Then, I tackle a beat sheet, plugging scenes into appropriate places, and coming up with new ones to fill in the gaps. The beat sheet I use is a sort of custom melding of the one in Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat and the summary of steps in The Hero’s Journey. I like a lot of detail. It looks something like this:
Ordinary World/Opening Image Inciting Incident/Call to Adventure Resistance to Call to Adventure Meeting with Mentor 1st Turning Point
Pinch #1
Ordeal
Midpoint/Inmost Cave
Rosy Glow/Celebration scene
Pinch #2 2nd Turning Point
All is Lost/Dark Moment
Lightbulb
The Road Back Climax Final Image
More WIP inspiration.
It takes me awhile (like, several weeks) to get my beat sheet completely filled in. Once I do, the story starts to feel more manageable, not like the jumbled mess of actions, reactions and interactions it was in my head. I use my beat sheet to then craft a more detailed scene outline, one I follow pretty closely once I begin to write. Of course my scene outline isn’t set in stone. I add and delete as I go, because once I start writing, the story begins to come to life and certain aspects inevitably become more or less important.
And more WIP inspiration...
I should mention that all this planning is done in conjunction with researching whatever aspects of the story I need to (setting, random legal/medical stuff, names, dates, whatever…). While my process may seem formulaic (sometimes I wish I could just start writing and see where I end up!), an organized start is exactly what I need to gain enough confidence to dive in to a two-hundred-fifty page story.
What about you? Are you a plotter? An outliner? A user of Post-It notes? A fly-by-the-seat-of-your-panster? How do you prepare to begin writing a story?
Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on their blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.
Today’s Topic: Interactive Q&A. Post a question on your blog, then travel the highway answering others’ questions.
I was going to write this post last night, but a couldn’t for the life of me come up with a good question. The ones that popped into my head felt lame or one-dimensional or already done. So, ladies of YA Highway: three cheers for you, because this question thing is harder than it looks!
That said, here’s what I finally came up with…
If you could live in any city in the world (assuming money is no issue :)) which city would you choose?
For me, the small town of Lahaina on Maui is the obvious choice. I love warmth. I love quaint. I love seafood. I love beaches and suntans and flip flops. And hello, how gorgeous is this sunset?
Now, since I made the rules and money isn’t an issue, maybe I can have a second home in Charleston, SC as well.
What city would you choose to live in if it were just that easy?
Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on their blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.
This week’s topic: If you could live within the universe of any book, which would you choose?
I’m a military wife, so packing up and moving to a new place does not hold that “the possibilities are wide open” kind of promise for me. More like, “Oh my God, I can’t believe I have to do this all over again!” In almost eight years of marriage, I’ve lived in three states and SEVEN different houses. So, yeah. Over it. Still, it is sort of fun to think about all of the different worlds I’ve immersed myself in while reading and imagine myself a part of them. I scrolled through my Goodreads list and noted all of the books with settings that appealed to me. Two themes quickly emerged:
BEACH/LAKESIDE – The Boys Next Door, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Twenty Boy Summer, and The Summer of Skinny Dipping
BOARDING SCHOOLS – Harry Potter, Anna and the French Kiss, The Mockingbirds, Prep, and Looking For Alaska
I can draw only one conclusion about the above: Someone needs to write a book set at a boarding school ON the beach so I can live in that universe. 🙂
There are many books I’ve read and loved that are set in universes I definitely would NOT want to set foot in. Here are a few… A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Hunger Games, The Giver, Matched, Dirty Little Secrets, The Chosen One, Stolen, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Pillars of the Earth, and The Replacement
Which fictional universe would you like to be a part of? And don’t forget to stop by YA Highway to see how everyone else answered today’s prompt.
Give In To Me is from the movie Country Strong (which I have STILL not seen… boo!) and is sung by Faith Hill on the soundtrack. While her version is lovely, I like the movie version so much more. It’s a perfect duet. Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester sing it with so much heart and emotion. And really, I’m gonna start a fire/You’re gonna feel the heat/I’m gonna burn for you/You’re gonna melt for me ? Yeah. Love.
Here’s the Country Strong clip, with lyrics below:
I’m gonna wear you down I’m gonna make you see I’m gonna get to you You’re gonna Give in to me
I’m gonna start a fire You’re gonna feel the heat I’m gonna burn for you You’re gonna melt for me
Come on, Come on in to my arms Come on, Come on Give in to me
You’re gonna take my hand Whisper the sweetest words And if you’re ever sad I’ll make you laugh I’ll chase the hurt
My heart is set on you I don’t want no one else And if you don’t want me I guess I’ll be all by myself
Come on, Come on, into my arms Come on, Come on Give in to me
I’ll use my eyes to draw you in Until I’m under your skin I’ll use my lips I”ll use my arms Come on, Come on Give in to me
Give in to me
*Lyrics by: Billy Falcon, Rose Falcon and Elisha Hoffman
The Band Perry is a fairly new group out of East Tennessee. There first big hit, If I Die Young, was written by lead singer Kimberly Perry for their debut album. This song is thought-provoking, haunting, and moving–all the things I want my WIP, Where Poppies Bloom to be. If I Die Young is a constant on my play list these days. Here’s the video, and below are the lyrics in full.
“If I Die Young”
If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a, bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song
Uh oh, uh oh
Lord make me a rainbow, I’ll shine down on my mother She’ll know I’m safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and Life ain’t always what you think it ought to be, no Ain’t even grey, but she buries her baby
The sharp knife of a short life, well I’ve had, just enough time
If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a, bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song
The sharp knife of a short life, well I’ve had, just enough time
And I’ll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom I’m as green as the ring on my little, cold finger, I’ve Never known the lovin’ of a man But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand, there’s a Boy here in town says he’ll, love my forever Who would have thought forever could be severed by The sharp knife of a short life, well I’ve had, just enough time
So put on your best boys and I’ll wear my pearls What I never did is done
A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I’ll sell them for a dollar They’re worth so much more after I’m a goner And maybe then you’ll hear the words I been singin’ Funny when your dead how people start listenin’
If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a, bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song
Uh oh (uh, oh) The ballad of a dove Go with peace and love Gather up your tears, keep ’em in your pocket Save them for a time when your really gonna need them, oh
The sharp knife of a short life, well I’ve had, just enough time
So put on your best boys and I’ll wear my pearls
*Written by Kimberly Perry
What about you? Any songs that have been particularly moving or inspirational lately?
And for your viewing pleasure, my cutie pie, Claire, as Dorothy, and me as Hermione Granger on Halloween 🙂
So, I’m somewhere around half-way through draft one of my WIP, Where Poppies Bloom. It’s been a learning experience, to say the least. It’s the third full-length YA novel I’ve tackled, and for whatever reason, everything that worked for me while writing the first two is NOT working for me this time around. It’s a learning experience, and a definite labor of love. Here’s what I’ve picked up at this stage of the game.
1) I’m a romance writer, through and through. WIP’s original outline started out with very little romance, and even that didn’t come until the end. It was so not working for me. I’ve made some adjustments. Now, my two main characters realize their feelings for each other earlier, and it’s so much more fun to sit down and spend my afternoon working on their relationship with them. I’m inspired again. *whew!*
2) I’m an unapologetic lover of adverbs. Yeah, I know. Don’t use them, it’s amateur, they’re a crutch, blah, blah… Whatever. I dig them AND I use them. Of course, many are edited out at a later stage of the game, but in the first draft I drop them in without inhibition. Why? Because they’re easy. They say what I want to say quickly, and I can revise later if I need to. They help set a mood. And I think adverbs–when used thoughtfully–are capable of making a YA voice just a little more authentic.
3) I’m capable of writing scenes out-of-order. Who would have thought?! Oh, my last manuscript was so easy. Seriously… effortless as far as getting the words down on paper. I outlined scene by scene, then I wrote that sucker, scene by scene. There was no jumping ahead, no backtracking. This WIP… not so much. It’s a struggle. Like pulling teeth some days. So I skip around. I write what I’m feeling, what I can’t get out of my head. Then I go back fifty pages and stick in a new scene that just randomly popped into my head. And it’s okay! (I have to keep reminding my OCD of this.) Writing fiction is like putting the pieces of a puzzle together. (And this.) The manuscript will survive! (And this.) After all, that’s what revisions are for, right? Smoothing it all out, plugging holes, and shining it up.
4) Speaking of revisions, I love them so much more than writing the first draft. Yep. It’s true. It’s HARD getting the story down on paper. I’d so much rather make something that already exists pretty. I love to edit. I love to revise. I can’t wait until I get to that phase.
5) Setting is really important, and fun to create! I’ve created a whole town for Where Poppies Bloom. It’s called Bell Cove. It’s on the Oregon coast. And it’s beautiful. Most importantly, it plays a big part in the story, much like a character. All these events that take place? They can only happen in Bell Cove. It’s quaint and touristy and quiet. I sort of want to live there someday. And this house that my main character is living in? It’s spooky and historical and in the midst of a remodel. Awesome. And the beach? Well, I didn’t create the beach, but it’s lovely and sort of symbolic and it’s really fun to write the scenes that take place there.
So yes, WIP is giving me fits, but she’s fun and I’m learning, and that’s why I keep going back for more. What about you? What has your WIP taught you lately?
Say what you will about the Dixie Chicks and their… um, political statements, but I love their music and I absolutely adore this song. As an Army wife whose husband has endured three long deployments, it hits particularly close to home. Plus, these lyrics have the beginning threads of a young adult novel snaking through them. Here’s a live performance, with lyrics below.
“Travelin’ Soldier”
Two days past eighteen
He was waiting for the bus in his army green
Sat down in a booth in a cafe there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He’s a little shy so she gives him a smile
And he said would you mind sittin’ down for a while
And talking to me,
I’m feeling a little low
She said I’m off in an hour and I know where we can go
So they went down and they sat on the pier
He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don’t care
I got no one to send a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to you
I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin’ for the love of a travelin’ soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin’ for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter said
A soldier’s coming home
So the letters came from an army camp
In California then Vietnam
And he told her of his heart
It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
He said when it’s getting kinda rough over here
I think of that day sittin’ down at the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Don’t worry but I won’t be able to write for awhile
One Friday night at a football game
The Lord’s Prayer said and the Anthem sang
A man said folks would you bow your heads
For a list of local Vietnam dead
Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read but nobody really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair
Today I feel compelled to sing the praises of The Bookshelf Muse. If you’re a writer and you’ve never visited the blog of Angela Ackerman and Rebecca Puglisi, you simply must take some time to explore the awesomeness that is their Thesaurus Series. Broken into four main categories: Emotional Thesaurus, Setting Thesaurus, Symbolism Thesaurus and Color/Texture/Shape Thesaurus, these bloggers have so generously shared their wisdom and tons of wonderful inspiration with the writing community.
Have you ever felt stuck trying to describe a character’s eye color? The inside of a library? Something slimy? The manifestation of anger? The Bookshelf Muse offers a fresh take on all these things, as well as lots of advice on similes, metaphors, imagery, and word choice. Their lists and tips get your wheels turning and force you to branch out from those tried and true, fallback choices.
I recently realized that I haven’t done an update post in a while, and thought this might be a good time. But, before we begin, if you haven’t had a chance to take a look at the improvements I’ve made to this little corner of the internet, please do. Above, I’ve added ABOUT ME, LOVING MAX HOLDEN, and WHERE POPPIES BLOOM tabs. Check ’em out!
First, I’m stilling querying and waiting on replies for my YA romance, Loving Max Holden. I’ve had some good responses and have gotten several requests for pages. I’m currently waiting to hear back about two full submissions (both requested from partials) and two partial submissions. My absolute dream agent is currently reading my full. I can’t fully express how much this both terrifies and thrills me. I also have four recent queries still out and am hoping for more requests. Fingers crossed!
Second, I’m beginning a mentorship program through Savvy Authors with romance writer Lori Wilde. During the six month program, my classmates and I will: Learn the nuts and bolts of creating a novel from start to finish, emerge from the class with a completed, revised novel, learn the ins and outs of marketing our fiction, and have fun while developing new writing skills. I’ll be working on my new paranormal YA romance, Where Poppies Bloom, and I’m so excited to begin. I’m absolutely thrilled about getting feedback from an author with so much experience and success. If you’re interested in learning more, click HERE.
Finally, I just got home from a mini-vacation with my husband and daughter. We drove about four hours southwest to the Oregon coast where we enjoyed fun in the sun, sandcastle building, kite flying, yummy food, and great shopping. This trip was two-fold. First, we packed in some lovely family time, and second, I saw first hand the small, touristy coastal towns I’ve based the setting of my next book on. Astoria, Seaside, and Cannon Beach were all on my radar when I started building fictional Bell Cove for Where Poppies Bloom. Now that I’ve spent time in each of these cities and absorbed their ambience, I’m certain I’m on the right track. We detoured to Portland on the way home, specifically to visit Powell’s Bookstore, an enormous independent new and used bookstore. One word: AMAZING. Now that I’ve been, I’ll be tempted to drive south for all of my book buying. Anyway, here are some inspirational photos from our trip:
And because I can't resist... Me, my fabulous husband and my cutie pie daughter.
So, that’s what’s new with me. Still on the agent hunt, ready to begin a new project, fresh from a wonderful family trip. What have you been up to?
Katy Upperman ~ Author 