Cherry and Coco had a big weekend. We’re still gorging on candy, and we’re happy for an extra hour’s sleep.
October 30, 2009
According to Bacon . . .
The three steps to writing a novel:
- Work eight hours every day for 572 consecutive days.
- When you’re finished, print it out.
- Start at the beginning, and rewrite it.
October 24, 2009
New Skin
I’ve been trying to decide on a new look for the blog for a week. I uploaded a header picture, but I didn’t know if I liked it or not. I looked at several WordPress themes. None of them really suited. I ended up with this really plain white look with a bigger font. My custom header disappeared, and these books (see above) mysteriously emerged. But, I’m still not sure.
Anything creative is more about making decisions than anything else. Last week, Cherry entered a photo in an art contest. Just filling in the blanks on the entry form required choices.
“What do you want to say about this?”
“I don’t know, Mom. I just took the picture.”
“How did it make you feel?”
The question triggered a stream of imagery. She is more articulate than I was at ten. The instincts are there, but selective consciousness is developed.
October 22, 2009
Comic Throughline
Since I started this book, I’ve had the worst time explaining exactly what it’s about. Every time someone asks and I do manage to get out a rambling sentence, I see eyes glaze over after a few words. So, I’ve been working on something writer John Vorhaus, in his book The Comic Toolbox, calls “comic throughline.” He suggests answering the following questions in the simplest format possible. Here are my answers:
- Who is the hero? Annie Smart is a contemptuous rule follower, who teaches high school English.
- What does the hero want? Annie’s outer need: to finish the school year without being fired. Annie’s inner need: to be a superhero in the face of bureaucratic tyranny.
- The door opens . . .when Principal Evelyn Bozono implements a scheme to steal Annie’s master’s thesis.
- The hero takes control . . .when Annie dumps her play-it-safe attitude and follows her heart.
- A monkey wrench is thrown . . .when Nick Garrett falls in love with the new and improved Annie.
- Things fall apart . . .when Evelyn Bozono actually steals the thesis.
- The hero hits bottom . . .when Nick breaks up with Annie because she is afraid to expose Bozono.
- The hero risks all . . .when a student comes to her with a problem requiring Annie to go to the police about Bozono. Bozono reacts by kidnapping the school custodian and strapping a bomb to his chest. Annie saves the day by defusing the bomb.
- What does the hero get? Annie achieves her inner need to be a superhero. She achieves her outer need to keep her job. As a bonus, she gets Nick.
Of course none of the details are included in this description. And we all know–the devil is in the details.
October 20, 2009
Review: This Is Where I Leave You
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Jonathan Tropper writes the most gut wrenching, emotionally raw stories possible, but he does it in a way that makes me laugh out loud. The laughter makes the tale endurable. He had me on this one by the end of the first paragraph. I couldn’t put it down.
October 18, 2009
Crispy Update
On Writing:
- Since October 8, I’ve written twenty scenes from my antagonist’s point of view. The rough drafts are in long hand, but that’s the fastest I’ve ever written anything.
- Now, I have to decipher my handwriting to type those pages. I hope I can crack the code.
- When the new stuff is typed, I’ll restructure the story, adding and deleting page-by-page.
- I’m entering the Golden Heart again, but this time in a the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category.
- I have a lot of work to do.
On Everything Else:
- Bacon goes back to work after a week off.
- Cherry and Coco both won first place for their grade levels at their school’s bicycle rodeo.
- Halloween approaches and we don’t have costumes yet. Bad mom. Bad mom.
- It’s springtime in October in San Antonio. Butterflies are everywhere.
October 16, 2009
White Boards
What’s not to love?
I missed the white board revolution when I was a teacher. A few years after I quit, schools were updated from chalk to dry-erase. So, when I found these cheap ones at Target, I covered a wall. There’s nothing like having my notes upfront center. I have to pass by them all day. Having a constant reminder helps to keep the story in my head.
This particular group of columns is a Donald Maass scene development activity. Choose one from column A, one from B, and one from C. Put them together in a new scene. Kind of like a chinese restaurant menu.
October 14, 2009
A Very Cherry Day
Cherry is ten. We started the morning with cake. Very Pink Cake. Click on any picture to see the entire gallery.
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- Strawberry Cake from Cowgirl Crisp’s recipe. I wasn’t quick enough with the camera before Cherry blew out the candles.
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- Coco made the card and included one of her very own dollar bills. She knows what her sister likes.
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- Pink Butterfly Bathrobe from Bacon
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- My Pretty Girl
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- Birthday cake for breakfast is the best way to start the day.
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- Coco likes cake for breakfast too.
October 12, 2009
Review: Coyote Blue
Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book. The symbolism is hilarious, and it has something to say about the pseudo-seriousness of life. I especially enjoyed the little touches like the main character’s name, Samson Hunts Alone. It literally means lonely strong man. He is a hero cut off from his true self, and he finds redemption when he reclaims his place in the world. Awesome read!
October 10, 2009
Scene Cards
One card per scene, about a hundred in all for the entire manuscript. This assignment for the Breakout Novel Intensive wasn’t due until the next to the last day. I procrastinated, carrying around blanks working on a few here and there. I finished in time, barely.
Don Maass asked us to pick the one card representing the most important scene in the book. After working for two years on a manuscript 300 pages long, choosing one card stretched my brain. Then, “Pick the next five most important scenes.” He made me think.
Since then, the cards have stretched across my old dining room table, waiting. I’ve added a few more–scenes I need to write. The new ones have pink tabs.
crisp |krisp| adjective
