"I" Doesn't Have to Mean "Me"

Dear Non-Writers,

I know you try hard to understand, to be supportive. And I appreciate it beyond belief. A writer can't survive without someone cheering her on from the sidelines. But we need to talk about a little matter that needs clearing up.

You see, there's this thing called first person. It's when a writer uses words like "I," "mine," and "me." "I hate cats" is a first person sentence. Yet, while I wrote that sentence using the word "I," I didn't mean me. I actually love cats.

Fiction writers do this all the time. They use "I," but they're not talking about themselves. The "I" refers to their point-of-view character and what that character thinks and says and does.

I used to think everyone knew this, writers and non-writers alike. And some of you probably do. Experience has taught me, however, that some people take "I" literally.

For instance, when I went to the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute in 2012, my class performed a poetry reading. Afterward, my mom brought up one of my classmate's poems. The narrator in the girl's first person poem spoke rather harshly about her mother. My mom said she was glad my classmate wasn't her daughter. That the poem would have made her cry. When I tried to tell her my classmate wasn't talking about her own mother, my mom said it didn't matter. It sounded like she was.

This particular misconception is one of my biggest pet peeves. It's ignorant and stems from degrading views of fiction writers. We aren't just writing "better-sounding" versions of our lives. We're writing about the human experience in all its forms.

So, in conclusion, my lovely, wonderful non-writers, remember when you're reading your friend or your family member's work that "I" doesn't mean "them." It'll help you avoid hurt feelings and arguments.

With warm regard,
A First Person Fiction Writer

Writing Is Loving

John Green once said, "Nerds like us are allowed to be unironically enthusiastic about stuff. Nerds are allowed to love stuff-like, jump-up-and-down-in-your-chair-can't-control-yourself love it." It's a great quote. And it's not just true for nerds. The same can be said of writers.

Writers have to love stuff. You wouldn't spend hours, days, weeks on something you didn't love. You wouldn't give up precious family time or turn down social invitations to sit alone at a desk if your heart wasn't in the work. You couldn't. You couldn't deal with the frustration, the setbacks, the rejections if you didn't absolutely love your story, your concept, your characters.

Personally, the act of writing makes me happy. It's like someone takes a pitcher full of joy and pours the whole thing into my chest. I feel light with excitement. While everyone is different, I'm sure other writers experience similar emotions.

However, while I love what I do, what I create, sometimes I forget all of that. I go long periods without writing. I drift. And I know I'm not the only one. I know someone else is probably drifting right now.

So, here's a reminder, fellow writer. You love writing. I know you do. It's in your title. Writing is loving. And love affairs require two participants. There's a story out there, waiting for you. Go to it. Get reacquainted.

Have fun.

Kaylie Austen's RAVENS Release Day Interview

I hosted Kaylie Austen on my blog back in March 2012 (here and here). Today she is back again with big news. Her book, RAVENS, has been published! In celebration, I have asked her a question for each letter of her book title. She is also being nice enough to giveaway a signed copy of RAVENS! Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post.

Brooke: RAVENS has had two different publishers. How did having to switch publishers make you feel? What do you suggest for other writers who have problems with their publishers?

Kaylie: Having to make a change like that was worrisome and frustrating, but thankfully RAVENS was picked up quickly by another publisher who had also liked the novel from its early days.

When writers have issues with their publishers, they should always evaluate the issue first and get to the root of the problem. Sometimes fault is with the writer and as a writer, you must be humble enough to acknowledge that and make necessary changes. This is a business, not a right, and that goes both ways. Publishers and editors must also be professional and dependable. Make sure it’s a legitimate issue. If the problem is actually your editor or publisher and not you, then approach that person. They should be willing to discuss things and want to work on it with you. The next step is to contact the head of the department or CEO. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, look at your contract carefully and see if you can retract your rights based on the legal qualifications. Sometimes, and thankfully not my experience, a writer may have to take a serious loss or get into a legal battle. After the storm, you just dust yourself off, gather your confidence and know-how, and move on with another lesson under your belt and become a bit wiser.

B: Are there any big events happening to celebrate the release of RAVENS, either online or in real life?

K: There’s a Goodreads giveaway, and I’ll have a giveaway on my blog as well as some interviews around the web. No big event, though. I’m getting my toes wet for now.

B: Vaguely described in your book summary, Ravens play a big part in your story. Could you give us a few more sentences explaining what Ravens are? Do they actually look like the bird or are they something entirely different?

K: I’m a huge fan of the X-Men and Gambit (swoon) is mighty hot. I loosely fashioned Ravens after him. Ravens are children who were teleported into a parallel universe where they’re superhuman and are hunted by humans. The colored part of their eyes are white and the white parts are black. They only emerge at night to remain hidden. They have electromagnetic capabilities, are agile, fast, strong, and many have independent powers. For example, Liam can cause illusions in people, read their minds, and he can communicate with Kendra when she’s in our world using telepathy.

B: Even though releasing RAVENS is extremely exciting, you have other books as well. Do you expect to release HELLHOUND any time soon, with this publisher or another one? Are there any other novels in the works?

K: HELLHOUND (paranormal mystery) will release in 2013, but we don’t have a set date yet. As a surprise that I’m announcing with you, because it seems you’ve been with me for so long, I’m terribly excited to announce that my zombie mermaid novel will also be published, hopefully in late 2013 or 2014. I have a few novels I finished in 2012 that haven’t found a home, yet. I hope to have amazing news about them soon.

B: Novels can be hard to write, which is why many authors also write or start out writing shorter works. Do you have any shorter projects you're working on now? Do you have any published?

K: I had two paranormal romance shorts published in 2010, but they are no longer in circulation. I don’t have any projects going right now, although I do have ideas for a RAVENS sequel that will take the crew to one of the three moons in the parallel universe, the one that’s been terra-formed for prisoners.

B: Saving her sister is Kendra's main goal in RAVENS. What are your goals, both for RAVENS and your writing?

K: Every writer wants to see their baby become a hit. I just hope people like it, even if it remains low key. My goals are simple, though not easily obtainable. I hope to achieve some of these goals in 2013: signing with an agent, signing with a major publisher, and eventually, one day, maybe making it onto a bestseller’s list. I think that’s a generic ballpark for most aspiring authors, but a worthy one and one worth fighting for. Blood, sweat, and tears as they say.

About RAVENS:

What are Ravens, and are they as the world wants us to believe—sinister and without human qualities? When abruptly taken from their world, select humans are transformed into creatures of the night with penetrating eyes and uncanny abilities that most believe are a threat to mankind. Stripped from their mundane and ordinary lives, these creatures have no choice but to stalk the night and fight back in order to survive.

One such Raven is eighteen-year-old Liam, who uses his telepathy to communicate with Kendra in order to lure her into the transformation. It proves to be a double-edged gambit that turns into a tumultuous journey. Racing against time to save her sister, whom she believed to be dead, Kendra falls through a portal and into a parallel world where humans hunt her. She becomes a Raven with ill-controlled powers, trapped in a torrid affair with Liam, and desperately struggles to find a grip on her new reality.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Find Kayle At: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

About Kaylie Austen: I was born during a monsoon in an Indian village that lacked a doctor and a hospital but had many nesting cobras nearby. That’s the most fascinating thing about me. Other than that, I’m a true Texan, and yes, I bleed orange (Longhorns!). Currently, I reside in the Pacific Northwest with my husband. My novels include YA fantasy, YA sci-fi, and paranormal romance/mystery.

I’ve been writing since the age of ten, and completed two novels before high school graduation. I love to learn, my life is rich with culture, and I’m an undercover nerd.

Don't Reward Yourself for Doing NaNo, Make NaNo a Reward

You hear a lot of advice on how to motivate yourself to write, especially during NaNo season. It is often recommended that you punish yourself if you don't meet your goals or reward yourself if you do. However, have you ever tried making the writing the reward?

Before I continue, it would probably be beneficial to you to know that this method probably works best when you're ahead or more toward the end of the month when there are certain things you can't put off any longer.

It's really a pretty simple idea.

Say you've got some giant assignment that's worth thirty percent of your grade or you need to clean your whole house before the fam comes over for Thanksgiving or you need to do something for work (sorry for no specifics, teenager who's never had a job here). Basically, you have something that has to be done, but you'd rather be working on NaNo instead.

You break up that thing into smaller parts. At the completion of each part, you get to write so many words. Get is the key word here. Not have to write so many words. Get to.  This makes your NaNo something desirable as well as helping you complete tasks you may not necessarily want to complete. It's a win-win.

What are your NaNoing tips?

Accidents Happen

Which is why you should always have a current backup of your work somewhere. Email. Check. (At least, with some documents.) Flash drive. Check. Internet storage such as Dropbox. Will do. Once I get home and get my new, non-fried computer. (Keep reading.) And the good ol' hard copy. Check. (Though, they may not all be the most current versions.)

Why am I reminding you of this? You've heard it a million times, right? I mean, come on, Brooke, even you're getting tired of hearing it.

Because accidents happen.

As I mentioned previously, I'm currently visiting my out-of-state grandparents. Yesterday, I was talking to my mom on the phone when she informed me my computer has officially fried.

Give that a moment to sink in. My. Computer. Fried.

My mother plugged a flash drive into one of the front USB ports, forgetting they don't work. Usually, nothing happens. But oh, not this time. This time it sent a power surge through my computer. Ctrl+Alt+Del was not going to fix that bad boy. So my parents unplugged it. And it now refuses to power back on.

What did I tell you? Accidents happen.

Luckily, my dad thinks the hard drive is still good. And if it isn't, I uploaded current versions of all my writing documents onto my flash drive before I left. We also have computer insurance (I didn't even know that existed let alone that we had it. Guess someone told my mom accidents happen.) which will buy me a new computer.

This accident didn't turn out so bad. Hey, I'm even going to have a computer with working front USB ports. But that doesn't mean the next one won't. Or that yours won't.

So backup your work. Now. Twice. Naw. Four times.

Pocket Writing

Recently, one of my friends introduced me to this wonderful little game for the Android (and iPhone) called Pocket Frogs. The point of the game is to collect all the different species of frogs by buying, trading, and breeding them. It has taught me quite a few things about writing.

Cut what is not needed. In Pocket Frogs, you are allowed eight habitats (16 if you're on the iPhone) which you have to buy throughout the game. Each habitat can only hold eight frogs. You don't have room to keep every single frog. You must sell all doubles and any frog you don't need for breeding. And don't worry, you can always clone that frog from your Froggydex if you need it later.

Setting is important. You can find, buy, and win backgrounds for your habitats. These are mostly just to make them look pretty. However, there is what is called scenery. Scenery is items that go in your habitat and make your frogs happier. Happy frogs are more valuable frogs and more valuable frogs get you more money.

Combining two stories can make a stronger story. Sometimes you have two frogs and each has a quality that you need for your collection or breeding stock. However, you don't need any of the other aspects of the two frogs. What do you do? Breed them and make a frog that has all the qualities you want with the added bonus of, after selling those two frogs, more space.

One original aspect can mean everything. There are 53 patterns you can see on a frog (slightly less if you have an Android). This matched with the 23 base colors and 16 patterns colors provides for a lot of frogs. However, though two frogs may have the same pattern, they could look completely different. Color is what makes one stand out over the other.

Patience is a good thing to have. Pocket Frogs is partially a time-oriented game. You have to wait for things to arrive in your mailbox. You have to wait for frogs to hatch and grow. Depending on the frog or item, it could take up to two days. In video game time, that's forever.

Writing friends are a must. If you are playing on an iPhone, you have the option to trade frogs and items with your friends. Do it. It helps you, it helps them. Life is much harder without the help of your buddies. Trust me. I know. I'm the one playing on an Android.

*Learn more about Pocket Frogs here and here.
**All images found through Google.

Never Feel Bad About Squashing A.N.T.s Again

Recently, I was watching the reality TV show My Strange Addiction. The woman had gone to see a therapist because she could not stop eating dryer sheets. The therapist mentioned something that stuck with me.

A.N.T. = automatic negative thought

Imagine a line of ants marching. They can be marching across your kitchen counter, the sidewalk, where ever you feel comfortable placing that line of marching ants. Now, each ant is going to represent a doubt, or an automatic negative thought, that you've had. Are you still with me? Good.

Now comes the fun part. It's time to squash those A.N.T.s. You can even give them the faces of someone you hate if you're feeling extra down. My writing sucks. Splat! I'll never find an agent. Splat! I should just stop before I embarrass myself. Splat! Rinse and repeat until all A.N.T.s are gone.

Feeling better? I thought so. :)

No formicidae were harmed during the making of this post.

If You Give Your Muse a Makeover

That's my muse. Where? Well, right there. He stands out clear as day. You can't see him? Why, he's practically ten, fifteen times bigger than you! You need to get your eyes checked.

Okay, I give in. You're right. He's invisible, but I certainly had you fooled there for a second, didn't I? It's okay to admit it.

  

Just for you, here's a picture of him minus the invisibility factor (I want you to know, I had to call in a favor for that one, Elvis doesn't like being exposed). That's right, my muse is an invisible, flying, giant, man-eating elephant. But don't worry, I'm safe because, as my mother pointed out, he's a man-eating elephant, not a girl-eating elephant (sorry guys).

Now, for the purpose of this post (which I will get to eventually, I promise), let's say that Elvis is your muse. And you are scared stiff of him.  Every time he comes near you with an idea, you curl up into a little ball and sob uncontrollably (remember for your pride's sake that this is hypothetical).

But then one day, a miracle of miracles, you happen upon a magical being who will let you change one thing about Elvis. So you sit on a rock and ponder with your finger on your chin (looking very writerly, I might add) and decide to take away his man-eating fetish and give him green spots.

And because of this change, you finally listen to Elvis's ideas and write an awesome book and become a bestseller/millionaire.

The occasional change is good for your writing. I know from experience.

I first came upon this astounding idea while reading this blog post by Charity Bradford. Lately, I have been in my own 'rut' and I thought 'Why not?' So the next time I was at the store, I bought some new mechanical pencils.

While they felt sleek and nice in my hand, they didn't do much for me or my writing. So I went one step further. I wrote in a different notebook.

Paper, or more accurately the feel of paper, is an important factor in my reading and writing experiences. Softer paper tends to help me more than stiff. The usual notebook I write in has paper somewhere in between. Which just wasn't clicking for me. I went through my reserves and found the notebook in which I wrote parts of Thinking of You. And guess what? It's pages are super soft.

My Usual Notebook

It seemed that in no time I had written my Nature of Magic blogfest entry, totaling at nearly 800 words. Then, I brought the 'change' notebook with me to school and I finally got a beginning for Chapter Eleven that I was proud of, about 400 words. It's not a huge amount, but it's many times larger than 0.

My 'Change' Notebook

This strategy also had something to do with my NaNoWriMo success. I had just started experimenting with writing straight onto the computer when November rolled around. Previously, I had written on paper and then transferred it to a writing processor. The change allowed me to write 50,006 words in two weeks, more words than I had ever written for any one project.

I repeat: Change is good for your writing. If it can work for me, the queen of routine, it can work for you.

Now, I've got to run before Elvis notices I drew him with green spots.