Chantele Sedgwick on Being a Writing Mom

When Brooke asked me to do a guest post on her blog, I got all nervous. I'm not that interesting. :) But then she told me what the topic was, and I relaxed a bit. She basically asked me a question. How am I able to write with three little kids and one on the way? To be honest, it's not easy. But writing at any stage in life isn't easy. If you love writing enough though, you can set a schedule for yourself no matter how busy you are.

For example, I can't write at all during the day, since I have little ones running around. They are my top priorities, so I do all of my writing when they go to bed. I allow myself to write for a few hours until I'm too tired to think anymore. Some nights are pretty late, but lately, since I'm pregnant I find myself falling asleep at the computer pretty early. That will change in about 5-6 months though. I also never write on the weekends. I have to spend some time with the hubby so he doesn't feel ignored! The weekends are our "date nights". Just time spent together and me not worrying about writing. :) As for what my kids think of my writing, well, I have a 7, 5 and 2 year old, so they don't really understand yet. I write young adult, so they aren't old enough to read my books, but they do know mom likes to write books. In a few years I think they'll understand a little better. And hopefully I'll have more time to write without any toddlers running around! (Ha!)

So, what I'm trying to say, is no matter what stage in life you're in, you can make time to write. It doesn't matter if you have an hour or if you have three. If you're able to work on your writing for even a few minutes, that's saying something. Set smaller goals at first and then once you accomplish those, aim a little higher. You'll be surprised how much time you'll be able to spend writing instead of doing other things. :)

Find Chantele At: Blog | Facebook | Twitter

About Chantele Sedgwick: I have three little kids, a hubby of almost 9 years and we live in Utah with a perfect view of the mountains. And the canal behind our house.

I love to read. Anything YA, I'm there. I'm not a huge fan of classics. I know. Don't yell at me. I also love writing. Young adult fiction is where my muse is found. Mostly fantasy. You know. Urban, paranormal and classic. But I do love me some dystopian and contemporary as well.

Mark Murata - Use All Five Senses

Use all five senses when telling a story. I use my piece of flash fiction for the First Campaigner contest as an example (though you can understand my descriptions without reading it).

Sight is normally assumed to be used for almost any description, since that’s how we get the majority of our sensory input. I had spikes and fangs protruding from the shadow of a creature, which gives added detail. Also, leather armor on the elbows and knees of a man and woman allows the reader to visualize them.

Many make the mistake of only adding visual details. I added the sense of hearing by a man rasping as he speaks, and there’s even a death rattle, for those familiar with the concept.

I would have added what the aerosol in the story smells like, but I was challenged to put the word “orange” in, so it ended up as a visual detail—orange as a smell would be too sweet for the scene.

I kind of cheat when it comes to the sense of touch by having the main character claw at his buckle and hammer at some latches. I do not say what these objects feel like, but it gives the impression that they’re hard.

The sense of taste is the most difficult. If the person is not eating, I improvise. The air might taste bitter, or a woman might catch a bit of her hair in her mouth, the taste reflecting the environment. Or there is the concept of a bitter taste in the mouth or the taste of gall. But if those are too cliché, I readily substitute any internal sensation (which, when you think about it, is the overall category that taste falls in). In this case, the man rasps when he speaks (which covers both hearing and internal sensation) and his muscles jitter. Internal sensations include internal temperature (as compared to external, which counts as touch), sense of balance, all sorts of stomach and muscle sensations, sensations inside the head or jaw, etc.

The usual advice is to hit all five senses in the first two pages of a novel, then to hit them all again every five pages or so, though I’ve noticed successful writers don’t have to do it that frequently. It takes some practice so it doesn’t sound like you’re just going down a list, but it makes the story more vivid.

Find Mark At: Blog

About Mark Murata: I'm an aspiring writer of fantasy and science fiction. I tend to walk inside malls or go running outside for exercise. And yes, that's a picture of Dr. McCoy on my T-shirt. So far, I've had a short story published in the Star Trek Strange New Worlds V anthology. I keep on submitting novel manuscripts to agents and editors, in hope of getting published.

Kate Coursey on Drawing from Life Experience

One of the first pieces of writing advice I ever received was, “Write what you know.” To some extent, I think this is true. Your thoughts and emotions in real life should always inform your writing. However, I’ve heard this advice used multiple times as a reason why teenagers, with their lack of so-called life experience, can’t write publishable material.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that life experience varies from person to person, and not necessarily based on age. In 2010 I spent the summer in Africa, and I guarantee you that many of those Kenyan children have more life experience than your average American adult. They take care of younger siblings, tend farms, haul water several miles each day, and endure starvation during dry years. They cope with physical pain in ways we can’t imagine. And when it comes down to it, only memoir writers truly adhere to the rule “write what you know.” For us fiction-writers, some of it has to come from the imagination. It’s the intersection between imagination and reality that makes a truly fantastic book.

Take Suzanne Collins, one of our generation’s most popular writers. I enjoyed Hunger Games as much as the next person. Now, did Suzanne actually experience a fight to the death broadcasted on national television in a dystopian North America? Doubtful. But I’m sure she drew from her own life experiences when she wrote about Katniss’s emotions and fears. In a sense, I think the “write what you know” rule is fatally flawed. Most of us don’t have interesting enough lives to write only what we know. It’s the bits and pieces, the most basic human emotions, that really make a story come to life.

Brooke asked me to write a post about being a young author. In addressing other teenaged writers, I say this: don’t let “lack of life experience” hold you back. Life experience is measured not necessarily in years, but in how you’ve utilized your time. I know many writers are solitary, introspective people, but every once in a while it’s necessary to break out of your shell. Do something crazy. Have an adventure. Go on a trip, or try a new sport, or have a conversation about a hot-button issue with someone who disagrees. If you’re Christian, find someone who’s Buddhist or Wiccan and ask them to talk about their faith (perhaps even consider attending a session of worship). Older writers possess an inherent advantage in that they’ve had more time to experience the world. In order to make up for this, you must be attentive and curious and active in your search for knowledge. Try to look at the world from different perspectives.

There is no reason why a young author can’t write something publishable. Just remember that all fiction authors draw from their imaginations as well as real-life experiences, and therefore you should seek out new ways to broaden your mind.

Find Kate At: Blog | Twitter

About Kate Coursey: I'm a 19-year-old YA Fantasy writer from Salt Lake City, Utah. I am represented by Edward Necarsulmer IV of McIntosh & Otis.

I'm addicted to soy chai lattes and frozen yogurt and calorie-laden Mexican food. My goal is to streak on all six continents (there's no way I'm going to Antarctica...way too cold). So far I've got North America and Africa under my belt...four more to go.

Kaylie Austen on Writing Different Genres

Thanks for having me, Brooke. As many have noticed, I write in several genres. While many authors stick to one genre, one age group, I like to tackle different ones. I’m fond of so many different things that I can’t imagine sticking to just one. Maybe, in the corner of my mind, I believe if I stick with YA fantasy, all of my stories will sound the same, or become boring, predictable. My writing really reflects my literary tastes, and it bounces from YA fantasy to the occasional adult contemporary.

Sci-fi and fantasy are my bread and butter, hands down. I’m a diehard graphic novel lover, and every variation thereof. I’ve taken quantum physics, genetics, and astro-biology classes, and weaving those bits and facts to create a viable civilization in or from outer space is a passion. But, fantasy doesn’t have scientific limits. You can do whatever you want with fantasy, whether it’s urban, epic, high, or dark. My characters can have inexplicable powers, and live in a world within our own without too much explaining and hard facts. It’s a fun genre, and it really tests the imagination.

Aside from the genres mentioned above, I’ve tried my hand at mystery because most of my co-workers enjoy mysteries. I took on this challenge with Hellhound. It was very difficult to write for me, to fill in the gaps and cut off loose ends while holding onto consistency. I don’t foresee another mystery in my future. It’s too much work!

In the end, my imagination is all over the place. My muse creates characters, plots, and sets the genre. I just try to corral it long enough to make sense of the storylines

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.