Icicle (#atozchallenge)

Welcome to today's post on the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. My challenge, as I have chosen to accept it, is thus: I have asked on my Facebook and Twitter accounts for people to contribute random words beginning with today's letter. From Random.org, I have selected one of these words, and will below challenge myself to connect said word to writing.

For the letter I, I received 52 suggestions. Random.org selected number 4: icicle.

PS--My Mondays and Wednesdays have me running around without good internet access all day until 9pm EST (US). I'll get back to you, but it might be late tonight.


Icicle

I'm not a huge fan of actions movies, so I have to give a little credit for this post to my awesome husband. This morning I said, "My I word is icicle. What on earth am I going to write about?" To which he replied, "How about stabbing someone with an icicle, like in Die Hard 2?" (Link goes to YouTube. Watch at your own risk.)

Okay, while I do have my roots in horror movies, I don't really want to talk about stabbing people with icicles. But let's talk about the context of the situation in which the icicle became necessary.

Death is imminent. A man hovers over the MC, his knife inching closer and closer to our beloved hero's throat, held off only by our hero's strength. MC notices icicles hanging nearby. And ingenuity and creativity do the rest, thus saving the day and killing the bad guy.

Like how I skimmed over the details? You could be reading this on your lunch break. I don't want to make you sick!

Connect this to Friday's post (just a little). We've got our MC in imminent danger, the game-changing situation, death at the doorstep and all that tension-building jazzy goodness. Our poor hero has been stripped of everything, and the only reason we know he won't die is because it's an action flick from 1990, and the hero can't die (or how else could they have made Die Hard 3?). But you still worry. Maybe all that talk about the next installment was fluff. Maybe they said those things to make you think the hero wouldn't die. But... but...

Tension.

Luckily, in terms of creating that tension, we're not writing 1990s screenplays (well, I'm not, anyway). We aren't tied to keeping our characters alive, and our readers know that. The MC's hand could slip, and that knife could... (well, I still don't want to make you sick) ...hurt him/her.

My point? (no pun intended) Make your characters sweat. Put them in impossible situations. Maybe they won't get out. Is that such a bad thing? No always.

What's the worst situation you've put your characters into? Have you given them the ability/abilities to get themselves out? Or do you just like to see them squirm?

Also, taking suggestions today for the letter O. Have some? Leave them below. Thanks!

Haberdasher (#atozchallenge)

Welcome to today's post on the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. My challenge, as I have chosen to accept it, is thus: I have asked on my Facebook and Twitter accounts for people to contribute random words beginning with today's letter. From Random.org, I have selected one of these words, and will below challenge myself to connect said word to writing.

For the letter H, I received 75 suggestions. Random.org selected number 20: haberdasher.


Haberdasher

When I think of haberdashers, I envision 18th century dressmakers (or their modern day RenFest equivalents). In terms of literature, I imagine period pieces or authentic works from the canon. A dress maker in a Jane Austen novel, or a minor character for Mrs. Havisham to kick around.

But in complete and bare, honest truth, I have no idea what a haberdasher is. Or I didn't before taking an e-trip to the wonderful world of Wikipedia. It's one of those words that provides me with a vague, amorphous concept, but when it comes to an actual definition, I would stutter and hide behind my hair in shame.

But what if I needed a haberdasher in my work? This brings me to today's connection to writing: research.

Nothing's worse than reading fiction to see, for example, a Ford Cavalier mentioned as the car the character drives (Chevy makes the Cavalier, not Ford), or that England is landlocked, or that a haberdasher works in a casino. The reader instantly distrusts the author, sometimes enough to stop reading.

Research is important. We have to do it. We have to know what we're talking about. If we fake it, there's someone out there who DOES know and will call us out on it.

So, what's the best way to go about doing research?

First, and most importantly, WIKIPEDIA IS NOT ENOUGH! :) First, since Wikipedia's information is organized by volunteers around the world who input data into the site, add sources, etc., it is FALLIBLE. Don't believe me? Here's an example--one of many.

I'm not saying you can't start with Wikipedia, but double check your sources!

Sorry, I'm used to seeing undergraduate students site Wikipedia as their only source. It gets my ire up.

Now, we're all writers, so we're not afraid of books. Where else can we start? Eh hem. The library :)

When you've started, if you've still got unanswered questions, find an expert. Surely you've run across an author's name a few times, or see the same person cited regularly in your research. Contact that person. Chances are the person is either a journalist or an academic. I can't promise the person will talk to you, but the worst that can happen is the person doesn't respond to your inquiry. It's no worse than querying, right? We can handle it.

Do you do extensive research for your work? On what? Have you contacted experts, or stuck to books?


PS--Today I'm taking suggestions for L. Have some? Leave them below. 

Gremlins (#atozchallenge)

Welcome to today's post on the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. My challenge, as I have chosen to accept it, is thus: I have asked on my Facebook and Twitter accounts for people to contribute random words beginning with today's letter. From Random.org, I have selected one of these words, and will below challenge myself to connect said word to writing.

For the letter G, I received 50 suggestions. Random.org selected number 11: gremlins.


Gremlins

Cute creatures by day. Feed them after midnight, and you have destructive monsters on your hands. No, I'm not talking about my future children. Today we're talking about that fabulous 80s phenomenon: gremlins.

Brain child of Chris Columbus, working with Steven Spielberg, this film stole my heart as a kid. It was the perfect combination of cute/lovable and scary. It made want my very own plush Gizmo doll (though I never got one). In terms of marketing, it held its own in a time of ET action figures and the dwindling of Star Wars sales.

Okay, so enough waxing on with capitalist nostalgia. What's my point?

What's one reason why Gremlins became so successful? It's in the details of the character. In a sweeping generalization, I'm going to assume that we all remember Gizmo and the Dr. Hyde monsters they turn into when you feed them too late or expose them to bright light. But we don't remember the humans. Or at least I don't. (Granted I was pretty young.) Why? The humans were a means of bringing out fuzzy friends and their evil scaly twins to life, but the movie (and subsequent sequels) wasn't about the humans.

Let's examine Gizmo for a moment. Furry and adorable, it's hard not to instantly love this tiny creature. So, we've got empathy. Add in the danger of the already scaly midnight snackers, plus the fear that Gizmo might accidentally munch on something himself, get wet (again), or see too much light, and you've got continual rising tension and a character that everyone can identify with.

Thus, insta-blockbuster.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it helps to have the financial backing of Spielberg and Warner Bros, too....

Anyway, I'm not saying we should all run out and write about tiny, fluffy mammals, but there are a few things to learned regarding characters here.

First, details. Give your character quirks and fears, like Superman with his Kryptonite. Somehow let us know that (random character) Bill used to go by Will, but changed his name after finally moving out of his grandmother's abusive house, since she always called him Willy.

But most importantly, make the reader LIKE the character first. If the reader doesn't care, it's an instant FAIL.

Next, generate conflict. (Bill's grandmother gets sick and can no longer take care of herself, and Bill can't afford to put her in a nursing home). Put them in danger (spill some water and feed the little buggers after midnight).

Finally, give them the opportunity to fail. Nothing spells tension like the thought of your character losing everything. (Bill takes too many days off work to care for Granny, and ends up losing his job. His wife moves in with her mother because she can't stand Granny, either. The house gets repossessed. Does he take care of himself first or Granny?)

How do you make your characters likable? And how do you torture them afterward? :)


PS--Today I'm taking suggestions for K. Have some? Leave them below. 

Frak (#atozchallenge)

Welcome to today's post on the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. My challenge, as I have chosen to accept it, is thus: I have asked on my Facebook and Twitter accounts for people to contribute random words beginning with today's letter. From Random.org, I have selected one of these words, and will below challenge myself to connect said word to writing.

For the letter F, I received 63 suggestions. Random.org selected number 10: frak.


Frak

What the frak am I talking about? Frak's not a real word. How could this end up as the topic of my blog post today?

Frak, as you may or may not know, is the swear word of choice for the characters from Battlestar Gallactica. According to Wikipedia, I can mean any of our three main 4-letter words (you know, starting with F, S, and D, respectively) for the poor victims of the Cylon Wars. And the best part about the word "frak"?

It doesn't get bleeped.

Creating terms for our fiction can be useful, especially with profanity, as it's not as necessary to define it. The meaning of expletives can be gleaned by the reader by context alone, without lengthy exposition. For example, in my own fiction, my characters have two main swear words: "sprick" as in "that sprickin' jerk" or just plain "Sprick!" and "frut", which is more of a noun and less a verb.

Other words may require greater explanation. In my own personal writing journey, I recently discovered this during the Nature of Magic Blogfest, hosted by Tessa Conte and Laura Diamond In this excerpt, my character "veiled" herself. In my mind, that was perfectly clear—she used magic to create a false image around her (in this case, the image of nothing at all), kind of like putting a jacket on a book. What I hadn't anticipated was that other people would read this as meaning "invisibility cloak". What does that mean? I didn't define my term well enough.

Back to the drawing board for me :)

Do you coin new terms in your fiction? What kinds of terms? Profanity, or basic penny words?

PS--Today I'm taking suggestions for J. Have some? Leave them below. 

Eclectic (#atozchallenge)

First, on a slightly unrelated to the A-to-Z Challenge, Carol Riggs is hosting and critiquing the first 250 words of one of my WsIP, UNDERGROUND, a YA Dystopian novel. Head over to her blog to check it out, and feel free to critique it further. That's what it's there for. Trust me--I can take it :)

____________________

Welcome to today's post on the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. My challenge, as I have chosen to accept it, is thus: I have asked on my Facebook and Twitter accounts for people to contribute random words beginning with today's letter. From Random.org, I have selected one of these words, and will below challenge myself to connect said word to writing.

For the letter E, I received 42 suggestions. Random.org selected number 32: eclectic.

PS--My Mondays and Wednesdays have me running around without good internet access all day until 9pm EST (US). I'll get back to you, but it might be late tonight. 


Eclectic

[i'klektik] -- adjective: deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

Is it okay to be eclectic as a writer? What I mean by this is: Are we limited to the genre in which we market our first work? Or can we branch out? Can a romance author pen a cozy mystery? Can an MG author for boys write YA for girls? Can a picture book author write an adventure series for adults?

And does that author HAVE to use a pen name to do it?

Don't get me wrong, I understand the need to focus on what we're good at. And, well, I'm not ready to walk away from my 16-23 year old girls and women quite yet (yup, that's my select audience). But, if I wanted to, how would the publishing world (assuming I could break into it) accept my wanting to try something different?

I'm not saying I'm going that route now. I'm just saying, shouldn't it be possible?

What do you think? Is an eclectic writer bad? Would you read a romance author's attempt at a thriller?

PS--Today I'm taking suggestions for I. Have some? Leave them below.

Doofus (#atozchallenge)

Welcome to today's post on the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. My challenge, as I have chosen to accept it, is thus: I have asked on my Facebook and Twitter accounts for people to contribute random words beginning with today's letter. From Random.org, I have selected one of these words, and will below challenge myself to connect said word to writing.



For the letter D, I received 61 suggestions. Random.org selected number 44: doofus.


Doofus

Okay, yeah. This is what happens when I let my friends pick my words for me. There were several words that would have been difficult but interesting (e.g., dogfish, Djibouti, damask, diplodocus, duodenum, etc.), but I get the word that means "stupid person".

Ah, Random.org, how you taunt me!

Then again, when I think about it more, perhaps this is a good word. In fact, perhaps it's even a great word. How many of us have characters that are too clever, while the dim-witted one is around for comic relief alone? Are our main characters the ones who always figure out the secret, put the pieces of the puzzle together?

Well, one reason, I suppose, would be that we could end up with our characters sitting around, popping Bubble Yum**, and staring at the wall. That wouldn't be much fun to read, would it?

**Bubble Yum was an unselected suggestion for B.

But then there are a few great novels and short stories in which the main character isn't known or loved for his/her cleverness. The Sound and the Fury comes to mind. Why aren't there more, though? Is it because it's easier to write about what we know, and being clever writers ourselves, we don't think through that lens? Or because we need to progress our stories, and so our characters take the clues we hand them and link them together?

I don't exactly have any answers for you. It's really just something to think about.

As for my writing, I can't say I have a character I would consider a doofus, per se. I've got some pretty dense characters, but they're not stupid. Of course, now that I'm writing this, I feel the need to challenge myself and see what I can do with a doofus character in an MC role.

Do you have characters that fall into the "doofus" category? What's their purpose in your narrative?


Also, today I'm taking suggestions for the letter H. Have any? Leave some below. Thanks!

________________

On an COMPLETELY UNRELATED note, check out this trailer for India Drummond's new book Ordinary Angels, released yesterday. CONGRATULATIONS, India!!

Also, check out her blog here. India's also a part of the A-to-Z Challenge.

Clean (#atozchallenge)

Welcome to my 3rd post on the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. My challenge, as I have chosen to accept it, is thus: I have asked on my Facebook and Twitter accounts for people to contribute random words beginning with today's letter. From Random.org, I have selected one of these words, and will below challenge myself to connect said word to writing.



For the letter C, I received 68 suggestions. Random.org selected number 8: clean.

PS--My Mondays and Wednesdays have me running around without good internet access all day until 9pm EST (US). I'll get back to you, but it might be late tonight.


Clean

So, I thought about taking the easy route with this, talking about cleaning up and polishing your work, making sure you've got a good editor, etc., etc., but we've heard that all before, haven't we? And, well, we need something to help us get over the Monday blues, right? Who wants to talk about cleaning up after yourself when you've spent a weekend Spring cleaning (or Fall cleaning, maybe, for our dear friends south of the Equator), or cleaning up after kids, or after dinner, or cleaning up the yard...

You get the idea.

Instead, I want to talk about you. Now, before I do, please don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way. I am in NO WAY implying that any of my readers (or myself) are unclean. But if you have one of those skin conditions that comes from not bathing, I'm not judging. I just don't need to know about it :)

Thus, exhibit A:

Image courtesy of Wiki Commons

Poor Pig-Pen. All he wants is to have fun with his friends, but he always ends up dirty and smelly. Why is that?

Enthusiasm!

Pig-Pen loves everything he does. He gets deep down in the dirty while he's playing, and loves every minute of it. The boy's not afraid to get a little messy.

When it comes to writing, we need to get messy before we can dust off our hands and call the creation "done". That's one reason, in my opinion, events like NaNoWriMo are so successful. It's like an entire month of rolling around in the mud and never taking a shower. By the end, you stink, and BOY OH BOY do you want a good, long, hot shower or bath, but look at the prize that's waiting for you. The diamond of your enthusiasm awaits. Yeah, maybe you got muckier than you wanted, and you can't stand to look at that gem again for a while. I haven't looked at my 2010 NaNo yet, that's for sure, and I have no intention of doing so before June. BUT, I know it's decent... deep, deep, Deep, DEEP down. I just need to clean it up.

My bottom line is: Clean isn't always good, nor is it always what's best for us. Let the words flow, get the ides down. Later you can find your diamond in the rough. It's there, no matter what. Sometimes the mud just makes it a little easier to see.

How do you write? Do you polish as you go? Or do you spew words and tidy up after yourself later? 

Have you tried challenges like NaNo? What others have you participated in?

Want to play along with my A-to-Z Challenge? Today I'm taking suggestions for the letter G. I'll take as many or as few as you'd like to contribute. :)