"What if ......"

I think I have lived in a fairy tale world, since I was born. I am often happier being “in” a book than in life and I love to lose myself in a movie. I hate when the lights come up in the theatre. Living in a fantasy world has made it so much easier to come up with ideas for novels. Of course, this is the same woman who once, took a marker and drew out all the pictures I saw in the wood on the bathroom floor. It was the subflooring mind you.

I do look down a lot at things and my mind see pictures that others do not. I often hear, when I point them out to others, “HUH? You see what?”

A story for me needs only a “What if …” My mystery started with “What if a gorilla was kidnapped.”

My YA novel began with “what if…” and an event in my life.

I’m not filling the “what if…” in right now, as it is central to my plot and, I think, so much fun for a fantasy that I want to save it. Hopefully, soon, I will put up the book flap copy that I propose, and it will be in there.

This YA novel, also started from my life and the three boys I am raising. It involves three brothers traveling from their “not so great” life in the human world to a realm that has lived alongside humans since the beginning of time but humans being who they are refuse to acknowledge them. I have used stories told in the history of most cultures. There are always tales, around the fire, of other life forms, from giants to fairies. I have also used a lot of Native American mythology.

So, if you are every sitting there wondering, “What do I write about?” just ask yourself “What if…?” OR, you could try drawing on the bathroom floor.

The Perfect Ending

I have put off writing the climax and closure of my YA novel. I have notes. I always have copious notes. I have my Scene chart, with its column of things to follow-up on. I began several pages ahead of where I knew I needed work, as I always do. This puts me in the atmosphere of my story. I found that I had begun my final confrontation, so was able to do an edit of that scene. Then, I was stuck.

I had more notes. I had ideas. But, what exactly should I include? I never like to presume I know the answers, plus someone might say that magic thing that strikes a chord. I have studied and taken classes for a long time, for a lot of things. I could be a lifetime student. But, in all those years, this is the first time I have made the decision to treat this, writing, as a profession and I want to get it right. I turned to my trusty computer and googled endings.

It did not seem to matter the words, or order of words, I searched for. It was one of the least productive searches I have done. However, I did find six sites with information. The most helpful one was ENDINGS by Lori Handeland.

It is scary to put the finish on twenty-four months of work. You’ve worked so hard on it and you want the ending to memorable. You want that sigh when they set the book down. You want them to look at the cover, remember your name and wait for your next one.

I am not going to paraphrase Ms. Handeland’s page here. Go take a look for yourself. I’ve found it extremely helpful.

Make your Character Come Alive

I have charts for all my characters. Okay, not all of them yet, but the ones who live in my first book. I have five books planned for this story. I have three, CO-Protagonists. They are brothers. The youngest, Alexander, is the main protagonist for the first book and the series. His two brothers each take turns at playing a larger role in some of the books than others.

As always, I searched books and the internet for character development ideas. I started out with one idea after another s to a list of questions that needs to be answered. I have come to the conclusion that, as with most things, I must work with a chart/list that works for me. Each of my characters usually has several items in their chart that another character might not have. The reason is that I need something different from each one of them.

I have approximately forty character charts filled out for this book. Some are minor "one-line type of characters." The charts are in varying degrees of completeness and I was hoping to copy one into this post but the chart itself did not show up. Below, is basically my chart, sans chart, for a character named Cecil Wurtzel. He is a friend to my protagonist and takes a pivotal role in the series.

Italics are my comments to you

SD 3 CECIL WURTZEL == ASK Why Everything (This is a reminder to myself)

Cecil believes in his fear and self-consciousness. He is a good friend and a good person but he doesn’t realize it. He has no self-confidence. He stands by his friends, only finally accomplishing his tasks when a friend is in need.

Name: Cecil Wurtzel: Cecil=blind -- Wurtzel= beaten (I like word meanings)
JOB IN STORY= Kindness, gentleness, forgiving, vulnerable, Friend to Alexander and Emily
Favorite Saying =“Oh Man —!” usually when he spills his milk (This is a trait shared with my brother, who spilt his milk every single dinner.)
Appearance = Short of stature. He is self-conscious about the burns on his arms and scars on his chest. These add to his uncertainty of his worth.
Behavior = spills milk, tips chairs due to a nervousness about how he will be treated/received
Traits: = He is extremely intelligent and well read. This comes from his hiding in books.
He is also fearful, tense, feels worthless, embarrassed, and lacks confidence
How does he change? = He helps Alexander with knowledge and Alexander gives him confidence by showing him how easy it is to not be afraid of living. Not being afraid of jumping in water or climbing tall trees comes naturally to Alex. Book learning does not, but is easy for Cecil.

As their friendship develops, Cecil learns that you must give people a chance and that most of them will not hurt you.

What does he want = Not to be afraid
What or who is standing in his way? = His own fear.
How does this location affect him?= He is at home here, but has never forgotten the myth he has built up of his mother, nor the abuse by his father.
What shaped his view of world? = Mother died when he was three. Father turned to drink and began burning him with cigarettes and abusing him when drunk.

NOTE TO MYSELF: Ragged Red Fiber is what disease sounds like that causes people to appear or be clumsy - I'm not sure if I will use that in the book at all. But, if I need that information, I know where to find it.

There are a lot of really good character chart ideas on the net and in books. Look at all of them and start with what seems the most complete to you. Then you can pick what you need to develop your character. Just remember, he must have strengths and frailties. He has to have a past and a future. He has to become as real to your world as you are to this one.

Dream big and start Marketing

I firmly believe it is better to have dreamed and be let down at the end, than never to have had that dream. I'm a "glass is full" kind of person. So, I move ahead with the final edit of my YA novel, with the thought in my mind. My daughter, the teacher, is to do a final, final edit for anything, like five hundred commas too many and then it goes out on it's journey. I will find an agent and a publisher. So, I am getting marketing ideas in order.

I am updating my website, a much needed task but a bit more fun now, but I am still undecided which way to go. And, I have two blogs. Blogger is my “official” writing blog and WordPress is my family fun blog. There really isn’t anything on Word Press that should offend anyone, but you never know. I do have a cause: child abuse, so I did rant and rave when the FLDS in Texas were in the news. The worse that would probably happen is an agent telling me a couple of posts to delete.

Listening to the three boys who live with me, joke and laugh together about things such as being locked in closets for a month and beaten with a horse cinch, tear my heart out. I hope someday to find a way to be an activist for this cause. Lest I get started on that, again, I will move on.

One of my favorite marketing sites is Shrinking Violet Promotions with Robin LaFevers and Mary Hershey. There is a great blog Shrinking Violet Promotions: Marketing Task Recap. It lays out what needs to be done, in cooperation with your publisher, starting 9-12 months out from publication. There is a lot of other information on their site too.

One thing they mention is a fear of public speaking and how it may be helpful to join Toastmasters. Since I have spent years teaching art, including a short stint as an Adjunct at Casper College in Wyoming, I'm not terrified by the prospect of readings or book signings, but it won't hurt to brush up anyway.

For those of us who are not into things like FaceBook and MySpace, it’s a must read. Okay, so I dated myself there, but I just started Blogging this year, so give me time to catch up, while I dream.