Homicidal Writers Killing Characters – Film at Eleven

By Aaron Michael Ritchey

So I got the review of a lifetime from a teenage girl who loved The Never Prayer but also had some very keen insights. Like an aging, ulcer-ridden New York editor reading a novel they like.

One thing she pointed out, and while this is a spoiler, well, it won’t spoil too much. People die. In life, and in books.

She agreed to let me quote her, and you’ll get an idea of her awesomeness.

“You, and J.K Rowling, and John Green, sit behind your laptops and kill people. Good, nice people. Because you can. But as a reader, character deaths can be very hard to swallow, and are a very emotional things. I just hope that you don't get carried away, and understand that character killing is not something (as an author) you should take lightly. Because we as readers don't.”

This made me stop and think. First off, that I was in a list with J.K. Rowling and John Green. That made me kind of gush. Jo, John, Aaron. Yeah, baby, I can see it. We’ll be eating roast duck in Manhattan and talking about our paychecks and fan praise.

*snap* *snap* *snap*

Aaron, are you there? Hello! Blog post, here.

Okay, back to what I’m trying to say. I am a slave to the story. If the story needs someone killed, I will kill them. I might not like it, but at times, there is nothing better than a good, solid death.

What does killing a character do?

If you do it early on, it puts blood in the water and where’s there’s blood, there’s the fear of sharks, and fear is such a powerful motivator. I need readers to read my books, and I’ll try to use anything I can to get them to turn the page. Nice people being nice, well, some people love those books, but I have to say, I get bored easily.

So death pushes the reader on, to find out who else will die, or what other carnage there might be. Death, carnage, fear, yeah. These are a few of my favorite things.

Death also lets the reader know I’m serious. I’m not screwin’ around here. This is about life, pain, love, torture, hope, desire, and things can get messy really fast. Joss Whedon knows how powerful death is, and he wields his own headhunting machete with glee. 

In the Firefly movie, Serenity, I truly thought he was going to go all Greek tragedy and slaughter everyone. I really did. I watched, tears streaming down my face, as things looked bleak for our heroes. When that didn’t quite happen, I laughed, I cheered, and Serenity is now one of my favorite movies.

The reason The Wrath of Kahn was so good was the death of Spock. I can’t help but shout out the brilliance of the second Star Trek movie. Our aging heroes finally face their own mortality, the Kobayashi Maru, the no-win scenario.

Which is why Star Trek Into Darkness was so lame. Death was a cute, pink teddy bear in that movie, and I don’t want that. Death needs to loom large.

In Blake Snyder’s book on screenwriting, Save the Cat, he says the dark moment should have a death, or at least the hint of death. It’s the end of our heroes, and we keep watching to see it all play out.

J.K. Rowling, genius storyteller and my close friend, does this well, not only in each Harry Potter book, but in the whole series arc. Spoiler alert, but Dumbledore dies in book six. Yeah, spoiler, but if you haven’t read the Harry Potter books by now, shame on you. So each book has the story arc, the hint of death in the dark moment, and the whole series has a story arc. At the dark moment of the series, there is Dumbledore’s death. We start book seven with trepidation. Would Rowling kill everyone? Well, more people die, I’ll tell you that.

Before I even began writing The Never Prayer, I knew exactly who had to die and when and how. All of Lena’s struggles and character arc pointed to that one moment when she had to act and do something she couldn’t have done at the beginning. She’d grown, she’d changed, she’d learned wisdom and she’d learned selflessness. I couldn’t have written the book without the death I put in it. Someone in my critique group wanted me to kill a bunch of other people, but no, the story didn’t demand any more coffins. Just the one.

In all my books, there’s going to be death, and dying, and sadness and the gnashing of the teeth. However, do you know what’s so great about fiction? And even better, do you know what’s so great about speculative fiction?

Death is not always death. People can come back to life like in a bad 70’s soap opera. 

And that is why Christianity is such a powerful religion, because the story of Jesus is the story of defeating death—the resurrection. 

I like books that rollercoaster me along, that sprinkle truths along the way, and one of the great truths of life is that it will end. For us all.

To hope, to act, to celebrate in the face of death, that is what makes us human. We can face death and we can be better for it.  In fact, we can even transcend death.

But my reviewer does bring up an excellent point. Don’t kill unnecessarily. Make it count. 

After the blood spills, give us life. Give us hope. 

Roll away the stone. Why do you look for the living among the dead?

 

About the Writer: YA Paranormal author Aaron Michael Ritchey has penned a dozen manuscripts in his 20 years as a writer. When he isn’t slapping around his muse, Aaron cycles to look fabulous, works in medical technologies, and keeps his family in silks and furs. His first novel, The Never Prayer, is available now from Crescent Moon Press. Most recently, his work appears in the steampunk anthology The Penny Dread Tales Volume III and in the May 31, 2013 issue of Electric Spec.  His next novel is under contract, due out spring of 2014.

Read Everything. Almost.

By Mandy Brown Houk

Read, read, read. Read everything - trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! ~William Faulkner

I am a picky reader. If I had my druthers, I’d probably confine myself to coming-of-age novels written within the last two hundred years, primarily by Southern and/or rural writers with a quick wit and a dark sense of humor.

            

I didn’t even realize this was my default preference until I took a look at the books and stories I most often assign or recommend in my English and writing classes. To Kill a Mockingbird. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Peace Like a River. Cold Sassy Tree. As I Lay Dying. Provinces of Night. All Over But the Shoutin’.

            

But I know that, as a writer, I can’t seal myself off from the rest of the literary world. Even if what I hope to write is a coming-of-age novel with a Southern feel, I have to read more widely – otherwise my novel will have clean, neatly browned edges, and while that’s a good trait in a Christmas cookie, it’s yawn-inducing in a novel.

            

And so, I force myself to branch out. Here’s what a few somewhat-recent reads have taught me, which I hope will affect and improve my own writing:

           

YA: The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

Never hold back. Never let convention dictate who narrates the story. Had I come up with the idea to use Death personified as a narrator, my timidity and devotion to convention would most likely have prevented me from doing so. But Death is the only one who could tell this devastating, wholly original story. I’m glad (and fiercely jealous) that Zusak isn’t the coward I would have been.

           

Pulitzer Prize Winner: Tinkers – Paul Harding

There’s no telling what the literary elite will like. The writing is gorgeous and intricate, but the story made my head spin. (I’m apparently too stupid for this kind of book, but if you loved it, that’s fabulous.) Here’s what I learned: I don’t need to shoot for literary recognition and prizes, which, honestly, used to be my goal. By reading this book, though, I realized that story is more important to me than language/concept/high art, even though I’m a language junkie. I don’t need to write above my own intellect, attempting to be critically acclaimed. I just want to write a meaningful story (with lovely language) that readers can sink into and adore.

           

Memoir: Same Kind of Different As Me – Denver Moore/Ron Hall/Lynn Vincent

This book is structured so that two narrators alternate chapters, telling their sides of the central story, with a third author acting as the invisible “as-told-to” scribe. I learned a few things from this book: first (narrator #1), don’t dumb down your writing by too much misspelling and misspeaking, even if that’s accurate to the narrator’s speech patterns. A little bit of dialect goes a long, long, long, long way. Second (narrator #2), ease up on metaphors. Just say what you mean and don’t try to be clever. It’s annoying. Third, if the story is gripping, mediocre writing can be forgiven. This story is the kind that works its way into your heart and changes it from the inside. Beautiful enough to (mostly) overcome the writing flaws.

Modern British Lit: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime – Mark Haddon

Don’t ignore a novel in the bookstore just because it has weird sketches imbedded in the narrative. I picked this book up and put it right back down again because of the odd diagrams and happy faces I saw while flipping through. It was two years before I picked it up again because a trusted friend recommended (insisted) I read it. So that’s the lesson as a reader. The lesson as a writer? Let the events in the book drive the emotion. Don’t pile a bunch of sentimental language on top of the horrible thing that’s happening—the language will muck it all up and dilute the effect. This book is narrated by a boy with Asperger’s syndrome – he is fundamentally incapable of feeling, interpreting, and expressing the emotions that the rest of us can’t hold in. So the language is about as matter-of-fact and detached as it can possibly be—yet I bawled like a baby multiple times while reading it.

A Novel That’s Not a Novel: Olive Kitteridge ­– Elizabeth Strout

Don’t let rules and boundaries stifle the story you have to tell. (Note: this is a Pulitzer winner, too, and in this case, I whole-heartedly, boisterously agree!) I don’t have any idea why/how “they” classify this book as a novel. It seems, instead, to be an anthology of short stories, all set in the same town, told chronologically, and with a certain grumpy woman named Olive appearing in each one. Olive is the POV character in only a few of them; the others may feature her prominently, moderately, or even in cameo-like fashion (in one story, she simply appears in a restaurant and is overheard being pushy with her husband – that’s it). But the book is a triumph of language, heart, and humor, and a brilliant treatise on the human condition (that is: we suck but we need each other anyway).

Classical Lit: A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens

There’s a reason books become classics. Don’t overlook them just because your frizzy-haired, frumpy-clothed English teacher assigned them. Nobody creates characters like Charles Dickens, and this, to me, is his shining example. He wasn’t paid by the word for this one, so he gets right to the heart and manages to create a living, breathing, eternal character in 60 or 70 pages.

Popular Fiction/Thriller: Iron House – John Hart

Don’t judge a book by its sales. As someone who leans more toward literary fiction than blockbuster, I sometimes assume that a book with great sales numbers probably isn’t well-written. I expect a tight plot, but flat writing, cardboard characters, little emotional impact. With all four of John Hart’s books, I’ve been wrong, but most notably with Iron House. This book has taught me that character development enhances and even causes the tension in a story, regardless of genre. I don’t have to choose one or the other; I can (and should) have both.

       

I haven’t given up my persnickety reading habits. I admit that there are books and genres I probably won’t ever read (I won’t mention them here, because everyone’s favorites are different -- as Andre Maurois said, "In literature as in love, we are astonished at what is chosen by others”).

            

But I will continue to force myself out of my comfortable orbit, and I hope that all of this reading will make my own writing better, wider, broader, more.

What books have taught you something specific about your writing? 

What have you learned from reading outside your genre or comfort zone?

About the Writer:  Mandy Brown Houk is a freelance writer and editor, and she teaches at a small private high school in Old Colorado City. She's written for several magazines and anthologies, and has completed two novels--only one of which is worthy of the light of day. Mandy is currently seeking agent representation. Her web site is www.mandybrownhouk.com.

           

Quote of the Week & Week to Come

"Until you understand a writer's ignorance, presume yourself ignorant of his understanding." -Samuel Taylor Coleridge, born October 21


This week on Writing From the Peak...

...Mandy Brown Houk recommends you "Read Everything. Almost."

...Aaron Michael Ritchey talks about "Homicidal Writers Killing Characters"

...Guest poster Jessica McDonald gives us "Confessions of a Conference Newb"

Sweet Success! C.L. Roth

Compiled by Kathie Scrimgeour

C.L. Roth's mystery Bone Weary (ISBN# 978-0-9846619-2-3 for print, ISBN# 978-0-9846619-3-0 for eBook) was released in May 2013. This adult cozy mystery is the first book in the Weary, KS mystery series, and is published by C.L. Roth Publishing and available at CreateSpace, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. 

Charly Edgewood’s husband has lost his mind. He doesn’t want a divorce; he wants a vacation—in Australia, and he intends to be gone for a whole year. Unable to change his mind, Charly, with their disabled son, Jake, moves back to her home town, Weary, Kansas (pop. 400). Settling in among her family, Charly feels like she’s home again. But her brother is being stalked, she finds herself in the middle of a town-wide feud, and somebody vandalized the local cemetery. When the missing bones end up in her fruit cellar, can Charly figure out who stole them?

C.L. Roth was born and raised in Kansas. She has a deep love for the Flint Hills and enjoyed placing her new mystery series in a small town situated in them. She writes what she knows, which is growing up in a large family with unusual coping skills, and being a caregiver for a disabled son. Her books are full of heart, and humor, and a healthy dose of mystery.

 

We love to hear of fellow Pikes Peak Writers' Sweet Successes, including story acceptances, winning contests, getting published and book signings. Please email Kathie Scrimgeour at ppwsweetsuccess@gmail.com if you've got a Sweet Success you'd like to share.

What’s Measured, Grows

By Linda Rohrbough
    

This is an old saying, but it’s new to me: “What’s measured, grows.” If that’s true, then it seems to me that it would make sense for a writer to measure his/her work.

When I heard this saying, I thought of the ways I have measured my work and ways I’d like to measure my work. I believe the most common vernacular for “measuring” is setting goals.

Only goal setting seems like a setup for failure. I just feel guilty if I don’t live up to the goals I’ve set for myself, and I find that rather depressing. I’ve heard it said guilt is a useless emotion, but I think it’s worse than that. I think guilt detracts in a big way from creativity and blocks productivity.

So rather than blocking ourselves with language that is guilt-producing, how about if we try something new?
    
Measuring.
    
Seems simple enough.
    
All of the New York Times best-selling authors I know measure. They measure what they can do and what they have done. They know how many words they can produce in a day, how many days a week they can productively work, and how much time it takes them to produce a book. They rattle off the math like a practiced accountant.

I have a document propped up on my desk titled "Writing Math." I swiped it from Jim Frey’s How to Write a Damn Good Novel, pages 166 and 167. I’ll reproduce it for you here.

Writing Math

Two pages per hour, or 500 words per hour, four hours of writing a day = 2,000 words a day.

One month of novel background – character biography and stepsheet – 172 pages.
(2 pages per hour x 20 hours per week x 4.3 weeks – 172 pages)

First draft - 1.43 weeks
Second pass - ten weeks
Third pass - ten weeks
Polish - eight weeks or two months
Equals a book a year, with 9 weeks left over for vacation

NaNoWriMo is a good example of measuring. Every November, NaNoWriMo participants plow through a novel in 30 days. There are email groups set up so writers can be accountable to each other, and everyone sees how far they can get on their novel in a month. A number of NaNoWriMo produced books have been published, which just shows that measuring does appear to work. Because that’s what NaNoWriMo is all about – not quality or technique or studying the intricacies of crafting a story – but just about putting words on a page.

I know in Microsoft Word 2010 you can click on File --> Info, and under Properties you can see statistics for a document like how many words it has and how long it’s been open. For example, this article is 740 words and took me about 55 minutes to write. Although, I have been thrashing this idea around in my head for the month since I heard, “What’s measured, grows.” And one thing I have figured out about myself is I need brain-time on a piece before I sit down to write it.

One writer I know heisted a stopwatch. Her nephew was using it to measure how much time he was putting in on a school project. One day when he was talking about clocking his time, she said, “Give me that.” She put it on her desk, clicked it on when she wrote and off when she stopped for whatever reason. She didn’t count playing solitaire when she was blocked, surfing the web, or answering email. She only clicked on the stopwatch when she put words on the page, either plotting or actually writing the novel. She said she was shocked at how little time it actually was. Less than an hour a day and she’s a New York Times best seller.

A friend told me about a race walking across the U.S. The guy who won it wasn’t the fastest guy, or the best-funded guy, and he didn’t hold any records for how far he got in any given day. This guy went about the same distance every day. Clearly he was measuring. And he won.

I’m inspired by that story.
    
Which brings me back to measuring. How do you measure your writing? I’m sure there are a lot more measuring techniques than what I’ve outlined here. I’d love to hear about any you’d care to share.

About the Author: Linda Rohrbough has been writing since 1989, and has more than 5,000 articles and seven books to her credit along with national awards for her fiction and non-fiction. New York Times #1 bestselling author Debbie Macomber said about Linda’s new novel: "This is fast-paced, thrilling, edge-of-the-seat reading. The Prophetess One: At Risk had me flipping the pages and holding my breath." The Prophetess One: At Risk has garnered three national awards: the 2012 International Book Award, the 2011 Global eBook Award, and the 2011 Millennium Star Publishing Award. An iPhone App of her popular “Pitch Your Book” workshop is available in the Apple iTunes store. Visit her website: www.LindaRohrbough.com.

What is a Good Mentor and How to Find Them

By Karen Albright Lin

In my last post I discussed what you should be aware of and ready for when you seek a mentor. I also addressed the etiquette involved in receiving such a valuable gift from someone more seasoned. Now we’ll look at what can be expected of a good mentor and how to find one that meets your needs.

A Good Mentor

• Doesn’t help for personal gain
• Admires something in your existing skills, perhaps your voice, storytelling skills, or dialogue, yet sees room for improvement
• Enjoys sharing her experience and knowledge
• Sets high expectations
• Understands your genre
• Is there when you need her, within reason
• Gets along with you
• Encourages professional behavior
• Offers challenging ideas
• Teaches by example
• Stands by you
• Helps you build self-confidence
• Gets satisfaction from helping
• Has a high level of commitment and confidence in his own abilities
• Doesn’t allow you to become dependent on her
• Validates through feedback
• Cushions you when your work is rejected
• Supports you through writer’s block
• Helps you do it on your own
• Ends the relationship as a friend and colleague

I’ve had mentors who’ve approached me after reading my work submitted to anthologies (thank you Maggie Osborne) and contests (thank you Jan C.J. Jones), also mentors I met in critique groups whose skills far surpassed mine (thank you Marvin Straus, Julie Paschen, Joan Prebilich, Stacey Campbell, Janet Fogg, Shannon Baker, and Julie Kaewert). 

In turn, I’ve given back to young writers by mentoring “newbies” within critique groups and nascent writers I’ve met as a result of reaching out at conferences and through contests.  I’ve done high school outreach, jumpstarting middle school and high school literary magazines and leading workshops in English classes. I’ve mentored writers who’ve approached me after my workshops, and young writers I never met who simply happened upon my website. 

When you are ready, reach out. You’d be surprised at how flattered a more seasoned writer might feel being approached for help. Choosing a mentor isn’t something to take lightly; here are some thoughts on finding one that will work well with you.

How to Choose a Mentor

• Approach a teacher or coach or editor
• Accept an offer from someone who admires your work
• Go to an expert in your genre, search the library, read her books, tell her you like them
• Look within a writing organization; some have mentoring programs or encourage mentoring (as does Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Published Authors Liaison)
• Check out websites such as Writers Guild of America that have mentoring programs
• Find someone whose work you admire
• If she doesn’t have time for you, ask if she knows another writer who might have the time
• Let him know what you hope to learn
• Find someone perceptive who teaches by example
• Assess the chemistry to see if the relationship is truly helpful
• Find someone who listens to your ideas and concerns
• If someone speaks in absolutes (such as “never use adjectives”), beware
• Seek a writer who willingly introduces you to new people in the industry
• Bypass anybody who wishes to take credit or responsibility for your work
• Choose a warm mentor with high standards for herself and you
• Be sure he has the same goal and definition of mentoring

Having a supportive mentor can speed you along in your progress toward being published.  I hope you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy such a gift from a generous author.

Once you have the knowledge and success others can benefit from, give back.  An amazing thing happens when you mentor; you continue to learn along the way.   

About the Writer:  Karen is an editor, ghostwriter, pitch coach, speaker and award-winning author of novels, cookbooks, and screenplays. She’s written over a dozen solo and collaborative scripts (with Janet Fogg, Christian Lyons and director Erich Toll); each has garnered international, national and regional recognition: Moondance Film Festival, BlueCat, All She Wrote, Lighthouse Writers, Boulder Asian Film Festival, SouthWest Writers Contest, and PPW Contest. Find out more at www.karenalbrightlin.com.

Quote of the Week & Week to Come

"It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it." -Oscar Wilde, born October 16


This week on Writing From the Peak...

...Karen Albright Lin teaches you how to find a good mentor

...Linda Rohrbough explains how "What's Measured, Grows"

...C.L. Roth shares her Sweet Success

Scene Writing Series, Part II - Scene Purpose

By Jax Hunter


Greetings, Campers.

Last month, we established that we’d be looking at the components of writing scenes. This month, we’ll be looking at the first priority: knowing the purpose of the scene.

Remember the quote I shared in the last article from behind the scenes of Spiderman 2: “You have to really know what you want beforehand or you’ll just throw together a lot of really mediocre stuff.” This is never more true than in the basics: what is the purpose of the scene?

Disclaimer of sorts: For examples this month, I grabbed my copy of Dan Brown’s DaVinci Code from the shelf. It’s a book that’s been widely read - that’s the only real reason I grabbed it. (I did enjoy it and I do think that Brown has a great way with short chapters and great chapter hooks.)

The purpose of the scene is not the same as the scene question. Remember, we have a story question - in the DaVinci Code the story question would be: Will Langdon solve the mystery of the murder of Sauniere? Along the way, each scene has it’s own scene question. For example, Will Langdon find the bug in the soap, or will Silas kill Langdon?

But these are internal story questions. What we want to focus on this month is the external purpose of every scene, the author’s objective in every scene.

In every scene, there should be a change, even if it’s nearly imperceptible. The characters or the situation they face should be different when they exit a scene than when they entered. It’s pretty simple, pretty straightforward. The devil, as they say, is in the details.

Every scene in the book should be either an action scene or a reaction scene. In action scenes, your character is pursuing a small goal, meeting conflict along the way and getting an answer to that goal. Hardly ever is the answer “yes.” Then, there’s no heightening of the tension, is there. Usually, the character comes out of the scene with, at best, a “yes, but.” More often, he’ll come away with a “no” or a “not no, but hell no.” Still, though, those would be the character’s purpose in the scene, not the author’s.

In a reaction scene, the characters stop for a moment to consider what has just happened, to the setback that has just occurred. Or, the world reacts to something your character has just done. Experts say there should be far more action scenes than reaction scenes.

We must not confuse this theory of action/reaction with the natural reactions of our characters within each scene. Jack Bickham in Scene & Structure talks about the natural progression of stimulus - internalization - and response. I’ve also heard this series referred to with action - feeling - thought - action. This internal scene sequence, though is a topic for another column.

The purpose of each scene is what links the scene to the spine of the novel. Each scene must either move the plot forward or show character. Ideally, each scene will do both.

While I won’t speak for Dan Brown, here are some examples from DVC (picked randomly.)

Prologue: Introduce Sauniere and the murder - hint at the enormity of the mystery.

Chapter 1, scene 1: Introduce Robert Langdon.

Chapter 1, scene 2: Introduce Langdon to the murder scene.

Chapter 55, scene 1: Introduce Teabing’s theory of what the Grail is - Sophie’s POV.

Chapter 56, scene 1: Continue previous scene from Langdon's POV.

Chapter 56, scene 2: (3 lines) Remy sees Langdon on the news.

Chapter 57, scene 1: Give Collet Langdon’s location. Scene 2, Silas closing in.

In Brown’s book especially, there is a vast amount of information that must be transferred to the reader. Often, this is the sole purpose for a scene. The author, then, must find dramatic ways to convey that information.

Often, I find myself writing a scene just because it comes next. I’m not clear going in on the purpose of that scene. I think that keeps things from truly being in focus for the reader. As storytellers, we need to paint only one picture at a time for our reader, paint it in clear detail so our reader sees what we see, hears what we hear. If that takes one sentence, so be it.

But, if we don’t know the purpose going in, we’ll throw in all that mediocre stuff. The result will be mediocre scenes that lack the punch they could have if we focused.

In my military romances, I have prologues which serve the purpose of showing the hero of that book in his work environment and, ideally, show foreshadow the torture I will be putting him through. I want the reader to know him in his “home” environment, which, in this case, is within the Air Force para-rescue setting.

Paul Lucey in Story Sense says this: “Do not write the scene until you are satisfied with the plot and the story point that must be made in the beat.”

It seems like some of the best scenes I write are those which are out of order. A scene will build up in my head (more often my heart) until I just have to write it, even though it’s not the next scene in the book. These scenes tend to have the clear focus that some of my other scenes lack. These scenes tend to wring every emotion from inside me, emotions that end up on the page where they belong. Often, they aren’t long. That may be because they are gathered and strengthened and aimed before they’re allowed to be shot.

No mixed metaphors here.

Again, Lucey, “When the point of a scene is unclear, the thread of the story will be frayed or broken, causing confusion.”

Colorado author Stephanie Kane, in her workshop on designing scenes, teaches that we should be playing to the jury (our readers). In order to do that, we must, going in, know what response we want from the reader. Then, we can craft each scene with that purpose in mind. Do we want the reader on the edge of their seat here? In tears? Laughing? Or, maybe just resting so we can deliver an unforeseen right hook on the next page.

For now, if we can, at the very least, think about each scene in light of it’s purpose, we’ll be on the road to better scenes. And better scenes make better stories. (Thank you, Captain Obvious.)

Until next month, when we take a look at set dressing, BIC-HOK (Butt in Chair - Hands on Keyboard).

Jax (www.jaxmhunter@gmail.com)

(This series first ran in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers newsletter in 2005.)

About the Author: Jax Hunter is a published romance writer and freelance copywriter. She wears many hats including EMT, CPR instructor, and Grammy. She is currently working on a contemporary romance series set in ranching country Colorado and a historical romance set in 1775 Massachusetts. She lives in Colorado Springs, belongs to PPW, RMFW and is a member of the Professional Writer's Alliance.

Are You Passionate? Or Are You a Bully?

By Donnell Ann Bell


This month is Bullying Awareness Month, and today is Unity Day. In observance of these two events, Donnell brings you the following post on bullying.

***

I have a strong concept of right and wrong. Perhaps that's why I write fiction. That way I can ensure the bad guys get their comeuppance, and that's where I prefer to keep my conflict. It's reality that troubles me at times; I see no happy ending for this dilemma.

Recently, I listened to a public service announcement from a president of a teacher’s association talk about how bullying can/must be prevented in schools and that adults have the power to stop it. While on the surface, this sounds wonderful and part of a perfect world, I find the statement disingenuous. Why? Because, in my opinion, adults are the culprits behind, and, in fact, are the ones responsible for bullying. 

I’m amazed when adults are shocked that a child has been bullied. Really? Have you turned on the television lately? Have you been on Facebook and Twitter?  What some call passionate and their First Amendment right—a rose by any other name, folks—is actually bullying.

Maybe you’ve seen the Vonage commercial about bundling (TV, phone, internet) where a Stepford-like couple approaches their new neighbors, and says, “But we all bundle.” I submit, in one form or another, “We all bully.”   

The political ads, the downright dirty attacks on both sides of the political spectrum, have little to do with passion. This is all-out war to get their candidate elected. There’s money to be made in these attack ads, and the ugly truth is that conflict and gossip sell. Take a look at the reality shows. For some reason, many are drawn to watching fellow human beings experience pain and suffering. If they weren’t, the ratings wouldn’t be through the roof, and the shows would be cancelled.

If a child is bullied at home, chances are that child is going to bully at school. If a child is treated with kindness and respect, chances are he will carry on that learned behavior at school. There are leaders and followers in this world, and children who don't want to be bullied and haven't learned how to stand up for themselves--well, unfortunately, they get behind the bully. I speak of generalities, of course. There are psychological components that muddy my argument. 

My point is, please don’t tell me that adults have the power to stop anything, when, number one, their actions prove they don’t want to, and, two, they propagate the problem.

Want to stop bullying? Don’t turn a blind eye to what your children are doing in school. Like it or not, your child has more than one teacher— and you are number one in his social education. 

Teaching children that ganging up on others is unacceptable—that much of the public service announcement is correct. But our society and our social media tell us bullying is acceptable. Perhaps the best way to stop bullying is to look in the mirror. And the next time you “like” a divisive message or re-tweet an ugly sentiment, consider the ramifications. Are you passionate about the topic? Or are you getting behind a bully.

“We all bully.” What’s more, our children are watching. . . and learning. 

(Originally posted on Five Scribes blog, August 24, 2012.)

 

About the Author: Donnell Ann Bell is a two-time Golden Heart® finalist who previously worked for a weekly business newspaper and a parenting magazine. Her debut novel The Past Came Hunting became an Amazon bestseller, reaching as high as #6 on the paid overall list. Her second book, Deadly Recall, brought to you by Bell Bridge Books, reached #1 on Amazon. Learn more about Donnell atwww.donnellannbell.com.

October Letter From the Editor

Ah, October! Officially fall. Changing fall leaves, wood smoke pouring out of chimneys, crisp air, ghouls, ghosts, witches, and other creepy critters.

I'm delighted to announce that we have a new columnist, Jennifer Herbranson Lovett, who will be posting marketing tips. In addition, we have a new Sweet Success Coordinator! If you'd like to share your own Sweet Successes, such as book releases, placement in a publication, landing an agent, a book signing, or related news, email Kathie Scrimgeour at ppwsweetsuccess@gmail.com. You can find this information at the end of other Sweet Success posts, as well. Kathie will post occasional calls for Sweet Success news, but you don't have to wait for these calls to send your information in.

Welcome to Writing From the Peak, Jennifer and Kathie!

Don't forget our bonus Write Brain tomorrow night, online only. Information can be found on the Events tab, above. We've still got our usual Write Brain, third Tuesday of the month, next Tuesday, October 15, but it's at a different location than usual. Be sure to join Mario Acevedo an Jeanne Stein at the Business of Arts Center in Manitou Springs! Details can be found on the Events tab.

Pikes Peak Writers has some exciting stuff going on next month for NaNo. More information will be given out on that topic at the bonus Write Brain tomorrow. We'd love to see you at both Write Brains, both of which are free!

Speaking of free, have you taken advantage of our free Write Brain recordings? We record them each month and make them available online for those who wish to view them again or who might have missed them when they originally occurred. Thank you to our partners in this, Delve Writing!

Finally, The Zebulon writing contest is ongoing, and conference will soon open for registration. Stay tuned for more information about each here on Writing From the Peak.

~Shannon Lawrence
Managing Editor, Writing From the Peak
PPW Non-Conference Events Director

Quote of the Week & Week to Come

"To write something, you have to risk making a fool of yourself." -Anne Rice, born October 4


This week on Writing From the Peak...

...The October Letter From the Editor

...In honor of Unity Day and National Bullying Awareness Month, Donnell Ann Bell asks, "Are You Passionate? Or Are You a Bully?"

...Jax Hunter brings us the next topic in her series, "Scene Purpose"

October News, Events, & Links

PPW Events

This month, we're delighted to present two Write Brains, both free, as usual! We request you RSVP to each (RSVP is mandatory for the online only in order for us to send you the link to the online venue). Please put the date or topic in the subject line so we know which one you're RSVP'ing to (or both, if you'd like to RSVP to both). RSVP to rsvp@pikespeakwriters.com.

October 8 will be the bonus Write Brain, thanks to our partnership with Delve Writing. Presented by Chris Mandeville, NaNo What? Everything You Need to Know About NaNoWriMo will be online only from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Since 1999 writers have been hunkering down for the month of November to attempt the monumental task of writing start-to-finish a 50,000 word novel in only thirty days: National Novel Writing Month, known affectionately as NaNoWriMo, or just "NaNo for short. November is just weeks away--find out now what NaNo is, what it can do for you, what you're "allowed" to do under the official NaNo rules, what NaNo "pirates" do, and how to have a successful NaNo experience whatever you do. Whether you're new to NaNo or a seasoned "WriMo," join us for tips and tricks that can help you be an uber-productive writer any month of the year.

In addition, we will be announcing the plan for NaNoTryMo at this bonus Write Brain! NaNoTryMo is the Pikes Peak Writers version of NaNoWriMo meant to encourage you, whether you're following the NaNoWriMo track or setting your own version. We'll be partnering with Delve Writing to bring a new twist to NaNoTryMo.

On Tuesday, October 15, we're pleased to welcome Jeanne Stein and Mario Acevedo at the Business of Arts Center in Manitou Springs. In conjunction with the Business of Arts Center and the Second Biennial Cross-Creations city-wide Gods & Monsters collaboration, they'll present Writing Monsters With Depth: Making Your Monsters Human. Vampires, werewolves, witches, fae—all traditional monsters that have become the heroes of their own stories. How does  a writer make a “monster” sympathetic, and who really is the villain when it’s a showdown between a mortal and a monster? Mario Acevedo and Jeanne Stein will bring their expertise on writing monsters with a depth of humanity to help you learn to do the same. The monsters aren't always the bad guys these days, and it's necessary to write them in a way that readers can identify with them.
More information available on the PPW Events tab above.

The September Write Brain, Advanced Plotting with Chris Eboch, can be found HERE. It will be transitioning to a password protected file soon, but we'll put that information on the website and the blog tab above.

Writer's Night will be Monday, October 28, 6:30 to 8:30 P.M., in the Principal's Office at Ivywild School, 1604 S. Cascade Ave.

PPW Open Critique will occur on Wednesday, October 16, 6:00 to 8:30 PM, at the Cottonwood Center for the Arts. The first 8 to RSVP may bring 8 pages of their manuscript to critique. More information on the Events tab.

Other "Local" Events

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers has two online classes this month, in addition to their monthly free programming Saturday, October 26, 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Diving In, Characterization and Motivation will be presented by Courtney Koschel.

Colorado Springs Fiction Writers has various meetings throughout at the month at different locations. Visitors are welcome. 

Pikes Peak Romance Writers will welcome Terry O'Dell on Sunday, October 13, at the BAC in Manitou Springs. She'll present "What is Voice?"

Pikes Peak Pen Women will feature Kerstian Lieff, who will talk about the memoir she wrote of her mother's life. October 19, 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, Blue Sage Café. $23 for non-members. RSVP required at info@ppb-nlapw.org.

The Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America will have Dr. Jane Bock speaking about forensic botany and the Casey Anthony trial Thursday, October 10. $20 for the presentation and dinner.

KRCC/Radio Colorado College 91.5 FM welcomes Ira Glass of "This American Life" to the Pikes Peak Center October 12. Performance is at 8PM, doors open at 7PM. "This American Life" is an award-winning public radio program that "creatively documents the complexities and absurdities of life in contemporary America." Glass will talk about the program, what makes a creative story, and more, combining live narration on stage with pre-taped quotes and music.


Publications Open for Submissions and Contests:
Please note: Inclusion of links in this post does not equal sponsorship by Pikes Peak Writers or a relationship between the two entities.  Please always be sure to pursue due diligence before submitting anything to a publication or contest.

Pulp Empire and Metahuman Press have announced a set of ongoing anthologies accepting submissions. They're open until filled, except the Doc Claus Christmas anthology, which has a deadline of October 15. 10-15% of profits go to authors as royalties.

Vagabundo Magazine is seeking bloggers/columnists to write about adventure travel. You will not be paid as a blogger, but you will get dibs on writing columns, which do pay. They also expect photos with your stories.

Long Count Press is putting together an anthology with the subject of dying earth sword and sorcery fantasy. Deadline is October 31. Pays $20, plus e-book copy, plus royalties.

Kraken Press is seeking submissions for their 50's themed horror and dark fantasy anthology, American Nightmare. Short stories only. Deadline October 31. Pays in pro rata share of 15% of list price, plus one contributor copy.

Cease, Cows is holding a flash fiction contest. Guest judge is Stephen Graham Jones. Cost is $5 to enter. 1000 words or less. Prizes will be awarded as a percentage of the money brought in for the contest (details on the website). Deadline October 15.

Kazka Press holds a monthly flash fiction contest entitled 713 Flash. The October deadline is October 20, with a theme of Out of Time. Pays $15 per accepted story.

Bad Day Books is holding their 2013 Assent Publishing Rogue Writing Contest. Novella and novel submissions in horror, thriller, suspense, and apocalyptic. Deadline October 31. The prize pack is pretty phenomenal, including a publishing contract, marketing, author marketing coaching, etc. Aside from the contest, they are also open for regular submissions for publication in those same genres.

Mystery and Horror, LLC is seeking short stories for their Mardi Gras Murder anthology. They'd like mystery short stories set during Mardi Gras. Open submission period is October 21 to January 5. Pays a contributor copy, $5 advance on royalties, and discount on additional book purchases.

Contrary Magazine's winter issue deadline is December 1. They accept fiction, poetry, commentary, etc. Pays $20 per piece.

Pseudopod takes horror submissions of short stories for their podcasts. They also take flash, but prefer short. They pay $100 per story and your story is performed in audio format for their podcast. Flash fiction pays $20. They're always open for submissions.

PodCastle is the same as above, but takes fantasy stories. Same pay and open submission period.

Quirk Books is holding their Looking for Love Fiction Contest. Entries should be novel-length unconventional romance. First prize is $10,000 and publication.

Submission and Contest links originally posted on The Warrior Muse.

About the Author:  After years of letting her writing fall by the wayside, Shannon Lawrence has recently thrown herself back into it. Her main focus is fantasy and horror and she has just finished a Young Adult Fantasy novel. She has a flash fiction piece featured in the anthology Sunday Snaps: The Stories, and her short horror story "The Blue Mist" will be in the March 2014 issue of Nightfall Magazine. She has also discovered a love of photography and enjoys photographing the breathtaking Colorado scenery and wildlife, as well as her children. She blogs about reading, writing and photography at www.thewarriormuse.com.   

Digging for Gold aka Revision

by Deb McLeod

My first beta reader reaction is in on the first 200 pages of my novel “The Julia Set.”

She says: “This is a very polished piece of work, and if you just keep loading the progression of events as you have been doing, you will have a winner on your hands. It’s offbeat. It’s genre bending. But it's also well written and it makes sense. It’s a challenge to a reader in a GOOD way.”

Yeah, I’m floating on that. My first beta reader and good friend, Liz, is a writer with several of her own books published and a savvy reader. I chose her on purpose because she knows my writing and knows what a departure this novel is for me. The overall comment she made is fantastic but she still had some suggestions and some areas that need work. I can ride the energy of her words right though the tough spots of what comes next.

Revision.

Here’s the five-part revision checklist I will use for “The Julia Set.”

One – Answer beta reader issues (or dismiss them if you don’t agree)

• I don’t understand this.
• That plot line might be overreaching.
• Explanation of this part of your world comes in too late.
• Little nitpicks, etc.

Two – Descriptions – my own issue with my own writing (what’s yours?)
Look at descriptions of people and setting. Are they too long? Nonexistent? Reveal enough to anchor the reader the first time we meet a character? 

Three – Scene by scene – take it one step at a time 
First scene: 

• Look closely at the hook and the first line of the book
• Does the opening reflect the ending?

All scenes:

• Does this scene need to be here? (I will do this because the book is long.)
• Does this scene advance the plot? Reveal character? Or should it be cut?
• What is a distraction from the core story?

Four – Word by word, paragraph by paragraph:

• Look for repetitive thoughts
• Look for excess language. Eliminate excess words
• Look for –ing, -ly, seem, seemed or worst of all seemingly (my pet peeves)
• Look for sentences that begin with “There” or “It”
• Look for the ‘to be’ verb and passive language
• Search for consistency in name changes I made halfway through
• Search for italic and make sure it follows the rules (when the Angels speak on the human plane)
• Check open and close quotes

Five – How does it go?
Check the pacing and chapter breaks. Update the chapter spreadsheet to check page numbers per chapter and closing line.

Revision Cheat Sheet
There are many more revision items you might add to your checklist. My clients use a cheat sheet that we create as we go along. It contains habits they want to work on and notes about what to look for before they send their pages to me. Some of them keep the cheat sheet taped on the wall near the computer so they’re revising as they go.

My cheat sheet says to look for –ing, look at dialogue tags, and WRITE MORE DESCRIPTION.

What might yours say?

About the Author: Deb McLeod, is a writer, creative writing coach and founder of The Writing Ranch. She has both an MFA and a BA in creative writing. She has been teaching and coaching for over ten years. Deb has published short fiction in anthologies and journals. She has written articles and creative nonfiction. Deb has been a professional blogger, tech writer, graphic artist and Internet marketing specialist. 

Reviews - Read 'em and Weep? Or Ignore Them Completely?

By Aaron Michael Ritchey


Oh, Lordy, reviews. Online reviews are the modern-day equivalent of saying to the universe, “Read my book and tell me what you think.” Reviews are now vital because, as we all know, word-of-mouth sells more books than anything else, and hopefully, online reviews are word-of-mouth turned up to the power of ten. Hopefully it goes to eleven.

And speaking of numbers, there is an urban legend that if you get fifty reviews on Amazon, and if you stand in front of the mirror in the bathroom and say “Joe Konrath” three times, your book will become a bestseller. Okay, you may have to light a candle or something, or maybe you have to say “Barry Eisler” seven times. Either way, the more reviews the better. And they better be real. Amazon has hired a hit man to kill anyone who gives their friend a glowing five-star review. It has to come from your heart, dammit.

Agents, editors, readers, writers, everyone is looking at reviews, and this is why your friend who has the book published is pleading with you to write a review and post it on Goodreads, or Amazon, or anywhere else reviews are collected.  Then people might stumble across your book, buy it, and tell two friends who tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on.

I miss 1970’s commercials.
But what are the real value of reviews?

I have some friends who don’t read their reviews, who have yanked their Goodreads account, who write, publish, write some more, and move on. Which is probably smart. However, since I am not smart, nor wise, I read my reviews and relish them.

Word of caution. It’s kind of awkward to email an acquaintance who reviewed your book, and didn’t like something, for more information. I did that, and the person was nice about it, but yeah, awkward. No one likes to be specific about telling you how much you suck.

The problem with reviews is kind of like the problem with critiques. People like\hate\love\adore \loathe different things.

I had some reviewers of The Never Prayer who hated Jozey’s voice and they said he didn’t sound like any three-year-old boy they had ever met. And Johnny Beels, his southern accent? Please, could I have some grammar? I wrote him in dialect. Nobody liked it.

Until a reviewer did. I met a young reader at RT this year who promised to read my book and give it a low ranking. I wanted a one-star scathing review. I’ve gotten a two-star iffy review, but I wanted more. I wanted scorch. The reader promised me she’d roast me over the coals.

In the end, she couldn’t. She loved the book and wrote me a long message about all the things she liked and didn’t like. She liked Jozey, yeah, and Johnny Beels’ southern accent? She thought I nailed it. Boom.

So read your reviews, don’t read your reviews; in the end, it doesn’t much matter. However, do you know why I relish my reviews? It’s proof someone read my book.

I wrote for years, not letting anyone see what I wrote. I was too afraid of what they would say. I overcame the fear, got published, and I love it when someone reviews me. Even the guy from Germany who hated Johnny Beels’ southern accent. No, especially him.

A guy in Germany read my book. Girls in the Philippines have read my book. Real people all over the world are reading my words.

In this crazy business, we don’t get paid much money, but some of the experiences we get are priceless.

I’d like to thank all of the people who reviewed my book. Even those who hated the name of my character Chael.

Hard “K” sound. Chael. Like the vegetable. I liked the way it looked on the page.

About the Author: YA Paranormal author Aaron Michael Ritchey has penned a dozen manuscripts in his 20 years as a writer. When he isn’t slapping around his muse, Aaron cycles to look fabulous, works in medical technologies, and keeps his family in silks and furs. His first novel, The Never Prayer, hit the streets on March 29, 2012. Most recently, his work appears in the steampunk anthology The Penny Dread Tales Volume III and in the latest issue of Electric Spec.

Quote of the Week & Week to Come

“That's what fiction is for. It's for getting at the truth when the truth isn't sufficient for the truth.” -Tim O'Brien, born October 1.


This week on Writing From the Peak...

...Aaron Michael Ritchey addresses reviews and what they mean to authors

...Our monthly news, events, and links, sharing local writing events and news, as well as links to publications and contests you might find helpful