Tuesdays with Story

Writer’s Mail for November 3, 2010
by Jen Wilcher

Election night Tuesday, the 1st and 3rd gang of TWS gathered around a table for some lively discussions and good writing. We had a guest, Linda Meyer.

Since Amber was out sick, her submission will move to a month from now.

Greg read from “Beyond Cloud Nine.” Millie wondered how the antique bi-plane survived over 300 years. Jerry felt it was possible, but needed a line or two to explain. Jerry thought the paragraph about the technical workings of the pilot’s g-suit could be edited down. It does establish the writer’s scientific credibility for later, less plausible events, though. He thought the writing was very smooth. Pat said she could see it on the movie screen easily. She liked the bracketed computer-speak, but thought the italics for the flashback got to be too much. Others agreed. John added that italics should be used as little as possible, only when really necessary. Pat asked how sci-fi writers handled current-day references like, “rocks the size of automobiles?” Should metaphors be time-specific? Would words like automobile still be used 300 years from now?

John read from his edit of his third book, “Jacob on the Just Reward.”Judith got a good feel of where the story took place, the ship, and the characters. John asked the group where he could visit a ship like this. Jerry thought he should go to the Milwaukee Discovery Center. Although they didn’t have a ship exactly like this one, many people there could probably answer questions. Pat thought a list of characters for reference would be a good addition. It makes sense for large-scale books. Jerry said he felt the book could stand alone (but then, he’d read the other manuscripts). Greg felt it needed more to ground the characters for someone who hadn’t read the other books. Jerry thought the last line of the chapter should end one line earlier – a better line. Randy wanted more visual references during the storm scene: how did he climb up from below deck? How did he get across the deck? Randy also asked why “Emperor/He” was capitalized. John explained the allegory nature of his books. The group thought it was ok to be vague about the time/space location, whether earth in 4 AD or “some other place.” It worked either way.

Randy read from his novel “Hona.” Pat really enjoyed the character he’s created for the Dragon. “He’s like an old gay, British Dragon.” John thought the traveling scene could be better if it’s live with Hona. “If the Dragon can do magic, he can recreate it for her with somehow.” Greg agreed that showing, rather than telling could be more effective for that scene – maybe in a live flashback. He asked, also, what was the point of the story and plot? He needed to understand why Hona was chosen, what part she had in this war, etc. John reminded him to end a little earlier, at a better line, “Don’t ever let ‘em go to sleep!” Jerry thought the first line where the word “emperor” was italicized was unnecessary because the emphasis was inherent in the character’s response. More discussion re: use of italics… Judith wanted Hona to have more involvement with her mentor and have reasons to do so.

Judith read the start of her novella, “Doghair and Dust.” Pat wanted to know where the “dog” in “doghair” was. She thought the dialogue was excellent, as usual. John and Greg both said it took them quite a while to figure out where the character was and what was happening. Both thought a little bit of information would help a lot right at the beginning. John asked what the point-of-view of was because sometimes the narration strayed into other character’s minds. Pat asked if Hinckley was really necessary? Did he become useful later? Greg asked if the story was meant to be narrated. Judith said it was. Greg thought it was a lot easier to follow when she read it aloud.

Jerry read another chapter of “Thou Shalt not Murder!” Pat was confused over the characters of “the judge and the judge,” so Jerry explained the peculiarities of the Tennessee court system. Millie thought that she could really picture your characters. Our guest, Linda, gave us the history of Koehler’s “Bubbler.” Greg wanted to know the purpose of the county clerk scene – were those details important? Pat liked the characters and felt they showed the town via the characters. She also noted that the tic-tacs were too early. They weren’t invented until 1969. Greg asked how the sheriff knew the cigarette still burning meant he knew the killer. Was the cigarette on the ground? Or in his hand? Group talked about whether the cigarette would drop if he was shot. Judith liked the old lawyer character; it was accurate in how lawyers work to increase their billing.

Who’s up next. . .
November 9: Kim Simmons (chapters, City of Winter), Randy Haslow (chapter, Hona and the Dragon), Annie Potter (memoir), Carol Hornung (scene, Sapphire Lodge), and Sariah (???).

November 16: Greg Spry (short story scene, “Goodbye Mars”), Pat Edwards (poems), Chris Maxwell (rewrite, short story), Cathy Riddle (chapter, Beer Crimes), Aaron Boehm (chapter 3, Hell Cage), and Kim Simmons (chapter, City of Summer).

November 30: Fifth Tuesday

December 7: Clayton Gill (chapter, Fishing Derby), Justin Schober (chapter 1/part 2, sci-fi novel), Jen Wilcher (chapter), Amber Boudreau (chapter 17, young adult novel), and Jerry Peterson (chapter 5, Thou Shalt Not Murder).

December 21: Randy Haslow (chapter, Hona and the Dragon), Greg Spry (chapter 2, Beyond Cloud Nine), Millie Mader (chapter 20, Life on Hold), Jen Wilcher (chapter), John Schneller (chapter, Final Stronghold), and Justin Schober (chapter, sci-fi novel).

Author, Flynn Meaney: Top 5 Scariest Aspects of Writing a Book
Flynn Meaney’s debut novel, BLOODTHIRSTY, offers a refreshing new take on those fearsome fanged foes everyone has been head over heels for these days. In celebration of NaNoWriMo and Halloween, Flynn tells Teenreads about her Top 5 Scariest Aspects of Writing a Book.

Just in time for Halloween, here are the things that scare me about writing books. Okay, some of them are more disappointing or humiliating than scary. But these things are all scary for a certain author of a book about a fake vampire who’s really a nerd.

1. Rejection Letters
I keep all of my rejection letters. Since I began sending out stories and poems when I was fourteen, I have…quite a few. As in, so many that I had to invest in yet another large set of plastic drawers from The Container Store to hold them. I’ve had poems rejected. I’ve had essays rejected. I’ve had short stories rejected. But having a book rejected is the biggest disappointment of all. Although I wrote Bloodthirsty relatively quickly (in about a month), by the time I sent out the manuscript, I had lived with Finbar Frame in my head for thirty days, I had researched young adult vampire culture (and boy, is there a lot to explore in that department), and I hoped all that hadn’t been for nothing. Luckily, this time, it wasn’t. But I still keep those rejection letters—the vague ones (hurtful because I’m not sure the editors did more than skim my piece), the specific ones (hurtful because I have so many flaws to be pointed out), the remarkably encouraging ones. Hopefully, these letters will keep me humble and keep me hungry for more success and constant improvement.

2. Reviews
Lately, I’ve developed a terrible habit: Googling myself. My high-speed wireless network is a totally mixed blessing when it comes to getting reader reactions to Bloodthirsty. Overall, readers have been incredibly supportive. My Facebook page allows readers to friend me, write on my wall, and send me messages about how much they love Finbar. Recently, a reader even asked to do a school report on me! How flattering! Of course, Google also gives me instant access to those thumbs-downs and less-than-loving reviews. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but I feel oddly protective of the fictional Finbar. I guessI should try to stick to online shopping.

3. Friends and Family Finding Themselves (or trying to)
After reading Bloodthirsty, my mother’s first comment was:
“Phew. That mom was neurotic, but she wasn’t me.” My boyfriend’s family now teasingly calls him “Finbar” because he, like my protagonist, is tall, lanky, and pale (luckily, unlike Finbar, he’s not too pale to hang out at the beach with me). None of Bloodthirsty’s characters are based on, or even inspired by, real people. But I plan on being careful in the future how I depict parents, friends and teachers, lest I hurt anyone’s feelings!
For more, go to http://blog.teenreads.com/blog/2010/11/flynn-meaney-top-5-scariest-aspects-writing-book