Sometimes Getting Where You're Going Means Making Sacrifices

This morning I came to the sad conclusion that if I really want to get in shape, I'm going to have to cut some things out of my life. More specifically, I'm going to have to cut some things out of my diet. If only exercising alone could knock off the inches of flab I've still got to lose, I'd already be a size smaller than I was three weeks ago. Alas, it cannot. And so I'm reduced to facing the cold, hard facts of calorie consumption. Putting more into my body than my body burns negates the effect of all that wonderful exercise (ha!) I've been doing.

Which is why when I stepped on the scale this morning the stinking numbers hadn't budged. Not an ounce in a week. How discouraging. How disheartening.

How fitting.

I mean, it's not like I've been watching what I'm eating. I'm exercising, but I'm not exactly passing on the cookies.

Go ahead. This is the time when everyone gets to chime in and tell me that numbers don't mean anything. That muscle weighs more than fat and takes up less space, so while I might not be lighter, I'm surely looking better. Such wonderful, sweet words and so meaningless when I'm staring at the numbers that really do seem to mean a lot.

Now for the writing part. Personally, I figure I could leave the post as is and be done with it. You're all smart enough to figure out where I'm headed. However, I've still got an hour before I have to take my kids to the three hour piano torture. Oops -lesson. So, why not spend some more of it here?

What I've discovered about dieting is the same thing I discovered about writing a few years back - it takes a lot of effort.

I'm not trying to be scary, here, but the fact is, we can not be successful in the publishing industry if we don't make writing an important part of our lives. Being an author takes energy and commitment. Often, it also takes sacrifice. Of time. Of energy. Of emotion. It's so easy to play a game when your heart isn't in it and you don't really care about the outcome. It's so much harder when you do care. When you feel that winning will validate you in some way. Whether or not we really achieve validation from writing or getting in shape is for another blog. So, I'll just say that doing what God wants is always the right thing. And sometimes that means doing what we really don't want to do. Writing when we don't feel like it. Passing up on the television show or movie to spend an hour or two at the computer. Sacrificing our vision and dream for our work and allowing others to have hand in what we're creating. Reading over that manuscript one more time even though we're so sick of it we could burn it in the backyard and be happy.

Always, always making a conscious decision to do whatever it takes to get where we're going. And that means saying, "Okay, Lord, I'm not sure where this is leading, but I'm willing to make it important if that's what You want."

And if it is what He wants (and from reading many of your blogs, I know that it is)than we must be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to include it in our daily lives.

Which leaves only one question - are we?

Sometimes Getting Where You're Going Hurts

Okay, so this is another exercise/writing post. I can't help myself. It's that or talk about my kids and husband. If I get started on that, I'll never stop, because they take up a huge portion of my life and thought processes. I mean, the first thing I thought when I got up this morning (at 6 a.m) wasn't "Lord, please give me something meaningful to write today". It was, "Lord, please give me more patience with my kids, because if they spend today bickering like they did yesterday I will be forced to do something desperate. Like put them each in a room with books, food, water, and absolutely no contact with siblings!"

See? They are my life. And well they should be. But I'm a writer, too, and this is a writing blog. Therefore, I will blog about writing. Seeing as how I am an out of shape writer, exercise often gets mixed in.

And we all know how much I LOVE exercise.

But, I'm blabbering on and you're wondering, "when is she going to get to the point?"

Right now. Really.

Yesterday, I was in pain. Serious pain. I've started this new exercise tape and it's insane. Squats. Lunges. Not good for someone with bad knees. So, my legs hurt, but my knees hurt more. That deep, yucky ache in the bones that won't go away no matter how many Tylenol I pop. Standing hurt. Sitting hurt. Lying down hurt. Sleeping was difficult and uncomfortable. All day long, I kept thinking, "this isn't worth it. Exercising isn't worth it. In shape isn't worth it. Thin isn't worth it."

And right then, at that moment, it seemed like it wasn't. Today, in the light of the new day, with less pain and a slight change in the shape of my body (thanks to three weeks of almost every day exercise), I have a different perspective. It might hurt now, but in a month it won't. In a month, I'll be a little lighter, a little slimmer, a little more powerful than I am today. On my birthday in December, I'll be close to what I was BK (before kids). And that's going to feel incredible.

Thinking that brought to mind Hebrews 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Not just the race, but the race marked out for us.

If you're reading this, part of the race God has marked for you probably involves writing. I'd be lying if I said the road to publication is easy, that it never leads to that bone-deep ache that makes sitting, standing, sleeping difficult. It does. Critiques can hurt. Rejection can hurt. Reviews can hurt. Doors swing open, only to close again. Our very best effort may be met by callous form letters. There will be days when we'll feel (published or not) that we're not sure we want to do this any more. That the pain, frustration, and aggravation just aren't worth it.

When that happens, we've got to set our eyes on the finish line. Though it may be out of sight, around a bend, up the steepest slope we've ever seen, it's there. We've just got to keep running, limping, crawling toward it. I think when we reach it, it'll be much grander than we ever imagined. Because, in the end, it will be more about completing the race than winning it.

Keep writing!

Steeple Hill Guidelines and Editors (or Showergate 101)

If you're thinking about submitting to Steeple Hill, you may have heard various rumors about the strict and constraining guidelines forced upon authors who write for the publishing house.

As with any rumor, there is both truth and fiction in what is being said. Steeple Hill, like any other publishing house, has guidelines that must be adhered to. However, the guidelines generally aren't a problem for those of us writing from a Christian world view. Most of what we're asked not to include in our writing is stuff we wouldn't include in our daily life. Curse words, men and women spending the night together (even without sex involved!), descriptions of certain body parts, terms that might be used for those body parts (and I'm not talking the kind cut off and lying in a ditch by the side of the road, hidden in suitcases, or pickled in jars out in potting sheds). Think of books as having ratings. A Harlequin Intrigue might be PG13 or R. Steeple Hill is looking for PG.

So, that's not so bad, right?

Also, for those wondering, we can (and are even encouraged) to use scripture, prayer, the name of Jesus, Christ, God, Holy Spirit in our writing. The purpose of these books is to entertain a mostly Christian audience by sharing stories about men and women who struggle to live their lives for God. Each story must have a vital faith element. That doesn't mean a mere mention of a prayer or a Bible verse. That means spiritual growth throughout the story. Without that, you simply don't have a Steeple Hill book.

In the years I've been writing for Steeple Hill, I've been blessed to work with three different editors. I'm happy to say, I've enjoyed the experience immensely. I don't have a problem with the guidelines, and tend to stay within them without a thought. However, there was one time when my editor and I had a difference of opinion.

I was writing EVEN IN THE DARKNESS. My poor heroine had been tortured, forced to ride on an unairconditioned bus for hours, run through rice fields, and traveled steep mountain passes on a motorcycle. She really did need a shower. And, I thought, what better place to have her think about all that was happening? The only quiet time I get during my day happens to be when I'm in the shower. I do my best thinking, praying, and plotting there. So why not let Tori do the same?

The answer, though not obvious to me, was obvious to my editor. She informed me that my readers wouldn't want to be in the shower with Tori.

In the shower? They won't be in the shower, they'll be in her head. Right? Besides, which, Tori needed a shower. Just the thought of her sweaty, blood stained clothes made me wrinkle my nose. A shower was a necessity. Other wise, my readers would be wrinkling their noses, too.

That made sense to me. And so I told my editor. Who informed me that the reader might feel s/he was in the shower with Tori. Which, of course, would mean imagining such things as the above mentioned body parts. So could I please not have Tori thinking in the shower.

I wanted to argue. I think my editor knew I wanted to argue. Instead, I cut the scene and had Tori stand in front of a mirror, blood trickling into the sink.

And the book was a lot better for it. Because, really, I didn't need the shower scene at all. My editor knew it. I did not. Which, of course, proves a point I made in an earlier post - editors know what they're talking about. They want the best book we can produce. 97% of the time they're right. I say 97% because no one is right every time. I wish I could give you an example of a time when my editor has been wrong. Alas, I cannot. And that's including all three of my editors.

Sadly, I can think of at least twenty times when I have been wrong. Thankfully, my editors have called me on those things each time.

Long story short - your editor is your greatest asset. Treat her (or him) accordingly. With respect, with humor, and with the kind of professional courtesy with which you would like to be treated.

It Isn't All About Writing, Is It?

I don't know about everyone else, but I've always got a story on my mind. Everywhere I go I see bits and pieces of lives and legacies. Old houses, graveyards surrounded by wrought iron fences, abandoned fields, fallow and overgrown, people laughing, crying, stone-faced, joyous. In each one I see a story waiting to be told. Or one that has already been told and only needs to be written.

When I was a kid, we'd travel from Maryland to Massachusetts a couple of times a year. During those long trips, I'd sit lost in my own world while my four siblings chattered and played. Outside the window, the world beckoned, filled with adventure, mystery. People. So many people with so many experiences. I could imagine them all. I still can.

This past week, I left my laptop at home, thinking that would somehow separate me from the stories constantly dancing through my mind. Alas, computer separation did nothing to quiet the what-ifs that seem so much a part of who I am. What if someone is living in that tiny shack beside the water? What if that person is hiding from someone? What if...?

I think I'm diseased. Or maybe I'm gifted with an overactive imagination.

One way or another, I'm beginning to realize that I'm not just a writer. I'm a storyteller. I think if I'd been born a thousand years ago, I'd have been that - a storyteller committed to passing a legacy of words and knowledge from one generation to another.

But I wasn't. And so I write fiction and pass on different words and different legacies. I think at least one of my kids will do the same one day. My daydreamer. My imaginative one. My guy who follows the stories in his head as closely as he follows the world around him.

Maybe for us writing isn't what it's all about. Maybe what it's all about are the stories singing in the night, echoing in the quiet hours before dawn, whispering in the busy hours of the day.

I wonder. What is it all about for you? The words? The story? The characters? Or that driving, undeniable need to commit thought to paper and create a world from the seeds of imagination?

Contest - I dare you to enter!

In an hour or so we're leaving on vacation. I know you all will miss me desperately.:0)

We're heading to Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. If you've never been there, you're missing out. It's a beautiful area. So much more peaceful than suburban Maryland. People are friendly. They don't rush. They enjoy the sweet pace of life as it comes and don't seem in such a hurry to get to the next place, move on to something new, or find something better. There is peace there. In the silent mornings. The sweet trill of birds. The quiet plop of fish jumping in the lake. The scent is that of life - earth, foliage, water - and when I breath it in, I feel like I am home.

Maybe that's why my books are set there.

Where do you feel most at home? Your house, your neighborhood, your space? Or somewhere different. Somewhere you can only dream of being?

If you have the time or inclination, write about it. A poem. A short story. A description. Send it to me at shirlee@shirleemccoy.com, or post it here. When I come home, I'm going to choose the best (and how subjective is that :-)). The winner will receive a critique of the first three chapters of a manuscript, a critique of a long synopsis, and help with the query process. Or, if you're a reader and not a writer, a signed copy of each of my Lakeview books.

Don't get in trouble while I'm gone!

I'm Just Saying

Lately, I've been thinking that exercise is overrated. I've been lunging, squatting, crunching and push-upping for two and a half weeks and I still look like the Pillsbury dough boy. Actually, girl. I've got hair. Sadly, this is my own fault. I have not lunged, push-upped, squatted, or crunched for far too long. My body doesn't want to give up its life of leisure, and neither do I. However, I'm ready to give up all the doughy white goodness that comes with being sedentary.

So, what does this have to do with writing?

Nothing. Everything. It's about life. And life is about choices. Sometimes we have to do what we think is right, even if we can't see results, even if we're not sure of the long-term ramifications. Sometimes we have to trust that God has us doing what He wants right now. And right now is all that we need to worry about.

In other posts, I've talked about just doing it, about mommy guilt, about all the things that keep us from writing. Lately, I'm wondering if what really keeps us from writing is much deeper than those things. If, perhaps, we lack the faith that leads to giving it all over to God. Faith in Him seems so much easier than faith in His ability to set our course and to change that course when we get off track. To truly live our lives for Him, our faith in Him must become faith in His vision for our lives. A vision that is often beyond our ability to see.

I stood in front of the mirror this morning and wondered why I was bothering with exercise. It's so obviously NOT working. Yet, somewhere deep inside my dough-girl body there are muscles. They just need more time to work their way out. If I give up now, I'll never see what might be.

The same is true in a writer's life. Often, we see not what might be, but what is. And what is is often not what we hoped it would be. So, I pray that when you look in the mirror today, you'll see not just the person you are, but the person God sees - the potential beneath the failures, the success at the end of what might be a very long road. Remember, what God asks today may seem outside your ability, but as you work toward it you'll become more and more the person He has always meant for you to be.

What is it that's holding you back today? Put it behind you and go forth and write!

Please Send Your Complete Manuscript

The five words every author wants to hear. Though they're not nearly as exciting as "we'd like to offer you a contract", they are a creaking, groaning sign that a door has opened for you.

On the heels of Steeple Hill's announcement that the Love Inspired Suspense line will be increasing to 4 books a month in February 07, I'm thinking there is no time like the present for aspiring RS writers to get their queries ready.

Step one in writing a winning query - name your editor. Which, of course, means know who the acquiring editor for the line is. For Love Inspired Suspense, you'll want to send to Melissa Endlich or Diane Dietz.

Step two- write a short back cover blurb for your book. Make it a good one. Something compelling that is sure to grab the editor's attention.

Step three- explain the length and genre of your book and give a brief summary of your audience.

Step four- give a brief bio including any publishing credits.

Finally, package it in a one page letter that is a quick, professional portrait of who you are as a writer.

Here's an example -

Dear Ms. Endlich,

Sophie Manchester is sure her life is exactly what she wants it to be. A thirty-something suspense author, she's got a nice house, a good job, and enough friends to keep her from dwelling on what she doesn't have - love. When gun shots and screams interrupt Sophie's late night run, she calls 911 on her cell phone and races toward the sound. A dark sedan speeds away from a local park, and Sophie is sure she's seeing a murderer escape. Unfortunately, the police find no evidence of a crime.

When quiet knocks on the windows of her ranch-style home become scratching, shrieking moans that wake her during the dead of the night, Sophie turns to police detective Eli Williams for help. At first Eli is convinced Sophie is hearing nothing but echoes of her overactive imagination, but as he gets to know the practical, soft-hearted woman he suspects there is much more than that going on.

Together, Sophie and Eli work to uncover a plot that goes beyond gun shots in the dark and nightmare whispers in the night. What they find threatens to topple a powerful politician's family. If it doesn't destroy them both first.

A WOMAN ON THE BRINK OF INSANITY is a novel of inspirational romantic suspense. Approximately 65,000 words in length, A WOMAN AT THE BRINK will appeal to readers who enjoy books by Hannah Alexander and Colleen Coble.

An avid reader of inspirational romance and a fan of the Love Inspired Suspense line, I recently finaled in the Genesis contest in the romantic suspense category, and placed second over-all in the Touched by Love contest. As I writer, I enjoy the challenge involved in creating suspenseful stories that contain a strong romantic thread and a vital faith journey.

May I send you my completed manuscript?

Sincerely,

Hope Full Author

Bad Query. Bad, Bad Query.

Dear Editor,

I am so pleased to give you an opportunity to read my novel, A WOMAN AT THE BRINK OF INSANITY. I know you are going to love it. My mother, father, sister, brother, best friend, and six-year-old son all love this story. Since my mother is quite ill it would mean the world to my family if A WOMAN AT THE BRINK OF INSANITY were published. I've chosen your publishing house, because I think you need an author like me to spice up your line-up of authors. I can add a new perspective, as your publishing house mostly publishes non-fiction self-help books for men. If you take a chance on my fiction, I know you'll make lots of money off me. It's a no-lose situation.

My book is a great read. It's suspenseful, sometimes funny, and has a heart-grabbing ending that will leave a reader wanting to read more of my work. It's about a woman who thinks she's going crazy, but really she's not. She just thinks she is. But she's not really. Which is what makes the story really suspenseful and sometimes funny. And the heart-grabbing ending is something you will have to read to appreciate. It involves the woman finding a dog, but she thinks the dog is as crazy as she is. But the dog isn't. They live happily ever after together. That's kind of a play on the fairy tale theme. Only the woman doesn't end up with a man, she ends up with a dog! Readers are going to love it!

I know I've got your attention now and you're just dying to read what happens in this story. A WOMAN AT THE BRINK OF INSANITY is complete and ready for your request. I look forward to hearing from you, and to working with you on this and future publishing projects.

Of course, I'm contacting several other publishing houses. Even though yours is the one I want to write for, I'll have to take the best offer I get.

Sincerely,

Shirlee McCoy

Encouragement

Sabrina's right. I'm insanely, unbelievably crazed right now! :0)

I've got VALLEY OF SHADOWS to mail out and then copyedits on LITTLE GIRL LOST to finish by Monday. Fun, fun, fun! Actually, it is. However, since we've already established that I'm not supermom, superwoman, or any other variation of super, it's inevitable that staying up until three or four in the morning five or six nights in a row has caught up with me.

Which is fine, because after Monday of next week, I've got some breathing room.

Today, I'm posting an encouragement I wrote in the Steeple Hill encouragement thread. There are certain times in every writer's life when she needs to know that it isn't her. It's God. That it isn't what she can do. It's what He will do. Perhaps this is one of those times for you. It certainly is for me. So...for you and for me:

Do you ever feel that you just can't do it? Not one more load of laundry. Not one more meal. Not one more late night. Not one more day at work, moment of intervening, second of being whatever it is you are.

I do.

In the wee hours of the morning, I stared out the window into our dark front yard, and thought, "Nope. I can't do this. It's too hard. I'm too tired. Here it is, 2 a.m. The rest of the house is sound asleep and I'm working. I just don't have it in me."

It occurred to me later, as I was doing my morning devotional, that I don't have to have it in me. He's in me. And that's enough. Strangely (or not) enough, this was my Bible reading for the day -

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop, with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the rock except our God. It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. Pslam 18:30-32

That is the true beauty of life - we don't need to keep the lamplight of our energy burning, we don't have to scale the walls of frustration and trouble alone, and we don't have be the shields that protect the fortress of our weary souls. He is able and willing to do those things for us.

So, whatever it is you struggle with today and in the week to come, I pray His grace will light your way, His strength will give you courage, and His love will surround you. May you know the peace of His presence in you life.

Something to Think About

I'm dragging myself back from the edge of insanity to offer some advice about the publishing world.

Yesterday, I received my line edits for my February release. LITTLE GIRL LOST is the second book in the Secrets of Stoneley continuity, and I was very excited to have the opportunity to write it. Line edits mean my book is getting closer to production. Which means I'm getting closer to holding the finished product in my hand. Yay!

Anyway, I was reading through the comments scribbled in the margin and I started wondering just how many hours the editor and copy editor spent working on my manuscript. I'd say a lot. I know I've mentioned this before, but I feel the need to say it again - every published book is a group project. Sure, the author comes up with the idea (usually). Sure she slaves over the first, second, third, fifteenth draft. She's also the one that's going to get the reader mail, the recognition, and the pats on the back if the book gets good reviews or places in contests. But that doesn't mean the book is only hers.

To survive in the publishing world, authors must realize that they are part of a team. They also must realize that they work for the editor. The editor does not work for them. An author must be willing to release ownership of her manuscript. Rather than arguing and fighting for every word and scene, she must be open to changes and willing to do what it takes to make a manuscript meet the editor's vision of what it should be.

Painful to think about, isn't it? We work so hard to create what we think are stellar manuscripts. We polish, shine, and make them into exactly what we want them to be. Then we sell them and they are no longer ours. They are someone else's. And that someone else has the right (and I'd argue the responsibility) to ask for changes that create a book that more thoroughly meets reader expectations.

Personally, I don't have a problem with being asked to change things in my manuscript. I suppose because I view my books as a product rather than art. Sure, I believe that writing is an art, I love the flow and feel of words as they form sentences, paragraphs, chapters, books, but in the end what matters is how well my book sells. In this regard, my editors know more then I do. Of course, if you ask Krista Stroever she'll probably bring up Showergate. It's the one and only time I've argued for a scene. I lost. She won. It was for the best.

If you all come up with really interesting comments, I might share the details of Showergate. Until then, I'd like to suggest that understanding the editorial aspects of creating a book now, rather than after you're published, will help when faced with unfavorable critiques (and no, I am not referring to any manuscripts that I've critiqued or any responses I've gotten from the authors of those manuscripts :0)). As hard as it may be, we must step back from negative feedback and view it for what it is - a chance to improve our writing.

My thought on this is not popular, but I'm sticking to it - there is always a grain of truth in the negative. For the most part, people aren't setting out to destroy our egos, ruin our manuscripts, or change our work into theirs. For the most part they are doing their best to offer advice they think might benefit us. The key is in reading between the lines. I often find that negative comments are misdirected. One of my manuscript readers might feel the ending doesn't fit the book, but not be able to figure out why. I can choose to ignore the comment, or to study the section that doesn't fit and try to pinpoint exactly why it bothered my reader. I've had my freelance editor tell me she didn't like my heroine. Trust me when I say I wanted to ignore her 'opinion'. Fortunately, I didn't.

Don't be afraid of negative comments. Use them as tools to help you become an even better writer than you already are!

Engaging readers

I've had a sore throat and fever since Friday. I only bring this up because it seems to have impacted my ability to type. Now, I understand that I don't want to talk because my throat is raw, but not wanting to type seems a strange byproduct. Maybe it's just fatigue rearing it's ugly head and demanding to be noticed. I try my best to ignore it most of the time, but lately the two of us are having a knock down drag out war (and fatigue is winning).

So, I'll be brief. Or at least more brief than usual. First of all, congratulations to Lynette who has finished her manuscript! You go, girl! Now, of course, I have to put in my little 'I told you so'. Because I did tell her that if she stuck to a word count goal she'd finish in no time. The advice was mine. The effort and determination hers. Good job, Lynette.

Second, Harlequin VP Isabel Swift is blogging. I'm finding her posts interesting and informative. My favorite so far : "Are You Engaged." In it, she talks specifically about series romance, but I think the comments are applicable to all writing. You can check it out at http://isabelswift.blogspot.com/

So, as you're writing today, think about how well you're engaging your readers with your words, your story, your unique voice. How are you taking the predictable and skewing it to reflect your vision?

Stiff writing

I know a lot of us are getting ready for conferences or submissions or both. In light of that, I'd like to discuss a few things I often do wrong. If, at some point, I happen to mention something that you struggle with, we can have a good discussion about ways to fix the problem.

Here's something I spotted in the manuscript I'm preparing for submission - stiff writing. This is one of those things that does not necessarily equate to poor writing. Stiff doesn't mean poor grammar, poorly constructed sentences, or even lazy word choices (which I am also guilty of). However, it is just as detrimental to our bid for publication. Stiff writing results when our sentences are too similar, when we don't vary the length and structure of the sentences, and when we tell the story from our heads rather than from the character's perspective.


Here's an example (not from my manuscript, just from my head)of stiff writing -
Jane pushed the door open and stepped into the living room of her house. She had left the lights off, so she crossed the room and turned on the lamp that sat on the table. The house felt empty and she almost wished she hadn't sent her renter packing the week before. She went into the kitchen and got a soda from the fridge. As she sipped from the can, a sound drifted in from somewhere down the hall. It sounded like a quiet sigh, or maybe the brush of a foot against carpet. She froze and strained to hear more. She didn't hear anything, but the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she was sure she wasn't alone. She needed to get out of the house and call the police. She stepped out of the kitchen and hurried across the living room. Something slammed into her back and she fell.

This is not stiff -
Jane shoved the door open and stepped into the living room of her house. Darkness and silence greeted her, a stark contrast to the noise and chaos of the emergency room where she worked. She'd thought that was what she wanted when she'd refused to renew her renter's lease. Now, she wondered what she'd been thinking. As much as Kelly's constant chatter and late night visitors had annoyed, having her renting the basement apartment had made the house seem less lonely. In the wake of Matt's death a year ago, less lonely was something Jane needed to feel. She sighed, pushing away the thought and the sadness that accompanied it. She'd grab a soda, turn on the television, create her own noise to fill the silence.

She had the soda in hand, was taking the first cold sip when she heard it - a whisper of sound that clawed its way up her spine and lodged in the base of her neck. Was someone in the house with her? She didn't wait to find out, just set the can down on the counter, and hurried back toward the front door. The police would think her paranoid, but Jane didn't care. She was getting out and she was calling for help. Let the experts deal with whatever lurked, or didn't, in the dark bowels of her house. She reached for the doorknob, her hand brushing against cool metal, and felt a subtle shift in the air behind her. Before she could turn, something slammed into her back, knocking her forward with enough force to steal her breath. Her head cracked against wood in an explosion of stars and pain. And then she was falling, sliding toward the floor and darkness.

So, it's the same scene. However, while the first example is technically correct (minus any grammatical and spelling errors) it isn't compelling. The style is stiff. Each sentence seems to mimic the one before in tone and structure. We've got no insight into our heroine, no true idea of what is going on in her head. Sure, we've got surface stuff, but the paragraph lacks deep point of view. We sit at the surface of the character's thoughts. It's like meeting someone and saying, "How are you?" and getting the response, "I'm fine." Fine is generic. So is the first paragraph.

Oops, it's late. I've got to start on summer school stuff.

Any comments or questions on stiff writing?

Things I Don't Want to Do Today

avoidance: deliberately avoiding; keeping away from or preventing from happening

In case you're reading and wondering, this is a post about writing.

I had originally intended to write about querying, and even have examples of good and bad query letters. That will have to wait for another day.

Today, I am thinking about avoidance. Namely, avoidance of things that really, really must be done, but that I have absolutely no desire to do. For example, I don't want to scrub the downstairs bathroom. I have three sons. I don't think I need to offer any further explanation for my avoidance of this task. I also don't want to call my sons' piano teacher to confirm their lessons for tomorrow. I have several reasons for this, the most pressing is that I simply don't feel like bringing my kids to piano tomorrow. Two of my boys participate in piano competition. Now, that my third son is beginning with the same teacher, we're in for a long year. Why start it now? The other thing I really don't want to do is take my kids to the park. I've been pulling too many late nights finishing VALLEY OF SHADOWS. I'm tired. I deserve a break. Don't I? While I'm listing things I'd rather avoid, I don't want to put away the clean dishes, fold the clean clothes, start another load of laundry, or sweep my floor (for the millionth time). I don't want to make my kids do their summer school, clean their rooms, or do their piano practice. I don't want to move, let alone exercise.

But most of all, I don't want to write. Not one word, not one sentence, not one tiny little punctuation mark. I want to leave my laptop where it is, silent and stagnate on my writing desk. I want to forget, for just today, that I have a manuscript due in two and a half weeks, that I need to print out and polish the story my editors are waiting for, that I have to begin the proposal for the third and final book in my contract.

Just for today, I want to avoid it all.

But I won't, because I've learned that when I avoid things they don't get done (gee, what a surprise) and I just end up with more to do the next day, or the next. I've also learned that avoiding something for one day makes me more likely to avoid it the next. And that is a really good way to form bad habits.

So, I'll do all the things listed above, and probably be happy I did. And when vacation time comes (in August), I'll still be on track with my writing, my homeschooling, my kids' lessons, and I'll be able to relax and enjoy.

Which leads to a question you knew was coming - What are you avoiding today?

Rules, Rules, Rules

The American Christian Fiction Writer's loop had a discussion about rules yesterday. I skimmed most of the posts, afraid if I read too carefully I might learn the rules and ruin my writing.

I'm only half joking about that. Rules are great, but I didn't know any when I got published and I think that's why it happened so quickly for me. Granted, I didn't sell my first or second manuscript, but that's because they stunk. My third attempt created a great story and good writing. A winning combination.

For me, the problem with rules is that I always strive to follow them. If I learned all the so-called writing rules, I'd be so obsessed about not breaking them, my writing would become stiff. Stiff writing does not make for good stories. My personal philosophy tends toward ignorance (in writing) is bliss. What I don't know, I don't have to worry about. And when I don't worry, my writing flows from the depth of my heart rather than from the depth of my rule-obsessed mind. Of course, over time, having joined writing organizations, gone to conferences, and spent countless hours discussing my craft, I've heard the rules. What I've found is that those rules are really just common sense ideas based one what works most of the time in writing. Most of the time. Not all of the time. Done well, lots of things can work.

The way I see it, our society fosters the idea that we can all be successful if we work hard. It's the whole Horatio Alger Rags to Riches thing. Be nice, play by the rules, work hard, and you'll get what you deserve. Unfortunately, things aren't always that way. Hard work? Yes. Be nice? Of course. Play by the rules? In writing, maybe not. Writing rules are arbitrary, based on ideals set forth by editors and authors who are trying hard to help writers achieve their dreams. To do this, they've come up with a set of rules based on mistakes that many, many writers make. Head-hopping, starting the manuscript too slowly, using too much dialogue, not enough dialogue, too much backstory, not enough backstory. I'm sure there is a rule for every conceivable aspect of writing. Each one is meant to be a helpful tool used for building wonderful manuscripts.

While I'd agree there's something to be said for useful tools, I'd argue that the most important tool a writer can have is the ability to tell a good story. Without it, following every rule written about writing is going to do absolutely nothing toward producing a manuscript that sells.

Learning to tell great stories is vital in the quest to write an outstanding book. I could list a number of ways to enhance story telling abilities, but I've got four kids who need my attention. Feel free to post your own ways of honing story telling skills!

Why We Write What We Write

I taught a workshop a few weeks back, and one of the ladies asked me why I write inspirational. I told her that my fiction reflects my world view and is an extension of who I am as a person.

Later, I thought a lot about that question. Why do I write what I write? The fact is, I've never considered writing my calling and I didn't set out to write Christian fiction. It just kind of happened while I was working on my first book. As I've mentioned before, I never set out to be a romantic suspense author, either. That just kind of happened to me, too.

But in life, things don't ever just happen, do they? They happen for a reason and are shaped by divine plan. If you're not a Christian and reading this, you may think I'm bonkers. However, my philosophy of life isn't just a Christian based idea. It stems from the soul of every human being. Even atheist want purpose in their lives. Without purpose, life has no meaning.

Which brings me back to the question of why I write Christian romantic suspense. I think the best answer I can give to that is - because it is what I'm good at, it is what I love, it is part of who I am. I write it because it allows me to create entertaining stories that offer a 'clean' alternative to mainstream romantic suspense. I write it because I will never have to feel embarrassed when my children read it. I write it because I could read a chapter of it in front of my church without embarrassment. I write it because the longer I've been writing, the more I've come to realize that what I do is being used as ministry in God's way and His time. I may not set out to touch hearts and minds, but somehow it has happened. I can not turn my back on that.

Purpose? Plan? Passion? What do you write and why?

Getting to That Ninety-Five Percent

In my last post, I offered advice given by Steve Laube. He said, "When approaching an agent make sure you put your best possible manuscript in front of them. We often see proposals and sample chapters that are 85% ready...But that isn't enough. We need to see material and ideas that are closer to 95% ready for the market."

Of course, the same advice holds true when approaching a publishing house. To make our work shine, we've got to be sure it's a step above most of what is being submitted. That means submitting compelling stories and well-written manuscripts. It means pushing ourselves to create something that stands out as being just a little better, just a little more polished, just a little more publishable than the rest of what's sitting in the slush pile.

Most of us understand this and are trying hard to do it. The problem isn't in wanting to achieve that 95%, but in being able to know when we have. Some writers believe every page they write is on par with GONE WITH THE WIND, or TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD. Others, like me, would never submit anything if they based submitting on their own assessment of the work they do. To find a happy medium, I go through a three step process.

1. Absence makes the heart....more realistic.
I always build in extra time when I plan how long a manuscript is going to take. I don't do it so that I can have my contracted manuscripts in early, but so that I can have anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks to set my book aside. During this time, I work on new ideas, write reader letters, or prepare a synopsis for another project. What I don't do is give in to temptation and read over the work I just finished. When I do come back to my work, it's with fresh eyes. I print the manuscript out and read it as if it were a book, using red slash marks in the margins to indict places where the story doesn't flow. If sentences need to be chopped, I do it on hardcopy. While I'm doing this I take notes regarding the plot and any potential problems with it. Only when I'm finished do I turn on my computer and begin revising.

2. Sometimes it Pays to Pay

This is something I feel strongly about, but is not in any way required. When I finish imputing the changes that were indicated through step one, I hand my manuscript off to my freelance editor. I've mentioned Sara before. She's been editing for me since before I was published. We've built a rapport and a no-nonsense approach to the process that can be humiliating, but is always effective. Basically, she does her best to tear my manuscript apart, and I do my best to put it back together correctly. If you've been writing for a while with little success, paying an editor to look at your work may be the way to go. Before you do this, I'd suggest checking out a variety of services, asking their prices, their client list, and exactly what it is their service offers. Finding a good one is like finding a good agent - it can only enhance your writing and help you in your quest toward publication. Having a bad one is useless. If any of you are interested in hearing more about this, please let me know. I've got a lot more to say on how to find a good fit, but don't want to waste time if the subject isn't of interest.

3. The Family Challenge

I don't have a critique group. If I did, I'd have a critique challenge instead. Once I've finished implementing the changes recommended by my freelance editor, I print off four copies of the manuscript and hand them out to willing victi...readers. This is my final step before submitting. My readers aren't editors, they're not experts, they are just what I've called them - readers. They know good books because they love to read. Just as with my freelance editor, I've built a solid relationship with my readers that has nothing to do with the fact that they're family. My readers know I'm counting on them to spot problems. They don't want to let me down. That means they give me honest critiques that go beyond 'it was good'. Helpful critiques go something like this - I really liked the story, but the ending didn't seem to fit. The mystery was good, but there wasn't enough romance. It was too preachy. It didn't have enough scripture. My rule of thumb for this - if more than one person comments on a particular thing, I change it. If only one person comments, I consider changing it.

When I finally turn in my manuscripts, I know they're as close as I can get to that 95%. Sure, the process takes time, paper, and sometimes money, but if it means creating a great book, it's worth it.

If you're in the market for a freelance editor, I know of a few that might be helpful:

- sarakparker@sbcglobal.net (put freelance editor in the subject line and mention my name if you do decide to contact her)

- The Story Sensei

From now until July 15th, I will be holding a fabulous contest for my Story Sensei critique service. I will draw the names of TWO lucky winners! They will each receive: A free synopsis critique – up to 10 pages single-spaced, a $40 value!AND
A coupon for 25% OFF any manuscript critique – whether full or partial manuscript, any number of words. For a 100,000 word manuscript, that's a savings of $250!
In addition, EVERYONE WHO ENTERS will receive a 10% OFF coupon for any service, whether synopsis, query letter, or manuscript critique (full or partial). For a 100,000 word manuscript, that's a savings of $100, just for entering. Go to my Story Sensei blog and post a comment to enter the contest.
http://storysensei.blogspot.com
- eharlquin critique service
http://www.eharlequin.com/cms/learntowrite/ltwSection.jhtml?itcType=critiqued

I know these links are next to useless. I just can't seem to figure the link thing out. Sigh.

Secret to Writing Success #4

Successful writers write consistently. They also know where to submit their finished product. Whether you're searching for a publishing house, or hunting for an agent, knowing who to submit to is key to garnering interest in your work. Interest opens doors, offering you opportunities to submit something else to someone who recognizes your name (if you're rejected), revise, or sign that coveted contract. While it's true that an editor can decide to pass your unsuitable-for-their-line manuscript on to someone else, there is just as much likelihood that they'll simply pass it back to you.

To find a good fit, a writer has to be willing to do her homework. The Writer's Market Guide is a perfect place to start. Start not finish. After you've searched the Writer's Market Guide and made a list of publishing houses and agents who might be interested in your manuscript, make another list. This one should include titles and authors who are represented by the publishers and agents you've listed. Now, the fun part. Go to the library or bookstore, borrow or buy some of the titles you've listed, and read. Are the books similar in feel to what you've written? If you're doing mystery, are the books from publisher X cozy mysteries, and yours more hardboiled detective? If you're writing romance, have you written down a publisher who does romantic comedy when you write heartrending family drama? While there will always be a range in the tone and feel of books in any particular line, publishers are in the business of producing a product that meets specific reader needs. An author who wants to be successful strives to find a publisher whose readers will enjoy the type of story she writes.

The last and most important part of knowing the market, is staying true to oneself as a writer. Finding the best fit does not mean creating a carbon copy of what is already on the shelves. It means offering a unique spin, a new voice, something that will resound with readers and editors without veering too sharply from the pattern they've set. A successful author strives to find a good fit for her manuscript without compromising her vision and voice. Whitewashing a story to 'fit' a publishing house only leaches it of life and color, creating a bland book that resounds with no one and fits nowhere.

I'll leave you with some advice from my agent: When approaching an agent make sure you put your best possible manuscript in front of them. We often see proposals and sample chapters that are 85% ready...But that isn't enough. We need to see material and ideas that are closer to 95% ready for the market. It is VERY hard to break into the industry as a first time writer. The threshold is very high. But it does happen. Our agency placed eight first time novelists last year and one already this year. But to find those nine writers we had to cull through a couple thousand proposals.

Have the whole manuscript ready if requested. We must be able to read the whole book to determine if the writer can sustain the story to the end.

What makes it 95% ready? Crisp dialogue is critical. Dialogue develops characters and dictates pace. Too many stories bog down with "explanation" from the author. Also make sure each character has their own distinct voice. Often we see manuscripts where everyone literally "sounds" the same.

You can get more great info at his website: www.stevelaube.com

Also, if you're a homeschool mom, or a writer who's struggling with balancing life, I did an interview at www.portraitofawriter.blogspot.com

You might want to check it out!

We interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Program

To talk about guilt.

Guilt is natural, even healthy. It's our brain's response to conviction by the Holy Spirit. When we've deliberately hurt someone we love, lied about something to cover our backs, taken what doesn't belonged to us, or callously ignored someone in need we should feel guilty. If we don't we've got serious problems. However, sometimes we feel guilty over things that aren't sinful, aren't wrong, and aren't harming anyone.

Which brings me to the reason for this interruption.

Why is it so many female authors feel guilty about writing?

Perhaps it's because we feel our only calling should be to our children and/or spouses. Perhaps it's because we feel that writing is taking time away from more important things - like laundry, dishes, dusting. Perhaps it's simply because the American ideal is that we should have it all perfectly balanced and wonderfully maintained. No job left undone, no child left coloring pictures while we pursue our writing careers, no husbands wondering if the pile of papers on the computer desk will ever be removed. We are to be super thin, super fit, super productive, but most importantly, we are to make sure everyone is happy all the time.

But are we really?

I don't think so. Happiness is dependent on circumstances. I want to teach my kids joy. Joy in a task well done. Joy in spending time just being together. Joy in knowing we are where God wants us, doing what He wants us to do.

Just look at the Proverbs 31 woman. You know, the one we all love to hate. She obviously loved her family and made them her priority. She worked and she worked hard, taking the talents God gave her and using them to enhance every aspect of her family's life. And that didn't just include dishes, laundry, floors, games of tic-tac-toe and hide and go seek (remember, she had servants!). She made coverings for her bed, then she made linen garments and sold them. She bought fields and used her earnings to plant vineyards. She traded and her trading was profitable. She was savvy, smart, and eager to do whatever God called her to. And I have a pretty good feeling she didn't feel guilty about it.

Personally, I think she understood a lot better than we do the truth of life. It isn't about balance, but about love. It isn't about not pursuing our dreams, but about knowing that our dreams are only worth pursuing if we're taking those we love on the journey with us. It isn't about doing it all, but about working hard at a task God gives us, knowing that nothing we do can steal away any of the passion and love we have for our family. Being who He has made us is the only thing we should ever be striving toward, and who He made us may very well be a combination of wife, mother, and writer.

So, about guilt. Feel it when you should. When you shouldn't, when you know you're on the right track, doing what God has called you to, trust that He will provide the time and the energy you need to continue His good work in you. Then let the guilt go and press onward.

Secret to Success #3

Today I feel like crud. I won't go into the gory details of my illness, because it isn't actually an illness. If you suffer from migraines you'll understand. If you don't, I'll spare you my sob story.

I sent my kids and hubby off to church in the pouring rain and spent a half hour in absolute silence and darkness. It's a mark of author craziness that I am now woozily beginning to think about working on my manuscript.

Which brings me to writing secret #3 - consistency. Strangely enough, a lot of unpublished authors I talk to don't like this word. To them, it implies rigid structure and rigid structure somehow implies an inability to follow the muse. Being authors we've got to be able to write when that illusive muse strikes and wait in comfort and ease and angst when it flits away again. Right?

Wrong. Writing isn't about muse as much is it about consistent hard work. Because, like any other job, writing is work. If we don't embrace that before we're published, we're not going to last very long after we're published. Furthermore, we can't improve as writers if we aren't consistently practicing our craft.

To take this outside the writer's world, I'll use my eleven-year-old as an example. Jude has been playing piano for five years, and he is truly gifted. He loves and plays all kinds of classical music, plays at church, and competes at the local and state level. Jude's problem is that it's always been easy for him to learn music and play it well. This past year, he discovered that procrastinating (as he's done in previous years) isn't working as well. Sure he's gifted, but so are hundreds of other kids. Some of those kids know the importance of consistent hard work. Some, like my son, prefer to play at practicing. The music still sounds great to the untrained ear, but a judge can quickly tell the difference between those that have learned through consistent hard work, and those who are coasting by on their talent. Eventually, those that are working hard will far outshine those who are simply working when they feel passion and excitement over a particular piece of music. At some point, my son will have to choose - does he want to play at being a pianist or does he want to be one?

As writers we have to choose, too. Do we want careers, or do we want to follow the muse? If we want to follow the muse, then we can afford to spend six years writing a book. If we want careers, we need to build the habit of writing into our lives now. Even when our kids are young. Even when we're so tired we just want to veg in front of the television. Even when we really don't think we have the time. Consistency in writing creates authors who are prepared for the demands of publication, who have created habits that will allow them to fulfill contracts and (even more importantly) know how many contracts they will be able to fulfill. Consistency in writing is not a choice for those of us who truly want to succeed. It is a necessity.

If you're struggling with this issue, believe me when I say I understand. Balancing life and writing is a challenge we all must face. However, God does not give us gifts without gifting us with the ability to use them. Take time this week to find time. Look at your day. When does writing best fit in? If you can't pick consistent times (I know I can't) then choose a daily writing goal and stick to it. Muse or no muse. It's the only way to prepare for the day when you must not only produce wonderful stories, but produce them on your publisher's timeline.

Secret to success #2 - courage

Courage. It's a word made for heroes, right? People who are thrust into extraordinary circumstance and do what must be done to protect themselves, their children, their friends, their world. We hear about them all the time (though not nearly as much as we should) and are astounded by their bravery and selflessness. Perhaps we aspire to be like them, or wonder, if met with similar circumstances, whether we'd live up to the example they've set. Whatever the case, we admire their bravery and are in awe of their ability to overcome. They have stepped outside themselves, given what they had, offering it up as a sacrifice and sometimes losing much in the process.

What does this have to do with writing?

I'm getting there. Slowly. Because I'm moving slow this morning. See, I got up this morning thinking about the extraordinary nature of the ordinary. Every day we get up and go about our lives. If you're like me, that means trudging through loads of laundry, dirty dishes, layers of dirt and cat hair. It means planning meals, buying groceries, separating squabbling kids, giving out Band aides, hugs, and words of advice (that are most often ignored). It means supervising, cleaning, cooking, listening, loving, teaching. So many ordinary things. Yet, that in itself becomes extraordinary, because it requires sacrifice of self. The thing is, I don't want to cook dinner for the hundredth night in a row, I don't want to sweep the floor, do the laundry, put away the millionth dish of the month. I don't want to work hard every day and feel that I've accomplished nothing, do the dishes only to have to do them again and again and again, sweep the floor and find a trail of crumbs five minutes later. Yet I do it, knowing that in so doing I am providing a wonderful environment for my children to thrive. And isn't that every mother's God-given purpose? To give her children wings so they might one day soar?

Which brings me to secret of success #2 - courage. Courage to do the same thing day after day after day, feeling as if no progress is being made, looking at words on paper, knowing there are 60,000 more left to write and setting to work writing them; courage to write the manuscript and look at it with objective eyes, to face the flaws and fix them, and then to mail it out even though we know it will never be what we want it to be; courage to embrace a God-given purpose, to find the path He's leading us on, and to stay the course even when it gets hard. Because it will be hard. Published or not, we'll always have critics. Our writing won't satisfy every reader every time, so our focus must be on pleasing the One who placed the creativity, imagination, and dream within us. We cannot be afraid to write what He puts on our heart, and we certainly can't be afraid to send it out into the world. Moreover, we cannot let fear of failure keep us from trying.

Successful writers fear rejection and criticism, but they have the courage to keep writing.

I leave you with this - Mark Twain said, "Courage is resistance of fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear." I've thought about those words often in the past few months. We will always have fear. What moves us from ordinary to extraordinary, is not fearlessness, but our ability to give those fears over to God, to let Him do the worrying, while we continue the work He's given us.

Secret to writing success # 1

There's something satisfying about making lists, so I'm at it again. First, I listed rules for writing. Now, I'm listing secrets to writing success. Who knows? If we put these thing together, we might have something worth talking about!

Secrets. Who doesn't love them? As a suspense writer I'm intrigued by the word, by the mystery and unknown that it invokes. Secrets are the building blocks on which relationships can be made or broken, the backbone of wonderful myths (think Nessie and Sasquatch), compelling oral tradition, and the perfect beginning to many great novels. Secrets make life interesting, but when it comes to writing there are none. So, why title this post secret to writing success #1? Because, it seems so much more exciting than common sense writing advice or traits of successful writers or any number of variations on that theme.

So, on to the secrets.

As I've spoken with other published authors, I've found that there are certain traits we all possess. The first is imagination. Seems simple doesn't it? It's not. Imgination is a powerful thing and can lead us on a merry chase if we let it. We want to write something unique, something that hasn't been done before. In our quest to do so, we often cross the line from compelling to unbelievable. Unbelievable can be the death of a well-written manuscript.

I know what you're thinking - Monsters, Frank Peretti's newest book, or one of any of thousands of examples of stories that are so farfetched a reader could never imagine them to be reality. Stephen King is a perfect example. His stories are unbelievable. Yet when we read them, we believe. We don't stand outside the action shaking our heads and rolling our eyes, because King's characters demand that we believe. Their fears, their struggles, their pain is real and compelling. While one might argue the merit of reading such fiction, one can't deny that King paints vivid and real pictures of both the depth and heights of human emotion.

And therein lies the secret. Imagination must be tempered with reality, it must be balanced with a voice that speaks to the human condition, that vividly reflects the struggles and triumphs of the characters. Stories are believable when characters are believable, and in that respect we must box our imagination and strive for truth. To this end, character sketches are invaluable. In each scene and chapter successful authors paint an ever more compelling picture of their protagonists, leading the reader step by step to a satisfying conclusion. For this reason, imagination balanced with a vivid understanding of people is the first step to being a successful author.

So, are your characters real? Do their actions ring true as you move them from one scene to another? Will your reader believe their actions and reactions, or step back, shake her head, and be pulled out of your story?

Just something to think about on this rather gloomy Maryland day.

What Readers Want

Every author wants to know what readers want to read. While we must follow the guidelines of a particular publishing house in order to have our books picked for coveted store shelf space, what we want more than anything is for readers to find our stories to be satisfying reads. As an inspirational author this can be a particular struggle. How do we balance what we want to write with what we're told readers want to read?

I've been asking myself this question for three years. Today, I received my answer in a surprising rush of emails that began in the wee hours of the morning and continued until early this afternoon. One after another, readers responded to my books. One in particular offered such a concise outline of her thoughts on inspirational romance that I asked her permission to post it here. I'll paste it below. Please forgive me for removing one sentence, S.

Thank you for your book, When Silence Falls. My mother gets Love Inspired books regularly and passes them on to me sometimes....I enjoyed your book so much I had to tell you. I appreciate that you can portray Christians as having more realistic lives. I could not recommend a book to a non-Christian that portrays Christians as less than human, so super-spiritual that they seem to float above the bills, relationships, and difficulties of life on earth. Our values, integrity, and faith are constantly under fire. Christians are not sappy, but strong in the knowledge that we have access to wisdom, strength, guidance, confidence, and love beyond ourselves. I wish we always accessed it perfectly, but we don't. Pretending that we do is dishonest. Sometimes we get overwhelmed, tired, angry, fearful, and confused, but if we are obedient, we go to God and to other Christians for the help we need to be successful. I liked that the character of Wayne had a past that made people who loved him still wary of the propensity for weakness. I liked that you didn't immediately have Cade, as a professional, act unprofessionally, with a lot of romantic references (even in his thinking} blurring the ethical responsibility he had, though he had a prior childhood relationship with Piper. Of course, you know the boy gets the girl before you pick up the book...it's inspirational romance! I do hope you will write more in your subtle, engaging style. Thank you. S in Oklahoma

Thank you, S. You've expressed beautifully what I hear from so many readers - - give us real stories about real people who have real struggles.

I'll leave you all with this thought - if inspirational fiction does not reflect the truth of life - both its beauty and harshness - it can't ever touch the hearts and souls of those reading it.

Just Do It

Personally, I hate that commercial. You know the one - skinny people jogging, jumping, exercising, and looking so fit and happy that all of us less than fit people feel like slugs. The fact that I hate the commercial doesn't mean its message isn't true. Half the battle for exercise-lacking humanity is that we think our fitness plans to death. We get up in the morning thinking about jogging (and not liking the thought), or thinking about playing a game of football with our sons (and liking that idea even less), thinking about the fifty sit-ups that will firm our abs (and abhorring that idea with every fiber of our out of shape being). Somewhere around noon, we realize we've spent half the day thinking about exercising and absolutely no time doing it. So, we spend another four hours thinking about the reasons why we spend so much time thinking and not much time doing. By the time we head to bed, we've utilized several million brain cells, but haven't moved from our front porch. Yep. I hate the commercial, but it's a good one.

What's this have to do with writing? Well, I find that many writers (myself included) spend more time thinking and talking about writing than we actually spend doing it. We're either the over-analyzing type frozen in place by our insecurity (yes, that would be me), or we're the groupie type (no offense to anyone who believes he or she may fit this), so busy with our writing groups and critique groups we don't have time for our writing. Let me preface this by saying there is absolutely nothing wrong with analyzing our writing, joining critique groups, or spending time with other writers. Doing those things has the potential to make us better writers. The danger is in letting those things become the goal rather than using them as tools to reach our goals. If we spend our time planning, thinking and talking we can not achieve our potential as writers. To write well, we must write. Thus, my title - just do it.

I bring this up as a reminder to myself more than to anyone who might be reading. However, I do believe that what one of us struggles with, many are struggling with. So, I challenge you to check your schedules, mark your calendars, and set your goals. Don't be afraid to reach beyond what you think you can do. If you write for a half hour a day, challenge yourself to double that amount. If you go by word count, add a few hundred words to your goal. Push yourself to achieve the potential God has laid in the foundation of you. Then check in and tell me how things are going. I fully expect to hear great and wonderful reports!

Rule#4 Write from the Heart

This is my last post on rules. Really. It is. As much as I love the idea of following rules and finding success by doing so, rules are only parameters by which we can measure how fluent our stories are. To me, the key to good writing lies not in an ability to follow rules, but in an ability to write from the heart.

Case in point, I've got four books out. Three of them got great reviews. One did not. I've gotten great reader response on that less-than-stellarly-reviewed book, I've had many people tell me it was their favorite thus far, but the fact remains - in my mind it fell flat. I fought that story from page one to the end. I was so busy worrying about rules and guidelines that I forgot the most important element of writing - heart.

What is heart? It's that indefinable force that compels a reader to keep turning pages, that not-so-easy-to-define something that makes characters leap from the book and into the minds and souls of those who are reading. It's what is achieved when a writer lets go of preconceived ideas about what works and what doesn't and writes what is clamoring to be written. It's what happens when we trust ourselves and our abilities, our talents and our gifts. Some people call it writing in the zone. I call it writing with passion.

So, last rule - write your first draft with passion and heart. Then go back and apply whatever list of rules and guidelines you're working with. In that way, you'll better express your individual style and voice. And in the end, those things are what will carry your story.

Rule #3 Know Your Characters

Your characters are the thread by which you knit your story together. A great beginning, good plot, and outstanding pacing are nothing without appealing characters who stay true to themselves throughout your story. Knowing your characters before you write will enable you to create seamless transitions as your hero and heroine move from who they are at the beginning of the story, to who they will be at the end. This growth arc is vital to creating a believable and enjoyable read. Just as our struggles help shape our personality and character, our hero and heroine should be learning and growing as they face whatever obstacles we put in their way. Without such transformation, they become stagnant and unappealing.

Creating believable, enjoyable characterization isn't always easy. To ensure a flawless growth arc, begin characterization well before you write the first line of your story. Jot down descriptions of your hero and heroine, including not just physical attributes, but emotional ones. The past will be an important part of this. What shaped your characters' feelings about life, about the opposite sex, about marriage, family, his or her own moral code? What makes her so independent? What makes him so sure he'll never marry? How does each scene change that perspective? These changes may be subtle, but they must be there. Even as our characters struggle against their attraction for one another, they must also be drawing closer to one another.

If you're not writing romance, the same holds true. Most women's fiction is about relationships. Mother-daughter, sister-sister, daughter-father, best friends. Who are your characters to one another and how does their perspective of that relationship change as your story progresses?

Happy ending or not, your story must reflect the beauty of humanity, the complexity of interpersonal relationships, and the satisfaction that comes from accepting others for who they are, not what we want them to be. In doing this, you will touch the heart of those who read your work and draw them back for more.

Rule#2: Make it Matter

While I'm on the subject of rules, which I am, I figure I should mention one of the most important ones. It has nothing to do with font size, paper quality, margins, or number of lines to be skipped before beginning a new chapter (if only I knew that one, I'd save my editing team a little trouble!). This rule is a little more difficult to define and a lot more difficult to execute. If you're a natural story teller you'll find it easier than if you're a naturally gifted writer who struggles with the story. Either way, rule number two can cause head-banging, hair-pulling, teeth-gritting frustration as we work toward making our manuscripts shine.

What's the rule (as if I didn't already give it away in the title)?

Make it matter. Every scene, every chapter, every well-chosen word should be leading toward the climax and to the conclusion. We have 300+ pages to build a story that compels our readers to keep turning pages, that allows them to both know and fall in love with our characters, and that gives them a satisfying ending that will bring them back to us for more. Those pages can either be filled with insight that helps further the plot, or fraught with pages of unnecessary information that leads to nothing but confusion and slows the pace of the story.

Believe me when I say, I know from whence I speak. This is my biggest problem. I'm a seat-of-the-pants writer. Sure, I sell on proposal now. I've got a nice synopsis all ready to use. But the fact is, I write by instinct rather than design and often find my first drafts rife with useless scenes, overwhelming details, and characters that appear once and never again.

The solution to this problem is easy (you're going to love this, Sabrina). Once your manuscript is complete, go back and read it like it's someone else's work. I like to do this from a hardcopy rather than computer. Ask yourself - Does this (scene, chapter) build the story? Does it tell the reader something they need to know to understand my characters better? Does it provide information vital to the furthering of the plot? Does it tie naturally with everything else that's happened, providing the reader with a bridge from one piece of information to another? Every time you answer no, cut the scene. If needed, reroute the chapter to head toward the conclusion the reader needs to draw. Leave hints of what is to come and clues as to characterization, weaving with master skill the pattern of your story.

My freelance editor can tell you how much my stories change from first to second draft. By cutting useless information and scenes, I create a tightly packed story that works well for the genre I write. Yes, I do major rewriting on second draft, but all that cutting and angst is worth it when I reread and realize I've accomplished my goal, creating a cohesive story that flows in natural progression from beginning to end.

Rule #1 Begin at the Beginning

I'm a mentor. As unbelievable as that might sound, it's true. ACFW asked for published authors to volunteer. I volunteered. Good thing the only qualification is publication. I'm not so sure I've got any other ones! Now I'm working with three very talented pre-pubbed authors. There isn't one that's not a better writer than I was when I wrote my first manuscript. I have high hopes that all three will soon step into the publishing world and transform from mentored to mentor.

But that isn't why I'm posting. Two of the ladies sent me their Genesis contest entries, and both were quite good. While very different in tone, voice, color, they shared one thing in common, prompting me to send the same comment to both of them - make sure you begin at the beginning (well, I didn't say it like that, but it's what I meant ).

So, how do you know where your story begins? Ask yourselves these
questions - what is the catalyst that propels the characters into action?
Whether the story is romance, mystery, suspense, chick-lit, what is it that
gets the ball rolling? Does the first scene bring your reader into the story
immediately? Does it give subtle information about your protagonist's
motivation and goal? Is it vital? Compelling? Does it drive the story
forward, or only set a stage that you plan to fill at a later time?

Just as in any business, first impressions are important. Beginning your story at the right spot will create the perfect backdrop for a compelling read.

Agents

A friend and I recently discussed agent and editor appointments for the ACFW conference in Dallas. She's pre-published and anxious to make the best impression she can. That means finding a good fit - an agent or editor who is interested in manuscripts similar to what she has to offer.

As many people gear up to attend conferences this summer, one question seems to pop up over and over again - do I need an agent?

The answer to this is complicated by many factors and dependent on the opinion of the person answering. There are some hard and fast rules. If your book only fits publishing houses that don't take unagented submissions, then you most definitely need an agent. Sending your manuscript in regardless of what the publishing house requests will paint you in a bad light. If you're targeting Love Inspired, or any of the other many Harlequin series lines, you most definitely do not need an agent. If you're trying for Mira, you do.

Besides those things, I can only give you my own experience as an example of the good, the bad, and the ugly about having or not having an agent.

When I sold my first two books, I did not have an agent. The process was relatively easy, the contract for Steeple Hill's trade line, standard. As a new author, I had no desire to negotiate terms. They wanted to buy my stuff. I wanted to sell it. Simple. Fast forward a year. I've completed the two contracted books and am working on a proposal for a third. I've been asked to write for a new romantic suspense line which both excites and worries me. My editor tells me what a great opportunity launching a new line is and I agree. But what if I can't do it? What if writing shorter books turns out to be a challenge I can't meet (believe me when I tell you it is hard to write everything I want to say in 60K words)? What if I fail and Harlequin decides they don't want me?

The way I saw it, I'd be in a world of hurt. The Christian market is limited, and many of the publishing houses only look at agented material even from published authors. I didn't want to have several years between my first sale and my next, so I decided to be proactive and look for an agent in case there came a time when I'd need one. For me, finding one was more difficult than finding a publisher. I was rejected a total of two times before I sold STILL WATERS. I was rejected five times before I found an agent. Sadly, four of those rejections were from the same agent, regarding the same manuscript. He must have really hated my stuff.

While I was waiting for replies on my agent queries, Harlequin bought my proposed book, offering me a two book contract. I was ecstatic, and again wondering if I needed an agent. Just a few weeks later I received an email from an agent I'd given up on. He was interested in my work and wanted to know if I was still looking for representation. After a long phone conversation, I decided to sign with him.

Did I need him in that moment? No. I'd proven that I could sell myself and my product. At the time, I considered him my back-up plan. If something went wrong, he'd be there to help me out. When I submitted my next proposal, it went through my agent. He read it, passed it back to me with a request for revisions. I sent it back to him. A few months later, he called to say Harlquin wanted to offer me a three-book contract. That was an increase over the two-book contracts I'd been getting myself. Furthermore, I was being paid a higher advance. Was it my agents doing? Or a product of my history with Harlequin?

While my family argues that I would have gotten the same without Steve, I'm not convinced. Unbeknownst to me (because I was going on friends' advice rather than my own research), the agent I picked is very well known in the industry. He was executive editor at a major CBA publishing house for years before becoming an agent. People know him and he knows them. He has connections. People trust his opinion. Ultimately, that will help open whatever doors I may one day want to walk through.

All that said, an agent might be able to open the doors, but in the end we're the ones who must be ready to step through. Working on our craft, keeping our deadlines, producing quality work, those are the things that really sell us. Our agents are tools that we use most effectively when we've mastered the details of writing and a writer's life.

Things I Didn't Know I Didn't Know About Writing

When I first started on the journey to publication, I thought I'd write a book, sell it, and write another. In my mind, there was nothing between sale and store. Since then, I've learned there are lots of things that have to be done before a story is ready for release. And, to my surprise, the author is involved in much of the process.

If you're working toward publication and don't know much about the process, this might be of interest to you. Please keep in mind, I've only worked with one publishing house. Things vary from publisher to publisher.

Once an author gets 'the call', s/he's in for an exciting and fascinating ride (at least it was to me, but then it doesn't take much to fascinate me :0)). First, there's the revision letter. Most authors get them. A few, like Brenda Coulter, don't have to revise. Some, like me, are asked to make some major changes. What do I consider major changes? Rewriting a heroes background and characterization, changing a major plot thread. Anything that requires revising most (and maybe even all) scenes in the book. Depending on the scope of revisions required, you and your editor will choose a date by which the revised manuscript will be ready. For a fresh perspective on that, check out http://www.brendaminton.com/. Brenda has just finished some major revisions, and I'm sure she'd be happy to share her experience. While you're working on revisions, your editor may ask you to brainstorm new titles, create a bio, and write a reader letter.

After you've sweated bullets over revisions, you'll print the completed product, save the revised manuscript to disk, package your baby up, and send it out. Then you're on to the next step of the journey.

While your editor reviews your changes, you'll begin work on an art fact sheet (at least you will if you write for Harlequin, I'm not sure the process in other publishing houses). This requires coming up with a short synopsis, character descriptions, themes, and several scene descriptions that the art department can use to create a cover for your book. Once you get your editor's approval on this, she'll send it to the art department where work will begin.

Meanwhile, a copyeditor is going over your manuscript with a fine-toothed comb. She's marking it up with all kinds of copyedit symbols (that can really freak you out if you're like me and have no knowledge of such things). Other things are being checked as well. Did you say it was dawn on one page and then have a scene set at dusk? Did you use a brand name? Are there inconsistencies in the time-line? If so, there will be notes in the margin of your manuscript.

And then you get your baby back. Printed out, marked up, with plenty of questions you need to answer. Your job will be to go through, answer the questions, and look for anything that might have been missed by the two or three people who've already looked at the manuscript. Once again, you have a specific time-frame that you must work within.

Once again, your manuscript makes its journey back to the publishing house.

And once again it is returned to you. This time it's been set up for printing. Each line of text is numbered. Your job is to read the story as if it were a book, checking for spelling errors, grammatical errors, missing words, wrong words. At this point, you won't be making any major changes. You're simply looking for printer errors, or errors of your own...maybe you've used a character's name five times in one paragraph and want to change it. Generally, you'll have ten days to two weeks to look for these kind of errors.

Once again, you'll package your manuscript up and send it out. The book is now in production. The art department is creating a stellar cover, your editor has worked up a back cover blurb.

You wait.

When your manuscript is returned to you for the last time, it will no longer be a pile of white paper, but a beautifully bound book, the shiny cover proclaiming its name...and yours. Receiving advanced copies is the thrilling conclusion to the ride. Soon, you'll be heading to the bookstores, searching for the book that you, the editorial team, and the art department have created.

How do you do it?

After a person asks me how I became published the next question is usually how do you do it? By that, the speaker generally means how do I homeschool four kids, cook, clean, do laundry, and write. I suppose to others it might seem I'm doing something unusual, that somehow I'm accomplishing more than the average mom. I'm not. There are millions of women who accomplish more in an hour than I seem to in a day. If you don't believe me, come into my house and take a look around. I've got laundry piled up waiting to be washed, a dishwasher filled with dishes, homeschool stuff spread from one end of the house to the other. My writing desk is the one spot in the house that is just mine. It's piled high with manuscript pages, advanced copies of my books, and various things that don't belong in my writing world, but somehow find their way to my writing space.

The funny thing is, I don't mind. I like finding little dolls, cars, blocks and hand-drawn comic strips littering my desk. I love knowing that at any moment my writing will be interrupted by one of my four kids. I enjoy the overlap of homeschooling and writing, and I am overwhelmed at the privilege I've been given - that of teaching my kids not just their academics, but what it means to work hard, to persist, to face disappointments and keep going. They've watched me succeed and they've watched me fail. More than that, they've watched me using my God-given gifts and pursuing the path I believe He has chosen for me. That said, I'm often tired, drained, and not quite sure what I've accomplished during my hectic, busy days. More often than not, I feel like I'm treading water rather than swimming toward shore, working hard and seeing little progress.

How do I do it? I don't. But I keep trying. And in the end, that's all God asks.

I'm a wife. I'm a mother. I'm an author. But before I am any of those things, I am God's creation, His child, created in His image and loved beyond measure. In the end, that is all that matters.

Whatever path you're walking, I pray you will hear the lilting melody of His grace, see the beauty of His love for you, and feel the overwhelming joy of His presence in your life. May you know His infinite mercy as you journey toward the place He is calling you to be.

I am an AUTHOR

Sometimes I need to remind myself that I'm an author. It's hard to remember as I'm looking at piles of laundry, sinks full of dishes, dirty floors, and overflowing kitchen cabinets, while I'm homeschooling my kids or reminding myself (for the fiftieth time) that I need to buy cereal. Life is life, no matter what your occupation. But there are times (few and far between) when I leave the dishes, the laundry, the floors, and the disorganized cabinets behind, when I actually take time to fix my hair, put on make-up, wear clothes meant for something other than hanging out at home. When I step out into another world and become Shirlee the AUTHOR.

Yesterday was one of those days. Months ago, my editor invited me to sign books at an expo in D.C. I said yes, not realizing that it was THE book expo of the year. Huge, immense. Magnificent. If you love books you'll appreciate it when I say it was book-lovers-paradise. I would have happily sold my house and moved into the building if I didn't have a husband and kids to go home to (and if the expo people weren't planning to pack all those beautiful books up and move them out on Sunday :-))

But I'm getting off topic.

I went to the expo filled with dread, knowing I'd be sitting at a table trying to hock my books while people passed me by for more famous authors. Instead, I sat at a table with another LI author and signed books for a steady stream of people. It's amazing how many more people are willing to buy a free book ;0). Here's the really fun part. While I signed, a sweet young lady named Meghan stood beside me, pulling books from the stack, opening to the proper page and sliding them over to me. I had no fear of papercuts, broken nails, wrinkled pages from rushing. She worked. I signed.

And for forty-five blessed minutes I was a superstar. Shirlee the author. Shirlee who'd made it, who'd worked hard, who'd achieved her dreams.

Of course, the truth is much less grand. Meghan was doing her job and doing it beautifully. Not just turning pages, but turning people toward the other two LI authors who were signing. It wasn't about me, but about the line, and more importantly, the company. I was impressed with Meghan's ability to step in at just the right moment, with just the right words, building up the company she works for by selling me, my product, and the product of the other authors there.

So, it occurred to me that I might be an AUTHOR, but there are other more important people in this business. People like Meghan. People who oil the wheels and keep them moving, and in doing so make someone like me feel like a superstar.

If you're an author you'll understand what I'm saying. If you're an aspiring author, I hope this inspires you to keep working. It's all worth it for those forty-five minutes! And if you're a wheel oiler like Meghan - your work doesn't go unnoticed. Thanks!

How Did You Do It?

When people find out I'm a published author, they inevitably ask me one of two questions. How did you do it, or how do you do it?

Today I'll address the first.

The short version of how I got published is that I wrote a manuscript, submitted it, got rejected. Wrote another manuscript, submitted it, got rejected. Wrote a third manuscript, submitted it, sold it.

The long version is a little more complicated.

I'll start by explaining that I've always been a writer and a story teller. Much to my parents' dismay, I spent more time dreaming up stories than doing school work. My teachers thought I was either rebellious or lazy. I like to say I lacked motivation. I loved to read, and I read often. By the time I was fifteen, I'd decided I was going to be writer. I can remember starting my first novel when I was in high school. I never finished it, but I planned to. One day, there'd be a book with my name on it in the store. I just knew it.

Somehow that dream got waylaid during college. I majored in American Studies and elementary education, took a creative writing class, and was encouraged to seek publication. And I knew I would. Eventually.

It's strange how eventually can turn into never if we let it, how even our most passionate goals can be shoved to the side as life takes us by storm. I married Rodney, a great guy who shares my faith, taught, had my first child and my second and my third. In a span of three years I'd had three sons, all by c-section. I don't have to tell you what that does to a woman's body. After my third son's birth, I was in agony, so sick I could barely walk down the steps. Moving hurt, walking was almost impossible. I can remember sitting at the top of the steps, holding Seth and calling for my husband to come take him because I was afraid if I tried to make it down the stairs with him in my arms, we'd both fall.

Something happened during that time. Some would say I just had a change in perspective, that I suddenly realized my mortality and acted on it. I say God used that time of sickness to show me how short life is, to refocus my vision of the future, and to challenge me to offer more than I'd been giving. Either way, the next part of the story is the same.

I decided that I didn't want to die without ever finishing a novel, that I didn't want to be eighty years old, looking back on my life and wondering why I hadn't done what I'd always felt I should. When Seth was about a year old and life had settled into a routine, I started writing. A few pages a day, a few minutes when I could steal the time. Suddenly, I'd done it. Completed my first book. It was an awesome feeling. Even the eventual rejection made me happy. I wrote a second book. Got rejected again. This time, by Melissa Endlich, an editor at Harlequin Love Inspired. She was very kind and told me that she'd like to see something else of mine. I wrote my third book, found out I was pregnant, and ended up on bedrest. For fourteen weeks, I was confined to my bedroom, the doctor's office, or the hospital. I homeschooled my oldest son from bed.

I won't go into the gory details of that horrifying time. Suffice to say, my daughter's birth was a miracle, my survival during the surgery was due to a fantastic surgical team. Why bring it up? Because, once again, God used illness to change my perspective. When I was finally released from the hospital, I started revising my third book, determined to submit it. What happened next is something I almost can't describe. It was like a switch was turned on and light poured onto the pages. Suddenly, I understood everything I'd been doing wrong. Not only that, I was able to fix it.

I spent a month reworking the story. Then spent another few weeks studying books on how to query publishers. Finally, I was ready. I sent a one page query letter out in April. After a few months of not hearing, I figured Melissa hated the idea, and so I started a new one. Life went on, as it does, and I'd almost forgotten the query when I opened the mailbox and pulled out a skinny white envelope. The return address was Harlequin, and I was sure it was a rejection. I almost tore it up and threw it away, but finally decided I'd better read it just so I could tell my husband and sisters what it said. It was two sentences long. I read your query. I'd be interested in seeing the complete manuscript.

Eleven months later, Harlequin bought STILL WATERS.

That's my story. That's how I did it. Hard work, perseverance, determination. Grace. I didn't have a critique group when I wrote that book, didn't know any published authors, didn't know about writing conferences, workshops, or contests. Yet, here I am. Four books out. Four more contracted. Doing what I love and feeling blessed.

A person can't ask for more than that!

If you're writing inspirational romantic suspense and want a great support network, visit eharlquin's inspirational RS thread. http://community.eharlequin.com/webx?50@140.Odw9aVj4QZ4.310806@.4a82cbf2

Death By Synopsis 2

Okay, so you've written a compelling and convincing summary about your hero and heroine. You've presented motivation, goals, conflict for each. Shouldn't you be done?

Sadly, there's more torture on the horizon.

The next step to writing your synopsis is to describe the moment the hero and heroine meet, and not just the meeting, but the catalyst that brings them to that place. For example, if your heroine has been in too many bad relationships to count, has sworn off men, and avoids dating at all cost, how does she end up on a date with Mr-not-so-perfect, noticing his soulful blue eyes and charming grin? Did her best friend rope her into it? Is she a reporter on assignment? Did her mother's best friend's sister have a nephew in town for the weekend? If you're writing suspense or mystery, the meeting may be the result of whatever catalyst propels your characters into the story. One of my favorite yet-to-be-published manuscripts has a heroine seeking solace after finding her boyfriend in a compromising position. Where else to find comfort but an all-night bakery? Donuts. Yum. Unfortunately, she walks in on an assassin who's made shortwork of the gotta-make-the-donuts employee. The hero is an FBI agent who's taken a leave of absence to find his brother's killer. That killer is, of course, the assassin. She's a witness. He wants answers. And the story begins.

How does your story begin, and why is that beginning so important to your characters? What motivates them to seek each other's company, and what is going to keep them apart?

Once you've described the meeting, you're ready for my least favorite part of synopsis writing - chapter by chapter description of the plot. What this does not mean is excruciating detail of every moment of every chapter. What this does mean is touching on the highs and lows of the story. Think of your book as a series of mini black moments each followed by moments of realization. For example - the pastor who thinks his life is too full to ever consider romance meets a woman who has been in a series of bad relationships. Meeting her, talking to her, sparks something inside him - a realization that maybe he's more lonely than he cares to admit.

As you're writing your synopsis, focus on your characters' growth rather than the action. The formula for this is quite simple - she does such-and-such and realizes such-and-such. He responds by something which causes him to realize something. Eventually, these realizations lead them to their happy conclusion.

And lead us to the end of our synopsis.

Death By Synopsis

They say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I say what doesn't kill you makes you crazy. Especially when it comes to writing a synopsis.

Sad fact - even after you're published you've got to write synopses.

Sadder fact - I've yet to figure out whether the plural of synopsis is synopsises, synopsi, synopses, or some other variation.

Saddest fact - I'm too lazy to figure it out. So, barring my sweet editor Melissa Endlich's appearance here, I guess I'll just keep writing it wrong.

A few weeks ago, I submitted a proposal to Melissa. Three chapters. One very long synopsis. She asked me to make some changes in the synopsis, but I couldn't stomach the story-line and ended up rewriting the entire three chapters. Which meant completely rewriting the synopsis. Now, I'd argue that I'm actually pretty good at writing the dreaded S. However, being good at it doesn't make the process easy. Nor does it make me enjoy it. I still don't like it. I still tear my hair out, bang my head against the computer keyboards, moan, groan, and whine about writing it. In the end, I've got a pretty good product. It just takes me a while to get there.

I figure I'm not alone in the loathing I feel when it comes to writing a synopsis, so I thought I'd put a step-by-step guide to synopsis writing here on my hidden blog. Let me preface this by saying - this is my way of doing things. Which is to say, it may not be your way. Try your hand at it, then shape the process to fit your writing style.

Today, I'm going to talk about step one in synopsis writing - knowing your characters.

Who are they? What do they want? What motivates them? What keeps them from achieving their goals? If you're writing romance, what draws your characters together? What is pulling them apart? I begin each synopsis with a one paragraph character sketch of my hero and heroine, using the previous questions to make my protagonists come to life.

Sound easy? Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's torture. Unfortunately, it must be done.

Go ahead. Give it a try.

Because tomorrow we move on to the second step in synopsis writing - the catalyst.