Speaking of playtime, some of you are gearing up to tackle your WIP over the weekend while others of you are ready to pull out the shredder and feed it your skunk baby or just pretend that word document tucked deep into the folder labeled “stories” doesn’t exist. Whichever you are about to do, take heart, the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood is here to answer your writing questions. (If you catch us in the right mood, we might even answer non-writing questions if you ask us nicely enough.)

I’ll get the ball rolling with a question of my own.

One of my students this month revealed that she had taken another writing class and the teacher (who I don’t know because she didn’t tell me and I didn’t ask) said to nix all introspection in favor of action and description. What do you all think? Is that a valid piece of advice? I’ll tell you all what I think later on today, but I’m really curious as to everyone’s take on this.

Remember, at any point, you can dive in with a question of your own. We’re here for you … seriously … ask away.

But even if you didn’t get the call and you think your baby is ready to enter the big, wide world of publication, you may be asking yourself …

What’s next?

For many writers, the next step involves finding an agent. But do you really need one? If your desire is to sell to a small house (e-publisher or one of the category lines for Harlequin/Silhouette), then the answer is, not really, but maybe. Clear as mud, huh? Here’s the thing. Most short contemporary lines and e-pubs accept unagented submissions because they have something called a boilerplate contract (a contract that is non-negotiable). But if you wish to expand your writing options, an agent is a good champion to help you grow.

If you want to target a single title publishing house, many of those editors won’t consider your proposal unless it comes via an agent. They won’t even open the letter. It’ll either go straight into the waste basket or wing back at you with a red stamp of shame.

Been there. Stung like heck.

There are a few things you need to attract an agent’s attention, and they are:

1. A Great Idea.

You won’t get far if you don’t have an amazing, brilliant, totally awesome idea. But how do you know if your idea is any good? Run it past a trusted friend, one who isn’t afraid to hurt your feelings by telling you the truth. If your brutally honest friend gets excited about the idea, you’re going in the right direction.

2. Great Writing.

Don’t just slap some words together and call it a day. Writing is in the rewriting, which means, when you get to the end of your story, you’re far from done. You have to go back and really look at what you’ve created and rework the weak spots and highlight conflict and stress emotion and give the book a solid polish. The process can take longer than it took to create the story.

3. A Finished Story.

An agent wants to work for you. S/he can’t if you don’t have a completed manuscript. Don’t waste anyone’s time if you’re not ready to dive into the process. The only exception to this is if an editor expresses interest on a  book proposal you’ve sent.

**A Book Proposal: usually the first chapter and a detailed synopsis or chapter-by-chapter outline and sometimes an audience target, author bio and backcover type story blurb are encluded.

For a first-time, unpublished novelist, being bought on a proposal is unbelievably rare, but if you’re one of the lucky ones who get that kind of opportunity, you’ll have no problem attracting an agent.  And I highly recommend you finding one … fast and finish your story.

4. A Vision.

Who are you and what do you want to accomplish? No agent wants a one book wonder. Agents want to build an author’s career. Give your goals a good look-see and map out where you want to go. Together, you and your agent can figure out how you’re going to get there.

You’ve done the above? Fantastic! Now it’s time to create your query letter. Don’t freak out. A query letter is simply a concise, one page introduction of who you are and what your story is about. Think back cover blurb when you relate your story.

Example:

“Three children go out to play in the woods. Night falls and only one is found, gripping a tree in terror and wearing blood-filled sneakers. When asked, the boy is unable to recall a single detail of what has happened or where his friends are.

Twenty years later, Detective Ryan (the lone boy found in the woods) and his female partner investigate the murder of a twelve-year-old girl in the same woods. With snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him, and that of his own shadowy past.”       (In The Woods by Tana French)

Wow, do you see how a few words can capture a reader’s interest? To intrigue an agent, we have to focus on the major plot point. In the story In The Woods, the part that grabs our attention is how the detective had a traumatic past and how it’s resurfacing after twenty years. Even though there are other events in the book, how the detective reacts to his past within the current situation is what the story is all about.  Give yourself time to boil down your plot to the most intriguing, pivotal — the reason you wrote the story– point. Once you’ve perfected your query, send it to your first tier of top agents.  How do you know which agents to submit to?  Do your research.

There are websites such as www.agentquery.com or http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/

If you’re more hands on paper, there are books such as the Writers Digest 2010 Guide to Literary Agents http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Literary-Agents-Chuck-Sambuchino/dp/1582975868/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270065744&sr=1-1-spell

I can’t stress enough.  Do your homework before you send out a query.  There is nothing worse than querying an agent with a Middle Grade Fantasy book who only represents Adult Fantasy.  You want to cut down on the amount of rejections you’ll get, not increase them.

Here is where I need to talk about perseverance. Your top tier of agents might pass on your story. The next tier might also pass. Finding an agent that is as passionate about your story as you are takes time. As you wait to hear from an agent, begin your next project. Being a writer means you must write, and it’s always best when an agent calls to be able to discuss not just one project you’re passionate about, but two or more.

If you’ve done your job correctly (checked out which agents represent your kind of book and make sure they’re reputable by checking out AAR and Preditors and Editors websites) and constructed a strong query, you’ll get a request. Yippee!

An agent may ask for a partial (the first 50 pages) or your completed manuscript. It’s not uncommon for an agent to ask for an exclusive.

**An exclusive: a set amount of time (one to two weeks on average) an agent has to review your manuscript before you begin to accept offers from other agents who are interested in your work.

You don’t have to agree to an exclusive. The only thing you are required to do is inform an agent if any other agent is looking over your work.

When you finally get a call offering representation, that’s when you have to switch gears from creative writer, to business person. It’s time for an interview. Crazy, huh? You need to interview an agent offering you representation because, just as all offers of marriage are flattering, not all are the right match. You want the right agent, not just any agent. Below are a few questions you may wish to ask as you get to know a prospective agent.

1.  How long have you been in business as an agent?

2.  How many people do you represent?

3.  Will I be working solely with you or will there be other agents involved in your group who will be familiar with my work?

4.  Do you work under a contract? If yes, then can I review it?

5.  What is your approach on editorial input?

6.  How do you keep your clients informed of your activities on their behalf?

7.  Do you send clients rejection letters?

8.  Do you consult with your client on all offers regarding their work?

9.  What are your commissions for: a) basic sales to U.S. publishers; b) foreign sales; c) Movie and television; d) audio and multimedia?

10.  What is the time frame for distributing funds to clients? And do you keep separate bank accounts for client and agency revenue?

11.  Do you charge fees?

12.  Do you issue 1099 tax forms at the end of each year? Do you give details of all financial activity, such as gross income, commissions, deductions and net income?

13.  If we should find that our working relationship is not working, how do you expect our separation to be handled?

14.  If we part ways, what is your policy on handling the unsold rights to any of my published work?

15.  What do you expect of me as your client?

The above list is by no means a comprehensive one; I have no doubt I’ve left off questions your conversation with an agent will trigger. If in doubt, ask.  A good agent will be approachable and open. Once you’ve agreed to representation, please realize that an agent is a seller. If you constantly demand attention, you’re cutting into the time your agent should be talking to editors about your books.

**Just a quick note. It’s not uncommon for a writer to change agents several times in their career. There are some who stay with the same agent, but sometimes, through no one’s fault, the relationship just isn’t working. This is a business and as long as you approach the process with that in mind, you are a step ahead of the game.

Not too scary, eh?  It’s really not. Your agent can be your strongest ally.  I hope I’ve been able to help. If there are any questions, feel free to ask. That’s what we’re here for.

Good luck!

* Shea Berkely is teaching an online class in April 2010 called Layering Your Scene One Element at a Time.  To check out the class, go to www.writersonlineclasses.com

Why do I always write dreck?

Okay.  Maybe I’m the only one who does that.  I don’t write on weekends so Friday is my grumble day.  It’s the day after critique group where a trio of harpies … ahem, I mean my gracious friends … have bludgeoned my latest pages until they’re black and blue with indecipherable comments in the margins.

It’s time to think.  Where is this story going?  Am I hitting the right notes?  Am I crazy?  Do I need to be medicated to stop the voices?  You know, the normal questions we writers ask ourselves from time to time.

Luckily for you, dear readers, today is a chance to ask the Ruby Slippered Sisters those questions that burn in your gut and have you popping antacids and staring at the ceiling in the wee hours of the night.

So let me get the discussion going.  Here’s something that’s been keeping me awake lately.  What makes a good character?

Talk about a simple question.  But is there a simple answer?  What do you think?  Near the end of the day, I’ll tell you what I think makes up a good character, and you may be surprised at my answer, but until then, I’d love to hear what you all think.

I’m totally up for another round of blogging that isn’t really blogging, but more like a writing lesson … again.  I guess the question is, are you?

So, whada we talk about?  Oh yeah.  I gotta come up with that.  Let me think … got it.

Verisimilitude.  (ver-ə-sə-ˈmi-lə-̩tüd)

Don’t you just love ten dollar words?  This one pertains to writing.  Well, okay, it can pertain to a few other things (such as art and acting), but we’re writers so work with me here.

Let’s cut this big, lip-tripping word down into easy-to-digest pieces.  This six syllable word basically means semblance of reality.  So what’s the big deal about achieving verisimilitude? you may ask.  (gasp)  I can’t believe you just asked that.

It is a huge deal!  (No joke.)  Real life is a pooh-fest of boring nothing most of the time.  If we, as writers, wrote things as they really are, our readers would drop into a coma of “who cares” quicker than a fly finds a carcass.  (Gross imagery, but you get what I mean.)  Yet, verisimilitude is a process of creating a reality that will make the reader believe whatever is happening in the story might, could actually, really happen.

Sounds sort of like sleight of hand, you say?  It is.  We need to bring reality to the page without over-burdening the reader.  What does that mean?  Pick your details carefully.  Don’t overdo them.  Make your dialogue sound believable.  Pay attention to action-reaction.  Motivate, motivate, motivate.

My biggest pet peeve deals with action/reaction.  It’s when authors have a character get beat up and then the guy goes for a mile run with no problem after that.  Really?  Seriously?  I’ll slack the book against the wall when that happens.  If you insist on your character having physical limitations, do it right.

Example time.  (yay! for examples)

I love movies.  They are a visual medium that instantly shows a lesson, and they’re perfect to showcase verisimilitude.  Have you seen the latest Die Hard movie Live Free or Die Hard?

Here’s a quick summary.  John McClane nearly gets blown up.  He gets into multiple car crashes.  Brings down a helicopter after he throws himself from a speeding car.  Fights a ninja chick and wins.  Survives being shot via a fighter jet (my least favorite and believable part of the whole movie, but no movie is perfect).  And shoots himself through the shoulder to kill the bad guy standing behind him.  And that’s not even half of what happens to the poor man.

Pretty wild, huh?  So how’d they make me believe all that is possible?

Basically, John McClane gets his butt kicked, and it shows.  His character is a rough and tough inner-city cop.  The old “gets a lickin’ and still keeps tickin’” kind of guy.  The movie works because when he escapes all these crazy stunts, he looks like he just escaped a harrowing stunt.  He’s beat up.  He limps.  He winces.  He’s still walking and even he looks surprised that he’s able to function.  He’s rolling on adrenalin, which at first is based on duty and self preservation, and then it morphs into something even stronger, his love for his daughter.  They nailed this man’s motivation.  In the end, I believe nothing is going to stop him until a bullet finds his brain and even then I’m not sure that’ll do it.

So, to make your characters believable, you’ve got to show the “ouch” factor, and realize that John McClane’s stunts work in Live Free or Die Hard because he doesn’t stop to rest.  Not once.  The director knows, and we know, if John McClane allows himself to rest, he won’t get back up.  That’s a basic physics principle.  A body in motion is hard to slow down, but once it does, it’s difficult to get it back into motion.  So the character pushes through the pain.  He lets his adrenalin work for him.

Let’s take another look at the verisimilitude angle.  The old, “But that would never happen in real life!” outcry.  Look at the T.V. CSI franchise.

Gil Grissom (my favorite) has us all believe he can and will find the one clue that will seal his case.  And he’ll do it in less than 24 hours.  Yay for Grissom! 

Reality check. In the real world, finding and evaluating clues, not to mention DNA, is a long, long process.   But we’re dealing in fiction, ya’ll.  We’re all big kids.  We know fiction isn’t real.  If it were, it’d be catalogued under nonfiction.  The reality of being a fiction writer is that we can’t construct our stories to reflect the real world.  We’d lose readers right and left because most of the real stuff is boring.  We have to condense time, manipulate procedures, have people say things they would only think, until we’ve got a tensely filled plot that moves forward at the perfect pace that hopefully feels as if it could really happen. 

Let’s take this aspect down to the most boring activity I can imagine.  An average business meeting.

Ugh!  I know.  We’ve all either been to or have heard about business meetings.  Bunch of people sit around a table and hash out details.  They go over the same material until everyone wants to slit their wrists or commit murder.  Not much fun usually.  I think it’s safe to say the bulk of business meetings are filler information, things most everyone knows, but you’ve got to go over every little detail to make sure everyone’s up to speed.

So, as writers, we’ve got to take what happens in an hour business meeting and condense it into the most interesting parts.  We’ve got to manipulate the information so that the reader is entertained by the event and intrigued to know what comes next.

Let’s create a scene 

Since this is the holiday season, we’ll make our business a toy manufacturer.  Our main character will be Jack. 

So cute in his pink tie.  He’s young and hungry to progress up the business ladder.  He’s got vision and the brains to see it carried out.  Yet, he’s working for a man who wants results, but who’s not especially concerned with details.

OUR SCENE

Sweat prickled down Jack Finley’s temples.  Second week on the job and he drew the short straw.  Nobody liked bad news.  Especially his boss.  In fact, Jack would rather be target practice for a knife thrower than approach his boss.  He sighed.  Jerked his tie straight.  No avoiding the inevitable.

After a cursory knock, Jack entered his boss’s lair.  “Good afternoon, sir.”

“Finley,” his boss said without looking up from his paperwork.  “Have a seat.  Are the numbers in?”

No “How’s it going, son,” or “Are you enjoying your work?” platitudes.  The old man was all business.  At least he remembered Jack’s name.

“Yes, sir.”  Claiming the chair in front of the desk, Jack held out his report.  “The projected success of Tiny Tina –”

“Damn it!”  Jack’s boss flipped through a few papers, not paying Jack any attention.  Was it Jack’s youth?  Inexperience?  Both?

Undaunted, he cleared his throat and tried again.  “The projected success of Tiny Tina has not been realized in sales.”

His boss’s gaze snapped to Jack.  The full brunt of those heavy brows lowered over eyes brimming with displeasure.  This was why no one wanted to deliver the news.  The old man’s stare could make a guy sweat blood.

Jack eased the graph in front of his boss and pointed to a sudden plunge in sales projections.  “S-sales are down fifteen percent.  We’ve scaled back production, though there may be other factors that are temporarily adding to this slow down.  In regards to that, we’re gathering more information, which should be available on the sixteenth.  I’m not hopeful.  There’s a high probability future sales will continue to fall.”

“Why is that?”

Here we go.  Jack took a deep breath and plunged ahead.  “The American Pediatrics Association has deemed Tiny Tina to encourage enuresis.”

“In your …what?”

“Enuresis.  Bed-wetting, sir.  The American Pediatrics Association has further sent out a news bulletin to warn parents of this … irregularity.”

An alarming shade of red snaked its way into his boss’s cheeks.  “Are you telling me those little pissants at APA are pissing on my doll?”

“Um … yes, sir.  I mean , our research didn’t encompass the possibility of bed-wetting, but it appears the American Pediatrics Association may have a point.”

A meaty fist slammed against the table.  “It’s a doll, for crying out loud!  Not a conspiracy to encourage a generation of bed wetters.  My granddaughter loves that doll.”

“Does she …”  Jack let his curiosity go.  No use in tweaking the bull’s ear if a guy wanted to get out alive and keep his job … and he needed this job.  School loans, rent and a desire to create a solid platform for his own ideas had him desperate.  One false move and his whole life would unravel.

The older man’s jaw flexed as he gnashed his teeth.  A finger suddenly stabbed at Jack’s personal bubble, coming awfully close to his chest.  “Fix this, Finley.  Go over their accusations.  Nail an apology.  Demand a retraction.  Today.”

END SCENE

Okay, so how did we use verisimilitude? 

First, we got rid of the group meeting.  I’d keep the group dynamic only if it’s absolutely necessary to our plot.  Since it isn’t, out it went because juggling a bunch of people can create confusion for the reader.  From there, we laid the ground work that Jack is nervous about handing in his report.  Why?  Jack’s young and brand new to the company, yet he already knows when things don’t go according to plan, his boss gets angry.  Jack’s nerves show in his speech pattern.  He hedges slightly, yet his youthful confidence gains strength as their meeting progresses.  He actually tells his boss what he doesn’t want to hear, but needs to know.  He uses correct terms while his boss is earthier.  Jack needs this job; he’s motivated and has been given a directive in how to keep his job. 

This exercise in verisimilitude works because we carefully picked our details to highlight character, we used believable dialogue, and motivated the characters.  Whether or not it’s interesting and begs the reader to read further is subjective.  As writers we have no control over our reader’s response.  All we can do is study our craft and write the best story we can. 

Well, I’ve done it again.  Sorry for the ridiculously long post.  The concept isn’t an easy one to explain.  Verisimilitude is found in every aspect of creating story, from conception to execution.  It’s tightly woven throughout the whole process.  To try and pull it out and shine a light on it is difficult at best.  The best way to see it done is to go through your favorite book and pick apart the first chapter and see how the author made you believe what’s going on is real.  But then, if it’s done well, you might not be able to put your finger on it. 

Oh gosh!  I’ve got to shut up now!  Sorry.

If you made it this far, I suspect you’ve had a really boring day and you’ll read anything to stimulate brain activity.  Hopefully, this wasn’t a waste of time, and I was able to get you that much closer to understanding a ten dollar word that is really important to our writing success.

So tell me, am I full of it or is verisimilitude as important as I think it is?  What are your pet peeves that’ll have you slacking a book against the wall?

Has this ever happened to you? You’ve planned out your scene. Your hero is going to risk it all and reveal to the heroine his inner-most feelings. You’ve set the stage: Costa Rica. A quiet restaurant by the Pacific Ocean. Airy linens flutters gracefully in the warm breeze complimenting the crystal blue water and sun-baked sand …

John reaches across the table and laces his fingers between Lily’s. His eyes grow moist. “Just looking at you makes my heart hurt. I know this is sudden, but I have to tell you. Ever since we met, I can’t stop thinking of you. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman. Gorgeous. Intelligent …”

Suddenly, he drops Lily’s hand, turns and stares you in the eye. “Nope. I’m just not feeling it.”

“What?” you say, horrified by his sudden noncompliance. “But you have to. This is the moment. This leads to your first sex scene. Don’t you want to have sex?”

“Sorry, sweetheart. Not like this.” He turns away, slaps his hands behind his head, kicks his feet onto the table and proceeds to ignore you and the heroine.

How dare he! “Listen, bucko. You turn back around and tell her how you feel or I’ll … I’ll …”

He casts you a mocking glare. “You’ll what?”

“I’ll give you poison ivy for a whole week.” The threat hangs empty between you.

He laughs, clearly not impressed.

Your fist slams the keyboard. “This is ridiculous! You’re a stupid figment of my imagination! You have to do what I say.”

Nothing you say budges the stubborn guy. You glance at your heroine who’s staring blankly out over the stunning ocean view and apologize. “I’m so sorry, Lily. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

She chugs her champagne, tosses the spindly glass to the table, and mutters under her breath, “Amateur.”

“Excuse me?” Did she just diss you? “Did you just call me an amateur?”

“Yes.” She waves down the waiter for a stronger drink and casts an unappreciative eye on the hero. “Look at him. Anyone can see he’s clearly not himself. And what about me? I’m just a blob with hands.”

And there is the problem. You’re trying to make your characters act in a manner that is counter to their character. You’ve started a war that has no positive outcome unless you, the writer, yields. That’s right. You have to change, not them. This is a fight you cannot win.

So what went wrong? Let’s backtrack and look at the plot.

John, your hero, is a super agent. He met Lily at a marina where she was preparing to rescue a little girl who had been kidnapped by a drug lord because the little girl’s grandfather had stolen a wad of cash from him. John works the case from the government’s angle while Lily gets involved via the terrified parents.

Now let’s look at character.

Unpredictable, Lily has a decided edge, having lived life too close to the wrong side of the law as a street kid. She can talk her way into a house of thieves, pocket their money and leave them all smiling as she does it. Now grown, she only works for money, a lot of it, yet she’s fiercely loyal. Her friends are as important to her as her job. Without either, she would be lost.

John is a loner. A man of few words, he lets his fists do the talking. He’s an expert at destroying whatever lies between him and the object of his interest. He harbors deep guilt over the loss of a woman he could not save. Romantic relationships are a no-go zone for him. He finds it hard to keep friends, feeling the risk of losing anyone he even remotely cares about is too great.

Over the length of the story, these two have clashed as they each want control of the situation. Lily has dragged John into tense situations that had him itching to draw his gun, and John has exploded through a group of villains, laying them low when Lily thought they would never make it out alive.

So what’s wrong with the above scene? Why aren’t the characters going along with you? This is a romance, and you’re fulfilling the obligatory dinner before sex scene.

Well, you’re right. This is a romance, but this quiet scene is being forced onto two characters whose idea of romance isn’t the typical sand, sunset and sweet talk. Seeing them in a static situation makes for a boring read. Where is the danger that they face? Did the bad guy pull a groin muscle and get prescribed a deep tissue massage at the local health spa?

We now know John would never vocalize his emotions in such a manner. And Lily isn’t the kind of gal that would sit back and let a guy take control of even her pinkie let alone her whole hand.

Let’s reset the stage: Costa Rica. A quiet restaurant by the Pacific Ocean. Airy linens flutter gracefully in the warm breeze complimenting the crystal blue water and sun-baked sand …

“This is the place. Trust me.” Lily crosses her long legs, flashing an inappropriate amount of thigh in the process. A local man’s eyes zero in on the display, eliciting a displeased smack and sharp tongue-lashing from his wife.

John snaps open a crisp, white napkin and places it over Lily’s lap, his hand lingering a second too long against her thigh. He catches her smile and straightens. “How do you know?”

Lily walks her fingers over the small tabletop to John’s hand and slides her index finger sensually up and down his wrist. She sits foreward and beckons him close. He gladly obliges. The spicy smell of her washes over him. The warmth of her lips teases his skin as her breath blows hotly against his ear. It would be too easy to turn and take the kiss he wants. He won’t. It isn’t wise to get involved, but his decision is getting harder to uphold.

Her voice slips into him like fine cognac. “Remember that nasty, ugly guy that wanted to spill your guts and then have his way with me?”

Her words have the same bite as the drink. John tenses. He nonchalantly reaches under his light-weight jacket as if he has an itch. “Yeah?”

“On the count of three.” She drops her hand to her drink. “One … two …”

A shadow falls over the apparent lovers and a deep voice sounds behind him. “Bueno Por la noche, amigo.”

“…three.”

Lily tosses the sharp liquid into the man’s face while John springs to his feet and turns to face their enemy. The other patrons scream when John presses his gun against the man’s chest.

“Don’t move.”  The threat of immediate harm rumbles from John’s voice.

Under the ugly man’s stunned gaze, Lily plucks the gun out of his hidden holster and tosses it over the railing and into the ocean.

Anger flares at the disappearance of his gun.  It isn’t shocking the man doesn’t obey John’s command.  There’s a quick struggle for the remaining gun.  A few shots punctuate the air, soliciting more screams.  Gaining control of his gun, John whips the butt against the man’s temple and watches him collapse onto the floor.

As people run for cover, Lily presses against John’s side and plants a kiss on his cheek. Sighing, she trills, “My man’s a keeper.”

“Your man?” John asks, surprised how much he likes the sound of that.

Adrenaline rushs through his veins. The opportunity is ripe and there’s nothing stopping him. Yanking Lily close, he lays a passionate kiss on her lips. The sounds she makes, the way she wiggles in his arms nearly drives him wild.

Lily pulls away and smiles. “About time. I was beginning to think I wore my special panties for nothing.”

Okay, let’s end it here.  I just made up this little vignette, so forgive all my mistakes that I didn’t have time to fix. I’m sure there are plenty.

The point of this whole exercise is to show how keeping in character produces a stronger story. These two are action heroes. We have to keep that in mind. We flipped the chattiness to Lily because that’s her MO. We gave the bulk of the action to John, because we’re in his POV, although I have to say, he barely nudges her out in that area. They’ve become a team. They’ve got trust now and from here, we can develop a believable love scene that isn’t forced, that will show the reader their growing affection for each other.

So, as you look through your manuscript, think about your characters. Are you keeping their character (the essence of who they are) in mind? Or are you forcing them to do something that they would never do? If you’re shooting for the Golden Heart, remember you still have time to polish your work. Good luck and God bless.

Because of her love for her husband and the complicated nature of birth control pills (seriously, you have to take one every day … like, you know … every day), five children sprang from her loins and immediately began to run wild around her.

(The above is what we writers call backstory.  Most writers believe it is information that a reader needs in order to understand the story.  Alas, that is usually not the case.  Honestly, I could have cut the above in half and not lost the gist of the setup.  Get rid of useless backstory.  Just go for the pertinent information that relates specifically to the main conflict.)

In no time at all, our heroine decided she wanted … nay … she NEEDED to write.  Her sanity depended on it.

(Ah-ha!  Inciting incident.  Children equate insanity.  Solution.  She must write.  This is where our story begins.  It’s the action our heroine takes that changes the course of her life as she’s known it.)

With a nubbin for a pencil and a scrap of paper stained yellow from baby spit-up, she scratched out a beginning of a story that tortured her hero, a medieval military man who deserved to be punished for leaving the love of his life alone far too often.  Being abandoned by her own husband as he went off to war, our heroine seriously got into this story and five hundred plus pages later, she wrote The End.

Satisfied she had done a good thing, our heroine went on a search entitled, I’ve Written a Book, Now What? which lead her straight into the eager embrace of RWA.  Knowledge and wisdom flowed into our heroine.  She lapped at the free advice and devoured how-to write books until she was fat and happy and caught a clue as to how to write a book.  Yet, there was a problem.  Her story was not an acceptable length for a romance novel.

Our heroine quickly embarked on another story.  This one a contemporary.  Much shorter.  And when finished, it only had four hundred pages (an amazing feat of restraint in her eyes).  It was dang good and she sent it to a publisher.  After months of waiting, an editor contacted her and said she loved it.  Sadly, it was also too long and the editor begged her to write another book within a limited page count.  Our heroine was thrilled.  She quickly produced another book, grousing at the limitations, yet following them faithfully until she had a book she loved just as much as the other books.  The editor agreed with her, but alas, before any firm offer could be gained, the editor was canned.  Sacked.  Booted mercilessly from the office that would see our heroine published.

(I see your tears flowing and rightly so.  This is our first black moment.  It is a setback that will either snuff the passion out of our heroine or spurn her on to greater heights … or, you know, something like that.)

Amid woeful cries and shouts of, “Unfair!  Life is sooooo unfair!” our heroine heard about a contest called, the Golden Heart, an RWA sponsered writing contest to reward the best up-and-coming writers.  Of course.  The solution to her problems.  Enter.  Win.  Get published.  Entering the Golden Heart was a marvelous idea!

Our heroine entered the Golden Heart and finaled in the Single Title category.  Her friends were ecstatic for her.  She went to RWA’s National conference where perfect strangers lauded her accomplishment.  She floated on accolades and embraces for four days.  Until … The Awards Ceremony.  Our heroine did not win.

(Gasp all you like, Dear Reader, but a story needs more than one black moment.  Our heroine is learning what it takes to achieve her goals.  It is our hope that the reader is now rooting for her, seeing her diligence and wanting her to succeed.)

Fortunately, our heroine would never begrudge the winners their moment.  She was happy for them.  They would soon have their dream.  But as the weeks passed, she realized a win did not mean a publishing contract was forthcoming.  She met many wonderful, talented authors who had won and finaled in the Golden Heart contest many times who were still unpublished.  How could this be?

Determined to gain her goal, our heroine studied writing books and listened avidly to other writers and instructors.  She wrote everyday and produced several more manuscripts, but did not enter the Golden Heart until …

Her latest manuscript – Dark Secrets.

On the surface, it looked like a paranormal.  In reality, it was a cross-pollinating gigolo – a dual first person read, a character-infused story with a heart-of-gold laced with a bit of horror book antics a la Anne Rice.  In the book, the naïve heroine believes science is the end all, be all of life.  The otherworldly hero knows the supernatural lies in wait to devour unsuspecting humans, and the naïve heroine would be a nice little snack for some ugly creature of the night.

It was a fun story.  But there was one, teeny, tiny problem.  Over the years, our heroine came to realize she was not really a romance writer; she was a romantic leaning writer.  But good writing will always win out.  That is what our heroine believed, and she entered her book within the Paranormal category.

She did not final.  She couldn’t believe it.  This was by far her best story.  How could it not final?  Easy.  It simply was not a romance.  Our heroine was devastated.

Seeing the pathetic-ness that had become our heroine, her friends slapped her aside the head and told her to stop being such a whiny baby and get over herself.  Which she did.  Especially when a friend threw the latest RWR at her and told her to open it to the page with the Golden Heart category explanations.  Our heroine quickly readjusted her thinking when she saw the words Strong Romantic Elements.  It took only a few words of encouragement from her friends before our heroine took the plunge and entered her book again.  This time she finaled.

(This is what we’ll call the love scene.  Here our heroine finally finds her niche.  Her heart is racing and her mood cannot be any more annoyingly cheerful.  As love scenes go, I prefer mine less graphic, but if you want to throw the doors open for all the world to see, then go ahead.  The choice is yours.)

Again, she attended RWA’s National conference, met amazing writers and learned that writing is an ever-evolving art form.  Another four days of intense praise was followed by a night where she sat next to her agent and listened and cheered as another writer took home the award.  Her agent leaned close and whispered, “You’ll always be a star in my eyes.”

Our heroine giggled at the corny line and a deep appreciation was felt for her agent.  As the ceremony continued, our heroine cheered and smiled and refused to let another loss taint her joy of doing what she loved.  Tomorrow was a new day and a new story begged to be written.

(The climax to our tale is quickly followed by the ending. The above, in the Strong Romantic Elements genre, is what we call a satisfying ending.  It’s not a traditional happy-ever-after, but we can imagine our heroine achieving her goals in the future because of her tenacious nature.  It is up to the sequel, if the author so chooses to write one, to see if our expectations have been realized.)

A writer is born in the tempering of the craft, and our heroine takes great delight in forging words into sentences that make up stories.  Will our heroine’s dream of publication be met?  She is hopeful it won’t be much longer, because, as we’ve learned, she is a tough little nut who’s determined to become a mighty oak.

(Epilogues can be nice, especially after emotionally intense stories or stories that have been unfolding over many books within a series.

P.S.  Clichés are fun if done for a purpose, but if overly used, they are stale and should be avoided like the plague.)

So, there we are, Dear Reader.  The journey of our heroine has been long and intense, yet it is far from over.  Her persistence and imagination are the main tools she uses to survive her story.  But she is not alone in her struggles.  You, too, are the hero or heroine of your own story.  Whether it ends in triumph, tragedy or somewhere in between, it is up to you.

Tell me, how far along are you on your dream?  Did you stumble into it, or did you always want to see your imagination on the page? 

Today I’m giving away your choice of either a first chapter critique (up to 15 pages) or a lovely Ruby Slippered Sister mug.  So keep your comments coming for more chances to win!