Tag: Writer Wednesday

  • Special Guest Shira Glassman, Author of The Second Mango coming from Prizm Books August 21st

    I have a special treat for today’s Writer Wednesday feature.  I had the opportunity to virtually meet Shira Glassman through the Torquere and Prizm author lists; Prizm is Torquere’s Young Adult imprint.  Shira recently signed with Prizm and her book The Second Mango comes out next week on August 21st.  I asked Shira what it’s like to work with artists and our conversation turned into a guest post.  Take it away, Shira!

    Working with artists to commission promotional artwork for The Second Mango, due out from Prizm Books on August 21
    by Shira Glassman

    I’m in love with the characters I created for my stories, and I’m always daydreaming about them. It’s exhausting having to burn those mental calories, though, so to relax my poor brain and let my eyes instead of my imagination do the work, I love working with artists.

    I’ve been lucky enough to work with about half a dozen extremely talented ones with the Mangoverse project, and they’re all different! Perhaps the most involved has been my good friend Jane Dominguez, who is a professionally trained graphic artist for a local design firm. It helped that she read the books in their first draft and really enjoyed them. Seeing some of her initial drafts, however, made me realize that I wasn’t describing my characters in nearly enough detail. That was an unexpected benefit I got out of the experience–seeing how well I’d put on paper what was in my head. (Luckily, that was over a year before I ever signed any publishing contracts, and the version I submitted to Prizm had much better fleshed-out descriptions.)

    Jane has drawn pictures of her own, but she also inks and colors the pictures of some of my other artists. I’ve learned that there are different styles for coloring; she used a digital “colored pencil” effect for the artwork depicting my protagonist’s childhood holiday memories, and a watercolor effect for a landscape image.

    Mina does the line work for most of the artwork that I have in manga styles. Her ‘chibis’, or childlike cutesy representations of the characters, usually blow me away with how she manages to capture the full range of human emotion with just a few lines. She also has a more serious manga style that takes longer to draw. When we work together, I have to make sure she takes breaks so she doesn’t get tired out, or else she’ll sit there doodling for hours without stopping! Working with her has also been interesting because she hasn’t read the books yet (she’s waiting for the release), so I had to be very careful not to slip up and reveal spoilers and surprises. I’m sure she’s guessed some of them anyway.

    Erika lives far away, so we communicate long-distance. She, like all my other artists, is exceptionally patient about my polite but very specific demands about tweaking this or that seemingly unimportant detail. Erika is a published author herself so I’m thrilled that she’s willing to take time to frolic in my world as well as her own. Her style is graphite realism, and I feel lucky to have benefited from her astounding growth over the past few years.

    Rachel doesn’t draw as much as she’d like to, possibly because she’s too busy playing professional tuba or giving belly-dancing lessons — have you ever heard of a more fascinating combination of pursuits? But she’s got real talent in both conventional Western cartoon art and in the “chibi” manga style. I’ve also had other friends get involved in the characters, and send me their drawings. Everyone has been a pleasure to work with.

    Working with an artist can be very rewarding, because it can give your imagination a rest, and give you a better idea for how to describe your world and your characters. A good artist to work with will be someone who enjoys your creation and will also be patient with your requests for revision. I hope I pay them fairly, for what they do for me is priceless.

    Art credits: Erika Hammerschmidt, Jane Dominguez, Mina V., and Rachel Matz.

    All art displayed features characters from The Second Mango. Kissing picture by Jane Dominguez. “Food is love” and Dragon drawn by Mina V. and inked by Jane Dominguez. Napping with Dragon by Erika Hammerschmidt. Rivka with her sword drawn by Rachel Matz and inked by Jane Dominguez.

  • Writer Wednesday – Using the Tools


    Tips and tricks abound to aid the creative process.  I’ve become familiar with some very clever ones, often through the warm and wise counsel of accomplished author Catherine A. Noon.  She introduced me to the multi-talented Julia Cameron, for example, who has an entire side career dedicated to inspiring fellow artists.  Another gifted friend reminded me just this morning of some grand ways to hush the inner critic (Thanks, E!).

    Unfortunately, I’ve discovered a recurring failure to utilize these tools.  However much sense a plan makes, my good intentions somehow evaporate.  Why?  I think I’ve pinpointed a reason.  Buried in my psyche, a notion seems to persist that good writing materializes like a rabbit out of hat.  It’s supposed to be magic.
    I do believe that art has magical properties.  Without it, existence lacks a sense of hope or wonder.
    An important thing to remember about magic, though, is that David Copperfield didn’t really walk through the Great Wall of China.  Criss Angel can’t actually levitate.  They’re illusionists who put countless hours into manipulating the willing minds of an audience.
    Performers on any stage workto entertain us.  Why should writing be any different?  The answer: it’s not.
    Julia Cameron summed up my quandary in a line from “Finding Water”.  To paraphrase, my ego wants creativity shrouded in mystery.  This snooty persona thinks that artistic pursuit is somehow above punching a time clock.
    Today I defied this snob by setting a timer.  And you know what?  Thirty minutes dedicated to storytelling didn’t feel constrictive at all.  The added paragraphs gave me a sense of accomplishment even if the critic still sneered at the low word count.  So what?  I can set the timer for another thirty minutes when this post is up.

    What gets you on the page, stage, or wherever you wish your art to flourish?  I hope you’ll find the time to get out there today and do it.

    –

  • Writer Wednesday – The Importance of Hope

    I am considering changing my career and have gone back to the basics, which for me, is What Color Is Your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles (which, if you haven’t read it or it’s been awhile, go pick up the new version, it’s awesome).  In the very first chapter, he writes about Hope and how to find it.

    I think he’s right-on.  You can read his book for his four keys to finding hope because they’re well worth reading – regardless of where you are on your career path.  But for my purposes here, I wanted to highlight his first point:  make sure you have at least two alternatives in every situation.

    We’ve talked about this kind of mindset on Writer’s Retreat before.  Darla’s Keeping the Faith and my own Power to the People are two recent examples.  Writing is, by its nature, a solitary pursuit and it’s critical to keeping the fingers moving on the keyboard that we keep the right mindset.  I don’t know if “right” is exactly the word I want, more likely it’s “effective” as in, “does what I’m doing work to keep me on the page?”  If it does, great, if not, try something else.  And that, Dear Reader, is where having alternatives comes in handy.

    For example, let’s say we’re writing a story about Jake and Luke.  Jake is a biker and Luke is a day trader.  What happens if we make Jake a suburban cyclist instead?  Or what if Luke is a child counselor?  What if Luke is Lydia?  What if they’re brother and sister, instead of a romantic partnership?

    It makes sense from a battle standpoint, as well.  There’s an old saying, “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.”  How does a strategist prevail, then?  By having a backup plan, contingency plan, whatever you want to call it.  Figure it’s your Zombie Apocalypse Survival Plan.  It doesn’t matter what you call it, it matters that you have it.

    After all, having a plan to survive the apocalypse means you have to hope that you will survive the apocalypse, eh?

    See why hope is so important?

  • Darla’s Day Out

    The local arboretum called to me recently for a much needed walk in the fresh air.  To my delight, a mother mallard watched over her newly hatched brood in one of the ponds.  Not wishing to disturb them, my companion took this picture.  If you look closely, you can spot a couple of the ducklings in the direction the cautious mother faces.

    I decided that an excuse was in order to share this iconic and heartwarming image of spring.  So here is my resulting thought, that writers need to be like this duck.  We ought to be on constant lookout, though not in search of the dangers for which she scanned.

    Our eyes should be open to inspiration.  It’s simple, I know, yet our view is often stunted by daily chores and responsibilities that narrow our focus, directing our vision toward mundane matters.
    This blog’s own talented A. Catherine Noon recently hosted a workshop to spur writing from prompts.  Her grand ideas support the notion of awareness, whether she guided us to write from a set of written criteria or via the use of our various senses.  It did me good to open my mind and just let inspiration spool out.
    Just the other day I stumbled upon an ancient Israeli name, Aziel, that spawned an idea for a character.  It’s difficult to say where this might lead, but I intend to find out.
    I hope we can all expand our horizons and see what creative sparks fly.  Happy writing!
    –

  • Writer Wednesday – Pluggin’ Along

    Yes, for those more astute among you, today is not Wednesday.  That was yesterday.

    This should maybe give you a clue as to my week, eh?

    So.  Lessee.  Today’s topic is Writer Wednesday, wherein we share our ideas and thoughts about writing.  I wanted to post today to make the point that sometimes, when we drop a ball, just picking it up and throwing it anyway has merit.  There’s a lot to be said for pluggin’ along.

    If you’re not familiar with the phrase, here’s a definition at the Free Dictionary.  Simply put, it means doing satisfactorily; but I also take it to mean plugging away like a slow but steady steamship, chugging up a river.  Just point the nose and let the engine run.

    This has served me well in several large marathon-like projects, such as writing a novel or weight loss. Anything where we are prone to fall off the wagon and throw in the towel.  Rather than give up, just get up and keep going – even if you’re a day late.  Sometimes, winning the race isn’t about who gets there first.  It’s about getting up one more time than you fell down.

  • Darla’s Writer Wednesday – Keeping the Faith

    Today I find myself nearly smack in the middle of National Novel Writing Month.  If you’re a writer, I hope you’re with me.

    This, my third effort, started shakily.  With only a title thought up on a whim, one character that has starred in numerous unpublished short stories, and the vaguest of plot concepts, I fell prey to my biggest failing – editing instead of writing.  The word count floundered, the tale going nowhere as I painstakingly sought the perfect verb for a single sentence instead of pouring forth the paragraphs required to generate fifty thousand words for the month.
    Then yesterday happened.  Dreams from the night before woke me with vivid if nonsensical images.  I wrote what I remembered in my morning pages (like a journal, it’s an exercise recommended by Julia Cameron’s “Artist’s Way” creativity workshop), whether to purge them from mind or record them for posterity, I do not know.
    Still getting an early start after that, I sat at the keyboard with no clue how to continue.  The people on the page meandered through some dialogue when the notion of a dream sequence occurred to me.  I’m sure you know where this is going, but I’ll say it anyway.  Why not use the new material my sleeping mind generated?  I proceeded with my largest daily word count ever.
    The whole sequence might be throw-away material; I don’t know yet.  But knowing I’ve produced something that has never before existed has left me invigorated to keep going.  And as soon as I post this, I’m going to get back into that document and strive forth.

    I’ll say again, I hope you’re with me.

  • Writer Wednesday: Power to the People

    Betcha thought this was gonna be about the election, eh?  Nope!  It’s about personal empowerment!

    Aunt Noony’s Five Tips to Regain Your Power and Your Voice

    1. Try morning pages.  Write three pages of longhand writing in the morning, each day.
    2. Eat clean.  Close your mouth, honey, and don’t put that crap in there.  You know the crap I mean.  Treat your body like a fine, precious object, ’cause it is.
    3. Go to bed.  Make sure to get lots of good sleep.
    4. Say no!  Keep your schedule clear of minutiae that only pleases others.  Schedule time for yourself and for passtimes you enjoy.
    5. Follow your passion!  What excites you?  Do that thing.  Don’t know yet?  Get yourself a copy of Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way and experiment until you find something.  Don’t be afraid to play; all the big kids do it!
    And remember!  Your vote, and voice, are critical!  ~hugs~

  • Writer Wednesday – The Power of Proofreading

    Wow!  I just finished reading an e-book and have never been so overwhelmed by typographical errors in my life.  Never have I seen so many mistakes, to the point that they took me out of the story.  Who edited this?  The Three Stooges?

    Interestingly, the title was a re-release from something published in 2008.  Not knowing if this could possibly have anything to do with the problem (which seems unlikely), I can’t help commenting that it felt at times like the writer’s first language is something other than English.  There were wrong tenses, misused words, missing words, extra words – you name it.

    The story itself was very enjoyable, by an author whose writing I greatly enjoy and admire.  And yet, sadly, I am likely never to read the tale again for all the annoyances.  Too bad I can’t go into my Kindle Fire and fix the issues.  Wouldn’t that be nice?

    As for the names of story and author, I’ll keep those to myself.  Additionally, I’ll cross my fingers to never find something so botched again.  Now I’m going to read this several times before posting and try to make sure I don’t make any of the same mistakes!

  • Writer Wednesday – Chapter Titles

    As both an avid reader and fledgling writer, I often consider the naming of chapters.  By no means do I consider the practice necessary, nor do I see many authors doing so these days.

    There are, however, times when I haven’t been able to help myself.  For example, I once wrote a short story with food items as chapter titles.  Within each chapter I worked that word into the storytelling.  They ultimately tied together as ingredients in a recipe.

    The reason I chose to expound on the issue here, however, is because of an e-book I recently downloaded.  This particular author, who composed a decent tale, took an odd stance on titling.  She actually used the location, month, and year in which the ensuing interval occurs.

    Because the storyline sometimes visited the distant past, that might not have seemed a bad choice.  However, I found that her habit merely pulled me out of the story without purpose.  After all, the flashbacks were just that – flashes – and always appeared in italics.  I can’t think of one instance where the title came from the past, either, while the timeline progressed naturally from the end of the previous chapter.

    I’ll definitely consider this experience for my future writings.  What is your opinion?  Do you like chapter titles?  Do you use them?  Or perhaps I’m odd for even considering the point.  Please let me know what you think!

  • Writer Wednesday: Why Blogs Are Good For Writers

    In thinking about a topic for today’s post, I am reminded why blogging is good for writers.  Of all the forms of social media available to us, blogging is the most flexible and the most adaptable to an individual writer’s style.  Not to diss Facebook, by any means, I merely want to point out that if you’re a writer, you ought to be blogging.  Why?

    Here, then, are Aunt Noony’s Five Reasons Why Blogs Are Good For Writers:

    1.  Blogging allows you to explore your voice.  What is voice?  It is, quite simply, the thing you use to talk with.  It’s a Zen concept and, for that reason, tough to pin down.  But what is definite is that voice is as individual as the writer.  The better we can get in touch with our own voice, the better writers we become.  We get in touch with our voice by writing.  A lot.  Blogging lets you do that in a low-pressure, supportive environment.

    2.  Blogging gives you a platform.  Do anything long enough and you begin to develop a set of topics and opinions upon which you can feel qualified to write.  If you love coffee, for example, pretty soon you’ll get tired of writing “I love coffee” and start to come up with some interesting coffee facts.  Collect enough of those kinds of articles and poof: instand coffee platform, just add water.

    3.  Topics for blogs are unlimited.  Do you enjoy talking about underwater basketweaving?  Go for it! Cosplay?  Have at it!  Knitting?  Do it!  Any and all topics, both tame and adult-oriented, lend themselves well to blogging.

    4.  You can expand your skills by blogging.  You will, over time, learn a bit of HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language), the language in which websites are written.  You will begin to understand how search engines find topics when users are looking for things.  You will make friends and influence people though your blog, and one day, maybe help others into the world of blogging.

    5.  You don’t have to limit yourself to arbitrary character limits.  If you only feel like posting a sentence or two and a bunch of pictures, you can.  If you feel like writing and writing and writing on a topic that makes you passionate, you can.  The sky’s the limit!  You can adapt your writing to your moods and, in the process, collect a set of clips that you can leverage later to other blogging opportunities.

    Still on the fence?  Why not ask your favorite blogger if they’d be willing to let you do a guest post on a particular topic?  No one says you have to dive in head-first your first time.  You can ease into the blogosphere gently.

    I’ll warn you, though.  It can quickly become addictive.  Enjoy!

    Write on!