The Next Project--Too Many Ideas

Is there such a thing as too many ideas? Yes! I'm far, far from the "I don't know what to write about" stage. I took nineteen, count them, nineteen different book ideas to my writers' critique group the other night and asked them to comment on them in the margins. One person's assessment? Write them all!

I don't think I have time. And these were just the ideas for children's books. I have another long list for grown-up books as well.

So how did I get in this mess?

One thing I do constantly is consider what I will write next. I know that editing is some people's favorite activity. But it's not mine. But it is so, so necessary. So to get through the slog I daydream about what my next book will be.

Here's some of the ideas so you can see how perversely diverse they were:

Yaz Novak is not ever going to live up to his family’s baseball prowess but he discovers that he has a special talent of his own which might just save the team.

Ship de Souza’s parents are anthropologists who send him off to a different relative each summer. But when Ship is packed off to his great uncle’s houseboat in South Louisiana, he discovers his uncle is a pirate.

Through a correspondence begun after the Civil War, two cousins, one from the North and one from the South, come to terms with their feelings about the cruelest war of all.

Eiglenn is a social outcast in her caste called Under which lives in underground caves. When the oppressive society of Up punishes her father unjustly, a surprising act of mercy by the Prince begins her quest to change her world and his.

It’s 2113 and a twin boy and girl are sent from their space station into the past to help their time-traveling parents. They’re sent to eighteenth century France to find an artist named Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun and to fix something in the past that will allow their parents to come back home.

Jack hates a school assignment to write to a pen pal in France. When he bends the truth about himself, he is distressed to hear that his pen pal and her parents are coming to America to meet the wonderful boy he described.

It’s 1906 in South Louisiana. Nine-year-old Simone says goodbye to her father on his way to his barbershop but he doesn’t come home. Even when others give up, Simone decides to find him if she has to search every bayou in South Louisiana.

It’s the annual “Boyfriend for the Day” auction for charity at Tickle Middle School. But somehow the chess club president, Freddy Limongelli, finds his name on the list. What if no one bids for him? Or what if someone does? Either way, it’s going to be social death.

So what do you do when you have too many ideas? I'm thinking of putting these up for bids on eBay for all those people who want to write and who say they don't have a plot. I've got nineteen, thank you, and I don't have time to write them all. 

What I Can Never Write About

Our 42nd Anniversary

Write what you know. Have you ever heard that advice? And yet, folks write historical, science fiction and fantasy novels. And I'm almost sure that most mystery writers have never been involved in a real murder investigation.

So what does it mean? I think when we write what we know, we are looking deep within ourselves for experiences that strike a common chord in our fellow beings. There have been few writers in the history of the world who have been able to cover the entire range of human experience. Shakespeare comes to mind.

The chances of my writing a believable story about a dysfunctional relationship or an unhappy marriage are practically nil. After forty-two years of wedded bliss, I am an expert on how great marriage can be. Unhappy marriages are a closed book to me. That kind of book is just not going to be in my oeuvre.

Novels require you to spend many months thinking about problems and conflict. I wouldn't even want to spend six months to a year thinking about husbands and wives who can't get along.

But I have plenty of other topics to write about with confidence. The joys and heartbreaks of parenthood. The challenges of childhood. The struggle to find that one right person. The process of soul searching. The role of gender in a woman's life.

I write romantic, humorous novels with happy endings because that's what I know. And I thank my husband Michael for that. Ours has a been a very happy journey. But without laughter, we would never have made it this far.

So happy anniversary to us. Forty-two years later, we've still got the fairy tale ending.

Meet Author Gretchen Craig

Meet Gretchen Craig! She's a dear friend from Texas who writes dramatic love stories with a tremendous sense of place. But she recently branched out with a set of light love stories. 

You can find out a lot more about her here. Since she is both a traditionally published and self-published author, I think you will find this interview interesting.

Susan: I know your work and it's been admired for its drama and deep emotion. Your book, Lookin for Luv, is a departure from this. Did the stories come to you all at once or have you been concocting these upbeat tales while you were busy writing your longer, more dramatic novels? 

Gretchen: Yes, these are much lighter stories than what I usually write. I was involved in a novel full of angst and suffering, and I just needed a break. I’ve enjoyed reading light contemporary romance, and I thought I’d just give it a try. So they were done over several months whenever I needed a respite from the sturm und drang of my longer work. I had a lot of fun writing them.
 

Susan: These are all Louisiana stories. Your view of life on a houseboat on a South Louisiana bayou is so detailed and realistic. As a Louisiana girl myself, I know how well you evoke that setting. How do you do that kind of research and how do you get into a sense of place?

On Amazon Kindle

Gretchen: I’ve done a lot of book and library research about Louisiana history over the years, but for the feel of a place, I rely on having actually been to the bayous. I haven’t really spent much time there, just an airboat tour, and lots of driving in the countryside. But I lived near the Everglades for years and I know what humidity and heat and water and swamp are all about. The rest is imagination, and place has always been a strong stimulant for me. Everywhere I go, I see myself living there, especially if it’s combined with a sense of the place’s history (as in my pueblo novel set in 1599). The only place I’ve ever been that I thought I would not like to stay is a terribly poor, barren little town on the high plains of New Mexico. Everywhere else pulls at me to come explore and stay a while.

Susan: As a traditionally published author who's garnered success, awards and great reviews, why did you decide to go into e-book self-publishing?

Gretchen: The e-book question. It’s all so complicated these days. I still do query the major houses with new manuscripts, but I am grateful that in this era we authors do have other options. I do want an audience, and I’m gratified to be able to reach readers this way.

Susan: Do you have a e-book reader yourself?

Gretchen: I have a Kindle. I still love to have a book in my hands, and if it’s a book that I want to study, particularly non-fiction, I want a paper copy so I can check back to earlier passages and easily find sections I want to re-read. And to annotate with a colored marker. The Kindle enables some of that, but for me, it’s clumsier than a pen and dog-eared page. What I especially like about my Kindle, though, is the incredible number of titles available, and I can get them next thing to instantly. That’s pretty cool.

Susan: Do you think more authors will straddle both the traditional publishing and the self-publishing world? And are you planning to publish more books with traditional publishers? 

Gretchen: I do think more authors will pursue self-publishing. And many of us still want to be traditionally published as well. There is a certain validation in having a big house take you on and promote you, and they can reach readers that self-e-publishing does not. I certainly have hopes of continuing to publish in both venues.

Susan: I know that you travel for inspiration. Are there other writers who inspire you?

Gretchen: I’m constantly inspired by other writers, from all different genres. I’ve recently discovered Richard Ford, who’s been acclaimed for a long time, but I hadn’t come across him. His novels are tagged as literary; some of his novels feature the same protagonist, Frank Bascomb, who is a man who constantly struggles to find an equilibrium in life, to find happiness and to accept life as it is. That speaks strongly to me at this particular time in my own life. And there are romance authors who write outstanding novels even though they are seldom given critical respect because they are writing in romance. I admire Mary Balogh and Judith Ivory for depth of feeling and character in their historical romances. I’m very impressed with Michel Faber’s big novel The Crimson Petal and the White, which is a historical set in Victorian times.  I also have just finished another Lee Child novel featuring Jack Reacher – Die Trying – that I couldn’t put down. I read lots of different kinds of books, and the best ones always have something to teach about pacing or characterizations or mood, or best of all, just life.

Susan: What's your next project? 

Gretchen: I haven’t decided on my next topic. I have several possibilities perking in the background, but I might decide to try something new. These light romances have made me smile, myself, as I wrote them. Maybe I’ll think about something longer along those lines, though I’m not as funny as some writers, like Susan Denney, for example. 

 Thanks to Gretchen for insights into her writing process and the changing world of publishing!

Me and George Eliot--Pseudonymous

I am a huge fan of George Eliot. Her real name, Mary Anne Evans, is unknown to most people. Sadly those who do know her may only know that too-sappy-for-me tale, Silas Marner. I consider her masterpiece to be Middlemarch which you can download at Gutenberg.org in written form here or in recorded form here. It has made many lists as one of the greatest novels written in English. It's sure on mine.

As writers she and I have little in common. My fiction is of the fluffiest. Hers delves into the very heart of man. But we do have something in common: pen names.

She chose a masculine pen name because she wanted to be taken seriously as a writer. Women writers in the Victorian Era were associated with light fiction. (Which is exactly what I'm trying to do.)

I have had to use pen names twice now. When my darling daughter and great son-in-law owned a bilingual magazine that reached out to a Hispanic population, I wrote for them but they felt I needed to use a Hispanic name. I chose an outrageous one, "Esperanza del Sol", which my son-in-law actually liked. So I've been published under that one.

Another magazine will publish an article and a story of mine next year but they usually do not use the same writer twice in an issue. Lo and behold! I need another pen name. Somehow Esperanza was too over-the-top for this very conservative children's magazine. So I reached into the family archives and pulled out Ann Argyle Fox, my great-great-great grandmother. She's buried here in the valley where I now live. I know almost nothing about her but I thought her name would look great in print.

It's way cool having a pseudonym. It's like having an alias or a secret identity. I highly recommend it. Plus, picking them out is a hoot. 

I wasted a lot of time looking into the whole issue of pen names and discovered quite a few which I thought were folks' real names. Probably the most interesting thing I learned is that nom de plume (literally "name of pen") didn't come from the French at all. The English made it up. The French used nom de guerre (name of war) instead and today use "pseudonyme."

When I published my novel last October, my mom asked me if I was going to use my real name. This worried me a bit. Perhaps she was afraid that I was going to shame myself in public? I went with the real McCoy but still have reasons to use another name from time to time.

I'd love to see a comment if you've had to use one yourself or if you have a favorite writer who uses one!

Inspiration and Temptation

First, a bit about inspiration. When I think about what children teach you, the word "patience" usually comes to mind. Either you learn patience from your children or you become a really lousy parent.

But I didn't know just how much a child can inspire you.

The darling in the photo overcame some incredible obstacles to get her MFA in Fiber Arts. I am inspired by her efforts to finish a degree and start a new career. It makes me want to be a harder-working, more persistent, more excellent person. You can find out a lot more about her here. And you can see her artwork there too.

The white-haired guy has been an inspiration to me for many, many years. He too has shown me how important diligence, hard work, and persistence is. Talent is just such a small part of what makes success.

Another inspiration this week was in the form of a blog post by a writer named Rachel Aaron. Here's the post. I found her thoughts interesting but got a lot more inspiration from some of her other posts on editing and plotting. I found that she had mastered some of the things I've learned by trial and error. So I'll be excited to introduce these ideas into my writing life.

Now for temptation. While Michael was gone for Naomi's graduation, I was tempted to wallow in self-pity. I didn't get to go to my baby's graduation? How could life be so cruel? Of course, I had gotten to go to Naomi's MFA art show while Michael stayed home being diligent, hard working and persistent. It was also tempting to feel sorry for myself on Mother's Day since Michael was there enjoying Mother's Day with three of my four children. (And he'd seen the fourth of our kids that week as well.) And I have to admit that I snapped at a few folks about the situation. But I did a lot of self-talk and decided that my life is pretty good. I have been greatly blessed. And so I got through the bumpy parts of last week.

There was another temptation that came in the mail yesterday. Michael and I avoid working on the Sabbath day if at all possible. (He actually works a ton of Sundays, but not by choice.) But when I was invited to go to an author appreciation event given by the Plymouth Historical Society, I felt that it was something I could attend and that it would still be in keeping with my standards. The event is just a thank you for local authors with a Plymouth connection. All four of my great-grandparents on my Dad's side lived there, so I have deep roots in that little town. And I wouldn't be making any money after all.

Then I got the letter yesterday which said that authors were welcome to bring their books to sell and sign! This put a whole new spin on the event. It didn't take a lot of time for me to realize that I could go to the event, but that selling books would be not be in keeping with my beliefs. So I will be going but won't be selling books. I think it will be appropriate to give out business cards to those interested in buying my book.

So lots of inspiration and two temptations pretty well skirted. Not a bad week!

Every Family Needs an Artist

My recent trip to Texas was all about attending my oldest daughter's Master's art show. And I can truly say she knocked my socks off. I've seen lots of her art, but this show was just overwhelming.

As a writer, I think a lot about what it means to be an artist. If you write something, it may or may not be art. And if you build a building, it may or may not be art. But the visual arts are pretty clear-cut. If you draw a picture, it's art.

And what Naomi does is the real thing. She proves every day that just talent is not going to get you anywhere. This child has a work ethic like no other. So when you combine natural abilities with a real drive to produce and excel, you end up with the success she has had.

It's very hard to explain her work and I spend a lot of time taking pictures of her quilts from the side. Her work is 3-D and very sculptural. This work called "X" is so brilliant in its color. Both my son (pictured here with his artist sister) and I loved this one best. Her show consisted of a room of handmade books and another room full of these sculptural quilts. You can see more of her work at her website. She has a link there to purchase something if you want to have a piece of her art in your own home.

I love it that art crops up in the most unexpected places. The more I travel, the more surprised I am how public art is finding its way into airports. This gorgeous tunnel in the Detroit airport is a combination of art glass, lights and music. It's truly an experience to walk through.

Have an artistic experience today. Visit her website. Or go to an airport. Or read a book or listen to Brahms.

As the Pirates of Penzance say,  "For what, we ask, is life
               Without a touch of Poetry in it?"

Another way to find a good book--Write your own!

Once upon a time, I decided that the only way to read the chick lit novel I was looking for was to write it myself. Which I did. Snarky and Sweet was the product of my first Nanowrimo contest. I've done two more since then and have signed up for another year. National Novel Writing Month is one of the craziest and most amazing ideas ever. You have one month to write 50,000 words. Sounds impossible but divided up into small chunks it's more than possible.

I strongly encourage anyone who loves to read to give this a shot. And if you've ever wanted to write a novel, this is your big chance. I've learned more about creativity from Nanowrimo than from anything else. Knowing that you have to write X number of words each day really makes those juices flow. Some days it was awful. I thought I was writing junk. Some days it just seemed to flow into unforgettable art. Strangely enough, when I went back to re-read my stuff, I found that the junk and the art were pretty much the same quality. Both needed heavy rewriting, but both had some pretty fun stuff that just popped out of my brain and ran to my fingers.

Join me in this adventure. You won't regret it!