Author, Rich Wallace on Voice: What are your favorite "voice" books?

Here's that mysterious word writers hear about all the time.

VOICE

It's a crucial element in a manuscript but it's a confusing term. It's hard to wrap our minds around of what "voice" really means. I've found it very helpful to listen to those in the "know" talk about their take on what "voice" is.

Last year about this time I got to hear editor, Martha Mihalik's explaination of "Voice"

This year I got to hear the perspective of a successful author, Rich Wallace. Rich had some awesome points and gave great examples as well.

If I were to boil down Rich's advice, I'd say that

VOICE = THE CHARACTERS UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE

How do your characters show their unique perspective of the world and their thoughts through the words that you choose?

Here was Rich's advice on developing "Voice":

1) Develop a unique eye that makes a scene different.
An example that I can think of from this is Judy Blundell's description of the moon from "What I Saw and How I Lied" A FAT CUSTARD MOON WAS SPLAT IN THE PURPLE SKY.
I think Judy nailed the "unique scenery description" with that one!

2) Research dialogue in specific regions in order to may your dialogue believable.
He uses author (I don't know if I copied her name correctly, so I will refrain from using it) as an example. This author drives around area's, gets out of her car and simply listens and looks for the local oddities that make the area unique. She'll go into bars and listen to how the locals talk to one another.

One of my personal recent examples would be Ingrid Law, author of SAVVY where just one sentence gives you a sense of the characters speech.
"I had liked it with a mighty kind of liking." Ch 1


3) Develop and eye for details that make a person unique.

Mr. Wallace used the example of Susan Orlean who developed a unique sense of personal details by traveling with a group of gospel singers.

An example that I can think of is from "The book Without Words" by Avi

Ch 2 "Everything about Mistress Weebly was small: small body; small face; small gimlet eyes; small nose. Her smallness was emphasized by her being dressed in an overlarge, soiled gown of green that reached her ankles - sleeves pinched at her wrists, apron over all, wimple on her head. It was as if she had been dropped into a dirty sack and was spying out from it. Indeed, the womans only largeness was her curiosity."

I just love that one!!!


What about you? Do you have any authors in mind that have mastered any of these elements of voice?

Sharing a juicy family secret

OK people. This is why you come to my blog. I've got something to say and it's JUICY and it's from my family. (are you nervous mom?) he he he he

Well. . . maybe it's not what you think. But you'll be happy to have learned this bit of info. You may actually come back and thank me one day.

Here's the deal. If you've read my blog the past month you've probably noticed the posts have been few and I've talked about illness running around the house. Well, to top off this "lovely" (ah-hem) month, I developed the grand-daddy of upper respiratory infections. I'll spare you the details. I've been about as healthy as a slug at a salt convention and as useful as a bull at Tea Party.

I do have one thing to offer, my friends. It's the blessed home remedy that my parents passed on to me on how to relieve stomach discomfort. I've never personally known it to fail.

It's easy and it's YUMMY!

Are you ready?

OK. Here it is.

It's JELLO. Not the chilled kind. What you do is get a box of sugar free gelatin mix. Any flavor will do. Prepare it according to the directions. BUT you don't chill it in the fridge. Instead, you pour the liquid into a glass and sip it through a straw. The liquid gelatin coats your throat, stomach and other innards so that no matter what way the stomach discomfort has chosen to manifest itself it provides relief for either (ah-hem) end.

I'm surprised that more people haven't heard of this just for the plain fact that it works so well. I dont' have to fight the kids to take it either. As a matter of fact they ask for it. My kids refer to it as Jello Juice (hence the title of my post). :0D Everyone that I've shared this with has marveled at the results. This also helps to ease nausea. A great thing for pregnant women to try or just anyone who feels icky in the belly and wants it to go away.

So. Now you know the secret too. I hope you'll never need it, but if you do . . . you'll be glad that you know! (P.S. it's good to keep a box or 2 in your pantry just in case. You never know when you'll need it.)

Tales from the Conference: More advice from Agent Alyssa Eisner Henkin

November is upon us: The month of NanoWrimo. For those not in the "Know" this is National Novel Writing Month where bunches of writers from all over the world commit to writing a novel (approx 50,000 words) in one month. This is a BIG undertaking, but I've decided to take the challenge with a new idea that's been bouncing around my head. The good thing about NanoWrimo is that you are just supposed to get the idea out. You aren't supposed to worry about the pesky editor in your head, grammar, punctuation. The only thing that matters is that you get your idea onto paper. Once December and the new year arrives. Then you can work on fixing what you've written.

Alyssa represents an author, Jessica Burkhart, who sold a story that was written during NanoWrimo. Alyssa's advice to those willing to take the challenge: to make October the National Month of Planning for NanoWrimo. Make an outline, do character sketches, whatever you can do to know your characters and have an idea where you are going. I'm going to call this PlannoWrimo! :)

So, that's what I've been doing. I've been outlining my project and trying to understand who my characters are and what makes them tick.

Anyone else up for the challenge?

Due to the challenge, my blogging will most likely take back seat. However, I love my connection to blogland and my blog friends. When I read posts and comments I feel like it's the equivalent of meeting my buddies in the cafeteria for some chat time. So, in honor of NanoWrimo, the upcoming Christmas season, and a shameless attempt to lure my blogging buddies over to my cafeteria table, I am going to do lots of book giveaways in November. A minimum of one a week. Some that I have on deck include: Secrets of Droon, SkinnyBones, an American Girl Mystery and more!!!!

Go NanoWrimo! Anyone else crazy enough to try it?

Tales from the Conference: Agent Alyssa Eisner Henkin on pacing

What moves your story forward?

My mind must've been in Lala land this conference, because in addition to thinking about paper dolls being brought to life by us Good Fairies, I couldn't help but think of Slip~n~Slides when, Agent, Alyssa Eisner Henkin spoke on the subject of pacing.

Alyssa suggested that a motif" can be like a roadmap to your story. A Character trait or some other motif can help move your story forward.

So, there I sat, thinking that the plot is like the slip~n~slide, the characters are the squirts of water from the hose and the motif is inflatable raft that takes the reader from the beginning to the end.

Once example she used was in "The Secret Garden" where the tantrums of the protagonist were a motif used to show us the progression of the the characters growth.

Well . . . I think the sovereign Lord of the universe is also sovereign over Blogland, because it just so happens that I picked up a copy of THE TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS by Tina Ferraro (hi Tina!) and I just finished reading it. Not only is it a fun read, but it is also a PERFECT example of using a motif to move the story forward. The motif is so strong, that it is even used in the title!

When Nicolette is dumped shortly before the Prom, she is left with a gorgeous dress that she does NOT want to return. So she makes a list of things that can be done with her unworn promdress. Nicotlette's mother encourages her to keep this humorous list as a good-natured way to deal with the disappointment.

The book isn't actually about the uses for the unworn prom dress. Instead, the list that she makes reflects what is going on in her life as she deals with boys, her relationship with her absentee father, her mothers inability to make mortgage payments, the strange behavior of her best friend, and all the other things going wrong in her life.

See, whaddidItellya! Perfect! So, study this book if you'd like to learn more about how to use a motif to move your story forward.

As always, I welcome any other "motif" suggestions or insights in the comment section!

Happy slip~sliding!

And And Now . . . for our next trick: Balancing a Paragraph!

Step right up writers and writermen! Watch and be amazed as our trained acrobat ventures word by word, sentence by sentence, until she reaches the end of her paragraph!

But wait! You too can learn to be a paragraph balancer!

Let's hear it from a pro.

Interviewer: Tell us, Oh great Paragraph balancer. How do you do it? What is your secret?

Great Paragraph Balancer (GPB): Thanks for having me here today. Balancing a paragraph isn't really as hard as you might think. There's only two things you need to remember.

Intervierwer: Only two? Wow! What are those two things? Do tell!

GPB: The first is to balance the action. The reader has to know what is going on AND the characters reaction to the action.

Interviewer: That makes sense.

GPB: Yes it does, but it's so easy to forget about it when there are so many words to cross.

Interviewer: What's the second thing?

GPB: The next thing is consciousness. The reader needs to be able to see the shifts in the characters awareness as he/she perceives what is going on in the characters surroundings.

Interviewer: Oh. I see. No I don't. What does that mean?

GPB: It means that the reader needs to understand what the character is thinking and feeling, but also how she sees what is going on around her and what she thinks about the events that led up to her current circumstance.

Interviewer: Thanks for the great advice Great Paragraph Balancer! I'm ready to start balancing paragraphs of my own! Good luck with your balancing routine! And watch out for those split infinitives! You don't want your rope to break!



(fictionalized interview is based on "Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose, chapter 4)

Interview with Author, Tina Ferraro

I have a very special treat today! Tina Ferraro, Author of How to Hook a Hottie and Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, has stopped by my blog to answer some questions about writing and books in general. We even get a sneak peek into her book coming out in the Spring '10!!!!

Here's what Tina has to say . . . .

On writing:

So tells us, what was it like when you got 'the call" for your very first book offer. What were you doing at the time? What was it like?
Warning, this is NOT your average story. My youngest son, 11 at the time, had broken his arm in half on the school playground and required emergency surgery. I had been up all night with him in the hospital when my cell phone rang. It was my agent, telling me that she had a formal offer from Krista Marino at Random House for Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress. I was so overwhelmed with exhaustion and emotion that I could barely process the enormity of what was happening. It wasn’t until hours later, when my son was home in his own bed, that it truly hit me: I’d sold a book!

I had the honor of meeting your editor, Krista Marino, this past April. She seems like a fabulous editor. Tell me, what is it like working with Krista?
Fabulous is the right word. She’s smart, intuitive, funny, and always right!

What is your writing routine like?
No two days are the same. Some days I write like a house on fire, some days I don’t write at all. Some days I just edit or research or take notes. But usually I do my best work in the morning and when my kids are at school. In the evenings I’m more distracted and tend to do promo and blog work, and chat with writers and readers on MySpace.

How long did it take to write "How to Hook a Hottie"?
Coming up with the idea and the first couple chapters to submit took me probably three months. I had a serious case of Second Book Syndrome, wanting to follow up with something “the same, but different.” My daughter and I took long walks in the evenings, kicking around ideas, but I always came back to a girl who started a matchmaking business for all the wrong reasons. So I went with it. Once Krista approved the partial, the writing of the rest of the book took four or five months, written in big bursts of inspiration that left me exhausted.

How many revisions did you have to complete before it was ready to go to print?
Only two. Krista thought I did a good job with the storyline and the pacing, much to my relief!

What was your favorite part about writing How to Hook a Hottie?
I had great fun creating the hexagon. I thought it was possible I’d finally lost my mind, kept expecting to look back to it and be horrified. But every time, I still liked it!

What was the most frustrating part about writing How to Hook a Hottie?
Keeping the hook-ups straight. I kept charts, but it didn’t keep even me from getting confused. I ended up including that confusion into Kate’s characterization because if I was confused, it stood to reason she was, too.

What writing advice would you like to give new and aspiring authors?
I decided a long time ago to build on the adage to “write what you know,” to include “writing what you don’t know,” as well. I find that tackling projects outside my comfort zone elevates my enthusiasm and abilities. So I would encourage others to stretch themselves, to attempt writing projects that seem at first out of their reach. Because you never know what you’re capable of until you try.

Can you tell us anything about your current work in progress?
Sure! It’s called WHEN BAD FLINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD GIRLS, will be released in the Spring of ’10. Here is the work-in-progress blurb:

It took 17 years for Brandy Womack to get her life just the way she wanted it--and about 17 seconds for it to fall apart. Her well-intending best friends tell her it's time to stop working so hard and "get a life." By this, they mean a boyfriend, and they give her the summer to find one, or they're going to go hunting the halls themselves. Not realizing that adding a boyfriend to her hectic AP and robotics team schedule, she'd have zero time for them.

Away at her uncle's cabin, Brandy sets out to find a guy who will "break her heart," so she can return from summer in need of her friend's TLC, rather than matchmaking skills, and then can resume her well-planned life.

She quickly finds the perfect candidate. But hooking up with the user/loser lifeguard proves harder than she can imagine. Even with the help from his nice-guy friend who seems to have his own reasons for getting them together--and to keep them apart...

On Reading:

What is the most recent book that you have read? I almost finished with Tera Lynn Child’s Oh.My.God. TLC, as we call her at the Buzz Girls blog ( www.yawriters.blogspot.com) is a good friend, but friend or no friend, her book is a terrific read. Heartwarming, funny, and a real page turner.

What are some of your favorite books? In no particular order and with no bias because I do not know any of the authors, I have loved reading: A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly (assistant edited by Krista Marino, as it turned out!), the Kinsey Millhone mystery series, the Myron Bolitar mystery series, the Stephanie Plum mystery series, Austenland by Shannon Hale, Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella...



You can check out my review of How to Hook a Hottie by clicking Here

Wrapping up the Chapel Hill Retreat

In addition to the great sessions on Voice, Point of View and the Pitch and Purpose of our work, we also had time to lounge on the back porch, join small critique groups, or work on our own.

On our last night we had a chance to read for 5 minutes. This picture is of my critique buddy, Janelle, reading from her YA MS. I was brave and read from my current WIP also.

Alan Gratz was one of the attendees. Let me tell you, he's a super nice and talented guy! He was kind enough to answer our endless questions about his writing journey to publication. He's the author of Samarai Shorstop and Something Rotten, with three new titles coming out in the near future. I feel honored to say I was at the conference while he was working on his current WIP, which sounds absolutely fantastic and fresh! If you haven't read any of Alan's work, you need to get out to the library or book store and pick one up!

This is a picture of Maggie Moe taking a picture of me taking her picture.

Some parting words of wisdom from our editors, Martha, Krista and Sarah:

MS's that are easy for them to pass on: 1) Bad writing; clumsy or obvious 1st draft. 2) Not knowing the Genre. 3) an unauthentic voice

What makes them want to see more:
1) solid writing
2) Good concept of voice

Also:
1) When submitting, keep editorial assitents in mind. They are just starting to build up their career and are more likely to have time to read more and work with new talent.

Sunday afternoon. Time to leave with lots of things to think about, digest and apply. I've found that blogging has been a great way to help me internalize what I learned, and hopefully some readers have learned something along the way too.
If you've never been to a writing retreat, I think it was worth the time and $$$.

Happy Writing!

Sarah Shumway, editor at Dutton/Penguin, speaks on Pitch and Purpose of your work

Sarah Shumway

This is editor Martha Mihalik, author Stephanie Greene and editor Sarah Shumway
(in that order)

Sarah and Martha having a nice little chat.

The last session at the Chapel Hill retreat focused on the pitch and purpose of our work. Or in other words . . . the business side of writing.

What do editors think about? Is it just about a well written manuscript?

Here's what Sarah Shumway from Dutton/Penguin had to say

Sarah agrees that as writers, we are and should be mostly concerned about the "writing from our heart" aspect of writing, However, it can't hurt for us to have some understanding of the business of publishing too. The better we understand what an editor has to think about, the better we may be able to present our material to an editor. It may even help to shape and hone our writing.

Sarah's advice:
1) Have an aim and a message or something to share. Have you aimed an audience to a fixed place in your story?

2) Know clearly; What is the point of your work?

3) An editor NEEDS to be able to muster enthusiasm for your work so they can pitch it to their collegues. First they see what other editors think, and then they pitch it to the Sales and Marketing team. Sales and Marketing are the ones who give permission for offering an advance to a writer.
A. Editors need you to have writing skills, but they also want to know that you can pitch your story.

What is a pitch?
A quick description of your story. In once sentence describe your character, goals conflict, and why people would want to take it off the shelf. No. Seriously, she really said one sentence!

Why? Because when book sellers go to libraries and book stores, they only have 15 -10 seconds to sell a book. When consumers go to the shelves, they need take only about 15 -20 seconds to decide if it interests them. If you can't sell the Sales and Marketing Team in 15-20 seconds in a pitch, they know they won't be able to sell it to the consumer.

Scary huh?

Things you should have:

1) A good book description/ plot and appeal of the novel.

2) What is there in the story that is worth telling people about?

3) Hooks for marketing: who is it for, how it ties into the market, why it belongs at the publisher you are sending to. . .

4) A self promotion paragraph: What do you bring to the table?
A. Writing background
B. Personal Background
C. Inspiration
(Consequently, Sarah polled her fellow eiditors and asked them what they most looked for in an author. The #1 on the list was "Connections/avenues to promote the book")