Write Your Own Story: Vision

Knowing your vision will help you layout your book in the best way for that audience. Even a cookbook can be put together in many different ways depending on who you want to reach. For example, are you trying to reach out to young couples with quick and easy recipes? If so, you might put together plans in smaller portions so they can use the leftover ingredients for the next recipe. If your cookbook is geared more to busy moms with kids, you might decide to group the meals in Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner days so she can basically "read" the recipes right through. 

With my novels, my audience is those who love mystery and adventure, but who also want good clean fun. My books don't get too scary, don't have murder, don't have sex scenes, etc. I want anyone to be able to read my books and enjoy without worrying about something "going too far." My "bad" guys even have a heart sometimes. 

Some might ask, can you vision change? And to that I would say definitely!

When I started writing, I thought it would be really fun to have my book classified as a Christian Fiction. That would be a pretty cool category to be a part of. But what I found was that I didn't enjoy reading too many Christian Fiction books in a row. Why not? Because it always seemed like the main characters were not my main focus...that might sound a bit weird, but I like the adventure, mystery, and new friends that my main characters meet through the novels. Some even come back in future books, which is something I do intentionally. I think one reason why I do this is because each person really is just a single character in the big picture (or movie) we call life. Each of us might not have a huge impact on the world and how the whole world is going, but we do have control over which direction our little slice of the world is going, even if that little slice only includes you. 

My main character Chyli, and her friends, take what they have and enjoy doing and share with others. They reach out and help others who might not feel that anyone notices them. They stick their necks out, even to assist those they hardly know. They see a need and they go do what they can to help. I want to see this more in the real world.

My books are fiction, but I hope and pray they inspire every day people to look outside themselves and make a difference.

Write Your Own Story: Outlines

In school I learned the very detailed outline with Roman numerals, letters, and indents. If that is the way you enjoy planning out your books, that's awesome! It's just not me, so here are a few other ideas to consider when thinking about planning out your book.

Bubble diagram - this can help get the creative juices flowing and show you how much fun the planning stage can be. The key with this bubble is you can change it depending on what ideas you already have for your book. Don't get overwhelmed, here's an exercise to show you what I mean. 

1. Supplies - Grab a piece of paper (I suggest 8.5"x11") and a pen. I say pen because during his brainstorming you don't want to take time and erase. You're the creator and you don't have to share this with anyone, so there are no wrong answers. 

2. Topic - Okay, start with something as the central ideas, that will be the bubble in the middle of the page. You can be specific on topic or literally write the word "sky" in that center bubble. 

Okay, now that your have your topic. Seriously, if you don't have a topic picked, join me in writing "sky" in the middle of the page and you'll see how you can start there to form any number of stories!

3. Start building your story by adding connecting bubbles to the main bubble...things like "blue", "clouds", "airplane", "pilot" 

 Just keep adding connecting bubbles to the bubbles already there. Write down any word that comes to mind, like a said before, there are no wrong answers. Feel free to draw lines to connect the bubbles and use a squiggly line if you don't think you want the line there anymore (that's why I said use a pen). 

What does your page look like now? I'd love to see! Email me at mysteryofm@gmail.com.

Write Your Own Story

Have you ever thought of a storyline over and over again till you thought you would start dreaming about it? ... Did you actually dream about it? ... How about a scene that plays in your head like you've actually seen a scene on a movie? ... There is no wrong way to start writing your story. If you have a thought to write and aren't sure how to get started...keep reading for a few ideas.

Outline

Okay, so outlines might make you think of school...at least if you went to my high school. Outlines are pretty formal, but if all those indents help you organize I say go for it! A story outline, though, doesn't have to be super structured if that doesn't work for you. In fact, you don't necessarily need an outline, per se. Here's what I mean...When I started writing The Mystery of M Series, I didn't think, okay I'm going to have such and such number of chapters, such and such number of pages, such and such characters...well, I think you get the ideas. I just started writing. My outline in later books took on a bit more structure. I decided I wanted all the novels to be about the same length (18 Chapters). I also decided, for the length of the actual books, that I wanted the chapters about 7-8 full pages single spaced. Beyond that my books are mysteries, but they are quite different and I definitely don't have a limited list of characters!

Vision

What is your vision for the book. Are you targeting people who only have a few minutes and want to make an easy home cooked meal? How about the young child who wants to read that one favorite bedtime story every night? Or like me, want to provide clean and wholesome entertainment with just the right amount of adventure? In order to reach the people, you need to decide who those people are.

Timeline

What I mean here, is what timeline do you have to work with? Are you writing an article every week for the periodical? Are you journaling your latest trip for your social media followers? Are you in no rush, but just want to get your notes in a "finished" format? Do you have a traditional publisher breathing down your neck?

Writing Style

Here is a big one that probably will change for you, like it did me, with the different seasons you find yourself in. How do you find time to write? Right when you get up? Just before bed? When you get home from work before you start school work? After your homework before dinner? And what is your time like? Are you constantly interrupted? Is the whole house quiet and it's just you and your thoughts? Is the talking in the background at the coffee shop just the thing to keep you in your writing mood?

Final Thoughts

I am writing this entry as a way to get myself back into the writing spirit! I'm currently working on writing my 9th novel and it's a super fun one. How about I jump back on here soon and give you some further details and thoughts about each of these topics? Let me know of any other writing topics you want to know about. Comment below or email me: mysteryofm@gmail.com.

What is in your library?

Now, when I say library, I don’t mean you have to own a lot of books, but most of us have at least read various genres of books. You might not really be a reader, but you did or will have to read various books for school so this is a topic we can all relate to on some level. So, what are some books you have read? And what do you think now after you read it?

 

When talking about libraries they could either be a virtual bookshelf with all one genre of book, or a large room with floor-to-ceiling shelves with multiple books of each and every genre. Do you have a favorite place to read your Kindle or iPad? Do you have a favorite chair in the library in your mansion that puts you in the reading mood?

 

I’d love to see pictures of your library and hear your stories. Please feel free to leave them in the comments, or you can email me directly: mysteryofm@gmail.com.

Prompt: Write the first new lines of your new book...

This may or may not be part of one of my future novels...

The boy stopped swimming for a second to listen. All that seemed to be missing was the ominous 2 notes of Jaws in the background. How he had gotten so far out into the ocean, he didn't know, but his problem now was the very dangerous shark fin headed right for him. It just had to be shark! All the stories he had heard about this area were true...there were stories of people disappearing after they had left to go swimming, never to be heard from again. Now it was happening to him. He was about to turn and swim again, but the fin tipped back and out of the water came...a young boy. "Hi!"

Writing Prompts

Ever wonder how the people come up with all those writing prompts? Do they just write down anything that comes into their heads? Some prompts are questions, the beginning of a sentence, or the start of an old story like "Once upon a time..."

Do you use writing prompts? Well, about two months ago I would have answered that question as "no." Now I have a different idea. I received a 300 Writing Prompts notebook a few years ago and when we moved I found it again. I started using this book recently and have found that it helps me develop my characters. 

You can use writing prompts lots of different ways, I have decided to pick a character then open the writing prompt book. Then I pretend that character I chose is being asked the question or given the prompt. It has actually helped me develop my characters more completely and I feel that is makes my characters more believable. 

Writing Prompt: What do you look forward to every week?

Jerry Rogers answered: I look forward to the next time I get to see my bride to be. I met Cara Awenson in high school and we became study partners for Biology class. I liked her right away, but thought she was into another boy at school, Jake Hammil. Who wouldn't be though, he is smart and good looking. I worked with him on a project for another class and we are good friends. He said  there was nothing special between him and Cara. I enjoyed studying with Cara and we even went out with the same friends group a few times. We didn't start dating till partway through senior year. I was so sure about us that I didn't wait long after graduation to ask her to marry me. She immediately said "Yes!" Now we are planning our wedding and we are both having lots of fun! Might sound weird that I'm having fun with wedding prep, but it's true.

Writing Suspense

I like reading books that have some suspense, so I also like to write books with suspense. I like to have suspense at the end of a chapter, so the reader find himself/herself wanting to keep reading to find out what happens next. That is one way I keep my readers' attention from the beginning of the book to the end. Another way I create suspense is moving from one scene to another at a very suspenseful part of each scene. I use "~  ~  ~" to let the read know I am switching scenes. It's enjoyable for me to re-read my books, so hopefully my readers agree.

Anything + Jesus = Majority (Jake Hammil)

I heard this equation once at church (Jesus + Anything = Majority) and it puts things in perspective. If there is a situation I'm going through, I know that with God I will be in the majority, no matter who tries to stand against me. It's a great feeling because I have had my fair share of tough people coming against me, especially this past year or so. I have faced my fears on numerous occasions, but with Jesus I was able to see through to the other side. I truly don't know how people go through this life without God, and I don't have it as bad as some people do. Just remember if God is on your side, no matter who or what is against you...You will win.

Q&A with Mary Glessen

Q: You are the wind's interpreter. What is it saying?

A: This is a very interesting question and I have definitely never been asked it before. Let's see...I picture a gentle wind, barely whispering through the trees. It is speaking of a calm gentleness that reaches from the tallest tree limbs to the green grass below. 

What causes the wind to change course, lifting a single leaf off a branch and glide it gently to the forest floor to find a seat among the straight green stocks of grass?

Things change quickly and sometimes when you least expect. You don't know how long a good thing will last, so enjoy it while you are able. Don't worry about something that can wait for tomorrow. Each season of life only last so long and then it will be gone forever. 

Hold onto the moments, don't let them slip away un-enjoyed.

Q&A with Mike Hammil

Q: Have you ever spoken up when you saw something going on that was wrong

A: Yes,  have and man, it was definitely not easy. It happened a few years ago when George and I were in junior high. New school, but same bully from before. The boy was picking on a redheaded girl who was super quiet, the loner type. Probably a pretty sweet girl, but from a family who didn't have a lot of money. She usually brought homemade lunches that looked pretty good, but this bully kept bothering her. 

George and I watched it happen a couple of times, but then we stepped in. We wish we had stepped in earlier, because by the time we stepped up, her lunch was ruined on the floor. George stood up to the bully while I helped the girl salvage any of her lunch. 

"Why do you do that, Pete? Come on!" 

It didn't take much to get him to back off. The redhead ate with us that day. She was nice!

Q: Were you scared? 

A: Not really. I was more angry that someone would ruin a perfectly good lunch and make another person feel inferior. George agrees.

Q: What ended up happening? 

A: Well, the redhead didn't come back to school the next day and we actually haven't seen her since. I wish she hadn't left because I really wanted to get to know her better and try some of the yummy food she always brought. I wonder if we will ever see her again? We did check with dad too. He has connections since he works closely with the police. Her family moved out of state. Am I glad George and I stood up to defend her? Definitely!

Publishing

Whether you are publishing traditionally or self-publishing, you have to be ready for your book to be seen by the public. Well, once you have your content and cover decided and complete, how will you be publishing your book? Will you be sending the files to your traditional publisher or will you be uploading it to an online store like I do on Blurb.com to get the book finalized and printed? Both ways have some negatives and positives, so let's look at those. 

Traditional publishing: By publishing your book with a traditional publisher, you have their name behind you and that can help you sell books to the masses. Traditional publishers help with marketing the book and give you tips both on the content of your book and the cover, so you will reach more people. When you succeed they succeed. They will work with you to get your book read by others. You may find yourself giving away some of your rights to the book. Make sure to check your contract so you know what you can and can't do. The publisher also might want you to change certain things in your books because they are known for something specific, or they might want your cover to look a certain way. These publishers will also probably hold you to a deadline of when they need your next book, they have readers, etc. who are waiting for the next book and this might add extra pressure to you that you wish you didn't have.

Traditional publishing might be perfect for you, or you might wish you could really just do your own thing.

Self-publishing: By self-publishing you have all the rights to your book and can make the book however you want. You can set your own schedule and can sell just locally or online through some of the self-publishing houses. You can setup your own marketing to market to whoever you want and you can do your own marketing at local events or to friends and family. You don't have a contract, so you aren't held to any timeline or specific book topic or direction.

Self-publishing might give you the freedom you need to enjoy writing while also creating a masterpiece that others will also enjoy. 

Speaking of Self-publishing...my 7th novel is now available for purchase. Please check it out and I'd love to hear your comments.

Summary: Jake receives a plea for help and with the help of his friends, raises anchor and sets off on a mystery-solving adventure up the coast. A few new friends also cruise along and help the mystery solvers.

Fiction vs. Non-Fiction

Where is the line drawn between fiction and non-fiction? Well, let's look at the definitions first.

Non-Fiction: based on facts, real events, and real people, such as biography or history

Fiction: describes imaginary events and people

Okay, with that information I'll give you some of my thoughts. My novels have quite a bit of truth to them, though they are not based on fact. I do like to include facts in my book though, for instance the weather, real cities, and the salvation message. In fact one of the things I like to do is pick a city and then change the name of it. The fictitious city of Carlsmon, California is based quite a bit on Escondido, California where I used to live. 

I like my stories to feel like they could happen to my readers, though I don't think I would really want my Chemistry project to lead me into a mystery. Yikes! ... I enjoy reading books that take me to a different place, but also feel like they could be true. Nothing personal against ghosts or superpowers, but those just aren't my preference. 

Do you prefer to write fiction or non-fiction? 

Setting the Scene

How do you write and describe your scenes? Do you picture the scene like a movie where you lay out the whole setting and details of the background then bring in the characters? Depending on what type of book, article, or scene you are writing this might be the best option. I don't believe there is a right way to do this. It depends on what you want to convey. In fact, depending on the scene in my books, you might notice that I mention the scene as the characters enter it, but then in another scene I might just talk about the characters and not about the area around them. I guess that's one thing that makes the scenes in books and the ones in movies, TV shows, or ads, different. In books, the writer can give as much describing as they want to for the clothes and setting, or leave it up to the readers imagination. In a movie, TV show, or ad, the watcher can see the scene, so that takes away the element of surprise in that case.

Have you ever read a book where you picture the scene one way, then find out that another reader sees it a different way? That has happened to me with my own books! That's one reason I get my editors involved. They can't see what I can see, they can only go by the words on the page, so if they have a question, most likely I didn't describe enough.

Filling in the Gaps

As I have mentioned previously, I don't write all my books using the same process. For the current novel I'm working on, I'm using a different process again. The draft for this book as been written for several years, it's one of the books I wrote then shelved to develop the characters. Now I am reworking the draft to be longer and have more details, including how the different scenes link together to form a story and a mystery to be solved. 

One thing I keep in mind while rereading and writing is that the story doesn't have to be written in order of how the novel will be in it's final form. That's the beauty of using a computer, or even a notebook for that matter. With a computer we can copy/cut/paste if we want to move something before or after something else. We can also rewrite while still seeing what we wrote before. I have used each of these ways and others to work on my writing styles and this novel is no different.

I also make sure I'm not just adding in "fluff" content. I want each word in my books to take the reader on an adventure and to propel them forward to see where the mystery will go. It's fun to think about it like that, it makes working on the writing part that much more fun. I'm not just writing, but telling my readers a story.

What writing process do you like to use? Do you use more than one?

How Long Should Editing Take?

This is a very important question and one that has several different ways to look at it. For those who are traditionally published, they might need to keep the timeline for editing in mind if they are pushing to finish by a deadline set by the publisher. I have a different tact. 

Since I am not traditionally published, I am only held by my own deadline. That is freeing to me because my life can get pretty busy at times and I do really want to finish my next book, but it frees me to take time and enjoy all the different things I am doing and not just my writing. If I was always pushed up against a deadline I don't think I would be giving my readers my best writing. I have too much pride in my writing for that.

Some people enjoy the push the publishers give them, but I only see that it could cause me to rush through some scenes that I might need to take more time to develop. 

I do a lot of my own editing. I write the book, then go back and reread it to edit to make sure it has the connotation I am meaning to be giving my readers. Once I do that, I send it to my other editors. See, I think of my editors as my readers as well. I don't want them to have a bad taste in their mouth from editing my books. I want them to have the drive to reread my book when it is in the finalized form. 

What are you editing styles? Do you use more than one depending on what you are working on? Let me know in the comments below.