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A note to readers…three rules for reading

/ AuthorMeganCox / 1 Comment

I had such a great opportunity to hear a fellow young adult author speak at a recent conference. She had written a riveting book, one that had won several awards, and I ate up everything she said about character development. However, toward the end of her speech (and I can’t even remember exactly what she was talking about at that point), she said something about Amazon reviews sometimes being toxic.1338696071187_6291332

Of course I was puzzled. Had people slammed her book, one that I had thought had a fantastic mix of intriguing plot and deep characters?

It seems that they had.

And I thought, what makes some people so small and petty that they must skewer a book that has been through all the best gates–an author with an agent with an established traditional press that hires first-rate editors? I understand when people rally against a book that has grammatical errors, poor plotting, and other things that are sometimes not addressed if a self-published author doesn’t take the necessary steps to make sure their book will stand up to the crowd. Your audience then becomes the gatekeeper for quality. No one wants to waste his or her money. But this was a good book, not only in my estimation, but in the estimation of expert panelists who had judged it worthy of awards, as well as many happy readers who had given it stellar reviews.

So here, in no particular order, are three things you might think about while you consume a novel. Whether you read for pleasure, are an established or aspiring writer, or function as a beta reader or editor helping someone get work ship-shape, think on this as you digest a writer’s work.

1. It’s not your story. Maybe you like robots. Maybe you think robots should be in every book that ever was. With fiction, we sometimes judge the author more on what wasn’t in the book than on what was. Authors must be mindful of word counts (when was the last time you read an 800-page novel?), and sometimes actions and events must be streamlined. If the story makes sense and has appropriate tension, then quit your whining. You wouldn’t ask Maya Angelou to add robots to I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, so let an author of fiction tell you his or her best story too.

2. Style is an artistic choice. Maybe you like stories written in first person, maybe in third. Maybe you don’t like diary-type novels or books written as email entries. Before you decide to hate something, remember that authors can spend months considering their “voice” for a novel and even rewriting one that doesn’t work, because a story or character might demand to have the tale told a certain way. Enjoy the diversity. I love impressionist artwork, but I don’t want every piece on my wall to be a Monet.

3. Realize that writing  a (great) novel is hard. If I had a nickel for every time someone told me he had the BEST idea for a bestseller but just couldn’t find time to write it, well, you know. It is easy to imagine a story in movie format, the high tension scenes and scintillating dialogue, but the challenge is not in the concept, but in stitching it together and getting thousands and thousands of words on paper while you avoid clichés, catch numerous typos, and make sure characters evoke the right emotion. That’s what we authors spend sleepless nights pondering, so remember, we’re working hard to give you the best story ever. If you doubt that, start your own novel, and it will grow an amazing amount of respect for your favorite writers.

Then read on…:)

A writer’s pick me up…

/ AuthorMeganCox / 1 Comment

Every once in a while, you need to hear you’re doing a good job. Once upon a time, when I went to an office building every day, I could find fulfillment through working hard and gaining positive feedback from my bosses. Then I became a mom, and through an interesting turn of events and a move across country, I found myself given the opportunity of staying home while my children were little as I wrote part-time and worked on my novel career.

I’ll say one thing. Performance reviews for a mom aren’t the same. There’s Mother’s Day, where the kids and hubby go all out, but most of the other days of the year, I’m just trekking along. Not unappreciated, but no one is checking any “outstanding” boxes either (not that I usually earn an “outstanding,” I realize, as my kids ate ice cream for dinner tonight;). Plenty of times though, the kids cry and whine at me, but it’s the little moments, the hugs and kisses and the “I missed you Mommy,” that are my best indication I’m doing a few things right.

Then there’s writing. My part-time work for various publications is pretty straightforward. I get the job done, and usually it needs to get done quickly. The novel writing? Well, that’s more complicated. Ever since pitching my novel to a small press three years ago, I’ve found that although I started with a good toolbox for writing fiction, I have a lifelong journey of improvement ahead.

But, two Saturdays ago, I got to enjoy one small moment of “Atta girl!” Accidental Mobster, my first published novel (and the second one I’d ever written–the first is floating around somewhere on my computer), won an award from a group of women educators, The Creative Women of Oklahoma Award for Young Adult Book. I had the opportunity to receive the award at a banquet and talk to a room full of women about my writing story. The way I was treated and the response to my books was an overwhelming lift to my spirits.

Awards push me forward. They make me want to get better, to prove I’m deserving of what’s been given. That’s always been how I’ve seen any achievement in my life–a mark that I’m headed the right direction but can always keep striving. I’m excited for the road ahead. I can’t wait to share the stories I have and let the audience into the souls of new characters.

But for just a few moments, I’m going to take a breath. Atta girl.

Cheers.

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Doing my best to form a coherent thought during a brief little speech at the banquet.

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Getting ready to talk. Happy to report the trilogy sold out before the discussion began!

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Husband didn’t get my “House of Cards” reference to my outfit until he took this picture:)

 

What is steampunk?

/ AuthorMeganCox / 2 Comments

Steampunk. If you’re a writer, you may have run across this cute little term in an editor or agent’s “interests” section. As a reader, your thinking, “Say what? Punk?”

Yeah, I know. Makes me think of pink Mohawks too.

But don’t get confused here. Steampunk is a blenderized combination of the late 1800s/early 1900s, industrialization, and, you guessed it, a punk rock feel (click here for Wikipedia’s more in-depth, more technical, and more helpful description). While discussing this theme with another writer, she and I decided (scientifically and on our very strong authority) that this isn’t a genre so much as a thematic element of a story. Difference? Steampunk can be implemented in so many stories, making it a creature all its own.

steampunkSo, what is considered steampunk? Well, going back to the beginning, when the late 1800s was contemporary, you had the oh-so-talented Jules Verne writing books like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and H.G. Wells’ Time Machine. There you go. There’s steampunk in its infancy, in probably its most original form.

In modern days, the element of steampunk may look like the new movie versions of Sherlock Holmes, or something of that nature. It could almost be described as sci-fi meets historical fiction…or something like that. But steampunk doesn’t have to take place in the 1800s. Oh no. It just has to have the look and feel of Victorian times and industrialization. So you can set it in modern times and the future too!

Don’t ask me how. I haven’t been able to generate any ideas on those two points.

But I do have some thoughts swirling now. So I best get started. If the book industry has taught me anything so far, it’s that as soon as something’s made into a movie–wizards, vampires, dystopian, etc.–it goes out of vogue for a while.

So I better get cracking. I don’t mean to be rude, but excuse me while I go pick up my copy of Around the World in Eighty Days.

How many words to write…a creative person’s lesson in time management

/ AuthorMeganCox / Leave a comment

I am a writer. That means that while I do many things, my mind is in Never Never Land, working out the stories in my head. If it sounds a little crazy, that’s because…well…it is.

I discuss my writing habits with many people, and because I have small children and several endeavors in development, the fact that I have completed no less than seven novels in two and half years may sound impressive (twelve overall, with six under contract with Bluewood Publishing and the rest of my work now represented by Dee Mura Literary). But the thing is, anyone can accomplish certain word counts. The tough job is ensuring that what’s coming through the tips of my fingers is quality. This doesn’t always happen on the first go around, and usually the editing process hones the story and makes it sing.

However, even though I’m a creative writer, I am organized. That doesn’t mean my house is filled with perfectly stacked, labeled storage bins. If only. But it does mean that I make lists, and plenty of them. And generally, except for the grocery list that disappears to its own version of Never Never Land right before I reach the store, these lists help me organize my wild and crazy life.

But whether you’re the OCD poster child or more of a “What? It’s midnight already and I just got out of my pajamas!” type , managing time, especially time for writing, can be achieved. Here’s a few methods for fitting that book into your life–no matter how busy.

Review your free time – Think of it this way: the time of day you’d be watching your favorite shows or surfing social media is free time. Try to calculate how much time you spend doing it. This is time that can go directly to your writing. Now, I’ll caution that you should definitely set time aside to read, especially in the genre you’re writing. And, if you absolutely must watch the finale of the Bachelorette, just DVR it. Those commercials are stealing your life away.

Organize your story – From my experience, if I know where I’m going, I’ll get there faster. You don’t have to possess a comprehensive outline, and actually, spending too much time outlining can distract from what really needs to be done–yeah, writing. But when I know what big scenes are coming and a good idea of how I want to reach them, the words flow faster. This also pertains to research–taking time to get it done (visiting locales, interviewing specialists, reading nonfiction material) will only speed up the storytelling process.

Take a break; strengthen relationships. I could always be writing. It’s a hard switch to turn off. In fact, I carry a notebook everywhere to jot down ideas as they come to me. But I need to turn off the brain faucet from time to time–and I do. My family and friends, my health, and my other odd-but-awesome jobs (Edmond Sun‘s Mom Around Town and Metropolitan Library System writing classes) are priorities that can’t be shirked. Developing strong relationships as a writer sits at the top of my list, because not only can writing be a lonely profession, but I write better people when I spend time with people. I also write more hopeful stories from living a full and positive life (despite the setbacks, heartbreak, and tragedy that are inherent in life), and at the end of the day, that’s the kind of thing I want to put out there.

So don’t worry. Be happy, and write on:)

Eight reasons you should go to that writers’ conference…

/ AuthorMeganCox / Leave a comment

Last weekend, I attended my first writers’ conference in a while. Let me tell you, it was a good experience, and it taught me the value of meeting with other writers, as well as taking advantage of listening to and chatting with editors and agents, people who often seem so far away from my little neck of the woods in Oklahoma (okay, maybe it’s less woods here and more fields, but you get the picture).

Here’s a few reasons you should consider attending a writer’s conference (assuming writing is something you like to do)…

1. Editors and agents are nice people. Who knew, right?

2. You learn that everyone has recieved rejection. In fact, people are pretty proud of the drawers holding all their letters.

3. Some writers’ ideas are way crazy. So don’t be afraid to let your crazy out of the bag.

4. Writers are an eclectic bunch. So your degree is in electrical engineering and you want to write a picture book about a fastidious grasshopper? Go for it.

5. Hotel banquet food generally sucks, but the cookies are always awesome.

6. The projects that editors are working on are really exciting, but they’re always looking for more.

7. Editors and agents are nice people. Did I say that already?

8. Authors with big publishing houses work hard. Really, really hard. If you want to do this for a living, you better not expect a cakewalk.

So sign yourself up for your next writer’s conference (I recommend SCBWI if you write for the twenty and younger crowd). Worst case, you learn a little something, and best case, you come home inspired.

Rules for opening the story (easier to read than follow!)

/ AuthorMeganCox / Leave a comment

In Twilight, the carry on was a parka. In Harry Potter, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were perfectly normal. And in Hunger Games, the other side of the bed was cold.

These are the openers for three books that have taken both the publishing world and Hollywood by storm. While the stories have grabbed the minds and hearts of readers, one wonders just how important the opening of the story is. I mean, we want deep characters whom we can care about, nail-biting action, and an ending that either suprises us or delivers a great victory. Does it matter if the first two or three pages limp along a little, if the rest of the story is a home run hit?

Oh yeah. It totally does.

This is because the opening is what helps you sell your idea and your writing. There’s no perfect formula for opening a story. That’s because writing isn’t formulaic (and writing that is doesn’t usually go anywhere). But after reading hundreds of bestsellers over the past few years and finally breaking into the publishing world myself, I have learned some important lessons about opening the story. Call it a short dos and don’ts list. Oh, and remember, all these rules have and will be broken. That’s the mind-boggling part of this game.

Do

– Let the reader hear your writing voice and get the feel for the intended mood of your novel. Is the story supposed to be funny or witty? Get those one-liners rolling. Action packed? Start with conflict. Mysterious or dark? Create the atmosphere right away.

– Introduce your character and what he/she is like. A reader needs to know who the protaganist is and why we should care about him or her (or, like in Lu’s Legend, both). This doesn’t mean you start with a list of attributes. Through action or dialogue and the characters reactive thoughts, you can show who this person is meant to be.

– Pace yourself. This is tough advice to follow, especially because agents and editors don’t give a potential book much of a look past the first few pages. But trying to get to the crux of your story too quickly doesn’t give you time to build the anticipation for the inciting incident.

Don’t

– Start out with the same old, same old story line. In teen comtemporary or paranormal fiction, you see new school situations all the time. In dystopian novels, it’s the day you get your job, mate, etc. If you read a lot (and if you’re an aspiring writer, there’s no excuse not to), than you are at an advantage. If you’ve heard it before, chances are, an agent or editor has too–a hundred million times.

– Give all the details. You’re writing a novel, not a news article. No inverted pyramid necessary. My mom is really good at this. She tells me stories about the most mundane things, but she always builds the anticipation by keeping the important information back and creating a sense of mystery. It may be groan-inducing when it’s a story about a trip to the grocery store, but this is pretty critical when beginning your novel.

– Get married to your opening so you can’t change it. I know the feeling of crafting the perfect paragraph, page, or first chapter and feeling you can’t possibly get rid of it after all that hard work. On the other hand, if, after writing most or all of the rest of your novel, you can think of a better way to start it, be ready to hit that delete button. It’s not about saving every single line you crafted–it’s about telling the best possible version of your story. And sometimes, that’s why feedback is worth it’s weight in publishing gold.