WRITING: Plotting 101, Part 3 Creating Conflict

Hi Everyone
gosh, I posted this, this morning but it's not showing up here. So, I'm reposting it. Google really has its problems with their blogspot.com at times. So, here it is AGAIN....I hope it comes through this time :-)


Plotting, as you have seen, is not a stand-alone ‘thing’ hanging out in space. Indeed, you can picture a plot like a skeleton made up of bones...and of course, all bones in the body are connected to each other. And so a plot is connected. And a skeleton has ‘flesh’ on it. A body around it. This flesh is called your characters who you ‘dress up’ and they become real for the reader. So,when some one says, the ‘skin and bones’ of a novel, you now know what they’re referring too. The plot is the base foundation, i.e., the ‘bones’ of the book. Without the plot, you usually don’t get very far--unless you’re one heck of a deep characterization writer!

But how do we ‘dress up’ our skeleton or plot?

With characters that we place in chapters. Chapters give us ‘pacing’ for the book. More on this in a later blog/plotting.

And chapters are cobbled together with a scene or scenes. You can view your book in another way to understand this: See your novel as a TRAIN with boxcars and a caboose. The HEAD of the train is your PLOT. The boxcars are your CHAPTERS. The caboose is the wrapping up or end of your book where you explain anything you didn’t before. It is the END of your book. Chapters are vital and more on them in another blog/plot discussion.

Today, though, I want to focus in on CONFLICT 101, part 1. Without something happening to your characters, it can be pretty dull reading pretty fast. And how is the best way to create conflict?

Well, create a great VILLAIN, of course!

And a smart writer does not write a ‘cardboard’ villain who has no depth or breadth--or--who isn’t an interesting human a being and have some face-saving qualities. Why? Have you ever met a 100% evil person in your life? Probably not--although you might have thought so at the time. With Time, however, we soften our clashes with the villains in our own life and if we’re mature enough, wide and deep and broad enough as a human being, we can even see a villain’s point of view and understand them on a compassionate basis. This does not, however, mean that you approve of meanness, hurting other in any way, stealing, raping, pillaging or plundering if that is what the villain does.

Plots revolve, quite literally, around a villain so you want to create a GREAT one. Not just some cardboard shadow figure that pops in and out when convenient to thrust your train or plot forward to create pacing and generate a page turner.

In HEART OF THE JAGUAR, my book that I’m using to show-and-tell in this blog, the villain is Eduardo Escovar, the head of a multibillion dollar drug cartel in South America. I wanted something that my readers could identify with as ‘bad’ and selling cocaine and exporting it is pretty bad in my personal opinion. I wanted my villain in a really rotten career field. And being the kingpin of a drug cartel was it!

How to make a villain human? Why would you want to do that? Because readers don’t like black-and-white villains or stereotypes, that is why. The more interesting and complex you can make a villain, the more a reader is drawn into them and their world. And also, the more tension grinds through the book when the villain is truly believeable--as are his or her actions--in a book. It rivets a reader and creates worry/anxiety for the hero/heroine because the reader is given a look deep into the psyche of the villain--and they know this villain is a REAL threat, not a paper tiger.

With Escovar, he is a ruthless killer of anyone who gets in his way to stop the flow of cocaine out of Peru. He has a ‘death spiral dance’ with Major Mike Houston. And readers sure can see why: on a drug hunting mission, Mike is flying in a Peruvian Army helicopter near one of Escovar’s villas when they spot his car on the road. They have orders to shoot Escovar on sight. Only....Escovar is not in the vehicle--but a driver, his wife and four children are in it. And they all are killed by accident. Houston,when he finds out,i s beside himself with grief--he did not ever intend to harm women and children--even a drug czar’s family.

Now, we as parents of children, can certainly understand Eduardo’s grief, rage and desire to get his revenge on Houston any way he can. The Special Forces officer murdered his innocent, unarmed family. There is an unwritten rule in the clashes between Escovar and the Peruvian Army that his family is ‘off limits.’ And now, they are murdered.

And so, we no longer have a ‘black’ villain, but a ‘gray’ one who is so grief-stricken over his loss because he truly loved his wife and children. It is enough to make anyone want to get even. But Escovar’s methods are devious: he plots to not only find Houston, but to kill the person he loves the most. That, to Escovar, is fair justice for what Houston has taken from him and he’s a very patient man to pull it off.

Right here, I’ve established many things about my villain and I want my readers to seesaw back and forth about Escovar; but also, to shiver at his cold blooded nature to not only stalk Houston but find out who he loves and kill them,too. There is nothing like a lethal villain who won’t be stopped from his own kind of revenge on the hero.

And so, I began plotting Escovar into the book on my chapter index cards. Where would he show up and in what chapter? Would he send some of his snitches to try and find Houston? Of course he would. And Houston is no dummy, either. He knows Escovar has many, many eyes and ears throughout Peru who are more than willing to identify him if he shows his face in public. So, Houston leads a highly dangerous, undercover life. No matter where Houston goes, he’s in constant danger from this villain. That generates a lot of constant tension to the book for the reader. And that’s what you, the writer, want to strive for.

The tension, for the reader is in knowing Escovar and his reasons for hunting down Houston, are right there--all the time. I have built in the ability to have the hero spotted by a snitch and then have one of Escovar’s killer teams swoop down and trap Houston and kill him. And he’s had several close calls already before the book opens.

The other side to this villain’s story is that Escovar is looking for anyone that Houston shows an interest in. Immediately, that puts the heroine, Dr. Ann Parsons, at high risk. She doesn’t know about Escovar’s death spiral dance and revenge toward the man she’s falling in love, however. Houston isn’t telling her, either. And Houston is fighting his need of Ann understanding that if Escovar ever gets wind of his interest in the medical doctor, she’s marked for death. And so, I’ve set up, as part o the plot, a very real threat to the hero/heroine by a villain who sees leveling the playing field as a just and worthy cause to make up for the loss of his wife and child.

When you create a villain, think about how much conflict they can bring to your plot. And, put them in a career field or position where they have every opportunity to act/react with the hero/heroine. That generates conflict you’re needing for your plot. The more times you can get them together, providing your villain has hooked your reader as a real threat, the more tension and conflict you will generate.

As I said in Part 1 of the plotting blogs, plot hinges and orbits characters if you’re a strong characterization writer. If you are a strong plotter, then you will create characters to orbit the plot structure. Either way produces results. The key, is making your characters imperfect, genuine, fascinating and throwing them, via your plot, into confrontations with your villain. Don’t ever gloss over a villain. He or she is KEY to your PLOT because they generate the core of your TENSION and CONFLICT!

More on CONFLICT and how it carries your plot forward in the next blog!

In Spirit....

WRITING: Plotting 101, Part 2

Hi Everyone!

On 9.20 we talked about PLOTTING and how the plot is, one way or another, tied with your characters and their personality. You can’t do one without the other. If you try, then you will more than likely, write out-of-character which will earn you a reject.

Utilizing HEART OF THE JAGUAR, my first paranormal book written in 1999 (and available in reprint right here, right now on eharlequin.com), I’m allowing you to get inside my head and follow how I plot. That said, also remember I’m a deep characterization writer first and the plot spins out of the personality of my hero/heroine.

NECESSARY BARE BONES OF PLOTTING

Above all, remember: who, what, when, why, where and how. This is your roadmap to creating a great plot. Let’s check back in with WHO.

INDEX CARDS HELP IN PLOTTING AND CHARACTERIZATION

One thing I do on a large book is I have lined index cards. On each card I write the character’s name, hair color, eye color, height, weight, age, career and any other things I need to know about her or him. These are what I call ‘reminder’ cards because when you’re writing a book, you tend to forget things because you’re like a control tower with twenty airplanes circling you all at the same time.

So, my short cut is these cards. I have ‘character’ cards. These would be for the primary characters, the hero/heroine, and also for each secondary character. And then, I have ‘chapter’ cards. Your chapters ARE your plot. As you develop your plot, you can jot down in what chapter this scene/friction/conflict/resolution/first hand holding/first kiss/ almost making love/love scene(s), are going to take place.

As I fill out these cards, I get an idea of what is going on in each chapter card. If I have twelve chapters in Silhouette Nocturne book, which is approximately 75,000 words, then I can read them to see if I have enough tension romantically speaking, enough danger, tension, ect.

THE ‘WHAT IF’ GAME...

And if I don’t, I can sit there and think up what I call a “WHAT IF....???” You know, ‘what if?’ serves as one of the best questions to stimulate your idea factory up in your head. This is called thinking outside the box of ourselves when we start putting questions to our characters. What would Mike Houston do in this situation? What would he do in that situation? And so on....


ECHO BLUE--the “idea” factory Flower Essence


And....I have another little secret for people who are weak on plotting! Most of you probably don’t know this, but I have a flower and gem essence business. I have about fifty different flowers and gems that I have worked with over the years and I’ve found one that is just perfect for plotting. It is called Echo Blue. It is the Lisianthus flower. And the ‘strain’ is Echo Blue. I make this flower essence and many writers use it with great results. I use it too--especially if I paint myself into a plot corner and can’t get out of it. I take 4 drops under the tongue, wait five minutes and pretty soon, ideas come pouring in. With these ideas, I can unblock my plot and move on. Please note, this is a flower essence and nothing else. It’s not a drug. Nor is it addictive. I could write a book on the healing effects of flower and gem essences--but that’s not today’s topic. I only wanted you to know that there is something from Nature that can help us open the vault to our ideas within ourselves.

THE ROLE OF SPOUSE AND FRIENDS

Or, you can ask your spouse if he or she is tuned into your book idea, for ‘what if’s’. Or your friends. You’re not limited as to who you asked and certainly, if you are stuck do go for outside help. Just be sure to winnow wheat from chaff!

PLOTTING, PART 2

Yesterday, 9.12.06, we left you with opening your novel and plot. I’m sure everyone has told you to have a bang, flash opening to your book. The reason is simple: you want to not only draw in, but engage the reader from the gitgo. If they are entertained, they stay and continue to read. If not, they stop. And that’s a death knell.

A plot opening hinges on the characters personalities. In this case, I decided to open with Major Mike Houston. He is, after all, an alpha male first and shape shifter second (and the reader doesn’t really know this until later....a good book plot never gives everything away in the first page or indeed, the first chapter. You sprinkle amazing aha’s about your characters throughout the book plot--that is called pacing in the sense that by reading the book, there is some new discovery about the characters in EACH chapter. Plot that in. Your readers will be happy. That means you have to know what you’re going to put in every chapter before you start. This is part of plotting.)

I decided to open my book with the following:

“Oh, hell...I’m dying....”

Now, you have to admit...that’s a pretty grabby hook, huh? Yep.

And in this particular book, I needed a prologue, which is a plot device or ‘tool.’ A prologue is utilized when we need to ‘catch the reader up’ in a hurry because we don’t want to waste chapters on explanation. And if we did go the long route, i.e., chapters, it would slow the pacing down and that’s death. Instead, we ‘cut to the chase’ with a prologue which is designed to bring out a short, sharply cut scene (remember, every scene has: who,what, where, why, when and sometimes, how) to divulge maximum into to set the reader up for chapter 1.

In this prologue I, the author, introduce you, the reader, to Major Mike Houston....and he’s dying. So, the WHO in this prologue (which is usually a scene but it can be several scenes--just depends), is Houston. The WHAT is: he was flying in a Peruvian Army helicopter when drug runners brought it down . And Houston is the only survivor. The WHERE is: The helicopter has crashed into the jungles of Peru. The WHY is revealed later as Houston is laying in a depression, the blood leaking out of him. He knows he’s going to die.

We learn he’s part Quechua Indian, his other from Peru, and part caucasian, his father in the military of the USA. We learn his Peruvian Indian mother has taught him a lot of mystical knowledge. And, as he lay dying, he is thinking, “I’m dying now. I’m going between the worlds.” This is a cue and tip-off to the reader that Houston is more than just an alpha male. There is something DIFFERENT about him.

And then, as a drug runner who is hunting him approaches, who will find and shoot him, Houston feels his consciousness slipping from him. A white and gold light surrounds him and he thinks he’s dying. And then, a tiny voice in his head tells him to open his eyes and look down at his arm. What he sees is NOT human....his dark, hairy arm is turning a gold fur color with black crescents across it. Because he’s losing consciousness, he’s unsure of WHAT is happening.

And within a minute, his world changes. All his six senses have become acute and sharpened far beyond the human range. He spots the drug runner stalking him and sees the dark light around him. Houston knows this man is evil and wants to kill him.

I lead the reader through an amazing shape shifting process with Houston. And at the end, he returns to his human form after banishing the drug runner and saving his own life. It is then that Houston is weary, semiconscious and finds an old man with long, white hair and two younger people appearing before him. They aren’t drug runners. Who are they?

The old man tells Houston that he will come with them to the Village. That he will be safe there...

And I end the prologue there.

Hopefully, as a writer telling a story, I’ve plotted this at the beginning enough to push the reader to go on and read Chapter 1.

In this example, I’ve used a prologue to divulge the who, what, where, when, why and how to the reader. Not only that, it is within the realm of characterization. Houston is Special Forces. What better way to introduce him than in a fire fight? That is what I mean by being in character. Whatever the beginning of your story, it should grow out of the background of the hero/heroine.

And, I wanted an exciting, dramatic opening to this paranormal. I wanted to SHOW the reader that it was a paranormal without saying show. I SHOWED it instead of TOLD it, via the character and putting Houston into a situation where he had to shape shift to save his own neck.

Go back to your book. Look at the opening. Ask yourself these plot questions:

1. Is the opening a hook or not?

2. Is the character in the opening in character?

3. Have you placed them in some kind of situation that is riveting? Not every book can be a life-or-death opening. But you need to look and know your main character well enough to realize what kind of a scene would work through them to hook your reader.

4. Do you need a prologue or not? Usually, on longer books, mass market types, prologue and epilogue work well. In series books, they aren’t usually necessary although they certainly can be used on a case by case basis. It just all depends....

That’s it for today! I hope you’ve enjoyed this repartee and look forward to any questions or comments you might have. Tomorrow: Plotting 101, Part 3!

In Spirit....

VACATION: Ashande Retreat, Dunedin, New Zealand

Hi Everyone

Tomorrow is Mother Earth's 'birthday.' Among Native Americans, the equinoxes and solstices, which occur four times yearly, are a chance for us to honor Her and thank Her for her bounty and taking care of us two-leggeds.

I wanted to do something 'special' to celebrate the coming Autumn Equinox that takes place on 9.22.06 here in the USA. I decided to share my 'secret' hideaway where I go to recharge, replenish and nourish my heart and spirit.....so with that in mind....let me take you away to my secret Shangri-La....



What does a busy, stressed and in-demand writer do to recharge herself? Well, I can’t answer for everyone, but I can tell you about my favorite place to go and do some destressing, self-healing or where I go to create my next book: Ashande Retreat in Dunedin, New Zealand! This is as close as I’ve gotten to the Garden of Eden or what I refer to as ‘heaven on Earth.’ And if you haven’t ever gone to New Zealand--think about doing just that! The people are incredibly warm and welcoming. Even better, low crime rate. The two islands of New Zealand, the north and south islands, are some of the oldest land known on our Earth. And the pristine beauty is unrivaled anywhere else that I have gone around the world--and I’ve tripped around the globe a lot.

Now, I share with you my ‘secret hideaway’ where I go to recharge, renew and write books. Come with me as I introduce you to my Shangri-La and maybe you may want to check it out yourself on your next vacation. You won’t be sorry if you do!


If this photo doesn't say it all about my secret vacation place, nothing will. On any given day you will see rainbows moving through the valley as a shower comes into Blue Skin Bay.


Yep, I have a favorite place that I love to go as a busy writer! Actually, the story began in 2000 when Barbara Ward of Dunedin, New Zealand, invited me to come over and teach on homeopathy, flower essence and the Natural World. Dave and I got to stay with her at her home that over looks Blue Skin Bay, a lovely cove below the hilltop nest. Barbara called her Bed and Breakfast, Ashande Retreat and oh, what a lovely gift it was to me as a human being and a writer. I fell in love with this Garden of Eden on Earth.


Here is the pond at Ashande Retreat. Depending upon what time of year you go, there are flowers along the edge of the pond or water lilies in bloom. I love to sit on the bank next to the white and pink Foxglove in the morning, coffee in hand,and listen to the frogs croaking or watching the magnificent rainbow colored Wood Pigeons fly by. It's truly a treat to be in such harmony with Nature.


I went back three times to train and teach people in New Zealand. And each time, I got to stay with Barbara at the Ashande Retreat. She is a professional homeopath like myself, and was president of the New Zealand homeopathic organization at one time. But most important--she is my friend.

Over the years Barbara and Sue have added on to their nest on this incredible hilltop where they live. Ashande Retreat was their vision and lucky me (and anyone else who stays there), what a vision it is! In one direction, you see the deep green canyons swathed in all kinds of trees. After a rain, you’ll see glimmering, arching rainbows across this area and it is breathtaking to watch Mother Nature in such glory. In another, you look out to sea with the beauty of Blue Skin Bay below you. In another, you have fields that stretch like a patchwork of color. And in another, the hills that are dotted with sheep.


Copyright Eileen Nauman 2000
Here is Barbara Ward herself! And that smile is elfin and she's surely elf-like with a twinkle in her eye. Barbara knows how to have fun and enjoy life. She's one with Nature. And her vision for Ashande Retreat is truly a place of healing. I'm so glad Barbara is here, with us, to share her love of Mother Earth and Ashande with all of us. We're the lucky ones!



I love going to her place to rest, relax, recoup and just ‘be.’ For someone who wants a quiet place in Nature--there is nowhere better than this. And for that reason, I’m looking at a way to get back there to spend at least a month at their Bed and Breakfast--Ashande--there on that wonderful hilltop.

Their Bed and Breakfast is called “Ashande” and it certainly earns its name. I love how they describe this peaceful, healing place: “ A place where the stars touch the earth...
... where dreams are realized and visions become apparent.”

For a writer, this is a retreat of incredible beauty, silence, with only the sounds of Nature to awaken us in the morning and lull us to sleep at night. I do some of my best writing and creating at Ashande. And I will go back there in the future as well. It is a wonderful retreat from stress, the noise pollution of cities, the pollution of the air and water. Ashande is, in my experience, HEAVEN ON EARTH. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

And why not go take a cyber visit to it:

http://www.ashande-retreat.co.nz


See what I mean about it’s Garden of Eden beauty. What you see is a mere scratch on the surface of what lies waiting for you like a treasure chest ready to be opened--by you.

And you don’t need to be a writer to come and enjoy the energy and benefits of Ashande Retreat. If you have a love of Nature, want to take a break from your harried everyday world, or check out for awhile...this is the place to do it.

I love the botany of the area--so many flowers. I love their pond that you can walk down too in the morning, with a cup of steaming coffee in my hand, and just watch the pink,white and yellow water lilies open to the light of the coming day.

And birds...oh! My goodness! They have Wood Pigeons that are huge!! Bird lovers will go ga-ga over Ashande because they are flitting all over the place and so easy to see. Birds know the energy of the Ashande Retreat and they aren’t afraid of humans so you get a very good, close look at them. If you go, be sure to bring binoculars--you won’t be sorry. But....back to the magnificent Wood Pigeon. They are big birds and they are what I call my ‘rainbow’ birds because their plumage is like pinks, greens, lavender and silver coloring. And I love their cooing and their song.

Barbara also has a donkey, goats and sheep. I always love walking up the road to see the animals who are so friendly--and just any type of a hand out!

And I have to tell you, Barbara and Sue are wonderful cooks! I can’t tell you how many countless meals I’ve had at Ashande Retreat. While it’s true that the large city of Dunedin is only about forty minutes away....and they have great restaurants and shopping and other delights....the food was nutritious, thoughtfully and beautifully prepared. What more could one want? Besides, lamb is elegant in New Zealand and happens to be my favorite meat. Sitting over a nice New Zealand wine with fragrant lamb for dinner--well, for me--there’s nothing better than that! If you are a vegetarian--fear not--all produce in New Zealand is fresh and local. People believe in gardening in New Zealand, thank goodness! And they have great coffee as well.


Here is the view I love from Ashande Retreat. The quonset-hut shaped facility has a huge window where you can look out over across the hills and the driveway where you come and go. You can see all the natural greenry. I love sitting here and musing....it's highly creative and sets one in a very meditational state.

You can tell, I’m jazzed on Ashande Retreat for personal reasons. I’ve been there almost every year since 2000. And I’ll be going back sooner rather than later--to spend another month there meditating, getting in touch with the spiritual energy which is awesome, go hiking, do a little shopping in Dunedin, enjoy Barbara and Sue’s warm, nourishing company, eat their delicious food, and simply allow the Land of Ashande to heal me, bring me back into balance and allow me that ‘time out’ that I need.

As a writer, I need this type of ‘time out’ to stay fresh, centered and focused on being creative. So often, the lives we lead do not allow that--so we must go somewhere to reclaim or renew it within ourselves. And this is one of the places I go to recharge: Ashande Retreat.

I hope you get the chance to experience this magical place for yourself. Creatively, it is incredible. A wonderful place to birth a book or a book idea, get one’s self back into harmony and reside within the arms of Mother Nature. What else is there in life?

In Spirit....

Altar Cloths and Denim Bags

Hi Everyone

I love to support my friends and students. From time to time, I'll share what they do creatively with you. For example, I let you know about Linda Metzler who makes lovely beaded, one-of-a-kind jewelry in an earlier blog.

Today, I want to introduce you to Cheri Dye, who is a shamanic faciliator among many other hats she wears--and a dear friend of mine. When I was working on a creative concept for a patch for Warriors for the Light (Silhouette Nocturne/UNFORGIVEN/Oct./2006), she actually designed my idea with her super duper sewing machine that does miracles--literally. And with her patch, I was able to take it to a manufacturer who created the one that I give away free to anyone who wants one. You can just email me at docbones224@earthlink.net if you'd like one. And, if you want to know the story behind this patch, just drop over to my website, Lindsay McKenna, that is located on the right side of this blog for more details.

Anyway....I was so impressed with Cheri's talent that I ordered a Vesica piscis design symbol for an altar cloth for my altar in my hogan. And here it is:


Copyriht Eileen Nauman
Here is the beautiful Vesica piscis symbol altar cloth that Cheri created for me! I just love it.

Here is the price and info on the small altra cloth:

20"x12" small altar cloth. Rainbow colored vista picis symbol in center. Perfect for clearing and charging crystals, healing tools, jewelry etc. All made after ordering to ensure that your cloth is aligned to your personal energy. $46.00 accepted via Pay Pal to cdobes985@msn.com





I just love this denim bag that Cheri created for me--with the patch for the Warriors for the Light on it. I get all kinds of comments on the design, plus, I love the denim because it wears well, and I can throw it into the wash and dryer. And, it's handy. Cheri can put just about anything symbol-wise you want on the bag. Her ability to take a photo, for example, and turn it into an embroidery work of art is terrific.

Price and information on the Denim bag:

Denim bag- 12" deep X 12 1/2" wide . Great for carrying books, ritual items or anything else you want to tote around. 1 embroidery and 10 swarovski crystals. $15.00 accepted via pay pal to cdobed985@msn.com


Here is the large altar cloth. I had asked Cheri for specific colors and asked for certain embroidered symbols sewn into it. And she did a wonderful job of making my vision a reality.

Price and information on the large altar cloth:

Large alter cloth- 18" wide x 40 " long. You can put up to 5 small designs 4" x 4" each design size. Design options available upon request. Shown with batique colored cloth. Plain colors also available. $ 80.00 Customizing extra. Payment accepted via pay pal. Contact me via email cdobes985@msn.com Please add $ 8.00 for shipping and handling

To view more of Cheri's handiwork and creativity with the sewing machine just go to her webpage:

http://spiderwoman-creations.blogspot.com

These make terrific birthday gifts, holiday gifts or gifting yourself just 'because' :-)

In Spirit

WRITING: Plotting 101, Part 1

Having trouble with plotting? Understanding what it is and is not? You've come to the right place to understand this vital template to your novel. So, come on in and give a read!


Hi Everyone!

Many aspiring writers have asked me to go into plotting. I don’t know where this will go; kinda like a snake moving along sideways in the sand....you see, I haven’t plotted out my response to your questions about plotting .

To get down to some basics about plotting:

1. You need a plot to keep your story progressing in a timely, unfolding fashion so that your readers don’t get bored stiff and stop reading your book. And, oh by the way, never buy another of your books; which is worse.

2. There are two types of writer in my experience: great characterization writers and great plotters. Usually, you are one or the other but as time and maturation moves along, you will become strong in both. The only question is: what are you right now? Might as well take stock of where you’re at with your strengths and weakenesses as a writer.

3. Plotting is basically: who, what, where, when, and how. If you can answer these questions about your story line, then you’ve got the ‘skeleton’ or template for your book in order.

4. Editors have a favorite read too. Some love deep, complex characterization vs. deep, strong plot. And vice-versa. Editors are people do with likes and dislikes, just like us. They also have preferences. If an editor loves deep characterization, she’s more than likely to purchase a book with exactly that. Or, vice-versa. And you never know when you send your manuscript in, which type your editor is. And, in all fairness here, there are editors who demand BOTH deep characterization and a good, strong plot. You have, ideally, three different types of editor. And if you, as the writer, are strong on characterization but weak on plotting--and your book goes to two out of three above editors, you may recieve a reject as a result. As I said before: there’s nothing fair in Life, nor in publishing. It is what it is and the aspiring writer has to get over these unfairnesses, so to speak, and take her or his lumps along the way just like all the rest of us did.

5. The wise aspiring writer, if she goes t writing conferences, and is thinking of sending a manuscript to a given editor, should ask that editor this question: What do you prefer? Deep characterization? Or a strong plot? Or both? She’ll answer you. And then, you know how to fashion your manuscript so that it will get the best possible welcome to her and we hope, a sale.

6. If you’re a good characterization writer that can carry a book. And if an editor is also of the same venue, you may have a sale on your hands. And the readers you draw will be the same type: they love to get into the characters rather than a complex plot. And that is why you need to find out who you are: character writer or plotter. This is not to say that over time, you will develop strong plotting as well. You will. But we all start somewhere with some basic gifts creatively.

On the other hand, if you’re a strong plotter--that too can get you a book sale and readers. Strong plotting creates what I call a ‘page turner.’ You have so much going on all the time the reader just can’t put it down. Mysteries are a good branch to look at for complex plotting. So, study them and how they are put together. Or, check out my books, Susan Grant, Cindy Dees, and Merline Lovelace’s books because they are great plotters and create breathless page turners here at Silhouette and Harlequin. You can learn from all of them.



PLOTTING 101

WHAT:
I’m going to use HEART OF THE JAGUAR (by the way,you can purchase a copy of this in reprint here at eharlequin if you don’t have one and want to follow along with this series of plotting blogs). This was my first paranormal book I wrote and it was my first Silhouette single title release in 1999. I did a series of paranormals with this being the first took: Heart of the Warrior, Inca’s story, was next, and then Heart of Stone, Maya’s story. Again, all these books can be purchased here at eharlequin because they just reprinted all of them. And, HEART OF THE JAGUAR was on the USA Today Bestseller’s list for two weeks in 1999! That was amazing considering it didn’t get a huge (millions of copies) release....and it stayed for two weeks. So, it showed me that my readers were ready for paranormal back in 1999 and it took until about 2004 for it to ‘take off’ and become the craze in the reading world. I was ahead of my time, once more.

Using HEART OF THE JAGUAR and understanding that I, as a writer, usually create my plot for my book via my characters. As I said above, this is one way to approach plotting. There is no right or wrong way to plot. What you, as an aspiring reader need to do is learn HOW your plotting works within you and then stick to it and become good at it by plotting many book ideas over time.

WHO:
My hero was Major Mike Houston. He is in the Army and is a Special Forces advisor to the Peruvian Army on how to interdict drug shipments out of that country and stop them. He’s an alpha male for sure. And oh,by the way, he’s a shapeshifter who moves into a jaguar form when his life is threatened--but that’s something you find as the book unfolds.

When looking at the OPENING of the book PLOT-WISE, I always want a ‘hook’ beginning. In order to create a dramatic hook that pulls the reader into the story, I have to know my character inside and out. If I don’t know my character well enough, then I can potentially write him ‘out of character’ which is a death knell to an editor and a surefire reject.

WHERE:
I need to plot an opening based upon my character. He’s in a life-and-death job in Peru. His life is on the line every day he goes out with the Peruvian army and helicopter teams to seek and destroy drug cartel cocaine fields. He’s in the military. He is a no-nonsense kind of man who lives by his raw, primitive instincts. This is his character. And, he has six senses honed even more because he’s a shapeshifter. What kind of Plot opening would best serve the book and reader?

WHEN: the present

These are questions that go through my mind as I mulled over the beginning to Heart of the Jaguar.

And by now, you are beginning to understand that PLOT does not stand alone out there in space. PLOT is developed THROUGH the characters that you have created. THAT is the aha I want you to focus on.

And even if you plot and then develop your characters secondarily--they are still entertwined. However, the characters personalities will be developed by what you have designed in a plot for them.

It is the reverse of what I do but again, it’s not wrong. It’s just another way to plot.

Plot hinges on your characters and who they are. You cannot create a plot that is out of character for your hero/heroine. If you do, then you are in trouble. For example, if you have a woman portrayed as having a fear of flying and yet, in your plot, you have her fearless in an airplane incident...that isn’t going to wash with the editor or the readers if it makes it past an editor (doubtful that it will because editors are very keen on characterization and plot).

Go back, now, to your manuscript. Check it out. Are you a plotter by creative gift? Or a character writer, instead?

Tomorrow: Your opening in your novel and how to plot it.

In Spirit....

WRITING: Partials or Full Manuscripts?

Hi Everyone

Here's the last installment of Mrs.Thompson's questions--all good ones. And I hope you enjoy my responses.

QUESTION:
I hear the thing to do is send a completed manuscript when being an unknown quantity as this will inspire a leap of faith on the part of a publisher. But that seems a bit over simplified. Is it? Or could it be as "simple" as a polished submission packet and a well crafted manuscript?

COMMENT:

First of all, do your homework before you submit anything to a House. You need to find out if the publisher WANTS to see a full or partial manuscript. If you don’t find out the ‘rules’ of the House, and you send a full mss. when they wanted to see a partial, this tells the editor right off the bat that you haven’t done your homework. And that bodes poorly for you. It leaves a bland reaction in your editor, for sure. If you can’t follow directions or do what professionals do: find out what a House wants first....then this tells the editor you’re an amateur and I’m afraid that judgment carries over when he or she reads part of your mss.

You can find out what a House wants a writer to submit by going to the website of that particular publisher. Or, buy a Writer’s Guide, a yearly reference book (you can also find this in your local library reference section, too) that has each publishing House and their needs and requirements.

Besides, I’ll tell you that any editor can read the first page of your mss--whether partial or full--and know if you have the ‘goods’ or not insofar as the craft of writing goes.

And from a strategy standpoint should an aspiring writer just write the full manuscript or not? That’s up to the individual. Some writers,when they write only a partial lose steam/Passion and drive to finish it six months or a year later after a House wants to see ‘the rest of the manuscript.’

If your creativity runs like this--then I would start and finish a full manuscript.

However, if your creativity can write a partial and the come back to it months later without the loss of your Passion to finish it...then if the House asks for a partial, do only a partial.

QUESTION:

But that seems a bit over simplified. Is it? Or could it be as "simple" as a polished submission packet and a well crafted manuscript?

COMMENT: It is simple once you, the aspiring writer knows her own creativity/drive/Passion well enough that you can answer your own question as to whether you can create only partials and still finish the entire book if it is wanted to be seen by the publisher or not. The problem is if the House only wants to see a partial and you get into this ‘rut’ and four to ten partials later, you finally sale a book idea. Then, you have to sit down and FINISH it. If you’ve not been finishing your manuscripts, you don’t know if you have the ability to do this or not.

My two cents worth, from a crafting standpoint is finish a whole manuscript, then send in a partial from it. That way, you are training your creative psyche to finish what it starts. I’ve seen a number of aspiring writers get into this trap of doing only partials and when they finally do sell--they are in a panic and have a lot of angst over whether or not they can finish the book project or not. And this is not where you need a lot of stress and tension on your first book. When I sold my first book, I had written the entire book and sent in the partial. I have never sold a book on a partial. I always finished what I started.

Besides, here’s another thing to think about: when you finally get your toe in the door of the publishing world, and we assume your sales numbers will continue to climb, and readers will love your voice and what you write, all those ‘old’, rejected books that are already completed, can be looked at later. They can not only be looked at, but you can edit them with your improved writing skills and bring them up to your present level of writing quality. And you can eventually sell them.

I had six full length book manuscripts (all rejected) before I finally sold my first book. And over the years, I’ve revised them and brought them up to my present level of writing skill and sold all but one of them. The last one is a historical and so I’m holding on to it for a better time when historicals are doing better.

There’s an old saying: You NEVER throw out an manuscript. That’s a lot of hard work and heart being wasted if you do it that way. Save it. Revise it. Some day, with time and luck on your side, it will eventually sell. Look at VALKYRIE, my ebook. It took 25 years before it sold. But I did not throw it away because I believed in the book and characters.

And so must you.



In Spirit...

WRITING: Which Path to Take to Publishing?

Hi Everyone

I'm continuing my writing info and share the second set of questions from Mrs. Thompson


Hello Mrs. Thompson

I’m taking your second question for my blog today.

QUESTION:

"How-to's" and anecdotal essays of professional fiction writers often speak of a magazine pathway. But it seems as though the readership of magazines has dropped and venues have disappeared.

As a solution I've considered self-publishing, and zine-ing. But this lacks the critique and validation of the professional community. And I would think that being my own publisher would give any reference to those publishing credits a real lack of shine.


COMMENT:

I don’t know if you’re trying to make a living at writing or not. It isn’t clear in your post.

If you are not trying to make a living -- rather -- trying to hone your writing skills, then it shouldn’t matter if the article market is smaller and paying less. This is just one more way a writer pays his or her ‘dues’ on the way to getting published. I wrote many articles/how-to’s/ect. on my way to getting my first fiction book published. I even tried to get some rather awful poetry I wrote, taken for poetry magazines which paid little or nothing. Lucky for me, they always rejected my poetry! I simply wasn’t good at it!

And if you are, indeed, trying to stay afloat economically by writing then you’re quite right about the article market shrinking and the pay is less. I know very few writers who didn’t have a ‘real’ job eight hours a day and wrote at lunch time, on their breaks and at night after the kids went to bed. Most of us have had to juggle career and family AND try to develop our writing skills. Very few aspiring writers are lucky enough to be rich and they don’t have to worry about the same things most of the rest of us do. Do think about a second job while you’re trying to break into writing, is my advice. Or, you can starve. Breaking into writing/publishing is tough. But not impossible. It just takes a lot of time and more patience.

Self-publishing is certainly another avenue. But you have wisely pointed out the ‘potholes’ in that path. You have no editor to help guide you on your book being the best that it can be. And what you’re putting out there without another objective, professional eye on it may end up hurting your career (or as I call it: shooting one’s self in the foot....) rather than helping it. Of course, there are editors for hire, but most charge $50-100/hour, minimum, for their services. But, if you have the money to do this, it’s a possible avenue.

Ebooks is another avenue and one that I heartily endorse. Why? Because most of the ebook publishers have some excellent editors in house. And you’re going to get the same quality of someone looking at your manuscript as you might at a big publishing house. You may well get rejected from them too--but you will hopefully get a ‘nice’ reject letter explaining a critique of your writing that can help you correct your weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

And, ebooks is a step, in my personal opinion, to getting to the big houses of publishing. You pay your dues there, too but you are also building a readership--which is vital for your survival when you publish at a known book publisher later on. It doesn’t hurt to come to a house with a readership. Because, whether writers like it or not, sales count. They will either end or support your career. I don’t think readers truly realize how important they are to the process and not from just a monetary bottom line (although this is legitimate because if the publishing house can’t stay afloat economically, there is no place for writers to submit their work). From another perspective, the writer, if she cannot have enough readers or keep acquiring new readers, she will be released by the publishing house sooner or later. It’s just a fact of business life. It’s not a nice thing to think about but it happens all the time. So, ebook route is a good one for a long-term business strategy for an aspiring writer.

Ebook publishers also will take pains to ‘grow’ you as a writer where a big publishing house does not have the time to do it. They can help you turn weaknesses into strengths and often give you much more feedback and advice. All these are good things for an aspiring writer!

My experience with Hard Shell Word Factory, who accepted my manuscript, VALKYRIE in 2000, was fantastic. I not only got into a close, working relationship with the owner, Mary Wolf, who is just the best in my opinion. And even more exciting for me, I got to actually put ideas for the book cover! Normally, in publishing, authors are consulted about details of the hero/heroine/clothes, ect., but we never get asked or show the art until it comes out in a cover proof. That was an exhilarating change for me and I was grateful Mary allowed me to have some two cents worth on cover development for VALKYRIE.

I think this answers your questions. I have one more set to go which I’ll cover in tomorrow’s blog.

In Spirit...

WRITING: Breaking Into Print

Hi Everyone

For those who love writing,or are thinking of learning to write, I'm sharing a 'dual blog' right now with you. For the entire month of September, I've been given the opportunity over at eharlequin.com to have a blog to coincide with the release of my launch book,UNFORGIVEN for the Silhouette Nocturne line. UNFORGIVEN and the line launches on September 26th, although the 'real' date is October/2006. So, come along with me as I talk to aspiring writers over 'there.' :-)



Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Last night, on 9.14.06, Thursday, as I did my hike,there was a wonderful monsoon on the western horizona. I got luck again--I got 3 photos and this is one of them--the best. It was very dark and my shutter speed was slow. And believe me, I was shocked to see I'd captured three different lightning strikes!


Over on our Nocturne Blog, Mrs. Thompson wrote a post that had quite a few questions--and they couldn’t be answered in ten words or less. I was on deadline with DARK TRUTH and though I wanted to answer her, I simply did not have the time.

Now that DARK TRUTH is off to my editor ahead of contract deadline, I can breath easier and have a bit more time at my disposal for a few days before I have to ramp up and create a proposal for Book 3 of the Warriors for the Light series at Silhouette Nocturne. So, in today’s blog, I hope to give sufficient time and focus to her very good questions. So, here is the first one:

QUESTION: Is it possible to break into publishing as a completely new voice? Or should I continue to beat the short story magazine path and develop credentials, and a formal network, to then reference when submitting?


COMMENT: I don’t know of an editor or house who doesn’t get excited about an author with a ‘new voice.’ They die for a ‘new voice’--which is WHY it is so important for every aspiring author to honor her unique voice. Your unique voice gets an editor’s attention every time. Now, that doesn’t mean that the editor will love your new voice--might be quite the opposite because editors have personal preferences in writing styles and prefer certain types of voice just like any reader does. This is not a criticism against editors. It is simply a FACT of life.

The point is: a unique voice GAINS the immediate attention of EVERY editor. Period. And your manuscript will be given a thorough going over as a result. It does NOT guarantee a sale, however. It will guarantee a “nice” reject slip if the opposite occurs. And “nice” rejects show you how close you are coming to getting bought. The old adage, “To thine own self be true,” was never more critical than when a writer is discovering who she is and developing her voice. You can never copy another author’s voice anyway--it’s impossible. Readers can spot it in a heartbeat and a mile away. And you don’t want to create distrust like this between you, the author, and your readers--that’s a death knell. So, you don’t do that. You keep your author’s voice yesterday, today and tomorrow. Besides, your creativity will dry up very quickly if you are anything BUT your author’s voice. Guaranteed.

And it doesn’t matter whether you write short stories, articles, nonfiction or fiction books--your voice develops through any medium of words--so do what feels best. Me? I wrote a ton of articles for astrology magazines while I was honing my creative fiction voice. Every writer has her own path to publishing, so just follow your wolf nose on this--your instincts--they will take good care of you.

For example, not all readers are going to like my author’s voice enough to buy my books. They prefer another type of author’s voice, instead. And that’s fine. What an author must do is stay loyal and true to her voice and not try to imitate someone else’s--and if they try to do that--guaranteed--they won’t sell or they will lose sales and eventually go away in the publishing world. This also goes for editors. Same analogy applies.

In my day, there were no writing organizations, no critique groups, no contests, no -- nothing. I did it all on my own. I’m rather proud of that because it toughened me up, it forced me to hone my voice. It also allowed me to develop on my own. Most importantly, however, it allowed me the time to develop my unique author’s voice without outside prejudice, judgment or distorting it.

The problem (potential one) I see with joining a writing groups of any kind, or going to writing conferences, is that a young author who is flailing around trying to find her voice, is going to be told that she can’t do this, that, or whatever, because it goes against the constraints of a certain house who needs a book written a certain way. What this does for her is hacks into her already fragile writing ego and usually ends up harming it or possibly distorting it one way or another--if she isn’t tough enough to sift wheat from chaff on opinions by others.

On the other hand, if you have an aspiring writer who is mature, knows herself, has some self-esteem already in place and trusts her own voice/creativity, a group/conference/critique situation, is not going to dissuade her from her voice and the development of it. This individual can get information that will support her skills. I’ve seen too many aspiring authors ditch their uniqueness to ‘fit in’ to a group demand or a group concept of what writing should or should not be and lose her focus in the long run.

Writing, in my opinion, is an alone job. Nobody can do it for you. And frankly, development occurs in a natural, unfolding process, your writing ego in tact, if you do it alone. It may take longer, but so what? The only thing you really have to deal with then, is rejection slips. They will toughen you up plenty over time. I had 1,000 reject slips before I ever got one book in print. And it took from age 13 to age 35 to develop my writing talents and voice to a good enough commercial level of writing to be bought.

This way, you don’t have to deal with a hundred other people’s opinions of what you should or shouldn’t write, or write a certain way if you decide, instead, to develop alone, quietly and naturally. I’ve just seen too many careers destroyed this other route of writing via joining organizations/conferences/critique groups, to support them without some reservations and conservatism on how utilize the tools they have vs. harming your writing psyche as an aspiring writer. They don’t do it on purpose--but it happens. Writers are fragile, anyway. And they should care for themselves in an appropriate manner that supports their maturing and healthy growth as a writer.

What you really need to do is follow your gut instincts on how best to develop as a writer. If you follow your intuition--it will never lead you astray. When you allow your mind to take over and run the show--you’ll be sure to crash and burn several times as an aspiring writer. And enough bangs into the wall, so to speak, may shatter your writing confidence, destroy your fragile creative self-esteem and you quit writing because you don’t think you’re good enough.

I taught writing at Akron University and Kent State University (Stark County Campus) in the Adult Continuing Education program for five years in Ohio. I had two very popular classes on writing fiction/nonfiction and manuscript evaluation. My classes were always full--30 people maximum. The first thing I told them on the first night was: “Don’t bother coming through that door next week unless you have ten new pages of material with you.” Why? Because I wanted to winnow out the wannabe’s from those who had the burning Passion for writing.

Ten new pages of a manuscript a week isn’t a lot--but it’s enough to find out who really wants to work and who doesn’t. And I sure wasn’t interested in wasting my precious time on wannabes. I wanted the Passionate writers. And do you know? In the 12 week courses I taught, 20% of my students sold after taking the course? That is a very high number given you have people from all across the creative writing median that you are dealing with as a teacher.

I gave courses that supported their confidence in themselves, taught them how to perceive where they were weak and how to turn it into a strength. In other words: it was Basic Writing Boot camp--but it was done in such a way as to BUILD the writer’s self-esteem and believe in their unique voice rather than tear them down or apart--which goes on way too much with organizations/conferences/critique groups nowadays.

And, on the other hand, you could say that the writing organizations/conferences/critique groups are actually winnowing out the wannabes from the Passionate aspiring writer. One could look at it this way if they so choose. And in fact, that is exactly what happens. It defeats a lot of people when they enter contests and get harsh criticism back on their writing instead of critique. And here lies the core issue: criticism vs critique

Criticism is simply what is wrong with your writing.

Critique tells you what is wrong with your writing but how to fix it and make it strong

Few groups practice critique. And that is ashamed for everyone. We lose great writers every day because groups practice criticism and not critique.

When you get a ‘nice’ reject from an editor, it is a critique, NOT a criticism. Why? Because that editor does not want to destroy your fragile creative psyche with harsh criticism. Instead, he or she wants to, as gently as possible, tell you why they rejected your mss., but what can be done to strengthen it. Or, they will tell you what was strong and good about your mss. Either way, editors do not delight in having to turn you down as a writer and if they get the chance, they’ll use critique to help you along as a burgeoning writer.

Having said this (phew! This is a diatribe!), if you decide to join a writing organization, a writing group, a critique group, then go in with your eyes open. Ask yourself: are they practicing criticism of my writing or are they practicing critique of it? If they are practicing critique then I’d stay. But if they aren’t--get out sooner rather than later.

Also, align yourself with positive, upbeat, supportive, people, critique group people and partners. I once ran a critique group and it was a joy because I trained all of the aspiring writers on how to critique a person’s manuscript. It turns a dreaded evening into one of excitement and joy because you know that not only is your writing going to be judged fairly, but you’ll also hear how you might IMPROVE your skills in a weak area. When you KNOW you’re going to get good, sound advice on how to become an improved writer, wouldn’t you be looking forward to that? You bet you would!!

Do not sit still for people in a group who have jealousy, envy or competitiveness toward you (for whatever their reason) and they “attack” your manuscript because they perceive you as a projected threat of some kind. Walk away from this group as fast as you can.

When you submit your manuscript, I, personally, would not tout what organization or group I was with. All an editor’s interested in is your VOICE and she or he can tell that in reading the first two paragraphs of your book! Nothing else really matters to them. They aren’t buying your manuscript because you belong to a certain organization, study group or critique group. They are buying your voice, your creativity and your Passion for what you’ve written. Keep your letter to one page and make it short and sweet. Editors may well by-pass it or just give the ‘once-over gloss’ to get to the meat: which is your book manuscript beneath the letter.

I’ll end this blog with a suggestion. Free will choice here. :-)

I feel every aspiring writer, indeed, every human being, should have a copy of this book. It is a small book. Not very large. Not very thick. But the concepts, the empowerment that lies between its pages are awesome. And I believe, this book is of great help to aspiring writers (indeed, anyone struggling in their life) in particular, who are confused as to what to do. The book is called “The Laws of Spirit” by Dan Millman. If the name is familiar to some of you, he wrote “Way of the Peaceful Warrior” (I recommend all of Millman’s books/tapes/DVD’s to all of you) and he’s got a voice that is incredible! In “The Laws of Spirit” he takes very meaty, philosophical concepts and grounds them into common sense, every day digestible understanding for you and me. And while first reading this life-changing book, I found myself wishing over and over again that I had had it to read to my writing classes from long ago--because his words, the ideas, the Laws, all help a writer create his or her voice.

Okay, I think I’ve answered your FIRST QUESTION! I’ll answer another one on tomorrow’s blog!

In Spirit....

Warmly,
Lindsay McKenna
www.lindsaymckenna.com
www.talesfromechocanyon.blogspot.com
www.nocturneauthors.com
www.romvets.com

WRITING: Passion and Creativity

Passion and Creativity--what they have in common


Hi Everyone

PASSION is something that is a favorite topic of mine! Not because I write romances, either! If you look up the word in the Dictionary you get, “intense or violent emotion, esp. sexual desire or love (b) intense anger (c) a great liking or enthusiasm. A passion for swimming (d) violent emotional outburst, a passion of tears...” and so on.

And let’s immediately dispel a myth: That some people are creative and others are not. That is completely false. We are ALL creative! Every last one of us. I can’t draw worth a darn, but I can spin a good yarn. And speaking of yarn, there are people who knit, stitch, crochet, embroidery and do needlepoint (and I can’t do that either). So, let’s put to rest once and for all, that creativity is given to the favored few. It just ain’t so.

So, what does this have to do with Passion? Well, as it turns out--plenty!

And I need to give you my ‘spin’ on what Passion means to me so we’re all on the same page. Passion that is allowed to bubble up to the surface to be expressed brings you out of bed every morning with a wondering of what things are going to happen in the day. You look FORWARD to the day and any adventures that will be forthcoming. You are fueled with hope, too. Plus, there is lots of energy to burn for you getting out bed and walking into your day and its routines and demands. In other words, you are looking forward to living your life! You see life in terms of awe, wonderment, magical moments, of teachings and learnings. And you look forward to these quintessential moments as they connect with you.

Passion means vitality to me. An eagerness. An anticipation. An excitement. And it’s all positive, not negative or depressing. It is about all my emotions flowing through my heart and spilling into the realm of my present, my day. So, when someone says that I have a “Passion for life,” you bet I do! I’m eager to get up in the morning to see what I’ll draw to me in the given day. Not that it’s all good, all joyful or pleasant--in fact, sometimes just the opposite, because Life consists of ups and downs, joys and sorrows. It is what it is. No matter what I must work with in a given day, my HEART, my MIND and my FOCUS is on it. That, to me, is Passion.

I am grateful that I can draw in a deep breath of air into my lungs because I know there are many who cannot. I am grateful to be able to walk on two legs, because there are many who cannot. I am grateful to see all the colors that surround me on Mother Earth’s palette because there are those who cannot. I am grateful I can hear the soft plop, plop, plop of rain sliding off one leaf, and onto another, before it drips to the earth to be soaked in by it, because others cannot.

Passion is about the six senses. It is about being alive IN THE MOMENT. It’s a very Zen thing with me, but coming from a Native American background and training since childhood, I was taught there was only NOW. Not the past. Not the future. You’d be surprised if you tried to live in the moment, and let the nagging traps of the past go and stop worrying or having angst about something in the future and put ALL your focus, ALL your energy, ALL of YOU in this moment. Amazing things happen.

One of the things that happens is that your Passion is tripled instead of being frittered away in the past or future, instead of being fully present in the present. And when you can martial your focus to the present and your creativity is allowed expression--well! You are going to not only feel good, you’ll feel sparkling, alive, scintillating and so in touch with living that nothing else can match it. Not even good sex!! Oh, I agree great sex is great in the moment--but it doesn’t last. On the other hand, if you are in touch with your Passion and are living ‘in the moment,’ this is like an orgasm that goes on and on and on.... Because Passion means you are fully connected with Life with all six senses.

What does this have to do with writing? Oh, everything! I can’t hardly WAIT to run to my computer, sit down, fire it up and get a word processing document on screen. I ground myself, take in three deep breaths and I move into what I cal an ‘altered state’ where I completely allow my Passion to embrace me on all levels. And then, I begin to write. I have a ‘movie screen’ in my forehead and I can close my eyes and see each character. I see what she looks like, what she’s wearing and I hear her talking, her accent, her voice tone, and more importantly, I can get inside her head and hear her thoughts and feel how she’s feeling. And I can switch to the other character(s) in the scene with equal ease and eavesdrop on them, too.

Writing Passion infers that you can hardly wait to sit down and write. And if you don’t write, you will feel like you’re going to die if you can’t do it. That is PASSION. That is the creative drive you’re feeling and revving up. What you, the human being who owns it must do, is funnel it, focus it and create a discipline for it to turn on, tune in, and then, produce.

And it doesn’t matter whether it’s writing a book, creating a pattern for a beading project, painting on a canvas, a wall, or on material or where ever your creativity expresses itself.

The key to knowing your creativity is real is that when you’re done with your creative moment or hours, you feel refreshed, hyped up with plenty of vitality and energy afterward. If you do not, then that’s not Passion nor is it serving your own highest good.

In writing, readers can read a couple of paragraphs and know if the author lOVES (i.e., Passion) what she’s written or he’s written. It’s so palpable. It’s so obvious. That book comes ALIVE in the reader’s hands. They are so enamored and drawn into the story and the characters that they can’t hardly tear themselves loose long enough to handle the demands of their every day world. That is a book written with Passion from the author’s heart and soul directly to the reader.

Passionate writing comes alive. The reader is transported into that world, those people and situations. They can hear it, smell it, taste it, feel it and sense it. When a writer is engaged with her Passion, the words spill out easily on her computer; there is no terrible struggle, no breach birth. A book not written with Passion can be an abortion for the reader and the author. In fact, it traumatizes the author and shakes her confidence in her skills and her writing voice. And I have seen it stop many authors from ceasing to continue to write because they are being forced to write something they have no Passion for.

This happens frequently in the business of writing--our Passion gets shut down. How does it happen? Well, if you love writing about mysteries and you’re trying to break into the world of writing by producing a romance book--it’s not going to work. Why? Because you aren’t writing your Passion. You are not being true to yourself. To your voice. It is important to write what you know and what makes you come alive. Write about the things that make you itchy to leap out of bed in the morning and sit down at the computer to create. And if a story or plot does not do that for you--then the Passion is not there or much less of it is.

One thing an editor can tell when a manuscript comes across her desk is whether a book is ‘DOA’ or not. DOA mean “dead on arrival.” This mean the book lacks LIFE, energy, vitality, excitement, engaging energy that just pushes that editor to keep on reading. Now, if the book is alive when it comes to the editor’s desk, it stands more than a 50-50 chance of being bought. What might stop it from being bought is that there might be a manuscript already bought by another author on the same topic. Or, the editor might not feel it’s quite right for her line. However, that said, if an editor in-house loves the “alive” manuscript, there’s a good chance she’ll walk down the hall to another editor whom she thinks your book might be more well suited too. So, your “alive” book, created by your Passion will be unforgettable to an editor--whether it is bought or not.

And editors really do want to buy your book. But this book has to have energy, vitality and aliveness to it. The energy has to speak to them directly. As it does to the reader. And the only way you are going to get a book of this caliber is to WRITE what you LOVE (Passion) to write. No if, and’s, or but’s about it.

I had a book, my very first book that I wrote, and it garnered 29 reject slips from 29 publishers in a span of three years. I loved the book. It was written from my heart. It had vigor, energy, and was alive. So, I kept cleaning it up, rewriting it as I evolved in my own writing skills. About ten years later I sent it out again. This time, there was 12 publishers were left after the corporate ‘wars.’ I got 12 more reject slips. Mind you, the rejects I was getting were wonderful ones! They were all handwritten, not the usual typed and copied reject slip, and the raved about how wonderful the book was--but it just wasn’t for them. Undeterred, I put it away once more. I continued to update it as I got better at writing. Finally, I sent it out a third time to 7 publishing houses. And I got 7 rejects. Enthusiastic rejects saying , ‘Gosh, this is wonderful, but just not for us.’

I decided since this was a book of my heart and I was not going to let it die, I looked at ebooks as a resource. I contacted Hard Shell Word Factory and sent the manuscript to them. They loved it! And they were enthused and willing to take a chance on it. That was in 2000 and VALKYRIE was born. My passionate book of my heart was finally in ebook and trade paperback! I’d waited 25 years for a book, written with Passion, to find a home and be born. And even sweeter, was the fact that Romantic Times Magazine chose VALKYRIE as “E-book of the Year.” What a cherry on top of that cake! I was over the moon, to say the least because I had held out the belief that a book written from my heart would some day be published. I just knew it would. My Passion held the faith and hope for the book.

The moral to this story is many! First, never throw anything you write away. I’ve heard of aspiring writers literally flushing their manuscripts down their toilet!! Argh! Don’t do this! Anything you write from your heart is worth caring for, saving and continuing forward until the day it is ready to be bought and published.

Secondly, when you write from Passion, your book is alive and has vitality and editors do not forget this. In fact, this book, even though rejected, actually got me an editor who looked at another manuscript of mine later, and bought it. Why? Because she remembered the vitality, the passion and liveliness of the the manuscript she’d rejected. And lo and behold, the second book had equal Passion and emotional intensity and vitality and it was bought.

Thirdly, always write what you LOVE. Don’t let someone tell you there’s a fad on something and you divert to it (and you don’t have a Passion for it) instead of listening to your own voice and writing what you love to write, instead. If you do divert, that manuscript is not going to have the energy, vigor and vitality that one does that came pouring out of your heart and soul. And even if it doesn’t get bought now...don’t despair. It will be, someday. Look at VALKYRIE....25 years....patience is a virtue in publishing, believe me!

And my Passion for romance is because I believe with every breath I take, that LOVE/compassion is the greatest healing force on this Earth and in any other realm where we exist. And I never write any book that doesn’t have that intense Passion, focus and intent. That way, I am delivering my very best story to my wonderful, loyal readers who do, indeed, deserve my very best.

When I wrote UNFORGIVEN three years ago, my Passion was so intense that I knew this book had a LIFE of it’s own! It just throbbed with such vitality that it took MY breath away! I had waited so long to write a PURE paranormal....and I had written my first paranormal with my ‘gloves on’ with HEART OF THE JAGUAR (1999, Silhouette single title release) and I ached to get back into this category because I live a paranormal life. This goes back to what I said before: A writer writes what she or he knows. I know paranormal. I’ve lived in this world since the day I was born. No one is more ready to write about paranormal than me. Not only that...I intend to share with my wonderful readers, ‘tools’ that I was taught to utilize the invisible realms to help me heal and keep me in balance with my spirit. And in UNFORGIVEN, you get a tool! I’m going to be very excited to hear from readers who try it! The Passion I had for UNFORGIVEN was just as powerful as when I penned HEART OF THE JAGUAR. And you, as the reader, can read both books and you tell me if these books don’t jump out and grab you from the first page to the last! That is what I have to say about Passion! Now, go out and LIVE your Passion!

In Spirit.....

Sedona Hike Part 3 Courthouse Butte

Hi Everyone

As promised, here is the second leg of Linda Metzler and my hike from last Saturday around Grandmother Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. This is known as the Munds Mountain Wilderness and the trail is called the Courthouse Butte Trail.


Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here is Courthouse Butte in all its glory under cloudy skies.


I always find it interesting why something gets a name. In Courthouse Butte, long before white man settled the area in 1902, the Native American nations who lived in and around the area: the Hopi, Navajo, Apache, among many others, utilized the energy and spirit of this particular butte as a place to settle disputes. They would come, both factions, and do the proper ceremony to invite the spirit of this mighty butte to come and listen to their words and needs. The spirit of this butte would then speak to them and settle the dispute. Whatever the decision, both tribes abided by it.

And when whites came to the area and heard about this butte they called it "Courthouse" because in their reality, this is where legal disputes got settled in a court of law--in the courthouse.


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Herei s the magic of Courthouse Butte--I call these the '2 cups' but in actuality, they are symbolic of the two becoming one. I decided to choose a place right where the two met....


I always pay attention to why something is named locally. There's almost always a good reason and more than one story behind it if you search around a little and play detective. And now, let's continue down the trail and you will see WHY the above is true for this magnificent butte and the spirit who resides within it.


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Here is the endangered Cliff Rose. We found it clinging to the side of a sand and clay wash in bloom at this time of year. This is from the Rose Family and they have the heaviest, sweetest rose fragrance you will ever smell. In fact, I smelled it before I saw it, anchored to a stop and looked around. And there she was!


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This is Yellow Flax; a very small, tiny flower and she just happened to be bobbing her head up and down right next to the trail we were on.


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A little bit further down the trail on our way to Courthouse Butte, on the right was the bright yellow berries from the Purple Nightshade. I thought it looked rather "christmassy" in September!


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Here is an alignment of beautiful Sand Verbena which absolutely carpeted the fields leading up to and around that part of Courthouse Butte. I always pay attention to the primary flower color around a sacred place. In this instance, purple flowers dominated from Sand Verbena to the purple edged Sacred Datura to the Purple Nightshade were the most prolific. This told me that the Brow Chakra, our third eye, that powerpoint in the center of our forehead, was the energy of the mighty butte spirit. That meant some real power because the brow chakra is above the heart chakra and the spirit had nothing but love and compassion for us. I was anxious to get over to it at this point and meditate with the spirit!


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Here is the other purple flower that proliferated around Courthouse Butte--the Purple Nightshade.


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Linda Metzler is a flute player--a wonderful one. I wish she would put her music on a CD and sell it--it is food for the soul, nurtures the spirit and brings you to a peace within yourself. She took me to a place where the energies come together; the the male and female,into one and this is where she played the flute after I found where I wanted to meditate nearby.


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This pile of rocks was almost at the middle between the 2 'cups' of Courthouse Butte. Linda was down the way playing her flute for the spirits of the area. I climbed up to where the crack in the rock hill was at. I figured that was a good place for me since I'm fractured like the rest of humanity. What better place to sit and meditate. I asked for a healing from the spirit of the butte.



Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here is a Sacred Datura plant not far from where Linda was playing her flute for all the spirits and relations around Courthouse Butte. When you see Sacred Datura around that means it is a very sacred spot--a good spot to sit down and meditate!

I hope you've enjoyed our hike around Grandmother Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. This coming Saturday, Linda and I are going to Red Rock Crossing...so stay tuned!

In Spirit...

WRITING: Titles....how does an author choose one?

Hi Everyone!


Titles....

Ever wonder how a title gets on an author’s book?

My editors, over the years, have always had a good laugh with me because it’s not a problem to write a book. But ask me to give it a great title, and I fall flat on my face! Usually.

A great title does so many things. First, it captures the ESSENCE of the book. Secondly, it snags (we hope) a passing reader’s interest as she walks up and down the book shelf aisles of a bookstore. Thirdly, it must EXCITE the reader (not to mention, the author, too).

Since I’m so bad at titles, my editor can do one of several things. They go to editorial meetings and during it, my editor may give the gist of my book and ask all these creative editors to throw some titles up to her--and she writes them down. Or, my editor may go door-to-door with other editors telling them she needs a title for my book. Lastly,the editor may not consult anyone, but sit there and create a list of titles herself. In the end, whatever titles and however they got created and by whom, eventually are sent to me in either an email or a phone call or both.

I always get a choice of several--sometimes six or seven title ideas. I choose the one that feels best to me--it resonates in my heart--and I also try to choose one that best identifies with the gestalt of the book.

Let me give you two examples here. First, my December , 2006 novel for HQN, BEYOND THE LIMIT, was not called that at first. All authors have what is known as a ‘working title’ on a book they’re writing. In my case, I just called this book, “Pete’s Book.” This book is about Morgan and Laura’s second son, Pete Trayhern. And since I’m so lousy at titles, I just called it “Pete’s book,” for lack of a better one! By the time the book is finished and I send it to my editor, she reads it. And my editor knows how bad I am at titles, so she’s looking and scanning the gestalt of the book for a better title than I came up with! My editor called me one morning and told me she thought she had the perfect title for Pete’s book. I said, “Oh, good!” with relief in my voice.

My editor suggested BEYOND THE LIMIT and explained that the whole book is about two people unwillingly falling in love in a dangerous environment of Afghanistan. Further, their jobs, both as engineers on a construction project forbade any kind of personal relationship or romantic entanglements. Both the hero, Major Pete Trayhern, a heroic US Marine and head of the coal fired electric power plant as the manager, and Cali Rowland, the head of the construction consortium to build it, cannot fall in love with one another. But they do....and they fight it tooth, hammer and nail....literally and figuratively. And so, they go ‘beyond the limit’ of the rules of engagement at a construction site and fall helplessly in love with one another...but of course, neither will admit it to the other or even to themselves....until something tragic and shocking occurs. Then, all bets are off. And we watch both the hero and heroine go ‘beyond the limits’ of their own, personal reality, of their being in uncharted territory with themselves and one another.

It was the perfect title! And I loved it. And I raved enthusiastically about this title and profusely thanked my brilliant editor for her insight and understanding of the book. Dodged the bullet on that one! haha. I was relieved because titles, usually, are just such a pickle for me. I’m too close to my work, to my book, to see the core of it and come up with some catchy, zingy title.

Let me tell you about UNFORGIVEN and how it got its title. The hero loses his family. And he wants revenge. And on a larger, more symbolic level, there is what is known as the Emerald Key. It is a necklace, fashioned by hand, by the Incas thousands of years earlier. Each golf-ball size emerald sphere has a word inscribed upon it. And the first one that is found has written on it: Forgiveness. And so, the first book is about two people, the hero and heroine, who have both tragically lost everything they loved. And each is UNFORGIVEN. Toward their nemesis, as well as to themselves. And so, the greater layer of this book is about what forgiveness is about and how it can free us in the long term. It was easy to come up with a title on this one! And when I suggested to my editor, she agreed. And so, this was one of the few times that I named one of my books!

In Spirit...

Part 2: Grandmother Bell Rock Hike, Sedona, Arizona

Hi Everyone

Well, let's continue our virtual hike with me and Linda Metzler around Grandma Bell Rock. We started out early Saturday morning, 9.9.06 and the skies were threatening rain. But, Grandma Bell pushed the storms to the east of us although the clouds were wreathing the area. That was good because it kept Father Sun and his heat from baking us on the trail--so it was a coolish, delightful morning to do this hike half way around what is known as the "Courthouse Butte Trail."

So, come on along! We are still hiking around Grandma Bell.


Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here are some more Slender Gaillardia that was in the western grassy field next to Grandmother Bell Rock


Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
This was a REAL discovery! Indian Tobacco! Natural and wild. On the southwest side of Grandmother Bell.





Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
This was a beautiful Tufted Four O'Clock near the trail. It looks so fragile and ethereal.



Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here is a lovely view of Red Rock Country taken from Grandmother Bell. You can see why we like living here. No matter what direction you look, there is a painting of Nature in all her brilliant regalia.


Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
I thought this was an 'arty' shot looking north toward Sedona through the limbs of the dead tree.


Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here is one of many signs in and around on the trail. The Forest Service is asking hikers to stay on the path. The sign struck me on a broader note--all of us should be wearing one, too!



Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here is some Purple Nightshade which is very prolific around Grandma Bell. It's truly beautiful.



Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
On the north side of Grandma Bell as I traversed a bike path, I saw this wonderful Blackfoot Daisy growing out of a crack in the sandstone! What a tough little plant spirit! Kind of reminds me of some people who get a tough lot in life--they can still bloom and become beautiful, anyway.



Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here is a beautiful Century Plant with yellow blooms. Notice Grandmother Bell in the background.


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Here is a cute group of Button Bush flowers. They always remind me of children playing gaily and whim to any breeze that comes by.




Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here is Cathedral Rock....they say the three buttes symbolize the father, mother and child. Indeed, the energy up there (I've climbed it several times) is very nurturing and feminine.






Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
On the bike path on the northern side of Grandmother Bell Rock was this fantastic Century Plant in bloom.


Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Here are some bright, nodding Sunflowers in a field on the north side of Grandma Bell.




Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
Imagine my utter surprise as the trail is about to end and here is a huge group of BLUE Morning Glories right next to the fence! What a wonderful gift!




Copyright Eileen Nauman
And right next to the patch of blue morning glories were a patch of RED Morning Glories! Amazing!


Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
It seems fitting to leave you with two breath taking photos of the Sacred Datura. As we hiked away from Grandmother Bell Rock and toward Courthouse Butte on the path, I discovered these incredible purpled-edged white datura. Just looking at this photo puts you into a medatative state. This is a plant that has one of the strongest spirits that I know. Many want to work with this plant spirit but they must know how to approach her in order to earn her trust so that she will share her secrets with you.


Copyright Eileen Nauman 2006
And so, as we leave Grandmother Bell behind, this 'gate' between the two buttes and vortexes have the Sacred Datura as the gatekeeper and guard. We gave cornmeal to this powerful plant spirit and thanked it for its inescapable beauty.

Tomorrow, we move