What Influences Your Writing?

You can’t wait for inspiration.  You have to go after it with a club.  ~Jack London

Creative constipation. AWOL Muses. Inspirational drought. Any way you say it, writer’s block is bad news and – just like robocallers and debt collectors – it always strikes at the worst time.

Like when you’re under a deadline. Or three.

What causes this phenomenon? This article by David Taylor offers some interesting theories. My favorite is this:

Writers are sometimes not ready to write

Perhaps the hardest thing about writing is not knowing what to write…he key to knowing what to write is knowing the format of the thing you’re writing.

Imagine trying to make a chair without any concept of what one looks like or what its purpose is. Yet everyday I work with writers attempting to do just that: to create a how-to article, novel, short story, essay, business letter, or even screenplay without knowing it has a seat, legs and back designed to support the weight placed on it.

Some say the best way to overcome a fear is to face it head on. In my experience, the same goes for writer’s block. When I get stuck on a story, I use these Three Tricks to Woo My Muse:

• Concentrate on the secondary characters.

Secondary characters are lots of fun to write. Not only do they provide comic relief, but they can also provide insight into the main character’s back story. An upside is that well-crafted secondary characters often inspire sequels/series [see below]

• Sharpen the creative focus.
  

Writing a chapter too daunting? Try an interlude. Anything from a passage of dialogue, to an action sequence, to a love scene can work. The purpose is to get back in the habit of writing. Often times, once I’ve finished an interlude, I consider its place in the main plot and continue writing from there. Any pieces that don’t fit can be cleaned up during the revision stage.

• Start a new project.
  

Some stories aren’t ready to be written. Or, perhaps, the story you’re writing isn’t the story you’re meant to write. This was the case with me a year ago. I was ¾ through an urban fantasy when writer’s block struck. Big time.

I simply ran out of plot. But I loved the characters so much that I couldn’t let them go. So I took a minor character – mentioned only briefly in the outset of the story – and decided to write something off the cuff for her. That character was Siren Jones, the unlucky in love harpy from How to Tame a Harpy, which became an American Title V finalist in 2008.

So how do YOU combat writer’s block?

**Find more articles on the craft of writing or the publishing industry HERE. Want to know more about my work? Visit me at www.michellelaurenbooks.com. **

The Art of Spam

Quick reminder: The contest to win a copy of my urban fantasy Starstruck: Hunter (Available from Liquid Silver Books) ends next Thursday. If you haven’t entered yet, please take a moment to comment on THIS post, telling me what you love about urban fantasies. Make sure to include a valid email address so I can contact you if you win.

Okay, on to today’s topic: The Art of Spam.

No, I don’t mean the mystery meat. I mean spam.

Webster’s Online Dictionary defines it as:

“Unsolicited, usually commercial, e-mail sent to a large number of addresses.”

In layman’s terms, spam is the junk clogging up your Inbox every morning, offering you free Viagra; the chance to bail out a previously unknown but very rich relative in Nigeria; or, in my case this morning, the chance to find “age-appropriate lingerie.” Huh? What exactly is age-inappropriate lingerie?

While spam isn’t a new thing, I’ve noticed an increase in the strangeness of the spam messages landing in my Inbox lately. Ironically — or, perhaps, diabolically — most of the spam seems targeted toward men with certain body image issues. So I searched the internet and found some links to hilarious spam emails:

http://www.spamhumor.com/page/Penis+Enlargement+SPAM?t=anon

http://www.brianbaute.com/?p=1015

After viewing the subject lines in the second link, the subtlety used by these spammers continues to astound me. (Yes, that was sarcasm. But I had to laugh out loud at the subject “What she REALLY wants for Christmas.”

What are some of the weirdest spam emails you’ve received?

Three Reasons to Love Joss Whedon

I’m in a great mood today. Why? For two reasons:

• First, my novel Starstruck: Hunter went on sale 4/6/09 from Liquid Silver Books. To celebrate, I’m giving away a FREE copy over at my site.
  

To enter, go to this post and comment telling me what you love about urban fantasies. Make sure to use a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. The giveaway ends 4/30. I’ll announce the winner 5/1/09 on my site.

• Second, Dollhouse comes on FOX tonight!

If you haven’t seen this show yet, you are missing out. I’ve been a Joss Whedon fan since his Buffy the Vampire Slayer days. I fell back in love with him when he gave the world Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. And now I’m seriously crushing on him for creating a drama that hits the mark in every way.

Dollhouse provides Whedon’s trademark dark humor, action-packed sequences and gut-wrenching emotion. But what I really love about this show is that he takes on a very serious concept — human trafficking — in a creative, thought-provoking way.

So, because I’m such a Whedon fangirl, I’m counting down the Three Reasons I Love Joss Whedon:

3) The Action

2) Eye Candy

1) His quotability.

On love

“Love isn’t brains, children, it’s blood — blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love’s [w]itch, but at least I’m man enough to admit it.”

~ Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer [*I changed a letter of what Spike said to keep the quote clean.]

“Love makes you do the wacky.”

~ Buffy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

On conflict resolution

“I will smack you!”

~ Echo, Dollhouse

On hilariously nonsensical threats

“You give my regards to St. Peter. Or whoever has his job, but in Hell.” ~ Captain Hammer, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

What are some of your favorite things about Joss Whedon?

Virtual Networking

Twitter. Facebook. Myspace. These are just a few of the virtual networking tools available to writers. As more readers start shopping online and connecting with their favorite authors via websites and blogs, virtual networking continues to expand.

With so many options, which should you choose?

Well, that all depends on your needs. Some of these tools are geared towards networking between writers; some are mainly for social purposes; and others are geared towards connecting with other readers.

Here are my favorites

This is a wonderful place for readers and authors to connect. For authors, Goodreads offers a Giveaway section where writers can host contests and give away ARCs of their books. For readers, this tool has some really great features, including book reviews, virtual bookshelves, updates on what your friends are reading and — my favorite thing — book trivia! Members can create their own quizzes based on books and share with the world. After taking these, I was amazed at how much I didn’t know about my favorite books. You can find me under my user name, “Michelle Lauren.”

This site was originally geared toward just social networking, but it has features that come in handy for writers. My favorites? Bulletins and Event Invitations. The first is seen by everyone on your friend list, while the second is invitation only (for when you’re promoting special events, virtual or otherwise). Every account also comes with an Inbox and a blog. You can friend me here.

This one is similar to Goodreads, except it seems to be geared more toward writers connecting with each other. Shelfari offers a cool widget that allows you to put a “virtual” bookshelf on your site, whether you use Blogger, WordPress or something else. Want to friend me? Go here.

One I haven’t tried yet but will soon…

Do you tweet?

I admit it. I’m so curious about Twitter. It’s the shiny new toy in the bucket of virtual networking tools. Eventually, I’m sure I will jump on the bandwagon; however, right now I fear my updates will be so boring no one will follow me (and I don’t think I can stand the internet shunning).

Do’s & Don’ts of Virtual Networking

DO investigate your options. Find a virtual networking tool that fits your needs.

DON’T forget to read user agreements/terms of service to ensure you aren’t giving away the rights to material posted via these sites. Why is this important? You might be giving someone else the right to permanently store and use information (including pictures, emails, messages and contact information) you post online. This issue came up recently when Facebook changed its Terms of Service (TOS). The outcry caused them to temporarily revert to their old TOS, but it’s something to keep in mind. Read about it here.

DO be wary of groups that spam your contacts/address book. Many of you have heard of this happening with Grouply. However, it could potentially happen with any networking tool. Some tools have the option to  “Find Friends” by logging into your email account and letting the tool search your contacts; I caution against this.

Most of these tools offer the option to search for friends by user name, direct invitation or by compatibility (i.e. if you see someone who has similar tastes in books, you can friend them).

What about you? Do you have a favorite virtual network?

Tools of the Trade: Old School v. New School

Over the course of my writing career, the tools of my trade have evolved in leaps and bounds thanks to technology.  Handheld computers replaced the notebook; the pc relegated typewriters to the status of “antique”; online dictionaries replaced print ones; and Wikipedia and Google replaced encyclopedias.

Most of these advances were due to convenience, and I’m all for that. However, I have found that there are still some “old school” tools of the trade that I can’t let go. Here is my list of Old School Must Haves for Writers:

Sticky Notes

(Above: Actual snapshot of my wall at home. Kidding! My monitor at work is almost this bad, though.)

I’m sure there are any number of gadgets that pop up reminders to tell you not to forget your keys, or that the deadline for your book is approaching, but I’m a visual person. The same way I hit the snooze button on my alarm, I tend to hit “Snooze” when reminders pop up on my Outlook calendar. But I can’t ignore a sticky note.

There is just something about it that screams “You really need to do this now!” The fun part is that they come in a variety of colors, are relatively cheap and readily available. And, as shown in the picture above, they make an economic alternative to wall paper.

Print Dictionary

While I frequently use the online version of Merriam Webster, the print version has many features lacking in its electronic sibling, such as:

* A Style Guide (A must have for any writer)

* Pronunciation Symbols and Guide

* Explanatory chart for all the notations next to the definitions (As many times as I’ve consulted my dictionary at home, sometimes when I’m at work looking up terms via the online Webster’s, I find myself looking at the symbols and thinking “What in the world does vb mean?”)

Typewriter

I totally appreciate the beauty of having a personal computer. I’m addicted to mine. It’s saved my butt on many occasions and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. However, on those rare rainy days when I’m home from work and curled up with a cup of coffee, there is just something about a typewriter that makes me feel…writerly. I’m all for mood writing, and on these types of days, I like to use a type writer to pound out amateur screenplays, or pulp fiction-esque short stories. It also comes in handy filling in forms that do not come in an electronic version.

What about you? What “old school” tools of the writer trade do you hang on to?

Book Buying & the Economy

Whoo-hoo! I’m officially excited now because, in one day, I will have successfully gone one month without buying a book.

This seems like an odd thing to celebrate, so let me explain. I love books. LOVE them. In fact, I have over 500 print books and at least half as many electronic books. However, with the recent economic situation, I decided that I needed to exercise a little restraint with my buying habits.

Hence, my month-long test of control.

To keep myself from cracking under the pressure, I’ve been using the greatest resource available to writers: the library. I love my local library. This resource allows me to check out as many books as I want, including the new and backlist titles from big name authors.

I go into my local library so much that I have my card number memorized, and the librarians know me by sight and name. So although I haven’t been spending a ton of money on books this past month, I have been reading every day.

I am allowing myself to purchase at most three books come March 1st (one print, and up to two electronic titles). My first buy? Mona Lisa Darkening by Sunny.

What about you? Has the economy affected your book buying habits? If so, how?

Love is in the Air…Or is it?

 Ah, l’amour. This time of year calls to mind nostalgic thoughts of candy hearts; paper Valentines with cringe-worthy couplets (for instance: Roses are red, violets are blue, here is a Valentine just for you! I just made that one up.); lots of chocolates and plenty of hugs.

Fast forward to present day. As adults, most of us associate Valentine’s Day with three things: chocolate, jewelry and romantic movies. However, lately I’ve noticed something…odd about Hollywood’s take on romance.

It’s depressing. Take for instance the current Box Office hit He’s Just Not That Into You.

This movie is a “romantic comedy” based on the pseudo-relationship advice book of the same name by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. Behrendt formerly wrote for Sex in the City, so you know his relationship advice must be spot on, right? Right?

 In all fairness, the book is supposed to be a humorous take on the ways women deceive themselves trying to make a failing relationship work when the answer is simple: maybe he’s just not that into you. It makes for an interesting romantic comedy, a genre known for its fluffiness, sometimes ditzy heroines and deus ex machine happy endings.

 I have to confess: I haven’t read the book. I’ve skimmed it (a sacrilege for any self-respecting bibliophile, I know). But I do plan on watching the film. While it promises to deliver some laughs at the expense of the somewhat chaotic and neurotic lives of the characters (which includes the “we’re roommates but I want more” character of Jennifer Aniston; the “we’re married but I’m oblivious that he’s unfaithful” character of the Jennifer Connelly; to the “I can’t figure out why he hasn’t called me back so I’ll obsess about it and cyber stalk him” character of Ginnifer Goodwin), He’s Just Not That Into You also promises to deliver some meaningful lessons on life and love. Here is one gem from the actually book, courtesy of http://holliesquotes.com/lovemisc/notintoyou.htm:

 Every man you have ever dated who has said he doesn’t want to get married or doesn’t believe in marriage, or has “issues” with marriage, will … rest assured … someday be married.  It just will never be with you.

 So like I said: this isn’t your ordinary “romantic comedy.” It’s real.  No fluff advice promising you ways to make a guy fall back in love with you, or to snag that elusive Mr. Right. There was a time when romantic comedies followed strict rules: Guy meets girl. They fall in love. Some obstacles appears to seemingly stumble their faith in each other. Love wins out in the end, they marry and skip happily into the sunset.  Not this film. Although it does deliver a traditional happy ending for some of the main characters, others experience a non-traditional happily-ever-after.

 According to Exhibitor Relations, the film took in 27.8 million dollars during its debut weekend. Not bad for a romance with bite, huh?

 So here is my question to you:

 

How much reality do you want in your romance?

Reading Goals

I’m taking a break from writing about craft and the publishing industry to focus on my other favorite thing: reading! At the start of this year, I blogged about my 2009 resolutions, one of which included reading more.

I’ve found a new favorite author. His name is Trenton Lee Stewart. Fans of Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket will fall in love with his new series, which starts with The Mysterious Benedict Society.

It’s a tale of adventure, mysteries, friendship and finding family in the most unlikely of places. The author has a very conversational tone, and the puzzles that the children must figure out to reach their goals were not only entertaining, but educational.

So here is what I want to know: What are you currently reading andw hat makes it so enjoyable?

Finding Your Balance

Only 2 days until American Title V Round 3 continues!

I could not feel more excited! During the time between rounds, I have busied myself editing a novella and starting some other freelance projects.  With my 9 to 5 job thrown into the mix, things get kind of hectic. Sometimes, the situation reminds me of a game I used to play as a girl, the seesaw.

Most of us have played this game. It works on a principle of balance: two people sit on opposite sides; whoever is heaviest, has control and can dangle you helplessly in the air until all you can do is

A) Cry.

B) Get dumped on your behind.

In relation to writing, I’ve learned that the key to a satisfying career is maintaining a balance between work and play. Writers do this in many ways. Some draw up elaborate time tables, scheduling when they’ll write on what. Some work on the fly, taking time for themselves when they can fit it in.  I do a combination of those things.

I have three tools that keep me on track (mostly) with writing: my weekly datebook, a monthly calendar and a Google calendar. I know; they are all calendars. But each serves a different function. I carry the datebook almost everywhere because it’s compact and allows me to pencil in different writing assignments and appointments as they pop up.

The monthly calendar stays at my desk at home.  At a glance, I can see what is scheduled for this month and how much time is left. Even though these items are penciled into my datebook, I like the option of viewing them all at once instead of flipping through pages (which carries the possibility of missing certain events).

Finally, there is Google calendar. I really enjoy this feature. I pencil in workshops, appointments and writing deadlines and set them to email me reminders which come to my email accounts. Some days, I start off thinking I’ll complete a task and then get tied up doing another project. The email reminders keep me on track and let me know how much time I have left until the deadline. It’s a great, FREE tool (which are the best in my opinion).

Since my schedule tends to get hectic (assignments sometimes pop up), I also pencil  in time to relax and spend with my family. Some of you might wonder: Why does she need to schedule time to relax? I’ve found that when it comes to writing, my first inclination is to push personal time to the background until I’ve finished work. This can result in a lot of sleepless nights and cranky moods because I haven’t put myself first. So here is my ‘remedy’.

I pamper myself. I buy myself a bar of rich, creamy chocolate, curl up with a book for some pleasure reading, or play board games with my family. In my case, a relaxed writer is a productive writer.

Now it’s your turn.

How do you balance your writing schedule with time for yourself? What tools do you find most helpful and why?

A Writer’s Resolve

I can’t believe it. It is officially 2009! Where did the time go? For me, 2008 was filled with wonderful things in my personal and professional life. I’ve made some great friends, visited distant lands, and reached several personal and professional goals.

2009 promises to be filled with more amazing things. So without further adieu, here are my goals/resolutions for this year:

1. Write 2 or more novellas, each totaling 22k or more
   
2. Take more time for pleasure reading (I’m sooo excited about Sunny’s book Lucinda, Dangerously (Out 10/2009). Seriously, I cannot wait to review this book.)
3. Write 4 new books reviews (I have two pending right now that I’m very excited about)
4. Write 3 freelance articles (at least one for a major writing magazine)
5. Lose 10 pounds and gain it back in muscle
6. Write outside of my comfort zone
   
7. Get a literary agent
8. Watch two highly anticipated (at least by me) comic book films:

The Watchmen (Coming 3/6/09)

I haven’t read the comic series, but everything I read and hear about The Watchmen captivates me. Partly this is because the writer seems to have a strong social message, like V for Vendetta. Have any of you read The Watchmen comic series?

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Coming 3/1/09)

I’ve mentioned before that I am a huge X-Men fan, so I’ve been psyched about this film since it was announced a few years ago. I blogged about it on my site here. See if you can spot the characters I mention in my post. Enjoy!

5.  Do something awesome

What about you? What goals do you have for 2009?