AnnaLog. Writing about writing in notebooks…
Author: annabowling
AnnaLog
I love notebooks. Oversized, mini sized, desk size, pocket size, hardcover, softcover, lined, plain, gridded (my new favorite) – all are good. I’m not a Moleskine purist, as there are lots of other good makers, but I do have a soft spot for them. I love notebooks in general, so babbling about them here feels natural.
No, these were not all purchased at the same time, and yes, they will all get used, each for its own purpose. I find there’s something in paper and pen that a computer can’t provide. I do write fiction longhand, as well as freewriting, which I also term “bloodletting,” dumping whatever is in my head onto the page until my brain has taken care of that business. When writing the rough-rough draft of a story, it comes more naturally to me with pen on paper than fingers on keys, so I am learning to trust myself and do what comes natural. Sometimes, that’s scary, but onward I go. Doesn’t have to be perfect, only has to be.
I used to be a purist about lined pages and nothing else, but after I tried my first gridded notebook, by Markings (will share Markings books in another post) it was love, pure and deep, so gridded pages are now my preference. I’m trying to figure out how I can best use plain pages, but so far, the blankness baffles me, and the unblemished page is lovely and pristine, but I’m not ready to give up on that format yet. Any plain-page fans have any tips?
Next up: a peek inside
The Moment and The Month That Was: May 2014
Another month, another adventure begun, so let’s review the Month that was May, 2014:
Writing:
Yesterday, while copying some information about the current ms into a new notebook (notebooky post coming soon) I had a Moment about the dreaded sticky part of the book that seemed like I’d need to train poodles to jump through hoops of fire to make a certain plot point make sense, and then make those same poodles balance teacups on their noses while dressed in period costume to bring a satisfactory resolution.
Then, Micron (yes, the kind of pen is important, but pen post coming soon as well) poised over magenta line on white page, I had the Moment. What if I did B instead of A? Well, duh. That…might…work. In fact, it would give the poor (figurative) poodles a break, increase the stakes and mean I didn’t have to write the drudgey parts to explain stuff because stuff would already make sense. Well allrighty, then. Several pages of Micron-ed notes later, I left the coffee house with a springier step and I’m excited about going through the existing ms and tidying my loose ends. This will require some story surgery, yes, but it fixes what had put me off this ms when I made my first pass on it, years ago. Commence work on Pinterest board (still puny, but growing) and let’s do this thing. I’m very happy to have found the right groove for Ember and Gareth, two characters who have been more than patient with me…at least so far.
May was a pretty good month over here. I’ve started hosting Saturday discussions at the Buried Under Romance blog, which is huge fun, and May sweeps meant lots of shippy moments on TV, to blabber about at Heroes and Heartbreakers. Links below:
Heroes and Heartbreakers:
- Yesterday, Today, and Forever: Appreciating Lynn Kurland
- “I Wanna Go All In”: Thoughts on The Mindy Project Season 2 Finale, “Danny and Mindy”
- The Big Bang Theory 7×23: Will You _____ _____ ?
- Is She Flying Away?: Thoughts on Jane/Lisbon in The Mentalist 6×22
Buried Under Romance:
Reading:
I’ve been lazy about keeping track of reading, which I need to remedy, but I’m thrilled to have discovered Alison DeLaine‘s historicals, starting with A Gentleman ‘Til Midnight, and am re-listening to Juliet, Naked, by Nick Hornby. Third time listening to the audiobook, and I’ve read the paper copy at least twice. I don’t think it’s possible to reexperience a favorite book too many times.
Watching:
This was the month I finally gave in and started watching Mad Men. I’d resisted, because, basically, my dad had Don Draper’s job in that era, but boy is it brilliant, and boy is it gorgeous, so there will likely be more blabbering about that soon.
Also endeavoring to rewatch How I Met Your Mother from start to 9×22, because the finale does not count.
Okay, June, bring it on.
Sophie Jordan Tease Trailer
I first discovered Sophie Jordan through one of her historicals, Sins of a Wicked Duke. Since then, along with the historicals, she’s written paranormals and is now venturing into the brave new world of New Adult stories.
Her newest, TEASE, book two in her Ivy Chronicles series, is releasing on 5/27, and the new trailer is sure to perk the interest of New Adult fans.
TEASE by Sophie Jordan
Book 2 of The Ivy Chronicles
On-sale 5/27/2014
ISBN: 9780062279897 | e-ISBN: 9780062279903
A born flirt and good-time party girl, Emerson has never had a problem finding a willing guy. She’s always chosen her hook-ups carefully, and she’s never broken her three cardinal rules:
· Never let them see the real you.
· Never fall in love.
· Always leave them begging for more.
Then comes Shaw. A hottie from the wrong side of the tracks, he’s immune to her flirtatious banter and come-hither smile. After rescuing her from a disastrous night at a biker bar, he doesn’t even try to take her to bed-he calls her a tease and sends her home instead. Unable to resist a challenge, or forget the sexy dark-eyed bad-boy biker, she vows to bring him to his knees.
But instead of making Shaw beg, she finds herself craving him. For the first time in her life, she’s throwing out her rulebook. Suddenly, she’s the one panting for a guy she can’t control. A guy who won’t settle for anything less than the real Emerson, who forces her to do things she’s never imagined, including facing a past she thought she’d buried.
A guy who just might leave her wanting more . . .
Sophie Jordan is an international and New York Times bestselling author whose books include historical romances and the Firelight series. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-television shows. She lives in Houston.
Almost Like Being There
Time for me to add the “Not at RT” tag to my entries, because it’s that time of year again, Romantic Times Book Reviews’ annual conference. When I first started this post, I began to blog about not being at RWA Nationals, but then remembered that’s in July, so I was missing out on something else entirely. I am going to take this as a sign that my head is in the books, and thus other things are going to slip out through the cracks.
The conference hangover is still strong from NECRWA, and my tea is from my lovely gift basket, its gorgeous peacock themed box now in its place of honor in my office. I’m working on two historicals at the moment, and some only-for-fun writing that serves no purpose but to make me happy on the side. Today, I have the apartment to myself, and am taking advantage of some excellent advice from the very talented K.A. Mitchell. In her presentation to CRRWA a few months back, she gave two gems: open the file, and change your seat. Maybe not in that particular order, but they work. I’m not stuck today, but got the urge to change my seat anyway, so am now seated at the kitchen counter. I don’t write at the counter much, but it’s a beautifully overcast day, the window that gives me a view of our neighbor’s window is open enough to catch a breeze and I’ll have a front row seat to the rain if we get any. There’s a thirty percent chance.
I’d love to be at RT, but this wasn’t my year. Some other year will be, and it will be the right one. I’m not feeling deprived this year, or that I’m missing out, which is new, but again, still have conference hangover, drinking conference tea, talking to conference friends, and my real life hero and I spent the weekend at the local Tulip Festival, so my people-meter is pleasantly full. Being around big groups of people, especially those who love what I love, energizes me and gives me a boost. That’s two boosts in two weekends, so time to spend some of that energy by writing.
I won’t be at RWA’s national conference, either. This year, Bertrice Small is getting a lifetime achievement award there, and, since she’s the reason I became a romance writer in the first place, if i could only attend one National conference in my life, that would be the one I’d pick. I knew, under my parents’ guest room brass bed, with my flashlight and my stolen-from-Mom’s-nightstand copy of The Kadin, that I’d found what I wanted to read and write for the rest of my life, so of course I’d love to be there to cheer with all the other fans, and witness a retrospective of a stellar career. I would love to see her son, Tom, accept the award on her behalf, charming, articulate and full of pride and love for his mother. I’d love to hang out with other Small fans and jabber about their favorite books of hers, un-favorite books of hers, and her influence on individual careers and the industry as a whole.
Thanks to the internet, I can peep along and read others’ experiences, see what they see, and if I want to talk favorite books or authors, there’s no end to the opportunities for that, either singly or in groups. For lovers of all forms of historical romance, I’ll slip in a plug for my own Facebook group, The Lion and Thistle. Thanks to all the people who live in my head, there are stories yet to write, to keep me plenty busy while the conference and the rest of life are going on, so that, no, I do not feel deprived at all this year. That’s new, and I think I like it.
NECRWA Recap, Part Two: The Workshops
This year, I attended six and a half workshops, moderated two, have a batch of handouts to preserve in binders and lots of useful tools to add to my writerly toolbox.
Friday:
Though Melva and I arrived at the conference mere minutes too late to attend Katy Regnery‘s workshop on boutique and small publishing, we were right on time for T.L. Costa’s “An Agent Wants to See Pages, Now What?” Ms. Costa’s infectious energy whisked us through the essentials of polishing manuscripts, use of active voice and making white space our friend. She put us to work with a Cards Against Humanity-like exercise, randomly pairing unique characters and settings. to come up with openings to hook agents, editors and readers. My assignment was “seventy-six year old man with a broken hip” and “p*rn convention.” My exercise may have included the phrase “lifetime achievement award.”
Next up was my first ever time moderating a workshop in person (I’d been online workshop chair during my tenure at Charter Oak Romance Writers) I’d already heard Leigh Duncan’s Book It, Dan-O on a recording of last year’s national conference, and found it extremely helpful. I’m still a paper gal at heart, so learning how to use a good old fashioned binder to organize my research and plotting was right up my alley. Leigh couldn’t have been more gracious, or put me more at ease. To access Leigh’s handouts at her website, click link above. I’m going to have to try some of these for my own notebooks. My only disappointment was that Leigh’s workshop was opposite Cathryn Parry‘s Rediscovering the Joys Of Writing, which I also heard on last year’s National recording. I have handwritten notes aplenty from my multiple listenings, and would love to catch Cathryn present it in person in the future.
Saturday:
Another favorite workshop started off the day, Patricia Grasso’s Plotting With Panache. I always get something new out of this workshop, which applies the estimable Ms. Grasso’s plotting techniques to two classic movies: Jaws and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Bonus points for handwritten handouts, including a blank plotting chart to try out this method on our own. I was thrilled to moderate this one, as Ms. Grasso has long been a favorite, and her workshops are not to be missed. Definitely need to get current on her backlist, as this workshop reminded me how much I enjoy her voice.
My half workshop was the Ann DeFee half of “From Monty Python to Michelangelo,” by Linda Cardillo and Ann DeFee, but Melva proved her friendship by snagging me handouts for the whole thing. Though my pitch session didn’t allow me to hear Linda Cardillo’s approach, Ms. DeFee’s voice came through loud and clear as she gave helpful pointers for keeping comedy true to the authorial voice. Bonus points to both presenters for dressing as a team, in gorgeous jackets, identical in design and complementary in color. Now that’s commitment to team teaching.
Terri Brisbin taught us how to be happy hookers…in the writing sense, that is. Standing room only for this one, though I did snag a seat when another attendee left for a pitch session, and Terri promised to send pdf files of all handouts to any who didn’t get the paper version. Along with Terri’s handouts on different plotting techniques and how to hook readers, she also gave us Deborah Hale’s adaptation of The Hero’s Journey to romance specific writing, titled The Lover’s Journey. There’s another workshop I’d love to attend, if Ms. Hale were to present it. I have a few Brisbins moving up the ladder on my TBR pile as well.
Barbara Wallace spoke on Busting Through Writer’s Block, detailing different sorts of blocks, brainstorming ways around them, and would you believe there’s even a case for neuroscience having a hand in this? Surprisingly (or not,) there is. No easy cures, alas, but this workshop offers some useful tools in getting back in the writing groove, whether the cause is medical, situational or creative.
Final workshop of the weekend had my ears perked, as former Harlequin Presents powerhouse Sandra Marton spoke on her transition to self-publishing and presented (pun unintended) the pros, cons and cautions of taking the independent route, as well as some blunt talk about money along the way. In short, with great power comes great responsibility, but oh how sweet freedom can taste. Short-short version, self publishing isn’t for sissies, but can be a viable route for those willing to work hard.
I wasn’t able to attend all the workshops, alas, so am still looking forward to Devon Ellington‘s workshop on building a series, Madeline Hunter‘s workshop on books that write themselves (wouldn’t that be handy?) and the other intriguing offerings at future events.
NECRWA Recap, Part One
Back home now from NECRWA 2014, bags unpacked, laundry done, swag photographed (pictures to follow as I find a way to convince my camera and laptop to talk to each other) and mostly sorted, and I am full of tales to tell. Let’s start with the personal experience.
The ride to the conference, with dear friend and traveling buddy,Melva, went smoothly, without our traditional getting-lost-when-almost there, and the funny feeling of not being encumbered by too many bags proved to be only that I have finally learned how to dress and pack for a conference. Room was comfy, buffet style meals meant that I was able to eat, even with my allergies, and the swag was plentiful.
This was my first year volunteering, and I ended up moderating two workshops, Leigh Duncan‘s Book It, Dan-O, which covers organization and plotting, and Plotting With Panache, by Patricia Grasso. I also had the chance to help set up before breakfast on Saturday, dropping books on chairs, which actually turned out to be fun, and with three of us working at the same time, went fast.
My pitch appointment was with Louise Fury of the Bent Agency. Though she said very lovely things about the sample pages I’d sent in, of my postapocalyptic medieval romance, Ravenwood, she did not ask to see the full ms. She did, however ask if I had anything else, and when I mentioned I am working on a Regency, she asked me to send that when it’s complete. That, I most certainly can do, and Louise was gracious enough to suggest some alternative routes for getting Ravenwood to readers, adding that is is a story she would totally read for pleasure. So, while it wasn’t the outcome I’d hoped for with that ms, still very encouraging, and we even got to talk makeup for a bit.
Not bad at all, even if my slip did fall off on my way out of the room. Since I was due to moderate Patricia Grasso’s workshop, I picked up my undergarment, stuffed it in my bag and forged ahead. This was not my only mishap of the weekend, as I tore a nail down to the quick when I forgot to let go of the handle when opening my traveling companion’s hatchback as we loaded our luggage on Saturday afternoon. No permanent damage done, but I don’t want to repeat the experience, either.
The conference as a whole, though? Oh yes, must do this again, and I’m already making plans with friends both old and new for next year. That’s one of the best parts of a conference; people I didn’t know existed on Thursday, by Monday, are now dear friends I couldn’t imagine living without. There’s the chance to introduce friends from my old life in CT to friends from my new life in NY, and finding they mix beautifully. There’s the excited squealing that only comes when two until-then strangers find they have the same all time favorite book and then stay up late into the night, excitedly chattering about the same. There’s checking up on those with whom one shared a pitch session waiting room, and bonding over both getting the same “medievals aren’t selling” line – and vowing to find a home for those books of our hearts anyway.
Almost forgot (okay, I did, I’m adding this after I hit “publish”) getting the most definitive answer possible to “is Scrivener really for me?” – I won a copy in a basket raffle, courtesy of Jennifer Ackerman Kettell, complete with a copy of her Scrivener Absolute Beginner’s Guide, and an offer of personal tech support. Plus it came in a peacock themed box, with a peacock mug, which alone would have thrilled me, as I am very fond of peacocks.
Next up: the workshops.
Camp NaNo in my Rearview Mirror, NECRWA Ahead
WordPress has stopped reminding me to make my weekly post. Part of me considers that a victory, because I am unique like that. Of course that’s when I actually do blog, go figure. Writing a blog is, at times, harder than writing a book. With a book, I know what story I’m telling, I know where the beginning, middle and end are, and I’m reasonably certain that there are people out there interested in reading it. With a blog, however, there aren’t as many guidelines/conventions. Why should someone take time out of their day to read my babbling? Not quite sure, but plunging ahead anyway.
It’s May, Camp NaNo is now behind me, a new book started, and tomorrow, I head off to NECRWA’s annual conference. I don’t want to count how many years it’s been since I started going, but it’s always an amazing experience. Conferences are like Extrovert Christmas – a chance to see old friends, make new ones, and drink in all the energy of hundreds of other people who love to do what I love to do. In my case, that’s reading and writing romance.
The free books and swag don’t hurt either, but the big draw for me is the people. It’s a chance to reconnect with former chapter sisters whom I haven’t seen, in some cases, since last year, or before I moved to NY. It’s a chance to hang out with current chapter sisters (maybe brothers, if either of the CRRWA’s gentlemen members are in attendance) and learn from people who are, professionally, where I’d like to be this time next year, or maybe a few years down the line. It’s a time to encourage new writers of romance, who are only starting out on this journey, or may be new to the genre. It’s a chance to discover kindred souls around the dinner table, over dessert, in the elevator, waiting for a pitch appointment or while wandering the halls because I am liable to get lost at least once. I know me.
This year, I’m coming off a successful Camp NaNo experience, and two recent Heroes and Heartbreakers posts on two romance authors who have influenced my own work and my love for the genre, Kate Rothwell, and Lynn Kurland. I’m working on a novel I love, and will be pitching Ravenwood, my postapocalyptic medieval romance. I still get nervous, even though I love pitching, but sitting in the holding area, with other writers going through the same mix of nerves and anticipation gives a boost of energy that is more than enough to quell the shakes.
Saturday night, I’ll drag my exhuastified body home, laden with books and swag, a camera full of pictures (if i remember to take them) and lots of memories. Maybe even a request for a full ms, and possibly a new idea or two. Definitely enough for another entry, with or without WordPress’s reminder.
Writing Process Blog Hop – I’ve been tagged.
At my most recent CRRWA meeting, the lovely and talented Jeanette Grey asked if I’d like to participate in a blog hop. My first answer was “yes,” followed by “what did I agree to here?” Thankfully, she answered that it was a few questions about writing process, to which I replied something like “sure, that sounds like fun,” but soon afterwards, reality sank in. Tender subject there, and as recently as a couple of months back, my honest answer would likely have been something along the lines of “:unintelligible whimper: I have no idea. I can tell you how I do laundry, though. That’s easier.”
Let’s start with a bit about Jeanette:
Jeanette Grey started out with degrees in physics and painting, which she dutifully applied to stunted careers in teaching, technical support, and advertising. When none of that panned out, she started writing. In her spare time, Jeanette enjoys making pottery, playing board games, and spending time with her husband and her pet frog.
Her novella, Take What You Want is a 2014 RITA finalist. Her next releases is a male/male new adult contemporary romance called Get What You Need, and it releases July 15, 2014from Samhain.
Read more about Jeannette’s process here and visit her website, Twitter, Facebook or blog.
:Deep breath: Now it’s my turn:
What am I working on?
Currently, a historical romance set in Georgian England, where a blacksmith’s daughter with theatrical aspirations and a jaded soldier with familial obligations find adventure, angst and the love of a lifetime.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I love big, sprawling stories, where the history and romance are intricately intertwined. My characters may take the rocky road to their HEA, but they always get there, promise, vow and pinky swear. For me, the HEA is all the sweeter if my people have to work hard for it, even if it is happily-ever-after-at-a-cost.
Why do I write what I do?
Because I can’t not, and believe me, I’ve tried. Bad things happen to good people, sometimes a lot of bad things, but love always outlasts whatever life can throw at it. I’ve always loved big, meaty stories that span years and even continents, all centered around two people who are by no means perfect, but, in the end, are perfect for each other. I write historical because I find history a fascinating backdrop that provides specific challenges toward reaching universal goals.
How does my writing process work?
I’ve defined myself at various times as a plotter, a puzzler and a pantiliner (plotter/pantser hybrid) and what I’ve found is that process can change as the writer changes, so this may not be where I’ve permanently landed, but it is where I am now.
I do my best new work in longhand, which is good because that means I can work anywhere, and I can usually be found with more than one notebook on my person at any given time.
Character comes to me first, usually the heroine, with the hero close behind (though sometimes it’s the other way around) and I follow them around my head for a while, furiously scribbling down stream of consciousness notes and accumulating images, soundtracks, scents, etc. Basically, anything that fits the world of the story. At some point, I’ll need to stop and figure out, drawing from what I know for certain about my characters and their journey, in what historical setting their story takes place. If I’m not paying attention to the right details, I may take a couple of tries.
That’s usually a short pause for research, and then it’s time to lay out the plot. I know where my hero and heroine started, and where they need to end up, so it’s a matter of finding out how to get from point A to point B. This often takes the form of a bullet point outline, which can be extremely detailed, and as it progresses, will start to include description, dialogue and chunks of text. From there, I smooth it out into a first draft, More fine tuning happens in subsequent passes through, and with comments from trusted critters, but at some point, the book tells me it’s done,
These days, I find I do a lot of my initial work while doing laundry (see, it’s pertinent) and I’ve learned to carve out at least two hours a day where I take my laptop to a nearby coffee house so I can concentrate on the work at hand. That’s often transcribing and/or editing, rather than composing on the keyboard. At any stage of the game, I find that talking can generally get me unstuck and ready to head in the right direction once more.
Ask me again next month, and there may be a different answer. For now, I’m tagging E. Catherine Tobler, Virginia Frost and Elaine Violette.
Books in the mail
Today, three books came in the mail. In The Shadow of the Crown, The Divided Heart and Touched By Thorns, all by Susan Bowden, comprising her Radcliffe series, which I would more properly term a saga, as it covers several generations of the same family.
Sagas like this are my favorite kind of series, following the lives and loves of a remarkable family through the generations -at least three- and the changing circumstances of history. We don’t see many of these in the romance genre these days, and I think that may be a mistake. Some readers will cite that they don’t want to see beloved characters grow old and die -which does happen in some sagas, especially those more in the realm of historical fiction- but then we also lose the chance to see those characters, and their love, grow through the different seasons of life.
To see a hero and heroine I have followed through their courtship and early days become parents, not only to infants but older children, teens and young adults, eventually to become grandparents and watch the second and third generation embark on their own love affairs. Often enough, such second generation heroes and heroines only see their parents as their parents, and don’t take into account that the older generation does very much understand what it’s like to be young and in love. What’s more, they know what it’s like to be older and in love, to see that love last and grow even stronger.
Once in a while, we’d see a couple have difficulties. There could be a separation, willingly or not, the loss of a child, change in social status, either upward or downward, or any other host of things. Difficult for some readers, yes, but also a part of life, and in the romance genre, we know that all will be well in the end, so it’s the perfect place to take some dramatic risks. If there’s a separation, there is a reunion, and if a couple stumbles, they find their stride once more.
It’s not for everyone, and for those who require a specific setting, notably the ever-popular Regency, there isn’t time to sweep through the generations (perhaps why series featuring groups of friends or siblings prevail in this setting) but for settings with a broader scope -medieval comes to mind, or the early days of America, any revolution that changes the social and political landscape- it’s a rich field waiting to be mined, and for those who wonder how the children of a favorite hero and heroine turned out as adults, it’s a perfect fit.
There’s at least one of these percolating in my mind, and another WIP has the love story of the heroine’s parents as a subplot, part of that playing paralell with her love story with the hero. Didn’t plan that particular story that way, but that’s the way it wants to happen, so who am I to get in its way?
For now, though, the Radcliffes have the prime spot on my TBR shelf, and they are calling. How about you, readers and writers? What’s your take on multigenerational stories within romance?
Typing With Wet Nails 