That's what you get for thinking...

Learning that people aren't what they appear to be, situations are much deeper than what's on the surface, and visions are flawed is a phenomena that most of us encounter daily. And when faced with the opposite of what we thought was going on most times seem surprising, it really only informs us of our biases, preconceived notions, and the stereotypical nature that festers in all of us.

After I all but confessed my ignorance of some things, I can remember my father saying many times, "That's what you get for thinking." Though he never told me exactly what that meant. I get it now. Thanks daddy!

The Write Way #3 I Hear Voices

Yes, I hear voices and they aren't from dead people. But I'm not the only person who hears them. Every author in blank-pagedom hears them. They wake us from the most comfortable slumber. They speak to us when other people are speaking to us. Yes, they are rude little voices. And irritating, at times.

Our characters have a way of birthing themselves. And these aren't normal births where the newborn starts out at 8 lbs., 2 ounces and 19 inches long or even start as embryos in our wombs. Most time, we're birthing adults, the elderly, and even some speaking from the grave. Damn, I know I said the voices weren't from dead people. Guess I lied. They're coming into existences as bratty-ass teens, snot nosed toddlers...hell, they're even drug addicts and prostitutes.

The only thing we can do to stop these voices from overtaking us is to write them, the way they want to be written. But here's the trick....you have to also incorporate your own voice in what you write. Since these voices aren't about you, have nothing to do with you, and only want to use you, you better learn how to speak up for yourself and say, "This is how I will write about you." You have to come to terms that you'll have some dick-head in your story that you may not like. Or some whiny-ass woman who grates at your jugular. But you also have to find a happy medium between their voices and yours. A lot of writers make this mistake. Let's see if I can explain it.

When your characters speak (read: dialogue). It's their time to shine. But every other place in the work-in-progress is all about the writer's voice. Sure, you'll have to paint pictures of what your character is doing and how they're feeling, but this is where your voice comes in. This is where you make your mark. The voices you constantly hear know nothing about using too many adjectives and adverbs. They don't know when modifiers dangle... It's how you handle the in-between what they do know...

I'm still finding my voice so the only thing I can say to help you along is continuing writing how you write to find your own. What I know is you can't let your characters write your whole book for you. Don't depend on them for everything.

So what do you have to say about character's voices vs. writer's voices ?

Stay tuned for The Write Way #4 Tell me what you want, Gina, dayum!

Avoid the lines. VOTE early!!

Thursday Thirteen #6-The Name Game

The Name Game ( I borrowed it from Bizarre JC)

1.Your rock star name (first pet, current car): Dog Contour

2.Your gangsta name (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Mint Chocolate Chip Sneakers (uggg...that's just trife and soooo not gangsta!)

3.Your Native American name (favorite color, favorite animal): Brown cat

4.Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born): Jacque' (and no, it isn't pronounced Jackie or Jackay) Cleveland

5.Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name): Fradar

6.Superhero name (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Blue coffee (I guess you wouldn't want me to help you with that type of name)

7.NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers): Leon George

8.Dancer name (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): Chloe Narcisse Sweet Tart

9.TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Deadwyler Detroit

10.Spy name (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Fall Sunflower

11.Cartoon name:(favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Banana Nightgown

12.Hippie name (what you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Apple dumpling Bonsai

13.Movie star name (first pet's name, first street where you lived): Snowball Quimby

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The Write Way #2 Editors

What does copyediting, proofreading, developmental editing, and substantive editing have in common?

Only that the individuals doing these things to your manuscript are going to point out something you need to work on.

AND you're going to piss them off, as the author, because of your poor use of the English language, your wayward inconsistencies, and your total disregard for grammar rules (they seem to have some sort of fixation on the latter). That's about it.

A simple internet search on any of these terms will yield a million results (all of which would be better than my explanation so I'll leave the definitions to the internet experts). But I want to discuss 'decisions' here. Now, I'm not published so there are some (read: alot of) things I don't know and hopefully some of you reading this can help me out (again...as I learn the craft...).

When your manuscript is returned with edits, don't always take the edits as written in stone. If your editor thinks a concept...a word...a scene should be a certain way and it isn't in your vision, ask them about it. Is this not your heart on paper? Would you allow someone else to tell you how to feel? I don't think so...or at least I hope not. And if your editor gets snippy, snotty, or doesn't and isn't willing to give you an explanation for their suggestions, I SUGGEST you find another one (I recommend Shonell Bacon, by the way). Why? Because you need someone who supports your vision. And if your editor is changing your vision, without just cause then they're borderline ghostwriting, IMO. I may be wrong and I don't know how much control over edits you eventually have, but I live in lala-writer-land and my hope is whomever edits my work, believes in my work enough to edit along my vision, if my vision makes sense.

Now, I'm not talking about if you're doing something dead wrong in your manuscript. If it makes sense to you and your book, then by all means do what they ask...with a smile. But there's nothing wrong with asking questions, right?

Am I too far off thinking this?

Tune in to The Write Way #3 I Hear Voices (and they are not from dead people)

The Write Way #1 Learn the Craft

What I hear most from published authors is (drumroll please)

LEARN THE CRAFT

I used to think what the hell whenever I heard it. I got so tired of hearing it, I started saying it to others. But what I didn't know was that learning the craft had everything to do with writing, and simultaneously, had nothing to do with writing.

While I'm 'learning the craft' and attempting to weave it into my writing, I'm finding out what I've learned and what my imagination conjures up, can't coexist...initially. Ahh, there was my problem. I'm typing (or writing) trying to pay attention to structure, flow, tense, pov, grammar, etc., etc., when, in essence, none of that shit matters. (Sorry mommy but I'm upset with myself right now) The only thing that matters when I'm putting pen to pad or fingertips to keys is my IMAGINATION. To hell with all the mechanics. Forget the comma I'm not to sure is placed correctly and, at this point, I'm loving my dangling modifiers.

Learn the craft of writing is a misleading statement. It led me to believe that the craft had all to do with writing right. But that isn't it. And I finally get it. Or at least I get a portion of it. The next time someone tells me this, I'm going to ask them what they mean. As of today, this is my process:

Write the damn story for me (imagination)
Rewrite the damn story for them (layer in the mechanics)
Send the hot mess to an editor (who can magically merge my imagination and the mechanics)
Decide if the merger coincides with my vision and make corrections

Hmm....looks like NaNoWriMo is on to something...

Tune in for The Write Way #2 Editors

Leave a comment, I'd love to discuss...

Free Books

Yeah, here you come a-running...lol I would to. As a matter of fact, I already have. Yasmin, APOOO founder, hipped her blog readers on to contests on the net where you can enter to win books. Below are the ones I've entered and you better hurry, they end soon. Click the title for instant access.

Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

Testimony by Anita Shreve

Matrimony by Josh Henkins

Happy blog hopping

Change is good

I can't profess to be the champion of change, but I also can't say that I'm not. How two-faced of me, right? I'm experiencing a lot of change in my life; personal and professional. And I'm welcoming it all. With so many things on my to-do list in life, I'm at the stage where I personify the Nike slogan; Just do it (insert check here)!

All the changes I'm making are difficult. But not so difficult that I can't overcome them. For instance, I'm taking tap classes. Picture that. A 32 year old woman, slightly overweight (according to medical standards, but I really have curves for days), trying to perform riffs and scuffles... But I'm doing it. As a matter of fact, I'm so determined to impress myself, that I've just finished two hours of practice a minute ago, yet my official tap lessons are on Mondays. Persistence pays. And the few pounds I need to lose, will be lost doing something I'm growing to love. Lawd knows I'm allergic to exercise. (Hush, tap CAN'T be exercise...it just can't...lol)

On a professional level, I'm moving to a different position within my agency...working with teens. No, I'm not trying to kill myself. Just trying to grow a little. It's the only population I have yet to work with. But I'm all for it.

My mommy always told me to work hard for the things I want. And I want so many things for me, for my family, for my life... So I'm working it and there's never a better time than the present.

Stay peace