What are You Trying to Say?

Everyone has their own motivations for writing a book. You may just have an idea in your head that wants to get out. You may just want to tell a story. Or you may have a big, giant message that you want people to get. Or it could be a little bit of both. But how exactly do you figure out what you're trying to say, and once you do, how do you get that point across?

The whole "bigger picture" thing may not come to you right away. You may even get through your entire first draft without having one. You may never have one, and that's ok, too. I've always thought that my main motivation for writing a book is just to entertain. I want to write a book that at least some people will like (and hopefully most people won't throw rotten fruit at me when I walk down the street). Not every story has to be complicated, or have some sort of message to get across. I call a lot of my story ideas "fluff" stories, maybe just because they feel a heck of a lot easier and lighter than my main WIP. Fluff can be great (and lots of fun to read!). But not every story is fluff. Some stories are a bit more complicated.

That isn't to say that I think my book has one big message. If people assumed that, they would probably get it wrong. I do think that it does have several smaller messages, some of which I'm still trying to figure out. So how do you figure it out? How do you know if your story even needs one? And then how do you get those messages across?

It's probably something that you'll figure out along the way, or maybe you already know what your message is before you write the first word. Every story is different. It all depends on how subtle or obvious you need your message to be. How important is it that the reader gets it? If they don't get it, will the story still work? All of these factors will go in to your thought process as you're figuring it out.

And there are plenty of ways to get a point across. Think about all of those English papers you had to write in high school. Themes, motifs, symbolism, characterization. When you start trying to crack a story open, you can figure out what the writer was trying to say. So when you're the writer, utilize these tools. Put some symbolism into your book. Have a character represent something bigger. How often you do this will depend on the story, and you obviously don't want to overdo it so that you're hitting the reader in the face (didn't I talk about this before...?).

The first step in telling a story is to just tell the story. The next step may be to figure out what it is you're trying to say. The first person who has to "get it" is you.

Ever write a story with a message in it? How do you utilize themes and symbolism? 

What To Blog About...

Sometimes it's hard to figure out what to blog about. Other times, you have ideas but they just don't work out for whatever reason. I think today for me is a little bit of both.

My original plan was to post a book review today, but since I didn't actually finish the book I've been reading, that plan kind of went out the window (anyone surprised?). So, ok, no book review. So then I thought of doing another Fun Facts post, because I haven't done one in forever. I had a few ideas for some facts already, too. But I was having a hard time coming up with more facts for the theme I had in mind, and knew I couldn't get a decent blog post done in a short amount of time. So, no fun facts post, either.

So...what to blog about? I have no idea! But I'm not going to not blog, because that would just completely throw off my momentum.

Well, maybe I can make a list, after all. Here are just a few things that I'm trying to do. Succeeding and/or finishing is another thing entirely...

- Trying to plan out all of my A to Z Challenge posts. At this point I'm just trying to find out which ideas can fit under which letters. Eight definite ones picked out so far (including Q and Z!!! But X feels impossible). I really really really want to have all of the posts written before April starts so that I can have the whole month just to visit other blogs.

- Trying to make a giant editing list for the first two thirds of UL. Since I don't really think I need to completely rewrite these chapters I think it would be helpful to know every small thing that I want to change (some not so small, actually, but not huge, either). Then I could cross things off the list! How awesome would that feel?

- Trying to write every day. Well, trying to plan to write every day. I haven't actually started yet. But I think if I forced myself just to get the words out for say, 30 minutes every day, without staring at the blank screen or caring how crappy the words are, eventually I'll get somewhere.

That's it, pretty much. Well, I'm also trying to stay on this diet and not eat an entire pizza tonight. Still haven't decided yet...

The Great Time Lock Disaster

Today we're celebrating the launch of a new book by C. Lee McKenzie! Check it out!

AMAZON

There's nothing’s more dangerous than a wizard-in-training. And Pete Riley, has just proven it. He's worked a bad time spell--a very bad time spell.

No YouTube, no smoothies, no Manga. Not ever again. Not unless Pete figures out how to reverse his spell and free Weasel and him from Victorian England. 

He has until the next full moon. Only a few days.

Tick. Tock.

Here’s how the story starts, and it only gets worse.

One minute the clock was tick-tocking on the mantel and the next it was a smoldering mess.

“No,” Harriet shouted. Then she braced one hand on her desk and covered her eyes with the other.

Pete froze, not blinking, not breathing, but waiting to see if Harriet would point one of her long, bony fingers at him and turn him into a turnip or something slimy.

SEQUEL TO ALLIGATORS OVERHEAD

To celebrate the launch of The Great Time Lock Disaster I'm giving 20 eBooks away. Hope you'll jump in to the copter and go for a ride!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Usually, C. Lee takes on modern issues that today's teens face in their daily lives. Her first young adult novel, Sliding on the Edge, which dealt with cutting and suicide was published in 2009. Her second, titled The Princess of Las Pulgas, dealing with a family who loses everything and must rebuild their lives came out in 2010. Double Negative (2014) was her third young adult novel. Researching it turned her into a literacy advocate. Her fourth YA, Sudden Secrets came out in December 2014. 

When she really want to have FUN, she writes middle grade books. Alligators Overhead and The Great Time Lock Disaster are now available.

WEBSITE   BLOG   FACEBOOK  TWITTER  GOODREADS

The Muse-iversary Gift

I'm one of those weird people who keeps track of important dates and occasionally celebrates them like an anniversary. Yesterday was especially important because it marked exactly four years since I wrote the very first words that would eventually be my novel. It's a weird feeling, because it doesn't really feel like it's been that long. And then again I think, holy crap, it has been that long and I'm still working on it. I really wish I had more to show for four years but I also know that a lot has happened in between that has kept me from working on it as much as I would like.

Ok, I'll talk about something else before this gets too depressing. I call February 15 my "muse-iversary," because it was the day that Jordan first popped into my head and then decided never to leave. And I think you should be able to have an anniversary with your muse if you want to. Go on. I give you permission.

Here's the best and most surprising thing about yesterday: Jordan gave me a present! It's so very much unlike him, right? I know you're probably wondering, what the hell could a muse give as a present? Well, it wasn't inspiration; I didn't write for hours and hours. I would have loved that, but what I actually got was even better.

I figured out not one, but TWO things that were bothering me about the book in one quick little five minute brainstorm. I basically was able to solve one problem, and then use that solution to solve another problem. I was so excited by this revelation that I started dancing. Other people do that, right? I just love that feeling when things that were so frustrating and so impossible to figure out just start falling into place, and you figure out something that makes so much sense you can't believe you didn't think of it before.

You're probably wondering if I got Jordan anything. Well, I made cupcakes, of course. There is a Valentine's Day cupcake in the third chapter of my novel, and since Valentine's Day and the muse-iversary are back to back, I kinda have to make them every year. I also finally got a spiffy cupcake holder!

There's a raspberry surprise inside! 

Ok, now that I've further convinced you of my insanity, I think I'll go check out some other blogs...

Fast Five Friday: Romantic Movies

It's time for another installment of Fast Five Friday, created by the gals over at Cover Girls! This week in honor of Valentine's Day, we were asked to share five romantic movies we love. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Amelie
2. Breakfast at Tiffany's
3. Ever After
4. Love Actually
5. Moulin Rouge

That'll be all for today. I literally didn't get one minute of sleep last night so I'm sure I'll be a zombie all day. Or maybe if I'm lucky, I'll just be crazy enough to brainstorm some good editing ideas. We'll see...Have a good weekend, everyone! 

Figuring Out Social Media

Being a blogger usually means that you have to branch out and talk to other people on the internet. As a complete introvert, this is easier said than done, but is also so much easier than talking to people in real life. I'd much rather send someone an email than make a phone call. But at the same time, if I've ever written you an email, even a really short one, then I've probably agonized over every word and spent at least twenty minutes on the thing before hitting send. That's just how terribly awkward I am.

But I digress (as usual...). In the scope of social media, I feel like I have two things pretty much figured out. The blogging is pretty straightforward--I know what needs to be done at this point, just need to keep doing it and do more. The second thing is Twitter. I'm not obnoxious with it, just mostly use it to promote my blog posts and connect with other writers. But tell the me from four years ago who was just starting to use it that she'd eventually have over 1,800 followers and she would not believe you (she would have said "I thought this was for stalking celebrities!").

So, blogging--check. Twitter--check. But I feel like I should be doing so much more and just don't know where to start. There are a few I'm considering, so if you have any input or advice on these, I'd gladly take it!

Facebook. I have a personal Facebook page, but I don't like to link it up with any of my blogger stuff (I used to post links there but quickly realized that no one actually read them...). I don't use it all that much, honestly, except to keep in touch with people I don't see anymore. What I've been on the fence about is creating a Facebook author page. Mostly because, well, I'm not an author yet. But I'm thinking it may be good to start one early. I've also had two things published in anthologies, so that counts for something, right? Mostly it would help me connect with other authors on Facebook, which I don't like to do with my personal one.

Google+. Ok, I have a Google+ account. A few of you have added me to your circles. My thing with this is that I just haven't taken the time to figure out what the hell Google+ actually is. It's on my to do list, I swear. I don't think I can really make a judgement call on this one until I actually figure it out, but I would eventually like to do more with it.

Instagram. This is one of those things where personally I feel like, what's the point? But then again, I feel like I'm the only person who doesn't have it. Seriously, if you look at the photos on my phone, all of my pictures are of food I've made or my cat. But then I've been told that's all Instagram is, really, so...maybe?

What do you think? Should I branch out? What other social media do you use as a writer? 

Making Sure Readers Get It

Do you ever worry when you're writing something that your potential reader just won't get it? Not just the big picture stuff, but every tiny detail that you've put hours and hours of effort into writing? What if they miss the symbolism, or all of the intricate character details that you've thrown in? What if you spent forever crafting the perfect sentence and they breeze through it without even stopping to think? Is this something even worth worrying about? And how do you deal with it while you're still writing?

Think about all of the tools you use when you're writing as if they were on some metaphorical writer's utility belt. You've probably got pens or pencils, white-out, scissors, maybe. Well, my fake utility belt has a sledgehammer. If I feel like a reader isn't going to get it, then I want to bash them over the head with the idea until they do. What this usually means when I'm writing is that I'll spend a lot of time devoting words to a particular idea to make sure it sticks in the readers' heads and they understand what I'm trying to say.

This usually results in a huge amount of overkill. If you're constantly saying to yourself, "no, they won't get it," and then you write another sentence to make sure they do, how strong can that sentence really be? What are you saying that you didn't say before?

You should probably understand that not every reader is going to get every single detail. You can't be there next to someone reading your book, pointing to each significant line and saying, "Did you get this part?" I think readers would be annoyed if they had to deal with that. They want to be able to enjoy the story. And if they get it without your help, they would probably be even more annoyed, thinking, "Yes, I got it! Can we move on please?"

I think the solution is to just relax a little. Just say what you need to say and let the readers interpret things. They don't have to be babysat throughout the whole book. There's a moment in my manuscript where one character is basically giving in to his dark side, and I thought a good way to symbolize that was to have him wear a black shirt. But there was this nagging voice in the back of my head, sledgehammer in hand, telling me to add a sentence. Have the narrator say something like, "I guess he was giving in to his dark side." But I knew I didn't need that sentence. The reader will most likely understand this fact without me having to point it out to them. And if they don't, then so what? It's not the end of the world. Not everyone is going to pick up on everything, and that's ok.

So take the sledgehammer out of your writer's utility belt. You really don't need it. You can trust yourself that you got your point across without overdoing it, and you can trust your readers to understand.

Anyone else have a sledgehammer in their tool belt? Have you ever had to hold yourself back from overwriting something?