Writing the steam ;)

You know what I’m talking about friends… That’s right “the steam” of a novel. Most current YA literature and the majority of adult literature have a little romance going on.

Lets face it though, writing “the steam” isn’t always fun or easy… Infact it can be amazingly difficult, and awkward. After all it can be really hard to gage how well a kiss is working on a reader, and how far you can push the “cheese factor” before something breaks.

Infact a lot of authors (ones you wouldn’t even expect) have tried to avoid this all together, Maggie Stiefvater for instance. You know NYT bestseller of Shiver, Linger, and Lament? Yes her. Infact Maggie has said that, originally her editor had to BEG her to write in just one kissing scene in Lament! She had refused to do so in her original submission.

So, this makes me feel a whole lot better about putting off writing my kissing scene. Yes… I’ll admit it I’ve pushed it off a little bit. I suppose I just haven’t known how to attack it. You see my MC and her Interest have a very tense love/hate relationship, and balancing their personalities with how the plot needs to flow is difficult, and I’m not going to lie, I hate writing kissing scenes. I’d much rather write gothic violence, or a heated argument. Kissing… not exactly my forte.

The question now is how you balance the “cheese factor” while giving the reader what they want. After all pushing a kiss too far back, or even worse not giving one at all, could make a reader feel cheated, and that’s the last thing you want to do right?

First off, know your characters. I feel like I say this a lot in my explanations of how to create better work but it’s so true. Knowing who your characters are, and how they work will drastically change how anything and everything runs in your book. A shy character likely will not impulsively kiss someone in an argument, while a flighty hostile one might. In contrast that shy character might completely “shut down” in an argument and be pushed farther away from a love interest.

Second: Knowing where the “Cheese Line” is.

I feel like this is the most difficult to explain, understanding where to draw the line for cheesy to cute is hard, but here are a few ground rules:

1. If you scene contains any clichés kiss it goodbye (i.e. a kiss sweeter than honey etc.)

2. If you don’t think that someone would say this in real life don’t put it in there. Be honest with yourself after you kiss someone are you going to slap them in the face, or throw yourself into hysterics? Probably not…. Unless you’re Scarlet from Gone with the Wind  (O… and no, you are not her)

3. Go with your gut, if it feels okay, it usually is.

My Final point:

Don’t be afraid of the steam. Avoiding it will do a lot more damage to your novel (or short story) than facing it head on. Try to remember that this is NOT ABOUT YOU! Yes, I said it, it’s NOT ABOUT YOU, it’s about your characters. If your character would kiss this person right now write it! How you feel about the steam is totally inconsequential. In order to create a “reality” for readers you need to give into your characters and let the steam fog up some mirrors!

UPDATE:

PS I am so sorry for not being on top of posting lately, it’s so unlike me! Thanks for being so patient all, I’ll try to clear out more of my schedule for Novel Ideas this week!

Distracted by Fish

I have been staring at a tank full of water for that last hour instead of writing. Why? You ask. Well my friends I have some new deskmates and their names are “Courage” “India” and “Yoshi”. Yes, I bought some goldfish today. And so my writing time has dwindle down to what I can get done before I go to bed tonight which means I have about… three, three and half hours tops?

E-gad, a blonde distracted by fish? Pathetic, and ever so predictable I might add! Though… they are pretty cute 🙂

Now I’m off to write, and hopefully stop glancing over at Yoshi ramming his head against a chunk of coral….

(He’s the smart one if you couldn’t tell, just like me)

My Inability to Be Writerly Anymore

You know, when I was younger, I always wanted “something to do”. I wanted a “life” basically. Now that I have one, I’m wondering if I can give it back. Seriously, juggling a social life, school life, track, and family life is just too crazy! Put writing a novel, keeping up with a blog and critique group on top of that and well… things start to pile up.

I don’t mean to complain, really I don’t. I love hanging out with my friends, and running track is a huge passion of mine, and heck, not to be a complete geek, but school isn’t all bad. Sometimes I even like it.

My point is that I never have enough time for “my stuff” anymore. Seriously, I get on the bus at 6:55 and then have practice from 2:30 to 4:30 Mon-Fri plus meets on Saturdays which can last up to six hours! That leaves little time for writing, and blogging, and just plain being “writerly”.

I know things will slow down after school, but I’m really irked by the fact that I can’t get it all done. I’m one of those insane people who makes numbered lists from 1 to 100, and trys to get it all done with in a two-hour period… which never happens (needless to say).

I love writing and editing and keeping up with my “writer community” but it seems like life is just trying to stop me from being writerly anymore.

So this weekend is all writerly people. With my track meet cancelled due to severe thunderstorms, and my father out-of-town I will attempt to be as writerly as possible this weekend!

What about you all? Does life ever get in your writerly way? 😀

Fixing My Issues & New Covers!

Sorry I’ve been so slack about blogging you all, I’ve been super busy getting ready for finals, and working on this insane history project, but I’m back! And, today I have a special treat for you: Novel covers.

I love designing covers, and getting burst of inspiration or a new idea for a WIP always makes me want to create new ones. Now, if you’ll remember, I put up a post a few days ago talking about my current “problem” with GMH (Guard My Heart, my current WIP), but suddenly, last night ,while working on said history project, I realized something, something huge: MY SETTING IS ALL WRONG!

Or… well, most of it. But, anyway, I realized that in order for it to have the punch and the hit home ending I was struggling with, I needed to change how the “world” they live in works. Thus, (though I won’t really explain why) I now have an amazing ending (O, and if you were wondering, for those of you who read the problems post, I didn’t go with either of my endings I had in the post:) Evil aren’t I?)

Anyway that inspiration lead to the First book covers for GMH! Which lead to a possible new title for it (I know I keep changing the title, but I can’t help it!) I really think this title goes way better with the message, and new setting of the book! What do you all think?

Yeah now speaking of GMH (or is that BTE now? lol) I just realized that the little “snippet” thing I have posted under Me Currently for it is totally inaccurate now! I can’t believe how much the direction of the piece has changed within just one draft. Gee, makes you wonder how different it will be in draft two huh?

Anyway, I’ll try to get a new “snippet” up for it, in the mean time I leave you to stare at my two covers. How do you guys feel about the title? Which cover do you like better?

I Am Having Problems… *SIGH*

So how does it feel? Knowing I’m on my last leg of GMH and that I’m this close:

l l

to reaching the finish? It should feel great right? I mean I should be so excited, and I am! But for some reason, its been getting super hard to write… maybe it’s because I kind of know that my MC (violet) is probably going to be unhappy with the ending, and because I’m not happy with the ending or the supposed ending…

Yeah, either way both of us are unhappy. You see when I started out writing Guard My Heart. I had one thought in my head (and it had nothing to do with Violet or what happened to her or even who she was) It was about Archer (a guardian gone wrong, )and how he’d taken over this utopian society that he had fought so hard to defend. But, when that society turned on him he destroyed it. (No I can’t tell you what the society did to him to make him go physco rouge)

Anyway, after I had that thought in my head I realized that it was a great set up for Violets story. But originally it wasn’t her’s at all. It was Archers. To be completely honest I’ve even considered writing a prequel to GMH called Raffelisia that centers around Archer and his past.  But, the problem I’m running into (with the ending at least) is that  I am constantly nagged by the thought of Archer, and how he’s such a… a motivational sickeningly interesting character.  That the ending needs to bring closure to him. My original plan, for reasons (of course) I can not explain, was to end him.

That would wrap this up nice and tight!Violet will get what she wants and the society will be all peace and happiness! I thought. And then I started thinking (not a good thing I keep telling myself) He’s too good for that, he’s too complex! I thought, and I guess my subconscious thought so too, because last night while I was writing, Skye (a POV character I have) decided that she was in love with him! What the heck! I said, when did that happen? That wasn’t in the outline. (Not that most things I write are ever in the outline, but you know…)

So I am presented with this issue:

I Kill him, and he piece resumes its original ending, that leaves Violet, and Jett where they need to be (together and with a stable society) and kill this amazing charcter and new plot idea!

OR

I can not kill him pursue, Skye’s wacked notion of love and have everyone in the society die. Or have Archer change for the better… (totally out of character and inconsistent) which would also make this HIS story.

Maybe I should just kill Skye… yeah that might work right? 

SIGH, what do you all think? Have you ever come up to a creative road block like this? Any advice?

CoFA Countdown : Top 24 Till Midnight

Hey everyone back from Atlanta with a surprise my entry along with Carolyns, and Tessas, ALL made the top 24 entries for Wovenstrands CoFA costume contest! Out of over 6,020 entry’s we made the top 24! Snap, I’m all excited now.

 ALL THREE too?! Can you belive that?  I sure can’t. If you want to look at Carolyn’s, Tessa’s, and My entry you can see them HERE. At my CoFA Entry Post.

If you want to see the other 24 top picks you can see them HERE on woven strands blog.

The winner will be revealed tonight at Midnight (ominous right?) So be there or be square. Even though I hope I win I think everyone did great, and I think we all deserve a prize!

I’d like to thank WovenStrands for hosting the contest!

Shiver Badges!

Okay guys so this is post number 2 for today, and my last post before I’m heading out to Atlanta :C

Yeah i know you guys are going to miss my ranting so much right? haha

Anyway as many of you know I am OBSSESSED with Maggie Stiefvater. I read her blog, (which you can find in my Blog Roll on the side bar) I own her Shiver series. Plus, I’ve read everything she’s ever written, O and I’m also eagerly awaiting her two 2011 releases: The Scorpio Races, and Forever! EPPPP I’m already spazzing and I still have to wait three months for Forever! Errrrgggg.

Anyway, I figured I’d share some of my graphic art/logo designs. As you can see on the side bar >>>>>

I designed my “Butterfly logo” and my “2011 100 books logo”. So, in honor of Maggie Stiefvater, I present to you my “Shiver Fan” Buttons 🙂

And of Course Team Sam:

Feel free to link these to your blog. See you guys when I get back!

❤ Ally

Mesh ’em – Science, History, and Writing

I hate to go all science/history geek on you guys, but i have to say that i felt pretty explorer/chemist today, in my writing anyway. I know that doesn’t make much sense but let me explain.

You see me and my mom were having this conversation about people who were smart and artistic, and how rare it is and yatta yatta yatta. I mean how often do you meet someone who is extremely smart and very good at art (I’m not talking B average and can sketch) I’m talking Divinchi, like: “I design rockets, and paint monalisa counterfeits in my spare time”.

Anyway, while we were talking I came to the conclusion that the arts and the sciences just don’t mesh. I don’t know how I came about this conclusion but I did.

Then I started thinking about my writing.

I started plotting and planning… inspiration hit me  harder than a metal bat in the face! I mean there was some serious character/back story discoveries. And I got to thinking that creating good characters/plot almost follows an exact formula! I know this is getting confusing and your probably thinking i’m whacked, but wait! Just continue to read!)

See the difference between an “arts” formula and a “science” formula is that with the arts we don’t know the complete set of ingredients/steps we need to add and follow.

(here is where the history comes in)

Writing is kind of like being an explorer in that we discover our formula as we go. It’s already there. Maybe locked up in our subconscious or somewhere with the Muses, but it’s there the completion of the project already exists the ability to formulate your novel is there you just have to refine it.

I’ve always viewed writing as kind of a complete separate from any of the sciences and such, but it’s not. We draw on everything to create. Having a complete “well-rounded” novel involves us having a set pattern of steps. There are reasons that certain novels are good and others suck. I mean why is Shakespeare good? It’s not because some random crazy slapped a sticker on his play and was like: “okay dude your going to be a famous playwright because I like this, and everyone else must too.”

No! Good stories, good characters, they have simple “bases” in common. They have strong backgrounds, enhanced personalities. They all have magnified and mirrored images of ourselves.

Granted, our “bases” in the arts my be harder to pinpoint, because our formulas seem to vary from person to person, but they all deliver a the same fulfilling experience.

What do you all think does my theory have any ground? Or am I going a little nuts?

Spring Break & Re-Telling Stories

Spring is blowing in, and the wind is bringing me fresh ideas, motivation, and inspiration. Along with a much needed “break” from school and TRACK!

**totally spazzes for a minute**

So that leaves all this week to writing “hypothetically…” But sadly (or well… not so sadly) I’m going on Vacation! Atlanta here I come! So, I won’t be blogging for a few days. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and maybe Friday (depending on when I get in) So to make up for my coming absence I will be double posting tomorrow (and of course doing a post today)!

So today I wanted to talk about re-writes/re-makes, or whatever you want to call them. For example “Beastly” by Alex Flinn is a remake of “Beauty & the Beast”. “Tangled” (hit Disney movie if you were wondering) is a remake of “Rapunzel”.  

Some people think “remakes are unoriginal” or show “a lack of  imagination.” But do they?

According to Why We Tell Stories by Christopher Booker there are only 7 basic plots. Now you can argue that there’s 3 or 37 but in Ally’s world there area 7. Feel free to disagree in the comments, but anyway there are only seven plots. You can read them or move on but here you go:

1. Overcoming the monster — defeating some force which threatens… e.g. most Hollywood movies; Star Wars, James Bond.

2. The Quest — typically a group setoff in search of something and (usually) find it. e.g. Watership Down, Pilgrim’s Progress.

3. Journey and Return — the hero journeys away from home to somewhere different and finally comes back having experienced something and maybe changed for the better. e.g. Wizard of Oz, Gullivers Travels.

4. Comedy – not necessarily a funny plot. Some kind of misunderstanding or ignorance is created that keeps parties apart which is resolved towards the end bringing them back together. e.g. Bridget Jones Diary, War and Peace.

5. Tragedy – Someone is tempted in some way, vanity, greed etc and becomes increasingly desperate or trapped by their actions until at a climax they usually die. Unless it’s a Hollywood movie, when they escape to a happy ending. e.g. Devils’ Advocate, Hamlet.

6. Rebirth – hero is captured or oppressed and seems to be in a state of living death until it seems all is lost when miraculously they are

freed. e.g. Snow White.

7. Rags to Riches

Anyway, the point is that if there are only so many plots then technically everything is a re-make right?

I think the problem with “remakes” is that you have to find a balance between changing too much (and thus not staying true to the story) and changing too little (telling the exact same story with different words.

Personally, I don’t mind a good retelling I thought Beastly, for instance, was an excellent and refreshing, modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It stayed true to the original idea, and moral, but the author kept it hers by adding in her own personal twists (if you’ve read it you’ll know what I’m talking about with the ending! Totally didn’t see it coming!)

Classics are classics for a reason. I don’t think there is any reason not to draw on these to support our own stories! What do you all think? Have you ever read a really good retelling or a really bad one? Would you ever consider writing a retelling?

Living In Nowhere… Getting Somewhere

I live in a kind of nowhere. That’s not to say I live in a small town. I mean at least that would have some personality, some SHA ZAM… nope, I live in a small suburban wasteland a while out from Cincinnati. It’s one of those towns that you’ve  passed through a million times.  A thousand hundred billion exist just like them. Half siding/half brick two stories with one tree in the front yard all lined up in a neat little loop.

It’s so painfully ordinary, so dreadfully the same that it’s just nothing. A blur on a highway exit sign, a community of people who buzz in and out of the city like bees buzzing to the hive and back to the flower.

When you live in nowhere you have to wonder how your going to get out.

As a writer, I want to go places. Naturally, anything slightly different or foreign peeks my intrest. But the “Nowhere vortex” is always sucking you in. Trying to pull you under and force you to conform to becoming a neat little worker bee.

But, that isn’t me.

Writing, regardless of what everyone else says, or thinks for that matte,  is important to me. It’s always been a way for me to get somewhere. ANYWHERE. That outlet, especially in my blase little suburban hub is extremely enticing.

After highschool, i’m so out of here. I’d like to go to college, get my degree in teaching, get my books published.

I know it doesn’t matter where you write, but insporation is a little lacking in “grayville”. Any of you living there?