Regrouping - Drafting Versus Revision

Both First Drafting and Revision are focused and mentally taxing, so much so, that I am not easily making a successful transition between drafting and revising in a single day. Time to regroup.

This week, I will set aside three (3) days per week at my desk to revise, with four (4) days scheduled for first drafting.

This next week's short term goal is to sit at my desk and revise/edit a certain number of chapters within those three days, and write a certain number of chapters away from my desk, in the next four days.

During the last few months of writing full-time, I welcomed the flexibility to figure out what works best for me and my writing life. Pressing the regroup button. 1, 2. 3. Now.

One More Time, Times Three (Series Writing)

I begin 2013, with the first drafts of the first two books in my five book Young Adult series completed, by starting the planning and plotting of Book #3 of the series. The stakes for my characters are higher and the conflicts greater. Which, with a series, is as it should be.

Question: Is writing a series like writing one big book, divided into smaller parts?

Answer: Yes and No. There is the overall story of the series, yet each book is a stand-alone story within itself. Each book tells a story, then together they make up the full story of the series.

Book #3 is leaning toward depicting a world gone wrong, as well as bad. Together, the children provide support for one another. Perhaps it's time, as the ruthless author, to tear them apart, to separate them, and let them fend for themselves the best they can in an even more hostile world? Or, is it time for them to first band together to bond even more closely? To only be separated a little later on?

Time to get out Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Plot Workbook (Highly Recommend Rock Your Plot!) and begin, one more time!

A Chapter a Day (Sprint Versus Long Distance)

Sprinting is running full-out as fast as you can for a short distance. Long distance running is pacing yourself, and positioning yourself to stay in the race longer for a greater distance.

My "ideal" of writing full-time had been that I would sprint, sprint, sprint, writing each first draft with lightening speed; however, during the last four months of writing full-time, if I've learned nothing else, I've figured out that I am more like a long distance runner when it comes to drafting and getting the book out of my head.

Yes, I can and able to fast and lightning draft. If I push myself, I can write 4,000 to 5,000 words per day. Yet, in doing so, it has become apparent that of those 4K to 5K words, approximately 1/4 are salvageable and usable, if I'm lucky, with several revision drafts ahead of me to bring the salvaged words to final draft condition.

On the other hand, if I focus on a chapter of approximately 2,000 words and work through that chapter at a slower, more deliberate pace, editing a bit as I go, that chapter ends up being close to final draft quality.

With a solid week of planning and plotting, instead of rushing to do so in a couple of days, and a chapter-by-chapter focus, it is feasible that a 60,000-word novel can be first drafted in a solid, close to final draft manner in approximately five (5) to six (6) weeks.

Obviously, the lightning draft, get it out fast, fast, fast approach is not working. My previous first draft of Book #1, Series #1 is evidence that this method does not work for me. As I've said many times before, we each find our writing process, by experimenting with what works for us, as individuals. What works for many others, may not work for me, and vice versa.

What I do know is that a solid 2K of writing a day will get me where I need to go, draft-wise. Due to the time it has taken me to learn this, I am behind schedule on my original goals for the 2012; however, for the rest of this year and into 2013, my path is laid out before me in a reasonable, realistic manner.

2,000 semi-edited words per day is most certainly reasonable. This writer gal is in it for the long haul, for the long distance span that it might take me to complete and publish this series, and for writing many books beyond that. One chapter per day -- not too shocking or taxing or overwhelming -- is doable. So off I go to write, one chapter at a time, 2,000 words per day. Onward!

Pressing the Reset Button

For my thriller series (Series #1), after I received Cathy Yardley's developmental edit, my hand has been wavering over the reset button.

The first book in the series is undergoing a major overhaul, to include:

• Fewer point of views
• Smaller number of scenes due to combining or deleting scenes
• Addition scenes added that need to be written
• Clarification of main character's story goals
• Increased emphasis on scene goals for main characters
• Addition of secondary characters

From this experience, I have learned that I need more work and clarification upfront, so that I have a clearer direction once I begin First Drafting.

So, from now on, I will spend more time working with Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Plot on the front end, to more so clarify the Character's story goals [Goals, Motivations, Conflicts (GMCs)] and story problems. Also, I need to plot each character's scene more clearly to get a better idea of their Goal, Motivation, Conflict and Disaster (GMCD). (Ah, those lovely acronyms.)

So, more plotting and characterization should lead to a more solid first draft in the end.

This go around, with such drastic changes, this level of revision can't be considered a second draft; therefore, I'm diving into writing my First Draft once again.

The story and series will benefit greatly from this unexpected reset. I know that. YET pushing that button.... Not so easy.

My hand hovers over, not quite touching, the reset button.

I was thrilled with finishing the first draft so quickly. The completion of the draft brought to fruition a lifelong dream and validated that I could write books for a living.

Still, resetting, basically starting over? Ouch. I have been frustrated and disappointed in myself and in my efforts.

However, this is not starting over. Not really. The first First Draft gave me a foundation upon which to build the entire series. Wasted words? Maybe. Maybe Not. Even though some scenes will not make it into the newest First Draft, they led me toward the current version, just via a road that traveled the long way around the destination where I and the story needed to arrive.

Better initial plotting and characterization efforts on my part should lead me to a straighter and more direct route in getting my first drafts written; therefore, with much excitement, tempered with a dollop of sadness, I now press the reset button.

Notecarding Fun!

Author Holly Lisle has a great explanation of the Notecarding process and does an awesome job of describing the process I use.

One thing that I have added to Ms. Lisle's technique is that I color-code the index cards by Point of Views (POVs), so that I can get a better visual of the scene layout, as follows:

- White: Main Plot Points (Main Character's POV)
- Light Green: Junior (Main Character)
- Light Blue: Character A
- Light Orange: Character B
- Light Yellow: Character C
- Light Purple: Character D
- Light Pink: Character E

Most of my scenes average between 1,000 and 2,000 words, with the overall novel running at a minimum of 60,000 to 70,000 words, which means, using 1,000 words as my baseline, I will have a total of 60 to 70 scenes.

Since I have a general idea of where the story needs to go (my main plot points are in place, thanks to Rock Your Plot), I start brainstorming and writing down one sentence descriptions of scenes. Anything goes. I will discard some, use most. Bottom line, I am storytelling in a simple, straightforward way.

So, I'm off to play with Index Cards, because they are my friends, and have me some Notecarding Fun!

Expect, Plan, Prepare

The manuscript for Book #1, Series #1 has been submitted for developmental editing. I'm experiencing excitement and expectation, topped with nervousness and uneasiness.

This will be my first experience with this sort of feedback. From Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Writing website, this is my limited knowledge of a full manuscript or developmental edit: "I will analyze how your plot is working, and check if your characters are built with believable motivations to match the story you’ve got. I’ll also  recommend fixes for any story issues I see cropping up."

The edit is scheduled to be completed in a couple of weeks; therefore, I will be better able to blog about what a full manuscript or developmental edit is or is not in a few weeks.

In the meantime, I will not be sitting with my hands in my lap waiting (although it may feel that way on the inside, big time.)

What I will be doing, since the beginning of Book #2 became a bang-up ending for Book #1, is planning and plotting out Book #2, as well as sketching out the rest of the series in more detail. To help me progress more quickly once I begin the first draft, in addition to filling out index cards with my one-line scene descriptions, I am going to attempt to pre-plan the Goal, Motivation, Conflict, and Disaster (GMCD) for as many scenes as possible. (Look out, MS Word table, here I come).

For me, having a better idea of where I'm going (sort of like creating a map and having that map as a reference later on), will help me produce more solid first draft material in a shorter period of time.

My third month of writing full-time did not go well or as planned due to health issues, etc.; however, I'm looking forward to month four being much more productive and fulfilling, writing-wise and otherwise.

So in the meantime, while waiting on the results of the developmental edit, I write.

So, in the words of Dennis Waitley, “Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised.”

Searching for Time

In considering a future potential book title, I've been looking at what kind or types of time there are.

There's time to write, time to read, time to review. There's also killing time and stealing time. What about a time to reap a time to sow? Or work time, play time, doing serious time, having a fun time, etc.

There's also finding time, taking time, and making time.

The last three are what I'm striving toward.

Finding Time

Finding time is an odd one, because if you wait to find time in your busy day to do the things that you really want to do, time tends to be elusive and difficult to hold. My intent to find time more than likely winds up in never finding the time for the things that are most important to me because everything else uses up all the valuable available time.

Taking Time

Taking time tends to lead to situations where you feel as if you are taking time away from other things. Taking time seems to lead to guilt and a struggle to maintain momentum in time slots that belong to other things. Taking, for some reason, leads to guilt feelings associated with stealing time, from others, from other things of importance, and from my day.

Making Time

Making time, to me, means scheduling definite set-aside times to do what's important to you, whether that means exercising, meditation, writing, crocheting, etc. Making time means giving the time for the things that mean a great deal to you priority and respect. A schedule that includes those important things that I don't seem to be able to find time for or take time for, that I follow, with flexible adjustments as necessary, is considered making time.

Finding Time, Taking Time, and Making Time

As far as finding time, taking time, and making time, one of my favorite quotes is:

"You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it." – Charles Bixton.

Those Lovely Acronyms - GMC, GMCD, EQDA

GMC is the acronym for Goal, Motivation, Conflict. Every story has a GMC. Each main character's GMC drives the story.

My main character's GMC for the first book in the series is:

Goal: To get back home 

Motivation (Internal/External): Homesick, Misses grandparents / Taken away from family, Current negative situation

Conflict (Internal/External): Scared, Uncertain, People-pleaser / Kidnappers, Held against will, Inside mountain, Others threatened

That's the main character's story GMC. Her story, what the book is about, is how she journeys through her GMC.

GMCD stands for Goal, Motivation, Conflict, Disaster. Each scene is written to this model. The main character, in Scene #1 of Book #1, has a GMCD of:

Goal: To go fishing

Motivation (Internal/External): Loves fishing / Her grandfather

Conflict (Internal/External): Fearful of doing something she's not supposed to do / The wind is blowing too hard to fish, Her grandfather's presence to witness her doing something she's not supposed to do

Disaster: Yes, but her grandfather isn't well

Potential Disaster endings for scenes include: 1) No; 2) Yes, but; and 3) No, and furthermore. (A straight-forward Yes, as far as reaching the scene goal, is not a good option, because it leaves the end of the scene flat and without expectation for what's going to happen next.)

EQDA, which is Emotion, Quandary, Decision, Action, serves as a sequel to the scene and may consist of as little as a sentence or a paragraph or as much as several paragraphs or several pages. The EQDA for the first scene is depicted in a few sentences at the very end of the scene.

Emotion: Excitement

Quandary: Doesn't want to get in trouble, but maybe it's okay to do something she/her might get into trouble for.

Decision: She/he is going to do it.

Action: Does it.

Although the draft is rough, the GMCD and EQDA are depicted clearly. The scene has a purpose. It moves the story forward, plus, hopefully, if I've done my job correctly, the scene leaves the reader curious as to what she's going to do that 's wrong, as well as giving a sense of foreboding and hinting at bad things to come.

Eureka! (NOW, I've got it!)

Eureka!

Last night, in reviewing Book #1, I realized why Book #2 doesn't "feel" right.

The first 1/4 of Book #2 is actually a bang up, better ending for Book #1.

Although I hadn't planned it that way, I have my solution!

In a wink of understanding, Book #1 went from a 60,000-word to a 75,000-word first draft, and Book #2 is now at zero (0) word count.

Book #1 was a cohesive, good first draft. With this change, the Book #1 first draft is fast-paced and the ending has much more oomph.

In speaking with the developmental editor's assistant, I now have until the 10th to pull all my scenes together and send in Book #1.

If all goes well with that, I will discard the index cards for Book #2 and start over with the plotting of Book #2 during that time as well. (Likewise, if Book #1 staging doesn't go well, plotting for Book #2 will begin on the 10th, once the Book #1 draft has been turned into the editor.)

Love those eureka moments. Yes!

So You Want to Write a Book? Being an 80-Percenter

According to the statistics I've been able to research, 80% of people want to write a book, and of those that want to write a book, only 1% actually do.

I am an 80-percenter.

Yes, I have written a first draft; however, my book is not yet finished, and will more than likely go through three or more drafts.

I've finished a cohesive first draft, and that draft goes to a developmental editor the second week of September. Then, I will edit according to the editor's suggestions, then polish the writing for a second draft.

And even though, I have technical copy editing experience, the book will be copy-edited by a professional editor to provide a second set of eyes for the third draft.

Once the manuscript is ready for publication, THEN and only then, will I consider that I have actually written a book.

With health issues that involve difficulties in focus and concentration, the past few weeks have been a struggle, however I did finish Book #1 of Series #1, and have started Book #2 of Series #1.

My goal is to get back on track by making index cards my friends for the next couple of days, then will begin a writing routine of 1,000 words per day, and will build up from there. My additional goal is to turn in the first draft to the developmental editor this upcoming Saturday; therefore, I need to work on that in the evenings.

Working toward transitioning from an 80-percenter to a 1-percenter is just that -- work.

Will I get there?

I want to and hope to do so. I am committed, and I'm determined.

One day at a time.

But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 6

In line with baking a cake, the next part of But HOW Do You Write a Book?, includes following the recipe (steps) included in Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Plot, which sells for $2.99 for an electronic download on Amazon.com. (Please note that you don't need a Kindle device to read, because there are free reading aps from Amazon that allow you to read books on your smart phone, tablet, and/or computer.)

Cathy has successfully used the basic system in Rock Your Plot for seventeen novels, and the system is working for me; therefore, this is the next step that I use and would recommend.

Rock Your Plot provides an easy to understand and easy to follow process that actually works. The book can be read and the system can be implemented in a short period of time. The process addresses: Story Idea Testing; Goal, Motivation, Conflict; Character Sketches; Plot Points; Pinch Points; Trouble Shooting; Scene Construction Basics; and Creating an Outline.

Step Six of But HOW Do You Write a Book? includes several simple steps that are part of the system shared in Rock Your Plot.

Taking Time to Write

In the past few weeks, I have transitioned from writing in 30 to 45 minute stints throughout the day, to writing in 1-hour blocks of time.

Over the years, I attempted to write in 15 or 20 minute blocks, but seemed to be spinning my wheels, because in that short of time, I couldn't seem to get my head as deep into the story as I needed, no matter how hard I tried.

This morning, instead of spreading the blocks of time throughout the day, I set the timer for 3 hours and wrote straight through. I wrote 3,340 words in those three consecutive hours, which equals what I've been producing by spacing out the time blocks I set aside for writing.

Mornings are difficult for me -- I am so not a morning person -- but with effort, I have turned them into more productive times of the day.

My goal is to either wrap up my writing for the day after writing in the mornings or set writing aside while I take care of other to-do lists around the home, on the property, out and about, etc., then return to writing in the evenings. I'd like to visit those 5,000-word days on a regular basis, and this seems to be the way to get there.

One thing that has seemed to make a great deal of difference in my writing output is that instead of fitting writing in once everything else is done, which never really seemed to happen, I set aside specific committed blocks of time to write. In other words, instead of making time, I'm taking time to write.

Got to go, the clock's a ticking!

Fast Drafting - Pedal to the Metal

For the last few days, I have been Fast Drafting. I sit down and type as many words or pages as possible in a set amount of time, to get the book out of my head and onto the page.

This morning, I just realized (okay, I know I'm sometimes slow on the uptake), that at 5,000 words per day, I could realistically finish a 70,000 novel IN TWO WEEKS! (I wonder if I actually could? 2 weeks for a first draft. I do love a challenge.)

The Free Dictionary states that Pedal to the Metal means "to make something go forward or increase as fast as possible" and gives and example of "Ingrid put the pedal to the metal and finished writing her essay a day early."

So, for me, Fast Drafting means:

• No Internet
• No phone
• No re-reading
• No editing

In addition to the boundaries above, I've found that what works for me is:

• Spending a small amount of time pre-planning (Index Cards Are My Friends)
• Setting a timer for short writing stints (30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour)
• Taking breaks and finding balance in my writing life

When I started fast drafting, I wrote 400 words or so an hour (which is about the best I was able to manage while working full-time). In putting Fast Drafting into practice, my word count has increased to 1,000 words an hour. (Something I never thought possible because of my plodding writing ways!)

If you will excuse me now, I'm going to go put the pedal to the medal, and hopefully word by word, get these books out of my head and onto the page!

Help! Help! Let Me Out of Here! - Getting the Book Out

Polly Darton

In another lifetime -- well, it was such a long time ago, it feels as if it were a lifetime -- I performed as a professional ventriloquist. (What fun that was! Something I may just pursue again some day!)

One of the routines, which most likely would be frowned upon and/or considered traumatic to the children of today, was having the ventriloquist dummy (yes, they're perfectly fine with being called that) in a suitcase, yelling to get out. "Help! Help! Let me out of here!"

The children of yesteryear thought this was hilarious and roared with laughter. (Ah, those were the days! Nothing like the sound of children's giggles and laughs to warm your heart.)

But just like the little wooden dummy wanting out of the box, when you have a book inside you that is struggling to get out, that story idea, those characters stay with you UNTIL you get the book out of your head.

How do we as writer's get the book out of hour heads and onto the page, via longhand, computer, NEO, etc.?

Over the years, one thing I've learned is that there is no ONE right answer to this question.

For some folks pursuing the spiritual route may be the way to go. Getting in touch with that author or writer within with meditation and techniques along the lines of self-hypnosis could be a perfect fit.

Others may flourish using writer's boot camp methods, with each day blocked out, planned, and set out to finish a book within a certain period of time.

There are those writer's that LOVE, LOVE, LOVE timers. Set that timer, and you write until time is up. (Such as 30 minute to 1 hour writing stints paced out throughout the day.)

Then there's the page count brigade. You write so many pages per day, five or six days per week.

Word Counting works for some, say a goal of 1,000 words a day (which if you wrote every day for a year would equal 365,000 words).

Goal setting which entails how much you will write per day, per week, per month, per quarter, per year might be an option.

Then there's the spreadsheet, character sketch, outline, form-filling crowd (known as plotters) as opposed to those that dive in and just write, write, write without pre-planning (pantsers).

From experience, I've learned that it's good to commit to a process and give it a realistic try; however, staying with a process that doesn't work, thinking it's YOU that's not getting it, just because someone tells you or promises you this is THE way, isn't the direction to go.

Beating myself up and struggling to make something work for me that obviously wasn't working cost me years of effort and results.

Flexibility and open-mindedness would have worked more in my favor.

My advice:

• Experiment
• Commit to a process for a reasonable period of time
• Move on if a process doesn't work for you
• Try different processes
• Pick and choose aspects of multiple processes that work for you
• Ask questions of those who have discovered their process
• Seek assistance in finding your way (Courses, Workshops, Coaching, etc.)
• Choose a process that works for you
• Commit to getting the book out of your head

Without a commitment or plan, I doubt I will ever get these books out of my head, and they will be echoing, "Let me out of here!" inside my head for the rest of my life.

Good luck on your journey in finding and utilizing the process that works for YOU!

Rock Your Plot by Cathy Yardley

Rock Your Plot is a simple, powerful, and action-oriented guide to plotting your novel. It gives an overview of three-act structure, defining plot points as well as providing clear examples of each, and suggesting easy-to-follow assignments. It's an espresso shot of information that will give your story the boost it needs to carry you through to a finished novel.

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Cathy Yardley has been so helpful by sharing her plotting and writing process with me. She's published 18 books and has just published her e-book, Rock Your Plot. For $2.99, you get a lifetime worth of experience and a process that actually works!

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I would definitely recommend Rock Your Plot! Please visit Amazon to download and enjoy!

What's in Your Closet?(Creating Characters with Character)

Once I jot down basic information about my main characters, such as Age, Height, Weight, etc., (Cathy Yardley shared a short, concise worksheet with me, less than 2 pages, that drills down the basics of each character.) Thanks, Cathy!

After filling out the information on the character sheets, I know my characters fairly well. In addition to this basic information, which includes providing the Chronological happenings of the character's life, I added the following to help me get to know my story people even better.

What is his or her favorite saying or catch phrase?

What's under his or her bed?

What does his or her closet look like? What's in his or her closet?

What one secret item has the character hidden away for his or her eyes only? Where and why?

Up to this point, what is his or her most traumatic experience?

What's his or her happiest moments? What's his or her biggest accomplishment?

Just as these sort of things tell us about real world people, they reveal so much about the people that populate our stories.

So, why not ask your characters, what's in your closet?

Yesterday's Writing Results:

I wrote two short scenes yesterday (approximately 1,200 words).

If I'm going to write for a living, I need to be able to write as much as possible in as short a time as possible, so I'm experimenting with the location and conditions in which I write.

Index Cards Are My Friends

I've spent the last few days since my final work project ended playing with and shuffling index cards, and brightly colored index cards at that! (I had no idea plotting could be so much fun!)

Author and Writing Coach Cathy Yardley shared with me about her use of post-it notes, so decided adapt the idea to the unlined side of index cards due to my tired eyes and give it a try.

First I focused on the main plot points, using the Not-Really-An Outline method, then jotting down possible ideas for other scenes. Notice I say POSSIBLE. What is written on an index card is not chiseled in stone. These colorful cards can be edited, shuffled, written on on both sides, and/or tossed.

I wrote quick, few word descriptions, such as:

Index Card: Her family is missing.

Index Card: Water floods cave. Knows who's responsible.

Index Card: Finds grave in garden.

Index Card: Son has disappeared. Frantic.

I taped the index cards up on my cork board and whiteboards, or if I use reusable post-it type tape, I can tape them directly to the wall. (AND there are sticky index cards as well, but I like the color selection for regular index cards better.)

Like shifting pieces of a puzzle to see if they fit, the cards can easily be moved around and relocated. As in, this would be better if it happened here, rather than happening there.

Yellow for main plot points. Different characters stories (points of view) get their very own color (usually orange or green). If applicable, romantic scenes are written down on pink. (I'm using a fine-point black sharpie marker so that the notes are bold and readable.)

As you can see by the picture, my wall is bright and colorful (I used the Oxford Glow index cards, which are almost florescent in color.)

Today's Goals:

Today, I pick the next card in line for my story -- the next scene -- and write a few words (no more than a paragraph or two) about what I'm going to write about today, then I'll write at least a scene or two. (In the next few days, my goal is to see how many scenes I can comfortably and realistically write in a day.)

3 x 5 index cards. So simple. Makes me realize how overly complicated and difficult I've made things for myself all along.

Goggle Eyes and Gars and Gators, Oh My!(The Similarities between Fishing and Writing)

Up at 5:00 AM to go fishing. (I love fishing and I've got my Angler Management and my Fishouflage t-shirts to prove it!)

Just after sunrise, I'm dangling my feet off the edge of the boat so that the soles of my boots are just above the water. (This was before hubby mentioned the Gator. More on that to follow.) As I enjoyed a slight breeze and early morning sun on my face, I casted cast after cast and considered how similar fishing and writing are.

You don't just GO FISHING. You have to get a lot of things in place to be able to go fishing. Boat, trolling motor, trolling motor battery (man, that sucker's heavy), fishing rods, lures, catch basket, etc.

Hubby got most everything ready the night before, so all I, still sleepy-eyed and groggy, had to do this morning was fumble into my clothes and waterproof hiking boots.

Still, I'd even gotten the clothes and boots ready the night before.

So, I'm thinking to myself, You wouldn't go fishing without at least a fishing pole and a lure or some kind of bait.

SO -- this is where the writing part comes in -- why would you expect to just "write." Most writer's have heard the saying, "Writer's write," and of course writer's do write, but for me, just like for fishing, I need to do a few things to be prepared to write.

Like sketching out a bit of what the stories about, perhaps using Jennifer Crusie's  the Not-Really-An Outline for Plots, filling out index cards using a few words to description of each possible scene, and writing a brief paragraph about what I will be writing about for the day. These three things have given me a direction that I've been missing in my writing life.

So today, just like when I'm going fishing, I'm prepared to write.

As I was considering these outstanding -- at least in my sleep-deprived early morning state it seemed to be -- comparisons of fishing and writing, hubby begins to talk about a previous visit to the lake.

"We were coming over the dam," Hubby said. "And we saw the gator just over there."

"Gator?" I lifted my feet and rested my boot heels on the edge of the boat.

"Maybe seven or eight feet long."

"There's an alligator in here? In this lake?" I asked, tucking my boots under my seat.

"I doubt he'll even come out during the day."

A few minutes later, from another boat, my hubby's friend called out, "Did you see him?"

"See what?" Hubby asked.

"You didn't see him? You just floated right past where the gator was."

Needless to say, BEFORE the gator sighting, we caught several fish. AFTER, not so much.

During our fishing, hubby caught a couple of Goggle Eyes, which is a fish that's body looks like a brim and its head and mouth look like more like a bass. It looks as if it's all put together wrong and is considered by most folks to be an "ugly" fish.

Hubby also almost caught a Gar. Gar's have a long snout and their mouths are filled with needle-like teeth. Yeah, fish with teeth, in the lake where I'm fishing.

"Why don't you tell me these things before we get on the water?"

"I know you like fishing so much." Hubby grinned that boyish grin of his. "I just wanted you to be able enjoy your fishing."

Well, all righty then.

As I write over the next few months, I may encounter oddities and uglies like those Goggle Eyes or get stuck in a scene or tangent off course, and, of course, that bites just like a Gar, and something unknown may surface from my imagination or come up during the process, like that Gator lurking in a hideaway along the bank or in the water. Hungry. Waiting. Stalking. (Enough of that! Shudder.)

One thing's for sure, as I go along, I WILL be on the lookout for and prepared for, as best I can, those Google Eyes, Gars, and Gators, Oh My!

In 30 Words or Less - Your book is about WHAT?

A waiter brought the appetizer, a spinach, artichoke, and cheese dip and bread.

To Ms. Author sitting across from me, I asked, "So, what's your book about?"

One meal and dessert order later, Ms. Author is telling me all about her story, and has been doing so for forty-five minutes.

Forty-five minutes.

And she scheduled to pitch her book to an agent in a ten-minute slot the next day.

As we cut a huge slice of cherry cheesecake into halves to share, I said, "So for your pitch tomorrow morning, what are you going to say?"

"I just told you." The author beamed. "What do you think?"

What did I think? My first thought was that my eyes hadn't glazed over at the thirty minute mark as much as I had feared. My next thought was there's no way she's going to condense forty-five minutes into ten, which would actually equal eight minutes or so, due to introductions and niceties. My final thought was that her story was actually intriguing, in a long, drawn-out sort of way.

I took a deep breath and blurted out, "I think I need for you tell me about your story, in twenty-five words or less."

She gasped. "I couldn't possibly."

I grinned, rummaged a pen from my the depths of my purse, and handed it, along with a grocery receipt, to Ms. Author, and said, "Sure you can." 

As storytellers, if we can't describe what our story is about in thirty words or less, how can we expect an agent, editor, and, most especially, readers to be excited about what's the story is about? You know, like those movie quick, snappy movie descriptions.

For example:

When a Roman general is betrayed and his family murdered by an insane and corrupt prince, he comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge. (Gladiator) [26 words]

A young man and woman from different social classes fall in love, must outwit her abusive fiance, and find a way to survive aboard an ill-fated voyage at sea. (Titanic) [28 words]

One of my one-line descriptions or loglines might be:

Children forced to become weapons of mass destruction must escape their captors, survive in a world that's turned against them, and stop the apocalyptic devastation they set in motion. [29 words]

So, how about it, what's your story, in 30 words or less?