After reading Jennifer Hubbard’s post on re-reading, I got thinking about books that I re-read and the reasons why. Even though almost nothing gets me more excited than finding a wonderful new book to read (except maybe solving a challenging issue in my writing), sometimes I just want to pick up an old favourite. Why?

1. It’s comforting, like spending time with an old friend or family member without having to talk.
2. When I’m feeling tired, sometimes it’s easier to read something where I already know what’s going to happen.
3. The story is compelling and, even though it’s different than reading it the first time, I want the experience of reading it again.
4. I want to share, so I read it aloud to one of my daughters.
5. I admire the writer’s skill and want to get a feel for their writing techniques again, or I want to research how the writer handles a particular element of writing. Even when this is my purpose, I often get caught up in the story!

A few of my favourite books to re-read:

• The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (or any of the HP books)
• These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

– Andrea

When I first starting doing martial arts, I struggled with insecurity next to more experienced belts. I felt like,  no matter how hard I worked at it, I’d never be that good. Everyone else seemed to pick up on things sooner and their techniques were so much more graceful than mine. A black belt gave me some great advice. She said that whenever I was tempted to compare myself to someone else, I should tell myself “I’m a white belt; I don’t need to know that yet.”

It was great advice because it *allowed* me to suck. My only job was to keep showing up and keep practicing the skills I’d be tested on next. Sure, I could aspire to be as confident and effective as those black belts I saw. But it was going to take time. And lots of bruises, tears and sweat. In the mean time, the joy was in the process and in the leap of trying something new.

I need to take this advice to heart these days. My work-in-progress is stalling out (curses, you monstrous middles!) and I find myself wondering if I’ll ever be good enough to pull it off. I look around and see so many others finishing their drafts, landing agents or publishing books. And here I sit – unable to get through my lousy rough draft.

But, hey, my job right now is to just keep showing up. Every day. Ready to fight with all my heart and to the best of ability.

I may not be new to writing, but I *am* new to writing fiction. So say it with me, “I’m a white belt; I don’t need to be brilliant yet!”

My 13-year-old is applying for a special art program at her school for next year. As part of her application, she has to draw a portrait. She’s been working hard every night, trying out different ideas and different materials. After she’s done with each one, she comes to find me and ask for my opinion.**And then she promptly gets mad when I don’t agree with her about which one is the best or if I make suggestions.

It’s not her fault. She’s young and hasn’t quite figured out a universal truth: Asking for Mom’s opinion isn’t a good idea for some of us. Shoot, I’m forty-something, have been a professional writer for twelve years, have nine published books and another coming out next year and I STILL can’t ask my mother for her opinion about anything I’ve written. I’m just too sensitive to any criticism or lack of enthusiasm she may have. In all fairness, my mom is not super critical or anything. I think it’s just a mom-daughter kind of thing. Or maybe simply a mother-child thing. My mother is also a professional artist so that might have something to do with it, too. (We creative folks have such sensitive egos!) I used to think it had to do with how much I value her opinion, but what’s weird is that I don’t have the same problem with my dad. I value his opinion just as much as my mother’s, but somehow, his critiques -which are frequently harsher – are easier to handle.

How about you? Are there any people in your life who you just can’t share your work with? If so, what is it about your relationship with them that keeps you from handling their feedback with a grain of salt?

**By the way, in case you haven’t guessed, my favorite picture is the one I’ve included here. My daughter wishes she could pull off a realistic portrait, but honestly, I just love her touch-of-Anima style!

Summer is coming! Do you know what I like the best about summer and makes me all shivery with excitement? Reading! I tend to have more time to read since I’m not working and the boys are busy splashing in the pool. (Okay, sometimes I’m splashing too!)

Can you guess what I’m doing right now? I’m compiling my summer reading list.

Here’s where I get my list from:
1. My librarian- I love our school librarian. She’s in the KNOW of what’s hot and she knows all of my tastes. Sometimes she even checks books out for me and puts them in my mailbox knowing I’ll like them (I love those days!). And she’s never wrong.

2. Blogs- I read a lot of blogs and if a book gets a good review, I’ll write it down. If a book is repeatedly mentioned, I’ll definitely add it to my list. Check out Presenting Lenore. She’s got great book reviews.

3. My critique buddies. Andrea Mack is doing 100 Book Challenge and commenting on them on her blog, That’s Another Story. It’s a fantastic resource. Check it out!

4. Goodreads - I joined this last year after one of my writing friends kept talking about it. She was right. It’s awesome. I get to see what my friends are reading, what they liked about it and the latest releases. Some of us MiG Writers are on Goodreads.

Check us out here:
Debbie
Kate
Christina

So where do you get your book recommendations from? And I’ve still got plenty of room on my reading list. Got any recommendations for me?

 As I approach the scary saggy middle section of my work-in-progress, I’ll do anything to distract myself. Today I even considered dusting, but I quickly remembered I had a blog post to write.

That’s the good thing about being a writer. I have willpower. What other qualities are helpful to a writer?

1. An analytical mind – You need to enjoy spending time thinking about situations and their possibilities, as well as all the problems that come up when your characters get themselves into tricky situations.

 2. The power of observation – You notice details in the world around you—smells, tastes, sounds or sights—that other people often don’t even register.

 3. An ear for language – You like the sounds of words and you have a natural sense of the rhythm of conversations.

 4. Good fine motor skills – It definitely helps when your fingers can keep up with the thoughts spilling from your brain.

 What other traits does a writer need?

 – Andrea

I’m working on my fourth novel, and having the most fun I’ve had yet. The first three novels I wrote were a real struggle – to find the time to write, to figure out how to construct a story, to develop a writing process that works for me.  At times it was hard, painful even, and I considered quitting. I made myself finish each one, because hey, it’s a learning process.

 Now that I’ve moved onto my fourth, the words are flowing freely. I’ve settled into my writing groove. My thoughts aren’t overwhelmed with plot, dialogue, creating tension, etc. and it’s turning out to be so much fun! What I enjoy about writing:

-         creating a story like none I’ve ever read before

-         the process of solving problems as I go along (and the surprising solutions that emerge)

-         experiencing life in the story along with my character

-         the rhythm of the right words in my head

 What do you find fun about writing?

– Andrea

Last week, things were a bit hectic. We were pulling up our old floor and carpet to lay down new floors and on Thursday, I flew across the country for a family party. It should be no surprise, then, that I got my revision notes for my forthcoming book from my publisher! I’m guessing there must be some kind of Murphy’s Law that says editors need changes just when you have the least amount of time to do them.

Okay. Truthfully, I’m exaggerating a little. I don’t find revisions too stressful. I discovered a few “rules” long ago that have really helped. I thought I’d share them today.

Carmella’s Six Rules for Revision Notes

Take Some Time. When I first get my notes, I take a few minutes to scan them and then put them away. Seeing how much work needs to be done can be downright discouraging. (I once got to comment number 100 before the editor had something good to say! Ouch.) Giving myself a few days to whine and feel sorry for myself helps me get all those grumpy feelings – which drain my energy away from work – out of the way.

Give In. Once I’m into the nitty gritty of things, I try to remember there are going to be battles worth fighting and those that aren’t. If it’s not important (like a word choice that doesn’t change the meaning or voice) I make the change the editor wants. It’s just not worth the time or energy to struggle over these little things.

Stand Up and Back It Up. Some battles *are* worth fighting. For instance, facts need to be accurate. (Ditto for illustrations. I once had to point out how several illustrations in one of my non-fiction book galleys were flat out wrong. They were revised in the end.) When the editor wants me to change something so drastically that it doesn’t sound like me, I tend to dig my heels in. It’s *my* name on the cover. I’ve found that as long as I have a good reason to keep something as is, most editors will be respectful and agreeable. Which brings me to my next rule:

Editors Are Our Friends. An editor’s job is to make the book the best it can be. If you look at them as partners as opposed to adversaries, things go more smoothly. And it makes all that red ink or endless comments and questions a little easier to swallow. It really isn’t personal. It’s business.

Go Slow. I find that focusing on one page or chapter at a time makes my revisions manageable. If I even *look* at the notes that are coming up, I tend to panic. One word, one sentence, one change at a time.

Let It Go. When I’m done, I’m done. No book will ever be perfect, no matter how much fine-tooth combing I do and no matter how many proofreaders go through it. Mistakes and typos happen. For instance, there is a slight mathematical error in my book “Great Ancient Egypt Projects You Can Build Yourself.” Everyone missed it. But it’s also my best-selling book so I let it go. ** I’d just drive myself crazy if I dwelled on all the things that I felt still needed fixing. (**Note: sometimes I turn the error to my advantage when visiting schools by challenging older readers to find it or give a mini math lesson on the spot.)

Right now I’m knee-deep in writing the dreaded S word, so I thought this would be the perfect thing to blog about: THE SYNOPSIS.

What is a Synopsis?
A synopsis is a brief narrative summary of your novel.

Why Put Yourself Through the Agony?
1. Agents or editors might ask you for a synopsis in a submission package
2. This can be a tool your agent could use to entice an editor to buy your manuscript
3. You may be asked to write a synopsis for future books if your agent is pitching a 2 or 3 book deal
4. Can be used for the basis of the back cover of your book or the inside flap
5. Sales or publicity departments may ask to read it to get an idea of what your story is about

How Do I Format This Beast?
1. Use Times New Roman or Courier font
2. Double space if it’s more than two pages
3. Margins should be 1 ¼ or 3.2 cm
4. In the header on every page except the first, have your name/TITLE/Synopsis in the top left corner
5. In the header, put your page numbers in the top right corner
6. On your first page, in the top left corner, type single spaced your name, address, email and telephone number
7. On the first page, in the top right corner, type in your novel’s genre, word count and the word Synopsis
8. Push return two times and center your novel’s title in capital letters
9. Push return two more times and start writing your synopsis!

How Do I Put it All Together?
1. Must be written in present tense
2. Tell the ENTIRE story- Yes, the big surprise ending, too!
3. Don’t get too long- most agents/editors like 1-2 pages for MG and YA stories
4. Use strong verbs
5. No fluff- cut all adverbs and adjectives
6. Stick to the bare facts
7. Start with the problem- your hook
8. Don’t forget your character’s motivations and feelings
9. Character’s names should be in ALL CAPS when you first introduce them

And that’s the basics for you! Did I miss anything? Do you have some great pieces that you’d like to add? I’d love to hear them because like I said, I’m slogging and sloshing through mine in hopes it will sizzle and shine. (You like  my sibilance?)

My third novel is in the “resting stage” while I try to get some distance from it before I revise. I’ve been trying to decide what to work on next. I have a list of about ten projects that I’d like to try at some point (and fifteen notebooks full of more ideas). 

I’ve narrowed it down to two  possibilities, but I’m taking things slowly. Before I plunge back into writing, some serious thinking is required. I’m working on the ideas for both books, trying to sketch out plot and develop characters with clear motivations and goals. My hope is that one of them will become stronger in my mind and I’ll have to start writing it.

 What do you need to have in place before you start a new story?

 – Andrea

For Christmas, the women in my workout class put together a CD for our instructor. (Between you and me, we were a little tired of his music.) Everyone got to put a song on the list. Since I was in charge of burning the CD, I put my foot down on a Jonas Brothers song (for which the instructor thanked me) but I also took a small, creative liberty by adding the Glee cast version of “Rehab.” [Listen to it here: watch?v=vjX7mYTdpEA]

I love the song. Yes, it’s cheesy. But it’s also fun and bouncy. It brightens my mood when I hear it and, let’s be honest, whose mood couldn’t stand some brightening in the middle of a hundred crunches?

Unfortunately, not everyone in my class agrees. Okay. Okay. I admit it. NO ONE else in class likes it. When it comes on, they openly mock me despite the fact I’m the reigning queen of workout class tug-a-war.

But guess what. This doesn’t bother me. I know what I like and cheesy or not, I like the show Glee and have about a dozen of the show’s cover songs on my iPod. When I’m in the car, I blast them and sing along frequently. (Which, of course, embarrasses the heck out of my teenagers. It’s a win-win! But I digress.)

Books are like this, too. Some of the best selling children’s lit out there or the best reviewed books are ones I just don’t like. Some of the book aren’t my taste. Or genre. Or I find that the writing, in my opinion, is lacking sparkle or proper editing.

I can’t be the only one out there, right? So let’s play a game. Are they any books that are supposedly terrific that you just don’t like?

I’ll go first. I’m not a fan of “Twilight.” There. I said it. I read the first book and liked the fast pace and unusual subject matter (at least it was unusual at the time) but, frankly, I wanted to smack Bella by the end of the book. I found her to be a pretty shallow and weak heroine. Not only does she spend a crazy amount of time fawning over how beautiful Edward is but she knowingly walks into a trap at the end. She wasn’t a girl I related to.

How about you? What’s your “I can’t believe everyone else thinks this book rocks” pick?  (Come on. Be brave!)