Making Friends and Working Hard

Posted by Joanne Huspek

My lovelinesses.

I know that’s not a word, but today I feel that everyone is lovely. Even though it is raining, even though my husband is working on a project that makes him cranky, even though I have a billion things to do and counting.

I’ve been editing, editing, editing, and occasionally penning a one-sheet story. In the meantime, I’ve written a few things for the blog, the Blog Critics blog and other projects. Tomorrow is crit-group day, so I’ve been looking over other people’s work for a change.

I don’t know how it happened, but I am on Simon and Schuster’s publicist’s mailing list. Every so often, this kind lady will send me a soon-to-be-released book to read. Most of them are in the hot, steamy romance or historical romance genres – not exactly my cup of tea. However, if I have a few spare minutes waiting in the doctor’s office, standing in line at the Secretary of State office (DMV for those of you out of Michigan) or am trapped on a transcontinental airplane, these are perfect to pass the time with.

One of the books I read was Nancy’s Theory of Style by Grace Coopersmith. It was such an enjoyable, rollicking and totally fun read that I wrote a review for Blog Critics.

The review led to the author of the book contacting me (Yes! On this very blog! Look down a couple of posts.) and an email exchange ensued. (I couldn’t believe my luck! Emailing a published author! And she’s so nice!)

I know that’s a lot of exclamation marks, but I was very blown away. I’ll stop now.

I know we’re not friends in the true sense of the word, but it’s nice to be friendly with authors.

Back to work. 🙂

Posted in editing, people, rewriting, Uncategorized, womens literature, writing | Tagged , , , 1 Comment

Absconding the Napkin Fiction, Sort Of

Posted by Joanne Huspek

I love Esquire’s web site, especially the fiction area. Good reads, very edgy. During my last visit, I noticed the Napkin Fiction page, where authors are asked to pen a story on a paper napkin.

In the good old days when I was 1. poor, 2. a teenager, and 3. in love, I used to write song lyrics and poems on napkins. And Taco Bell wrappers. And the paper a bottle of Metaxa comes in. And the back of my NSP bill (that’s the power company in Minnesota). And I know this because I still have these remnants of my misbegotten prose in my hope chest.

We know from the archeological data that I ate fast food, was plenty high and my heat was on, necessary in St. Paul in January.

I’m terrible when it comes to condensation. I love to blather on and on about the inconsequential, which is the gong of death for a writer. I have a very difficult time writing flash fiction or stories in 1,000 words or less. The first time I wrote a 50-word story, it ended up being six 50-word stories. You can imagine the pain I was in writing a six-word story.

Today, I decided to initiate my own enforced short fiction experiment, using the Napkin Fiction as a guide. I find modern paper napkins highly undesirable for writing. They’re cheaply made and only a very good ball point pen would not rip it to shreds. Paper towels absorb too much ink. I don’t eat at Taco Bell much anymore (too salty for my tastes) and I’m a slob and can’t believe I actually finished a combo burrito without dripping any green sauce on the wrappings or on my lap. (Back in 1975, I was always hungry. Not much was going to escape.)

Instead, I decided to take over one of my daughter’s never-used spiral notebooks from high school. It has a pretty green and pink cover and the pages are perforated. It’s small enough to carry around with me.

I have dubbed this experiment The One Page Stories.

The stories are limited to one sheaf of paper. I can use both sides, and I can condense my handwriting to get as much info as I can on the paper, meaning margins  are used and my teeny-weeny penmanship employed. (Teeny-weeny handwriting was da bomb when I was in college and the profs would let us bring in a single sheet of notes for the final. Yeah…I was on that one.)

The One Big Rule for One Page Stories is that once I start, I can’t stop until the story is finished. This is a tough rule for a chronic procrastinator and a sufferer of adult onset ADD.

Yesterday I wrote a quick one, then transferred it to my computer. It was quirky and odd, an elementary aged story – 599 words. I liked it.

I think I might have something here.

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I Can’t Believe I’m Finding Her! An Update on Cadence

Posted by Joanne Huspek

Since my last novel is now safely in the hands of a professional developmental editor (more on that later – and let’s hope it’s good news), I have decided to tackle that first mammoth overflowing diarrhea of a work, FINDING CADENCE.

A few months ago, I took a peek and it wasn’t pretty. Who would have thought it was possible to use one word (family) 2,358 times in the first 72 pages? (Okay, that’s a gross exaggeration… Well, maybe not.) After taking out every -ly word — including ‘family’ — and most of the ‘that’s, I still had 530 pages of mindless, endless garbage, and over 175K words.

Yes, I can recognize the fact that my first effort is far from my best. *hangs head in shame*

My initial reaction was to close down the file and delete. Some things are best left in the dark. The light of day would not have been kind to this novel or to me. I could see my children laughing at me as I lay in my pink, Venetian lace-lined casket. “Get a load of this!” and “She thought she could write?”

I’m so very glad that I’m basically a lazy and forgetful person and failed to do execute the delete. Since Novel C has been in the capable hands (I hope) of Mr. Ed It, I have had a chance to use Novel A (Cadence) as material for an online writing class I am taking, and believe me, there is more than enough material to work with.

The premise is good. The story is good. The telling of the story — meh, not so good.

I started slashing by deleting everything up until the first lines of relevant dialog. That occurred on Page 73. (I had a phobia about writing dialog when I first started writing, which is why it took 72 pages and a year to get to the bones of the matter, but that’s for another post.)

So far, I’ve only inserted the dialog and tightened it up, with very little back story making the cut. I also made an executive decision and flip-flopped on the person. It’s in first person now. This is problematic in some respects, but a relief in another. By the end of the first draft, I had a total of seven (7) POVs, way too many. Keeping Cadence in the first person gives me an opportunity to showcase her naivete and flaws.

I also took the characters and hardened them a bit. The lawyer is slimier, the best friend is more shallow, the girls at work are not as forgiving and are part of the conspiracy. Cadie’s father is going to the dark side, too. Why not?

I’m happy to report that it is coming along nicely. I actually want to work on it. I’ve been going home from the day job early for the last week or so and am enthusiastic.

Will wonders ever cease?

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Digging into the Old Stuff

Posted by Joanne Huspek

As some of you know, my first “novel” is an epic tale that covers six months in the life of  a woman my age, several thousand miles of travel (by car), a mental breakdown and loss of everything she held near and dear.

That’s why it took me 175,000 words and two years to complete.

I’m not exaggerating.

It might be weighty but it’s far from finished; in fact, you could say in its present state, it’s downright scary as to how bad it is. A few months ago, I dusted it off and tried again. I couldn’t stomach reading it, much less working on it.

The storyline is good. The premise is valid. The characters are likable/unlikable. This massive, wordy work in progress has more flaws than my first few boyfriends. (Hmm… make that my first twenty boyfriends.)

I didn’t know jack about writing back then. I still don’t know much, but I know enough to be embarrassed about this work.

I remarked to a friend of mine who has seen the first chapter in all its horrible splendor that I couldn’t believe she read it without puking. She was kind and suggested that she didn’t throw up, but I could tell she was lying.  She had to be.

After taking an online writing class and having a live critique group to go to, I decided to give it another go. I know pages and pages will have to round canned, and I don’t mind.  So with renewed vigor, I worked on it Friday, eliminating the first 72 pages.

Seventy-two pages? Yeah, I have plenty behind that, believe me.

The good thing is, I have most of the story already written down, so the slice and dice should leave me with a reasonably sized novel.

I have a feeling it won’t even be painful.

Posted in editing, music, violin, writing, women, life, people, rewriting, Uncategorized, womens literature, writing 4 Comments

Writing Ebb and Tide

Posted by Joanne Huspek

Ever hear the phrase “feast or famine?”

It seems like my entire life has been based on this concept.

You’re poor and struggling, then you get a little pocket change and are struggling. Your creative juices run wild and free, then you don’t write anything but excuse notes to your child’s teachers or don’t paint anything but bedroom walls for twenty years.

Of course, then the tide comes back in and you are left with too many choices and ideas and not enough time and too small of a brain to see them all into fruition.

Sometimes I really feel like writing. REALLY. I am attacked by a compulsion so strong that ignoring it is impossible. Other times, I really don’t feel a creative juice in my body, not one drop, not even a glistening of sweat.

After my rejection letter, I put the novel away. I really wanted to attack it and make it all better, but I felt completely tapped. I didn’t have any fresh ideas. A few days passed, then a week.

Then ten whole days! I was starting to worry. I even started to doubt myself. Maybe this writing thing was just a pipe dream or a fad. Maybe I’m so awful, no one will ever like my work! What if I die a lonely death, locked in my unheated garret (because I’m back to being poor) with my ancient laptop (which by this time doesn’t type the letter M because my bird chewed off the key), no food, no accolades, no sense of worth? What if?

Just as depression was about to sink in, I had a hallelujah moment. I don’t know if other writers have these epiphanies, but I seem to have them on occasion.

I looked at all the comments made on my re-writes, and the comments from Ms. Friendly Sorry-But-You’re-Not-Ready-To-Publish-Yet Agent (I secretly love her), opened my writing reference books and voila! Sometime late Friday afternoon, I was hit by the proverbial (and clicheed) bolt of lightening.

Ideas! I had a million of them!

Even though I had a critique group the next day and had already emailed my chapter to them, I sat down to re-write. I slashed the unnecessary. I cut out the pointless. I eviscerated huge sections of back story. I rearranged the chapter.

It might not be perfect, but Chapter One is now leaner, meaner and flows so much better.

Then in the middle of my glorious in-tide, I was suddenly struck by more inspiration, this time for my first mammoth work.

Of course, now is the time when the ideas flow and the time shrinks.

Feast or famine. I’m not complaining.

Posted in editing, music, violin, writing, women, life, people, rewriting, writing 5 Comments

I Am So Proud: My Very First Rejection Letter

Posted by Joanne Huspek

You may have wondered where I have been for the last three or four weeks. Picture someone constantly checking email for response to my full manuscript being sent out. Counting the minutes, then the days and the weeks with bated breath. Wondering if my baby ended up on someone’s slush pile or under a pile of manuscripts on the agent’s administrative assistant’s desk.

Of course, the news isn’t good — this isn’t a fairy tale Nirvana here.

That’s right, I just received my very first rejection letter for the very first query I have sent out.

I know I shouldn’t be, but I am absolutely giddy.

(What? Did you think I really thought I was going to get a contract on my very first try? I may be a dreamer, but I’m not stupid.)

My reasoning for my glee is  many-fold. First of all, the response was sent out in exactly four weeks, a virtually whiplash-causing turnaround in the publishing biz. I’ve heard other wannabe novelists complaining of months, and months and months without word.

Second, the rejection letter was very kind. I could tell the agent in question actually read my book, from the very personalized feedback she provided. She pointed out a few obvious flaws, ones that I had been fretting over, but gave me some positive props as well.

Third, it could have been worse. MUCH worse. The horror stories are out there: boilerplate rejections two minutes after sending, thorough dressing downs.

I expect to be the recipient of many more rejection letters before someone loves my work enough to snap it up. Some successful authors, like Stephen King, endured years of rejection.

Instead of crying in my beer, I’m energized. I’m ready to take those first fifty pages and transform them into something dazzling, a work of art that will sparkle and shine, catching the eye of some lucky agent out there.

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Critique is a Writer’s Best Friend

Posted by Joanne Huspek

I’ve been scribbling furiously and typing to the point of renewed carpal tunnel syndrome for the last three years in an attempt to put my ideas into novel-length words. The tally? Two finished, two in various states of disrepair and a sequel being sketched out ‘for later.’ One full manuscript made its way to an agent, the other full – my first – is so completely incoherent and massively wordy that I’m going to have to disassemble it and start over. In between are two blogs and several short stories, several contests (one where I placed!), several reviews and rants.

Fiction writing is different from editorial writing, business letter writing, poetry, text writing and writing stormy missives to your Congressmen. It’s different from writing love letters to your spouse and chiding email to your children. Fiction writing is a strange and wonderful animal all to itself.

I dropped out of college, so I was unable to obtain a sheepskin for my forays into English/journalism/art. I went to college during the mid ‘70s, so I’m not sure how much book learning I remember. I’m the first to admit that I am clueless, but I’m a quick study.

In my quest to finish my novel explorations, I’ve learned a few things. The one BIG thing any fiction writer is needs a supportive critique system. I don’t care if you are a well-known and well-published author — a fresh pair of eyes often lends a perspective the writer may be unable or unwilling to view. There are Rules for Writing (of which I was oblivious). Of course, after immersing myself in rules, I attended the San Francisco Writers Conference and learned at a workshop how to break the rules.

At some point, the aspiring author is going to want to get out of her pajamas, leave her cave and set about finding legitimate critique for her work. It happened to me.
Critique will point out more than spelling errors or problems with grammar or misplaced punctuation. (I don’t know about you, but I cannot proofread my own work.) A thorough critique will outline structural deficiencies, like problems with time line or story line, overuse of certain words or – God forbid – the dreaded cliche.

Do NOT make the mistake of giving your work for critique to family members or friends who are less than brutally honest. Of course, your mom is going to love your work and thinks your book will be on the New York Times best seller list for a year. Duh! You may want to utilize friends and families as readers in order to determine that your work will or will not put them to sleep. However, for the purposes of critique, find professional help.

For a long time, I relied on online friends who share my same passion for writing. They have pointed out the obvious flaws in my work, and led me to the library for reading material on writing the right way.

Online writing friends may be in the midst of their own manuscripts – and if they are like me, they are world-class procrastinators – so the fledgling writer may have to pursue other outlets for critique. When it comes to writing web sites, be sure you read the Terms of Service and be wary of any critique service that charges a fee. There are plenty of writing web sites that do not charge a fee. The big names include ReviewFuse, Romance Divas or The Next Big Writer, to list a few. I was also invited to a small Ning group (Writers Collaborate), and there are more out there.

The downside to online groups is that many other writers join to get critique as well. I am not well-versed in critiquing work other than for the obvious misspelling or simple sentence structure. The only other thing I can add is “I like where this is going and want to know more.” While a hook is important, some writers want an in-depth deconstruction.

I am a busy woman and can’t commit to creative writing classes, but I have always been interested in finding help in the flesh. I was recently invited to a small, in-person critique group of some members of the Greater Detroit Romance Writers of America. I am the fourth person. In such a small group, it’s far easier to communicate ideas than it is in a larger forum. The other women, most of whom don’t necessarily write romance, are helpful and one was an English teacher in a past life.

As with any relationship, if your group offers unhelpful criticism – and that does happen – it may be time to find another group. A writer needs to feel safe and that any points made are not done out of meanness or spite. On the other hand, if you truly want to better your work, a certain amount of outside perspective will be necessary.

My quick tips:
1. Don’t take it personally. Your critique partner isn’t trying to make you cry, he/she is trying to help you.
2. Try revising the trouble spot in a few different ways, instead of plowing through with the first thought in your head. You may find the second or third (or eighth) idea is the real gem.
3. Really listen to the suggestions. You’ll learn a lot and it will improve your writing.
4. Put your work away when you feel overloaded and come back to it later. It will look strangely different once it’s been marinating for a few days/weeks/months.
5. Finally, don’t lose your voice in the edit. Your voice is your most important asset. There may be occasions where you feel the critique is not valid. If the words work, listen to your head. If we all followed the rules and all wrote the same, it would be a pretty dreary world.

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