How Writing a Book is like a Hockey Season

As a lot of you know, I took the month of August off from heavy writing. I did do some editing and wrote my blog posts, but that’s about it in the writing department. Now I’m back in the game and it feels great.

I’m going to make a really bad analogy, just warning you...

Fall is just around the corner which also brings hockey season, my favorite time of the year, as well as the holidays and NaNoWrimo. I have the same excitement right now for my current WIPs as I do for the new hockey season. Here is how I’m going to spin this to compare hockey to writing…again, stick with me.

When I sit down to write each day, I don’t know what is around the corner, even if I have an outline or synopsis written. I always make sure to let the story flow and the characters to lead me down the right path. I personally think that if you try and stick with your outline/synopsis to the letter, your work can come out feeling stagnant and lifeless. So may not agree, but for me I never know exactly what my characters will say or do until I’m in the scene and literally writing their next moves. Writing a book is like an 82 game season of hockey, you have to take each game or chapter as it comes and not think about the daunting task of writing the whole book. Editing, you can compare to the playoffs. You get to see your hard work polished. If my “team” or the cast of characters in the stories take it all the way to the finals and Lord Stanley’s Cup, writing ‘The End’. Will I finish telling their story? Will it end in victory with an agent or a book deal? I guess I’ll never know unless I dive in and play each game, or in this case write each chapter the best I can. Not knowing how it will end (and maybe you DO know how your story will end, but can never predict how far or successful that book will become) is always the fun of it.

I hope that my favorite hockey team, the LA Kings will make the playoffs this upcoming season, but I won't know until they hit the ice and play the grueling 82 games. Maybe if I time it right, I can see them go all the way as I type my final words, The End.

My Name is Tami and I'm Addicted to Buying Books

Just like a lot of you I'm sure, I have a huge list of TBR books at home. Buying books is my addiction. I feel like I have to run out and buy the ones I'm most excited about the first day they come out, even if it will sit on my shelf and wait to be read. I feel like I should be in some AA-type group for my problem, but there are definitely worse addictions in this world!

Anyway, I have a few books that I can't wait to dive into. If only I could find a job where I would get paid to read all day! Wouldn't that be awesome!? I thought I would share a few that are staring at me every day when I walk into my office at home saying, "READ ME!"



Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

If you haven't read the first book in this amazing series, please stop reading this post and go to your local indie store and purchase The Hunger Games. You will not regret it. I think it was one of my top three books I read last year and I'm sure Catching Fire won't disappoint. Released yesterday (Sept 1), Catching Fire is probably one of the most anticipated books in the YA world to come out in 2009. Being the way I am, I went out at lunch time and bought it right away. The difference between this book and many others, it will never see my TBR list. I started it last night. :)

A little off topic, but I thought I would share a funny story. When I went into the store to purchase this book, I practically skipped to the counter to be rung up. The employee looked at the cover and said "That's a nice cover...Catching Fire." So of course, I couldn't help myself and went into how much I loved the first one, etc. She goes, "Yeah, the cover reminds me of you." I didn't know what she meant, and I'm sure my face showed my confusion. Then she did this weird thing with her hands and said, "You know, like, it reminds me of you." Again with the confused look from me. Then finally it was time to leave, with book in hand I said my parting words, "Umm, thanks I think." WHAT DID SHE MEAN? So bizarre.


Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

When I bought this book last Tuesday, I was amazed at the cover. From the picture online, it looks a lot like the other Ellen Hopkins books but to me didn't have the appeal, but boy was I wrong. It's stunning in person.

About two months ago, I decided to give Ellen Hopkins' books a chance. I had shied away from them since I started reading YA because of the way her books are told, in literary prose. I thought I would have trouble sinking into the story, but again I was wrong. From the moment I opened the first book I read of hers, Crank, I was mesmerized and read it in one sitting. I couldn't get enough and bought Glass the very next day. Since then I've read Burned and can't wait to get Impulse, Identical and of course, now Tricks. Each story is captivating and my only complaint is that the stories have to end. I love all her characters and the fact that there isn't a topic she won't dive into. I may have to wait and read Tricks, only because I will be sad to see it not sitting on my TBR pile.


Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Just like the other two books I can't wait to read, I bought Rampant the first day it came out. I've been waiting for this book since I heard the premise. What's not to like about killer unicorns and a unicorn hunter? It takes a new spin on how we think of unicorns and it's nice to have a new mystical creature on the scene (not that I don't like fairies, zombies, vampires, etc.)

I have read all of Diana Peterfreund's books and if Rampant is as good as those, I can't wait. It will be a big fight between Tricks and this book for which to read after I finish Catching Fire.



What are a few books on your TBR list that you can't wait to jump into?

Long Way From Home….or is it?

A little over a year ago I put down my guitar, took up my pen and devoted myself to the goal of becoming an author. No more long rehearsal hours with the band after working at my full time job, no more saving for bigger and better gear, no fighting with venues to cut us the cheque – no fighting amongst ourselves.

I also stopped giving guitar lessons and recording songs for other musician friends. In a very short time I’d severed all ties to the life I’d been living since high school. Gear hauling. Setup. Tear down. Sound check. These words were removed from my vocabulary. I was no longer a working musician hosting open mics, playing funky coffee shops, pubs and small folk music festivals. I’d heard the call of another – writing fiction – and if I was going to be any good at it, fitting it into my already hectic schedule wasn’t an option. Something had to give.

Music and me were through. In order to write novels, instead of tunes, I had to completely alter my mindset. Quit music cold turkey. Ditch the rhyming dictionary and mode charts, sell the extra gear and keep only my “babies” – my Thunderbird bass, my Dot Studio guitar. It was time to let my calluses fade. I’d become just another music fan instead of a musician/singer/songwriter.

Or so I thought.

After months of telling myself (whenever I’d sit at the piano or pick up a guitar) - that’s not me anymore, I’m a writer now – I finally realized that music will always be with me. I love words, I love music. Even when I write I have tunage blaring. I may not commit to being in a band again, but I’ve been writing songs here and there, recording bed tracks and melodies. I’m finding a balance between my two loves.

I look back at this “home video” video we did for my last band, Rustic Charm – the tune is called “Long Way From Home” – and I can celebrate the time I had collaborating with my band members, my friends. The video is simple…it shows us in all our average glory. I came up with the idea, borrowed a camera and basically documented an average day for us. It’s a tribute to the dog days of band life:



I have different sorts of collaborative friendships now – with crit partners, my editor and publisher. It may not be face-to-face, but we email, Skype and chat. They get my jokes and yet can reel me in when I step over the line (which is more often than naught). We talk like my characters are the kids next door. I sit out on the deck, just Dot and me. I strum a few chords – hmmm….might be a new tune brewing. Life is good.

Here’s to charging after your dreams – the more, the merrier.

Last Call for 2k10 Members

My debut YA novel, Under My Skin (under my pen name Judith Graves) has a tentative release month! March 2010. Wowza. Things are gonna get hectic around here.

But thankfully, I'm not in it alone. I have my very good friend and most awesome critique partner, Tami. And my writer buddy/partner in crime/fellow Wolfy Chicks blogger, Kitty Keswick (Kitty's debut novel, Freaksville, will be released in January 2010). What would I do without my girls??!

Kitty and I are both very excited to be a part of the Class of 2010. If you are not familiar with the program, a new group of debut YA and MG authors is formed each year and they pool their resources to promote each other’s titles.

We’re in the process of developing our website, logo and marketing goodies. We’ve selected our theme and are working hard to organize speaking engagements, attendance at conferences, as well as virtual author visits to schools and public libraries.

It’s fantastic to have 20 or so other authors to share the joys and freakouts of promoting your first book. I’m looking forward to all the wonderful opportunities ahead for the Class of 2k10. If you’re a debut YA or MG author, I encourage you to check us out. We are about to close our doors to member applications…here’s our official last call:

Last Call for 2K10 membership…

The class of 2K10 is a group of first-time middle grade and young adult authors.The group was first founded in 2007 and has seen great success. We've come together to help promote each other's books through a group website, blog, newsletter, author chats and much more. Our debut authors hail from both the United States and Canada and write a variety of genres for middle grade and young adults.

If you are interested in joining the group, please contact Janet Fox at Janet Fox jfoxtx@aol.com. To join 2K10 this must be your debut novel in YA or MG, you must be published in the USA with a release date of 2010. Your publisher must be listed in CWIM or CBC. You must be willing to pay the dues of $275.00 and spend a minimn of 10-15 hours a month on group projects. All applications must be in no later than October 1st 2009. We look forward to you joining our class.

Don't forget to drop by the current class and check out their awesome titles: The Class of 2k9

Going Back in Time...in Style

This post isn’t about writing, but this time of year always makes me wish I was a teen again. Back to school time, though dreaded when I actually had to go back to school, brings back good and bad memories. I miss school supply shopping (okay, I still go to Target or Staples and stock up on pens, notebooks and Post-its because I can’t resist. Have you seen those awesome pencil books that are made from recycled plastic??? I WANT ONE!) and clothes shopping. I’ve been out of high school now for twelve years (wow, time flies) and as an adult I really don’t have anything in my life that is an excuse to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a new wardrobe. I wish! I used to love to see the new fashion and pick out what I was going to wear the first day. Growing up in Southern California, the only problem was most of my school clothes were for winter- sweaters, pants, jackets- and it was still 90-100 degrees. So either you sucked it up, sweated through your day and worn the new stuff, or went with an outfit everyone had seen during summer. What a dilemma!

It was always exciting to see who grew taller, who hit puberty and who went from not interesting to hottie. You know the girl/guy I’m talking about. The one who you never looked at and then when he/she walked into the room on the first day of school you were like “Wow, who’s the new guy/girl?” only to realize it was just the guy/girl you barely knew existed the year before. Now, I’m not saying this like I was Miss Popular, I was anything but. Everyone, no matter what group you were a part of always had that one “who’s the new person?” moment.

Bringing the post back to what made me think about being a teen (besides everyone starting school) is my recent visits to the dentist. I don’t know how many of you had a retainer or braces when you were a teenager, but I’m sure quite a few of you had or have them now. I had a retainer for quite awhile which was the reason for my beautiful straight teeth until my wisdom teeth showed up on the scene. Unfortunately, my dentist didn’t want to pull them because I started to get my wisdom teeth at an early age (I think I was like 12 when they started to come in). He always said, “When you get older, you’ll have enough room for them. No worries.” Several years later, with my wisdom in place, my nice straight teeth were no longer. My front teeth were pushed out and one in particular stuck out more than the others. To be honest, they really aren’t that bad, but as an adult, it is one of the things that I hate about myself, always aware of my crooked teeth. I’m not sure why it bothers me so much, but teeth are one of the things that I notice the most when meeting someone, probably because I’m so aware of my imperfect smile.

Flash to a few months ago at the dentist. He asked me if I liked my teeth and I told him I wanted them straight but didn’t want to go through the awkwardness of having braces as an adult. I’m already too aware of my mouth/smile, I don’t need to be a metal mouth. I had flashbacks to all of my friends in the 80’s that had the whole contraption with the neck gear and rubber bands. No thank you!

Who knew that orthodontia had come such a long way since the 80’s! I’m now proud to say that I have Invisalign (wow, this sounds like a commercial. I swear they aren’t paying me for this! LOL) and my front teeth will be straight in as little as four months. You can barely tell I’m wearing anything and I can already tell the difference. Despite feeling like a kid again, lisping my way through words that have an s or th in them, I’m so stoked.

I guess this is a post to remind the adults that it’s never too late to fix the little things that drive you nuts, no matter how old you are! Sometimes it’s nice to relive those awkward times even if it’s to remind yourself that it is good to be an adult. As for the teens out there, try to live in the moment. As hard as school is and as mean as kids can be, trust me, you’ll miss those simple days when you get old. You may look back and thank your lucky stars for your straight teeth.

Questions for Aprilynne Pike on YAedge Book Club

Have a question for Aprilynne Pike that you've been dying to ask? She has been kind enough to answer any questions regarding writing, Wings or teen fiction! Just post your question in the comment section here, at the YAedge Book Club by Saturday, August 22, 10am PDT.

While you're at it, don't forget to join in on the Wings discussion! The second set of questions will be posted soon!

Developing Story Arcs for a Series

Like the magnet on the YAedge mirror says “I chose the road less traveled. Now, where the hell am I?” There’s a reason we have that phrase featured front and center on our blog graphic.

I’m not the best plotter. I admit it. I usually wing my first draft and end up tossing half of the book because it wasn’t focused, or buried the real story under fun-to-write, but ultimately useless tangents. Kinda like that sentence…lol…

Keeping this in mind, imagine how I mentally cringed when my writer bud, Kitty Keswick and I decided to write a YA paranormal series together. That’s right, an entire series! The premise and characters ROCK, however, so there was no way I was bailing on the project. But the reality of choreographing the major/minor plotlines, developing characters over multiple books, creating backstory and then planning to leak that information in controlled bits throughout the series – holy, good God! And what’s more, we’re writing separate books, in sequence according to a strict timeline, with some unique characters, but a lot of them appear in all the books.

We had to create character cards for each major and minor character – physical descriptions, likes, dislikes, friends, enemies and throughlines/motives. We HAVE to know each other’s plots/characters as well as if we were watching Buffy season 6, for the millionth time. (Love the Buffy/Spike sex, seriously.)

But wow. Talk about a plotting nightmare.

Then I had a major brainwave. If we have to know our stories like our favourite TV shows, then damn it - we’d plot our series like a TV show. Each book would be an episode, each episode would build to its own resolution, yet still contribute to the overall story arc – leading to el grand finale in the final book.

Okay – that’s awesome. But how do you plot a TV series? I don’t really know how the studio guys do it, but after reading up on screenwriting, storyboards, index cards, beat sheets, etc. I’ve been able to wrap my noggin around the basics – enough at least to figure out a formula for our series.

It goes like this. Establish the different plots, separate them between overall story arc scenes and individual episode scenes – then mesh them together using the Three Act system (Act I – setup, Act II – conflict, Act III – climax).

So each episode, or book, comes down to a formula something like this:

- Plot A: major plot points that have to happen for the overall story arc of the series (30% of book)
- Plot B: major plot points for each episode and its own main characters (70% of book).
- Add a beat sheet of key interactions between characters that cross over from different episodes and key resolutions that must occur to keep the reader satisfied.

NOTE: as we get closer to the end of the series, the percentage of Plot A increases substantially. This keeps the momentum going, driving the story ever onward.

We now have a six book series, in sequence, with a record of how much of the overall story arc to focus on in each book - building the series to its dramatic end. (2 books for Acts I, II and III)

Cool, eh? And I never would have thought of it if it weren’t for the boob tube. ;) Is this close to how studio writers approach plotting out a series? Who knows, but it’s working for us. Now for the fun part – finishing the first drafts for this monster.

Want more information on writing scripts? Check out Script Frenzy (a writing competition, but the site has great tips)