Completely random EiC picture.

Today's writing exercise is a short questionnaire, because I'm curious and want to pry:

1. What's the conflict in your story (you get 20 words!)?

2. Where does your story take place?

3. When is your favorite time of day to write?

4. Who do you imagine as acting your main character?

5. Why #4?

6. How did you choose your main character's name?

A little geekery with old games

Okay, so I like video games.

Also, I'm not rich, and what money I don't spend on paying off student loans, usually doesn't go towards upgrading to the best and brightest game systems.

Which is why I'm only just now playing Final Fantasy XII (on the PS2 that I bought secondhand from a friend of a friend when he upgraded to a then brand-new PS3... don't judge me; I finished both Kingdom Hearts on it first, and played Twilight Princess on the Gamecube in between now and then. Also replayed Chrono Cross and FFVII.)

But I have to admire the game, and not just for its gorgeous graphics, but for doing something that authors struggle with - creating a world so immersive and consistent that it draws you in and never lets you out.

Okay, so I don't have a team of designers behind me to double-check my work and make sure nothing goes against a previously stated principle. I don't have beta-testers to make sure my magic works (although why not?)

But I do have the ability to create a world from the inside out. Its rules are whatever I decide. Its people dress, act, and eat like I want them to. And as long as I remember that they're still people at the core, readers will still be able to connect to them.

FFXII? A princess seeks revenge for her conquered country and murdered father and husband, and then finds that revenge gets in the way of her people's well-being. She struggles with the desire to fight, reluctantly agrees not to encourage a revolt when she wants it the most, yearns for her dead husband, and starts to question her own sanity.

An orphan tries to find purpose in his life after the murder of his brother, trying to escape the relentless anger that pursues him and falling prey to ennui, resorting to thievery as the only revenge he can survive taking. He latches on to the first distraction that comes through, and finds himself swept away in an adventure much bigger than he can handle. But he goes along anyway, because maybe if he's in a purpose so large, he'll be able to find his own. If it doesn't kill him first, that is.

People ride giant birds and cast spells. They wear strange clothes and wield swords larger than themselves. Armies fight in airships, and islands float in the sky. And at the end of it all-

The characters act like people, and so the player can buy into the world and find them believable.

What video games have the best characterization? What makes the characters believable?

Publishing Industry News

Publishing news and helpful industry blogs for the past two weeks, compiled for your convenience! This post covers 7/28-8/10.

Industry News

HarperCollins combines Thomas Nelson and Zondervan into a new, single Christian publishing division.

Theoretically, if the Author's Guild wins against Google in the Google Books Scanning case, Google could pay as much as $1 billion. That's based on the estimate that each count of copyright infringement would come with a minimum $750 fine, and the estimate that of the 20 million books scanned, 4 million of them were still under US copyright. Of course, that assumes all the copyright holders come forth with proof of copyright. This release comes as the parties prepare to go to trial in the fall of 2012.

On the DOJ vs. Bix Publishers, the DOJ files the settlement agreement with the 3 publishers (HarperCollins, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster) who have agreed to settle and asks the judge to approve them.

Want to link to all the major retailers at once from your website to sell your book? Check out this widget! (Yes, now there's an app for that.)

Tired of booksignings given to empty rooms? Now there's a program for that, too! Togather lets fans invite authors of interest, and when enough fans reserve seats, the author knows to come. Supposedly, this guarantees a full house.

Amazon offers a textbook rental program. Saving students money? Always cool! This move can save students hundreds of dollars each semester. The textbooks are still half the price of the originals for keeping them for only 6 months,but since that's as long as students usually keep them anyway, can't say it's lost value in most cases. Unless it's one of those textbooks you just like and want to keep on your shelf, in which case, maybe the money you saved on the last three you rented and returned will let you buy a new one for keeps.

And Smashwords adds a couple of new features, including the Pricing Manager that allows users to set their prices from the dashboard, and a features that allows libraries to buy in bulk the Smashwords books (called Library Direct).

Industry Blogs

QueryTracker's Publishing Pulse for 8/3 and 8/10.

Nathan Bransford's This Week in Books for 8/3.

Rachelle Gardner posts "The Top Ten Query Mistakes" (a reblog from 2010 that still apparently holds true.) She also reposts "Are you a rookie or a professional?" Hint: if you submit something incorrectly or refuse to make edits, the industry will probably see you as a rookie.

Feel like you're not connecting with your audience? You might not be. When you're blogging, are you really aiming for your target audience? Know who your audience is, and address them.

You know that inevitable moment when the novel has been written, polished, and repolished, and the queries have been sent, and the synopses are exactly as you want them? What next? Stop waiting and start writing book two. Blog. Take writers' classes. As QueryTracker reminds us, an author's work is never done! And when you get that rejection, look twice to make sure it's not a form rejection before following its advice. No use beefing up perfectly good characterization just because that's the standard response from that agent.
Also at QueryTracker, Arthur Plotnik tackles the question "how long should it be?" in regards to what the standard word lengths are for various forms of fiction, from short stories to novellas to novels. Published novels tend to run from 80,000 to 200,000 (depending on genre); the standard short story is around 2000-3000 words.

Shannon Donnelly gives us advice on how to alter your pacing. What are ways you can speed it up? Short sentences, conflict. Slow it down? Lyrical prose and backstory.

If memoir's your thing, you may want to check out Janet Reid's post on queries for memoirs: write them in first person! Your memoir should be completed before submission, and generally sold much like fiction, but unless you've taken to referring to yourself in third person, don't do it in your query.

And on her "Friday night at the question emporium," she answers a question about revising/resubmitting: an agent asks for a revision and resubmission, but passes. Does one resubmit to other agents, noting that the revisions were those suggested by Agent A? Resubmitting is fine, but pretend the revisions were your own idea.

On NovelRocket, a previous slushpile reader discusses what made her pass on a manuscript instead of sending it on for further evaluation. If the reader can't fall in love with your characters, or if the conflict doesn't appear in the beginning and last until the last page, it's time to edit.

Mette Ivie Harrison makes an intriguing list of the different types of plot, complete with drawings to illustrate each. (You know, the slow build to the climax, then the denoument... or the multiple climaxes leading up to a big one... or the plot that is so assorted you have to try to figure it out, like the first season of Lost...)

Published? Check your contract for the agent-clause. Does it give your agent part ownership of your book? Some do. Make sure you read the contract, and think about whether the agent-clause would be a deal-breaker for you in the terms it's written. Most writers sign it, but for Kristine Rusch, it was a deal-breaker.


What publishing news have you encountered over the past two weeks?

Wednesday Writing Exercise

Write an employee review for one of your characters.

Example:

Employee: Trax
Position: Recently recruited operative. Formerly rock star.
Review:
Possesses standard amount of common sense. However, possesses more than standard amount of enthusiasm, especially when given coffee or sugar. Enthusiasm occasionally exceeds ability of common sense to contain it.
Brilliant at writing songs and solving problems creatively. Does not, however, seem to understand concept of rank. Suggest keeping in "think tank" or as face of agency. Excellent for PR. Will be insubordinate on any case that requires endangering civilians or family.
Do not suggest allowing on unstructured missions. Barely trained; loose cannon in desperate situations. 

10 Tips for Life Learned from Buying Flowers

10 things to learn about life from choosing bouquets of flowers:

1. Choose flowers according to when you'll need them.

Use the language appropriate to your setting. Don't talk to your boss like you'd talk to your friends, and don't talk to your friends like you'd talk to a second-grader. The same goes for clothing (don't dress for the club when you're going to church), your writing (don't tweet an e-mail to your boss), and pretty much every day-to-day situation.

2. Choose flowers that are still closed. They will probably not look as pretty as those that are open.

Plan ahead. Also, sometimes the best option doesn't look like the most appealing option. Taking a job with a lower starting salary may give you better long-term pay if it has more room for advancement, or it might just have a better work environment. 

3. Expect to find dead bits inside the bouquet.

Nothing in life is perfect. Just because you argue, doesn't mean you're not really in love; just because the house has stains in the carpet, doesn't mean it isn't your dream home. But don't buy mostly dead bouquets, either.

 4. It really helps to know your flowers before you buy.

Do your research. Snazzy, brand-new company that just needs investors? Check out their business plan before handing over the cash. Trying to publish a novel? Look up the name of the publisher before signing any contracts and find out if they're reputable or not.

5. Purchase mixes that include greenery and at least one type of filler flower.

Make the extra effort to present a polished product when you're trying to sell something. It's much easier to sell a product than an idea. Likewise, put that extra edit on the novel before submitting it to agents.

6. Keep the color scheme simple.

When explaining something, keep it simple. Don't get off track. Don't confuse your audience. Know what they want, know where they are, and figure out the shortest way to go from point A to point B. You can tell them about scenic route later, after they know the basics.

7. Think about where you'll put the flowers.

Always know your audience, whether it's writing e-mails, teaching math, selling something, or writing a novel. Use terms that your audience can understand and identify with. Know their purpose for tuning in. If they want to be entertained, entertain them. If they want just the facts, they'll be annoyed if you try to dazzle them with rhetoric and wit instead of giving them the facts.

8. Flowers don't last as long without maintenance.

Neither do relationships, homes, or cars.

9. For roses, it's not what's on the outside that counts.

Strangely enough, same with people. Look for the people who believe in you and care about you for yourself, who will help you when you need help and who will stand back when you need to do it yourself. 

10. Rushing things causes problems.

Do it right the first time, even if it takes longer.

What other lessons can you learn from buying flowers?

10 Tips for Buying Flowers

10 things I've learned about choosing bouquets of flowers:

1. Choose flowers according to when you'll need them.

Don't mix tulips and lilies if you plan on having your arrangement observed tomorrow, too.  If you only want your flowers for tomorrow's dinner party, tulips and gerberas are bright and gorgeous. This is what you get to impress your guests. Roses, and gerbera daisies all have short lifespans; don't plan on keeping them around for more than two or three days before needing to rearrange. If you want something long-lasting to cheer up your kitchen, go with flowers such as lilies and fuji mums, which both have longer lifespans. Purchase lilies earlier to give them time to open.

2. Choose flowers that are still closed. They will probably not look as pretty as those that are open.

Lilies? Boring until they open. Alstromeria? Positively hideous. Many flowers are less than spectacular before they're fully open, but purchase the bouquet with fewer open flowers, because it will last longer, and you will get to enjoy the flowers for their entire peak beauty, instead of allowing them to waste part of their best look on sales room floor. The open flowers are older, and will therefore die sooner.

3. Expect to find dead bits inside the bouquet.

Bouquets come tightly packed. When you unwrap them, the pressure on the stems has probably killed some of the leaves, and maybe even one or two of the flowers. On stems with multiple flowers (such as alstromeria), I usually expect to have to remove one or two dead blossoms. The bouquet will still look nice when the flowers are arranged. Remove the dead parts, clipping close to the main stem so you leave as little evidence as possible, and put into your arrangement accordingly.

 4. It really helps to know your flowers before you buy.

Tulips keep growing after they're cut. Not all roses open. Lilies will need tons of space when they do open, because they're large. Delphinium doesn't last long, but it's vibrant and beautiful while it does. Sunflowers need lots of water and start to stink if the water isn't changed frequently. Hydrangeas are gorgeous but prone to sudden wilting, and gerbera daisies often require props to keep their heads up.

5. Purchase mixes that include greenery and at least one type of filler flower (like baby's breath or caspia.)

Not only do filler flowers help the focal flowers (the large, main flowers) stay in place, but they also make the bouquet look more complete when arranged. Adding at least a leaf or two of greenery also completes the arrangement, and adds a surprisingly dramatic touch.

6. Keep the color scheme simple.

Two or three contrasting colors with lots of green in a large bouquet looks more elegant than a brightly colored assortment when arranged in a vase. Brightly colored assortments look good wrapped, or with lots of white filler flower or greenery, but a matching color scheme is more cohesive. Choose a main color, and then add one or two colors that look good with it.

7. Think about where you'll put the flowers.

For a bright room with lots of light, go with bold colors: reds, yellows, purples, anything bright and cheerful. For a dark room that gets less light, go with pastels and white flowers to bring the illusion of light into the room.

8. Flowers don't last as long without maintenance.

You'll have to change the water, clip the stems to keep the drinking surfaces fresh, and occasionally rearrange to get the most out of your arrangement. 

9. For roses, it's not what's on the outside that counts.

The outer-most petals, called the "guard petals," are often unattractive, but they can be removed. Ignore them when purchasing roses and look at the inner flower for damage, instead. Then take off the guard petals before giving or arranging. The most beautiful roses always seem to have the worst-looking guard petals.

10. Rushing things causes problems.

Pulling lilies open too soon will damage the petals and leave ugly-looking wilt along the edges. Flowers open on their own time, and trying to rush them rarely turns out well. If they do need to open more quickly, put them in warm water. But expect them to die more quickly, too.

What is your #1 tip for purchasing flowers?

Wednesday Writing Exercise: The Hidden Arts

Don't think I won't.

Back in another era, I won't tell you how long ago (and those who know, reveal at their own risk. That's right, bows and ribbons when you're not looking; don't think I won't do it), I student taught. I used to think that it was best not to have a personality, and that "teacher" was all my students should ever know about me. The idea was that they would respect a "teacher" but not a person.

This was a horrific failure of an idea.

But as I drove an hour down a mountain at oh-dark-thirty, I'd take out a camera and snap a picture of the rising sun. As the semester went by, the time the sun rose would change, so I'd have different settings of whirly headlights and steam rising off mountain streams. It was my hidden art, the beauty I spared myself that no one knew about.

Do your characters have a hidden art? What kind of art suits them best? How do they indulge, and where do they keep their art? Who knows about it?