I have discovered there is no substitute for experiencing a setting, up close and personal, before writing about it, particularly if one is writing fiction. Granted, I've sought out some less than common settings — take, for instance, the fine morning I sat in on my first-ever judge's hearing.

____________________________

NOTES in my setting journal:

L-shaped, elevated desk. Cheap, dark, wood paneling. Room size: approx. 15 x 25. Row of high windows. Stained (???) carpeting and padded chairs. Scuffed linoleum floor. Neon lighting (not all working).

BUSY. Many people in/out. Buzz of voices. Side conversations between attorneys/players/government employees.

Judge: cross between silver-haired character from Knot's Landing/Norm from Cheers. Glasses perched low on bulbous nose (drinker?). Black robes w/tennis shoes.

Prosecutor: Female. Short fire hydrant. Dark hair w/shots of silver. UGLY, orange, nubby sweater under black jacket. Black pencil skirt. Black flats. No makeup.

Defense Attorney: Tall, 50-ish. Tan. Mustache. Well-made dark suit. Power tie. Itchy pants? Constantly adjusting himself.

Overheard:
Defense Attorney: "... stuff we have to sign?"
Judge: "Well, 'stuff' is better than sayin' shit, I suppose (laughs)."

Overheard: (mantra said every time someone new came in)
Judge: "Welcome to District Court."
Lawyer: "Morning, Your Honor. Thank you for the salutation."

Best judge's quote: "You can do the right thing all day. If it doesn't look right to other people, well, you know..."

___________

Researching settings online is certainly worth the time and sometimes the only option a writer has. However, experiencing settings, when possible, gives a writer SOOOO much more detail (and juicy quotes) to work with when fleshing out fiction. It can bring a rich description, ripe with all the senses, to the manuscript. It lets the setting really come to life on the page.

WRITING CHALLENGE:

Keep a setting journal with you at all times. When next in one of the below "unusual" settings, jot down what you see, hear, smell, touch, etc. Write a short story using one or more of these settings.

A Baker's Dozen of Interesting Settings
1. Gas station
2. Bar
3. School gym during a sporting event
4. Doctor's office (other other medical professional)
5. Church
6. Park
7. Swim/water area such as a water park, pond, fishing hole, etc.
8. Cafeteria or soup kitchen
9. Coffee shop or cafe
10. Barbershop or hair salon
11. Casino
12. Grocery store
13. Library

Good luck and happy writing!

CRANK: a book review

I picked up "Crank," by Ellen Hopkins, at a used book sale, without bothering to skim the back cover.

As a writer of young adult fiction, I devour that genre almost always. Often, though, I don't read a bestseller until long after it first hits the shelves. I grabbed the dog-eared copy of "Crank," copyright 2004, because I recognized it as a title I'd never gotten around to adding to my collection. A monster of a book (almost 2" thick), it is unusually set in poetry form and actually a very quick read. The story, however, about a "perfect" teenage girl named Kristina, who has stellar grades, a bright future AND a budding methamphetamine drug addiction, leaves the reader thinking and thinking and thinking long after closing the cover.

Exposing the ugly underbelly of today's drug epidemic, "Crank" puts a new face to a very real problem. Cheerleader, brain, lifeguard? The book's true monster, crank, can take hold of anyone. We meet Kristina's other self, "Bree," who is "not quite straight-A," "not quite sanitary," and "not quite sane."

"Crank" made me think.

"Crank" terrified me.

I am a parent of two beautiful, intelligent young women with bright futures, very much like Kristina. I can only hope I have raised them to resist what is out there, apparently so readily available to anyone with the cash and contacts to make it happen. In our stressed out society of super teens trying to be everything to everyone, "Crank" made me understand the appeal of feeling sky high, even if the low that follows is the lowest of lows.

"Crank" is that book we all pray never comes to life in our own homes.

The author, Hopkins, notes that, while the book is fiction, it is loosely based on the very true story of her own daughter.

"The monster (crank) did touch her life, and the lives of her family. My family," says Hopkins. "It is hard to watch someone you love fall so deeply under the spell of a substance that turns him or her into a stranger. Someone you don't even want to know."

IN MY OPINION: "Crank" is a must read for any parent. "Crank" is also a must read for any teenager. Period. If it can prevent even one very bad decision, it was worth the publishing.

Heart wrenching. Real. Scary. Sad. Crank is a monster no one wants to see crawl from under the bed, but "Crank," by Ellen Hopkins, is a book for every bookshelf. Visit www.ellenhopkins.com, for details about her other titles.

#crank #addiction #youngadult #ya #writingnow #amwritingnow #meth #addicted #ellenhopkins #crankthemonster #scbwi #bookreview

Oh, if only I'd known then what I know now (says someone who thought her writing was "perfect" years ago and has since filled up on humble pie and discovered, through personal experience, what NOT to do when submitting fiction).

This post is not meant to beat down on the newbies, but to help those who are in the same boat I was when first seeking representation for my writing. I made a lot of rookie mistakes and am still learning. I've come to realize agents and editors can spot an amateur from page one. Not that rules aren't meant to be broken from time to time, but give your manuscript a fighting chance of passing the newbie sniff test when submitting.

1. Don't overdose on adverbs. Drat that "LY." Your character might "run quickly up the hill," but your reader would be even more interested if your character "sprinted up the hill." Try to eliminate adverbs and, instead, use a more interesting verb. If Beth speaks softly, she could probably whisper just as easily. If Frank dances wildly, Frank gyrates. You get the picture?

2. Don't incorrectly punctuate dialogue. If you're an avid reader, you HAVE to have some idea how to punctuate dialogue, or you haven't been paying attention. If dialogue is NOT punctuated correctly, the reader (agent or editor) will notice. It's a huge neon sign pointing to inexperience. Pick up your favorite novel and analyze how the dialogue is punctuated and copy the format in your own writing OR check my previous posts for demystifying dialogue.

3. Don't get fancy with dialogue tags. A dialogue tag is the "he said" of a quote. It explains who is doing the talking. Although we discussed in #1 how to eliminate adverbs by using more interesting verbs, when it comes to dialogue tags, it's best to keep it simple. He says. She says. He said. She said.

Don't:

"I hate your dress!" yelled Frank.
"Well, you're an awful kisser!" shouted Beth.
Frank begged, "Please cover up that cleavage."
"Fine," Beth retorted, "if you brush your teeth and eat a bag of breath mints."

**Yes, it's fun to throw in those cool verbs, but they distract from instead of enhance what is being said. The dialogue tag should really just tell who is talking, not upstage what is between the quotation marks.

Do:

"I hate your dress!" said Frank.
"Well, you're an awful kisser!" said Beth.
Frank said, "Please cover up that cleavage."
"Fine," Beth said, "if you brush your teeth and eat a bag of breath mints."

4. Don't provide the extras. Until you have a publishing deal in place, do NOT include a dedication page, cover art, decorative fonts, etc. It practically broadcasts you are a newbie. One exception might be the inclusion of a map of the setting if, and only if, it is really necessary to understand the story. Even then, I don't recommend providing one until an agent or editor asks for a full manuscript.

5. Don't overdose on character description. You want your reader to know what your character looks like, but too much detail will slow down the manuscript and give readers no chance to form their own personal, mental picture. Allow readers to fill in a few of the blanks. Sure, if your main character has a very specific characteristic that adds value to that character or is important to the story line, by all means, include it. A full description from head to toe, upon introducing said character, is unnecessary.

6. Don't randomly jump from one point of view to another. Called "head hopping," jumping from one point of view to another is frowned upon, unless it is VERY well done and clear to the reader who is doing the thinking. For instance, a classic example of varying points of view would be the very popular "Game of Thrones" series, in which each chapter is from a different point of view. Fortunately, the author makes it very easy on the reader by using the name of the character as each chapter's header.

7. Don't neglect to proofread ... thoroughly. Many new writers think it is an agent's or editor's job to "sweat the details." Realistically, agents and editors receive hundreds of submissions each month. Don't give them a reason to reject your manuscript. It should be as clean as possible and free from errors. If you are a writer who doesn't have strong proofreading skills, consider paying someone who DOES, before you start submitting to agents or editors.

Good luck and welcome to the party, newbie!

With fall writers conference "season" just around the corner, I thought I'd touch on how to get the most out of attending what I consider to be one of the most expensive but beneficial investments in the craft of writing.

1. Don't wait to sign up. Take advantage of the early bird rate on conference registration, group rates on hotel rooms, early airfare, etc. Over the course of a three-day event, a writer can easily drop $500-1000 (or more). Save a few bucks and plan ahead.

2. Buy a membership. If you aren't already a member of the organization sponsoring the event, consider buying a yearly membership. Not only will you get a member discount rate on your conference registration, being a member of a nationally respected writing organization, such as Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, will look good on a query letter making it across an agent's desk. Additionally, such organizations can provide a wealth of smaller, less expensive (and sometimes free) networking, critiquing, and "honing your craft" opportunities throughout the rest of the year.

3. Have your work critiqued ... if you think it is ready. Most conferences provide a critique opportunity of some type, whether with other writers in a round-table critique session or one-on-one with an agent or editor. A critique can provide your polished work with that extra editorial eye prior to sending it out to agents and editors. Since most critiques require the writer to provide the first 5 - 10 pages of his or her work, the agent/editor critique is also a great chance to get that manuscript in front of a professional, when a query letter sent "cold" may not prompt a request for materials. I have had agents in a round table critique session pull me aside after and request my full manuscript. Didn't ultimately lead to a publishing deal, but it did get me one step closer and provided me with invaluable feedback.

4. DON'T have your work critiqued ... if it or YOU are not ready. Don't feel pressured to add a critique session to your conference experience if you are just getting started with your writing or feel a live critique, in which you must read your work aloud, would be stressful or a panic moment for you. The very first children's writing conference I attended was a disaster for me because I chose to attend a critique session in the earliest stages of my writing. The editor I was paired with felt I was wasting her time. It was a demoralizing experience. My work wasn't ready. I wasn't ready. And it could easily have been the last time I ever put words on the page. Instead, at the editor's suggestion, I immediately joined a monthly critique group, so I could regularly gain feedback to improve my work as a whole before attempting another session with a seasoned professional. I am a much better writer for having gone through the process, but critiques can be brutal. A thick skin and polished work is a must.

5. Take a buddy. Conferences are always less socially awkward if you have another writing friend along. This can also help reduce your costs of staying in a hotel and/or gas expenses.

6. Meet new people. Whether you end up sitting next to your favorite author at the lunch table or are impressed by an agent during the Q&A session, be sure to step outside your comfort zone and make a personal connection with those writers, agents, and editors you would like to get to know more. Even with hundreds of attendees, conferences are an intimate setting providing networking opportunities for writing professionals. Take advantage of having so many peers all in one place.

7. Take business cards. You don't have to spend a lot for one of the oldest tools in the trade. Business cards, preferably with a picture of your fabulous mug, can be purchased online for cheap (Some sites provide 250 for less than $25. I've usually used Vistaprint with decent results) and automatically make you look like you take yourself seriously as a writer. Throw them at anyone you meet, particularly other writers. I collect them like candy. It has led to coffee and a private critique with a writer just down the street, who happens to write what I write. If writers give you their business cards, be sure to send them a (not too creepy) follow up email after the conference, noting it was nice to meet them. Writers are some of the most helpful peers I've ever met. When we can help each other, we do. Making such connections can make the difference between getting published and not getting published.

8. DON'T accost an agent or editor in the bathroom. Shoving your 300-page manuscript under the bathroom stall door and giving an elevator pitch on the spot, although a great satirical cartoon in my mind, is frowned upon. Although agents and editors are attending conferences to find their next bestseller, respect their personal space. I had a friend do the bathroom sell once. She did eventually get a publishing deal, but only after she marketed her manuscripts the traditional way ... via email after querying and having an agent request her work.

Good luck and happy conferencing!