FAQ - Do You Outline?

Q: Do you make a detailed outline before you begin to write a novel?

A: I'm often asked this and up till now my answer as been "No, I send my editor a few pages indicating a bit about characters and plot -- what's the main problem, what are the conflicts, what are some high points, and what's the resolution."

But things have changed. The novel I want to write next isn't about Elizabeth Goodweather nor is it a spin-off like The Day of Small Things.  It's still in the mountains, still in mythical Marshall County.  But it's a whole new cast of characters and not really a mystery.

And since I'm not a best-selling author, getting a new contract isn't a foregone conclusion. It's not my editor's decision alone. The new novel basically has to be pitched to a group of people - including marketing -- who will be asking one question. And that question isn't Is this novel going to be a well-written book? 

No, the question is Will this book sell a lot of copies?   Because, like it or not, publishing is a business.

So I've been directed to write a really detailed proposal -- almost a chapter by chapter synopsis.  I make a start -- and I find I'm writing the book rather than a synopsis. Arrgh!

Which is why I'm giving the Snowflake Method a try.  Back in the fall, one of the students in my writing class told us about this way of working out a plot and I was intrigued. (I'm not going to try to paraphrase it here -- check the link if you're interested.)  Now I'm working through it, trying to come up with a dynamite proposal.


It takes time -- but I'm hopeful that the hours spent on this meticulous outline will save days when it comes to writing and I won't be up in my workroom in the wee hours of the morning, trying to figure out what should happen next.

5 Ways to Bust Writer's Block - Stat

Confession time.
We all get writer's block at some point or another.
Some of us more than others.

Here are 5 quick ideas to bust writer's block.

1. Grab a photo - Use a childhood photo that prompts a memory or just go online and grab a free photo from Flickr Creative Commons or Wikimedia Commons.  Choose one that speaks to you and makes you want to say something about it. You can also go out with your own camera and snap shots.  There's nothing like a great photo to build a blog post around.

2. Read the newspaper - Often there are headlines and stories buried in the back of the paper that will make you want to share them, or inspire you to argue about something. You can find more newspapers online these days.  Real news is often crazier than fiction, you'll find.   And you'll be amazed at what you stumble across.

3. Eavesdrop at a coffee shop - This is a fun exercise.  Grab your journal and a pen...and sit near others.  You'll find lovers meeting, business being conducted, families sharing, etc.  Copy their conversations and then change it into something you can share...never use real names or identifying markers, but it's a great way to get words flowing to paper. Share a conversation with someone you had yourself or interview someone.

4. Read your TV Guide - There are a million TV shows on these days.  Read over their themes or synopses for the week.  This will spark exasperation or excitement. 

5. Read other blogs - Don't copy someone exactly, but reading what others have to write often jumpstarts my creativity. Reminds me of something I wanted to share or an idea I could write about from my perspective. It never hurts to give credit to that blogger for sparking your creativity either. A quick mention and a link isn't going to hurt you, and who knows, they may do the same for you one day.

Have you tried any of these methods?

Do you have any tried and true methods of busting writer's block that work for you?

Do share!

Time to Get My House in Order...

Okay, that's not actually my house. It's one I saw deep in the wilds of Alabama and it reminded me of what can happen when one accumulates too much stuff -- an event horizon that our house is rapidly approaching, especially in my workroom and my closet...

I've taken twenty or so boxes of books off to our library and how good that felt! -- but I couldn't resist bringing home two boxes of books that my friend who's moving offered to me. 

I tell myself, as I've told myself before, every time I leave the  house, I should take a box or two of 'stuff' -- to the dumpsters or the Goodwill. 

But which stuff? I have a massive fabric collection --I hardly ever make a quilt anymore but  I might take a notion...

My painting supplies, including a giant easel, take up a lot of space in my workroom and I haven't touched a brush in five or six years. But am I ready to say never on that particular avocation?

I won't even mention the gourds...

The Art of Lotte Reiniger parte 1

Tattoo lovely-ness!!!

A few more tattoo pictures that I love.

Irezumi

Irezumi (入れ墨, 入墨, 紋身, 刺花, 剳青, 黥 or 刺青) is a Japanese word that refers to the insertion of ink under the skin to leave a permanent, usually decorative mark; a form of tattooing.
The word can be written in several ways, each with slightly different connotations. The most common way of writing irezumi is with the Chinese characters 入れ墨 or 入墨, literally meaning to "insert ink". The characters 紋身 (also pronounced bunshin) suggest "decorating the body". 剳青 is more esoteric, being written with the characters for "stay" or "remain" and "blue" or "green", and probably refers to the appearance of the main shading ink under the skin. 黥 (meaning "tattooing") is rarely used, and the characters 刺青 combine the meanings "pierce", "stab", or "prick", and "blue" or "green", referring to the traditionalJapanese method of tattooing by hand.

Tattooing for spiritual and decorative purposes in Japan is thought to extend back to at least the Jōmon or paleolithic period (approximately 10,000 BC). Some scholars have suggested that the distinctive cord-marked patterns observed on the faces and bodies of figures dated to that period represent tattoos, but this claim is by no means unanimous. There are similarities,however, between such markings and the tattoo traditions observed in other contemporaneous cultures.
In the following Yayoi period (c. 300 BC–300 AD) tattoo designs were observed and remarked upon by Chinese visitors. Such designs were thought to have spiritual significance as well as functioning as a status symbol.
Starting in the Kofun period (300–600 AD) tattoos began to assume negative connotations. Instead of being used for ritual orstatus purposes, tattooed marks began to be placed on criminals as a punishment (this was mirrored in ancient Rome, whereslaves were known to have been tattooed with mottoes such as "I am a slave who has run away from his master").

Until the Edo period (1600–1868 AD) the role of tattoos in Japanese society fluctuated. Tattooed marks were still used as punishment, but minor fads for decorative tattoos—some featuring designs that would be completed only when lovers' hands were joined—also came and went. It was in the Edo period, however, that Japanese decorative tattooing began to develop into the advanced art form it is known as today.
The impetus for the development of the art were the development of the art of woodblock printing and the release of the popular Chinese novel Suikoden, a tale of rebel courage and manly bravery illustrated with lavish woodblock prints showing men in heroic scenes, their bodies decorated with dragons and other mythical beasts, flowers, ferocious tigers and religious images. The novel was an immediate success, and demand for the type of tattoos seen in its illustrations was simultaneous.Woodblock artists began tattooing.[citation needed] They used many of the same tools for imprinting designs in human flesh as they did to create their woodblock prints, including chisels, gouges and, most importantly, unique ink known as Nara ink, or
Nara black, the ink that famously turns blue-green under the skin.
There is academic debate over who wore these elaborate tattoos. Some scholars say that it was the lower classes who wore—and flaunted—such tattoos. Others claim that wealthy merchants, barred by law from flaunting their wealth, wore expensive irezumi under their clothes. It is known for certain that irezumi became associated with firemen, dashing figures of bravery and roguish sex-appeal who wore them as a form of spiritual protection (and, no doubt, for their beauty as well).

At the beginning of the Meiji period the Japanese government, wanting to protect its image and make a good impression on the West, outlawed tattoos, and irezumi took on connotations of criminality. Nevertheless, fascinated foreigners went to Japan seeking the skills of tattoo artists, and traditional tattooing continued underground.
Tattooing was legalized by the occupation forces in 1945, but has retained its image of criminality. For many years, traditional Japanese tattoos were associated with the yakuza, Japan's notorious mafia, and manybusinesses in Japan (such as public baths, fitness centers and hot springs) still ban customers with tattoos. (From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irezumi)

The French Eye

I ran across the prettiest blog today while looking for unusual bird cages. It's called The French Eye. Such beautiful posts take a look.

Simple Sunday

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

This lovely tune is from the Shakers -- an odd religious sect that created some beautiful furniture, ingenious inventions, including a flat broom, and brought a welcome new aesthetic to America. They're well worth learning more about.

 

More of John Galliano prettiness!!!

John Galliano 1997 for Christian Dior

I have just had an epiphany! I have about eight fashion pictures that I have loved FOREVER. Each time I have switched computer those images have been transfer as well. They are just some of my favorite outfits on the planet. The mixture of 20's and 50's fashion sense mixed with a Chinese and African accessories just steals my heart. Well in researching one of the pictures I just realised that they are all from the same designer, John Galliano, andpretty much from the same show. January 1997 Christian Dior. They all are all so different looking, it amazes me. I wish I had every one of them.

They don't sign autographs; The Rabbits STAR in their first Video

My first attempt at a YouTube video.

I have a lot to learn, but here are the rabbits in action. 

They do weird sideways hops

and blur into high-speed action occasionally. 

They're strange.

Let me know what you think.

Should I try to make more videos? 

I'll work on my technique.

I was inspired by my nephew appearing in a Fred video.

Always Use a Bag - Repost

I'm fascinated by the beauty of many natural things -- old bones, shells, rocks -- and shed snakeskins. It's amazing to me how a six foot plus blacksnake can slip out of his old skin so neatly, leaving behind a perfect ghostly image of himself down to the lenses that covered his eyes.

There's been ample opportunity to study these shed skins -- we have one blacksnake who leaves a skin in our greenhouse several times a year while others twine their discarded finery into the crevices of our rock walls.

Blacksnakes are mostly welcome around our place -- they eat rats and mice and are said to deter copperheads. Unfortunately, they also eat baby birds and on occasion, one has taken up residence in our chicken house, swallowing the eggs one after another. When this happens, I try to catch the snake, put him in a bag, and take him for a ride around the mountain to release him in a wooded area.

I didn't always use a bag. It just didn't occur to me. But came the fateful day when I had hold of a great large snake lumpy with just-swallowed eggs. I handed him to my 15 year old son to hold while I drove the truck to the accustomed snake release area a few miles away.

We hadn't even gotten down to our mailbox before the snake began to poop. (Somehow, I'd never considered this possibility.) It was pasty and yellow and smelled (no surprise here) like rotten eggs. Appalled, my son let go of the snake's body but managed to hang on to his neck. "Arrrgh!" my son shouted. "Mum! Look what your snake is doing!"

And now the snake was regurgitating the last egg he'd eaten. I stopped the truck. "Just put him out here," I said, trying to sound really calm.

Easier said than done. My son had control of half of the snake -- the head end. But the tail end had slithered under the truck seat and was firmly wrapped around the jack.

By the time I'd gotten the indignant snake loose, the completely indignant son mollified, and the interior of the truck cleaned out, I'd learned a lesson.

Always use a bag.

 

This is a snake, lumpy with something he's just eaten -- probably mice. and this is a re-post -- there were no comments on its first outing three years ago -- maybe everyone was just grossed out.

Early Bloomers

The hellebores are finally emerging. In a milder winter, they bloom earlier, living up to the name of  Christmas Roses. 

This year we'll have to settle for their other  appellation -- Lenten Roses. But a rose hellebore by any name is a welcome sight.

And the winter jasmine's pale yellow flowers are beginning to twinkle on its bare stems -- brightening even a gray day.

'Real' Books

Flower by Christopher Beane and Anthony Janson is a real knock out! Beane's spectacular and innovative macro photography took my breath away and has me eager for peony season (and a super macro lens . . . maybe someday.)

High on the Hog is a thoughtful and charming look at African-American cooking and its various influences. It's more than that, of course -- a whole social history emerges  in these pages.

The title comes from the custom of slave owners and later employers giving their servants the lesser bits of the pig - tail, ears, feet -- in return for hard labor at pig-killing time. When eventually the ex-slaves could raise their own pork, they could eat chops, and hams, and best of all, tenderloins -- located high on the hog!

Life, Money, and Illusion is a book I heard about somewhere  (NPR?) and was convinced I needed to read. I'll report on it later. But what a great cover!

My Dreams are not always Politically Correct

I don't think I slept well last night,

because I spent all night long running from a knife-wielding midget.

Trust me, that makes for a disturbing night and very stressful sleep.

Guess I have a new stress signal.  

Usually I'm running from tornadoes or snakes.
Or the one time I had a mermaid trying to steal my soul.

What about you?  

Stress indicators in your dreams?

Oh My!

Oh. My. Goodness. Look what the young uns gave me for my birthday on Monday!

I am now, what with the Ipod that came at Christmas,  the most technologically enabled old lady in these parts.

And there was a bouquet of tulips and champagne and a dinner prepared by John and another dinner by Justin and Claui and other lovely pretties -- including some terrific ink and paper books I'll show you tomorrow.

Another birthday -- and unless I plan to live to 136, I'm pretty sure I'm well past middle age. Funny how that happens...