The Best Hobbies for Writers

Many writers enjoy being alone with their computers, typing away new stories, filling the pages with adventure, heartbreak, love, and happy endings. But sometimes we need to crawl out of our holes and enjoy life. We need to be around people. We need to do something.

We need a hobby! (Other than reading, of course!)

So I've compiled a few hobbies with the writer in mind. Who knows, you may be a hobbiest already and don't even know it. 

1. People Watching:  Oh yes. You know you love to watch people. You walk through the mall and find yourself looking at a young couple and wonder what their story is. You see an old man sitting on a bench and wonder what kind of heartache he's known. This kind of people watching is what can stimulate your creative side and get the ball rolling for future plots.

2. Photography - This is not unlike People Watching, but takes it a step further. Put on a disguise and take pictures of people's expressions. Capturing a face filled with wonder will give you something to look at while writing the scene when your heroine sees the hero for the very first time. Catch a couple arguing and you will have just the right gestures to incorporate into a scene where your hero and heroine have a misunderstanding...you know, build the conflict! Photography is a great visual tool for writers.

3. Pinterest - I've just caught the Pinterest bug and think it may be a great way to gather visuals for your book. Pinterest is basically a bookmarking site. When you sign up, you create boards (think of them like cork boards) where you "pin" things that interest you. You download a button onto your toolbar and when you see pictures on the web that interest you, you "pin" the picture onto your board. A writer could collect pictures of houses, bedrooms, cars, and landscaping to help give depth to their description. One could also collect pictures of models or actors to base your characters on. Collect facial expressions, hair color, clothing...the categories are endless. Check it out and see for yourself.

4. Exercising - Yeah, it's not the most fun hobby out there, but we writers need to exercise and shrink our ever-expanding backsides. A great thing about walking is that you can people watch, dream about your WIP, and burn calories at the same time! I recently bought a recumbent bike for the sole purpose of getting exercise while I read. When I get home from work, I grab my Kindle and ride my bike for 30 minutes. I try to read Writing Books during this time and save the great fiction for my bedtime reading. There are ways to make exercise a little bit fun. You just have to find out what works for you.

This is not me on the bike.

5. Book Club - A hobby that all writers do is read. What better way to socialize than to get with other people and talk about books. The perfect hobby.

6. Metal Detecting - Grab a friend, get your metal detector out and go searching for metal. You get the benefit of exercise; you have someone to brainstorm plots with; you might find coins and valuables to fund your writing. (You do know that writers don't make a lot of money, don't you?) 

7. Massage Therapy - I don't know if this really qualifies as a hobby, but I think all writers should take up this activity. A monthly massage would do wonders to ease those aching shoulders and loosen those stiff legs. 

This is just a small compilation of hobbies that would benefit a writer. Well, maybe not number 6 -  that was a bit tongue in cheek.


What would you add to the list?

YA Writing with K. Dawn Byrd

Pepper here, and I am THRILLED to have my last year ACFW roomie, encourager, and friend, K.Dawn Byrd as a guest here today. Here's a pic of me and Dawn last year.

Dawn likes to cover lots of different genre, but her newest (and her current favorite) is Young Adult. What's drawn you into the world of teenagers, Dawn?

Thanks for hosting me today on the Writer's Alley! You asked me to talk about writing young adult fiction. First of all, it's a new genre for me and it's so much fun to write! After writing my debut young adult novel, Mistaken Identity, I was hooked. I love the spark of first love, the magic of a first date, the wonder of a first kiss and the innocence of youth.

 

The biggest challenge for me starting out was to get my voice right. I've always written romantic suspense for adults, which can be pretty dark and serious. I had to tone that down and bring in what was hopefully a more youthful and light-hearted voice. I ran the first chapter by a good friend who is also a published author and when she said the voice was right, I continued on. I've found that it's so important to have a good sounding board when venturing out into unchartered waters.

The teenage years can be so difficult and so full of drama and I wanted to portray this in my story. I added quite a bit of drama in Mistaken Identity by developing a love triangle. Two best friends, one a gorgeous party girl and the other a sweet Christian, fall in love with the same guy. Eden, the Christian, believes he's the perfect guy for her, but feels that she'll lose him because a guy would have to be crazy not to fall for her gorgeous best friend, Lexi. Drama can add tension in just the right places to keep the pages turning.

 Teenagers are smart today and a lot of things compete for their attention. The internet. Their friends. Cheerleading practice. Homework. That's why it's so important to keep the plot moving forward. After all, the goal is to keep the pages turning. When I edited Mistaken Identity, I cut a couple of scenes before turning it in because I thought they slowed down the pacing. If I'm getting bored, I KNOW teenagers will be!

 I enjoy writing for the young adult market so much that I've signed a three-book contract for a mystery/romance series that will debut in January 2012, with two more to follow in June and December. The Zoe Mack Mystery series will be heavier on the romance than the average mystery series because I love romance as much as I love mystery and it's not easy to find a mystery with a strong romance. You can follow my progress on a new blog where I'll give updates from time to time about the series. www.zoe-mack.blogspot.com. And, if you like Christian fiction, authors give away 3-5 books per week on my blog at www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com.    

 In addition, my publisher recently gave me the green light for a sequel to Mistaken Identity. Several readers had written in and asked for more, so in Shattered Identity, I'll be telling Lexi's story. Shattered Identity will release in April 2012. I've already started plotting and am adding lots of drama and consequences for bad decisions. The gorgeous Lexi, seems to never learn from her mistakes and hopefully, her form of drama will keep the pages turning!

Thanks for being with us today, Dawn. I love hearing about your new adventure in the world of YA - and I can't wait to meet Zoe!! It's like Nancy Drew with a twist.

What's Up The Street For Next Week?

I don't know about where you live, but where I live, it's FAIR WEEK!

Which means, there are animals, rodeo, 4H and FFA projects, livestock auctions and SO MUCH MORE going on!

We've got animals judging yesterday and Thursday and the parade today (which I'll be riding in with the rest of the family)-- it's got to be one of my favorite times of the year!

Plus in my small community, it's about the only time of year I get to see a bunch of people I know. ;-)

So while I'm off waving at the 100's turned out to watch the pararde floats and listen to the marching band, here is what is...

Coming Up the Street for YOU!

Monday we welcome guest blogger, K. Dawn Byrd on how she handled her switch from writing adult to YA fiction

Sherrinda is your hostess with the mostest on Tuesday!

Mary brings to us a great post with 7 time Christy Award winning author, Lynn Austin to the blog! Lynn has also promised to stop by to leave comments!

Be who YOU are is the topic of Casey's post on Thursday

Friday, Krista will entertain us!

News Stand

The winner's from last weekend's edition are... Joanne Sher and JourneytoEpiphany!! (Journey I need you to email me at: caseym(dot)writer(at)gmail(dot)com  Thanks!

The preparing-for-a-conference series continues on Pepper's blog all next week. Don't miss it!

What to pack for the ACFW conference

Preparing SPIRITUALLY for the conference

See you next week!! 

**Photo courtesy of grantsburgfair.com
**Photo courtesy of ecoliblog.com
**Photo courtesy of townnews.com

Improve Writing Skills by Reading Books You Love and Books You...Don't

As writers tend to do, I often find myself critiquing books I read. I'll pick up a book, typically in my genre, settle down, and start analyzing from page one. Why isn't this scene starting off faster? What is wrong with this main character? Or on the good end, how does this author always manage to pull me in?

And not only do I critique, I compare. I take my writing skills and compare them to the skills of the author of the book I'm reading. Yeah, so that's not always a great way to improve writing skills (or self-esteem), but it is a great way to learn and grow as a writer.

Here are some big topics I find either make me want to continue reading a book, or make me want to stop.

Opening (Hook)

And opening that grabs me right away is super important. We have so little time these days that I tend to be one of those people that wants to be snatched up by a story and not let go. I don't really enjoy building up to it unless the book turns out to be phenomenal. A strong, catchy opening is a great thing we can take away from a good book.

Dialogue

Not all of us are big fans of dialogue, but it really depends on the genre. Sparse of dull dialogue really makes me want to put down a book. Also, great dialogue is a super way to show instead of tell a characters personality.

Sympathetic Characters

Although I do enjoy unique characters, with characteristics that are different from my own (like a sassy sense of humor or unwavering independence), I like to be able to relate to them somehow. I like to know that they have feelings just like me, even morals just like me.

Character Growth

On the same note, if I'm going to invest myself in a couple hundred or more pages of a book about a character's life, I want to see the change in that character's life. I want to see that they've gone from a challenging spot and overcome it. Or I want to see them grow up to be a strong person. I want to see them get better and grow over time.

Steady Action

Dull or slow parts (particularly the beginning or middle) definitely make me want to put a book down. When the action continues and something new or different is always happening, I'm swept away by the book and hardly notice I've read the entire thing so quickly until I'm done.

Ending

Cliche endings bother me. They make me wonder if investing my time in the whole book was a good idea or make me wonder if I want to read a book by that author again because I expect more. So, keep those endings fresh. Make the reader want to cheer at the end, or make them think and wonder what happened afterward. But make it a believable ending and one that the reader will appreciate.

Even though we enjoy reading books we love, as writers we can still learn a lot by reading books that turn out to be far from our favorites. We can see what doesn't work and make sure to keep that from our own writing.

So, what do you love or dislike about books you read and what makes you want to read more by that author? Are you going to have a checklist the next time you read a book or do you already have one?

Your Novel’s Goodbye

When you leave loved ones are you a clinger? Do you grip tightly, hanging on for dear life while bawling an ocean onto their shoulder?

Or are you an “I’m outta here, see ya” scooter, avoiding an overflow of gushy emotion?

Have you ever thought the way you handle your real life goodbyes might correlate with how you write your novel goodbyes—the way you choose to end your works?

Do you rush, resulting in a speedy, clipped ending? Is it important for you to tie up all your conflicts with a perfect bow? Or are you methodical as you carefully select your adieu? Are you intentional about your endings, working hard to leave a lasting impression?

Something to think about, isn’t it?

Something else to think about:

“Readers hate to be left hanging and, in the end, their natural impulse is to applaud, so make it easy for them to do that. In a story about love triumphing over adversity, for example, readers should be shown (not told) the triumph. Stories focusing on character are really focusing on personality, the psyche, the soul. Endings that work best for examinations of character often come right out of life: dialogue that gives the character pause to reflect: a repeated image that has assumed significance for the protagonist; a journey of escape—or better yet—a journey of challenge.” Michael Orlofsky (from The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing)

Here are a few questions your readers might be asking after they’ve read your last word:

Was that time well spent?
Did the novel conclude with a satisfying resolution?
Will I care about these characters or think about them again in the future?
Am I missing the book already?
Did I learn anything from reading this work?
Would I recommend this work to others?
Was I sufficiently entertained?
And I’m sure we all hope readers would think...When will I get to see them again (either the characters in a sequel or a new set of characters in a future novel)?
~
Are you demonstrating your ‘I love you’ to your readers on your last page?

*photo from Flickr

Conference Pitching: A Nitty Gritty Workshop (Part Two)

If you're headed to the ACFW Conference in a couple weeks, you're probably busy polishing up your manuscripts and your pitches. Two weeks ago, I dissected Alley Cat Angie's elevator pitch--that short blurb for when an editor or agent asks you in passing, "What's your story about?"

If you have an appointment with an editor or agent, however, you may want your pitch to be slightly longer (although some agents and editors still prefer the short pitch in these appointments).

So today I'll do more dissection. I feel like I'm in 10th grade biology with a dead frog staring me down. :-) This time I'll analyze Angie's longer pitch, which doesn't resemble a dead frog in any way.

We worked on her pitch in two waves, so I'll start from the beginning. Here's what she had to start, with my comments interspersed.

Chief Vio has chosen three men to fight for Yana's hand in marriage—savage beasts who assure her nothing short of a life of misery. [Wow, fascinating premise!] But when an unusual crew [I'm unsure what the term "unusual crew" means. Is there another way to phrase?] steps foot in their Amazonian village, her heart begins to beat for the first time at the sight of the coiled-haired [Okay, I'm getting uber-picky here, but "coiled-haired" reads a little awkward to me. I'm wondering if a different description would work...I'm not sure I can picture what coiled hair looks like. Is it curly? Is it a certain color?] man, Andres Garcia. Yana resists her forbidden attraction to Andres, a foreigner in faith and blood [love this phrase!]. Yet when she indulges in her heart's desire [This is sort of broad. What exactly is her heart's desire and how does she indulge in it? Are you talking about falling in love with Andres? If so, I'd maybe state it more clearly.], and admits faith in his God, Yana finds herself trapped between two worlds [How so? I'd love to see you show the stakes here].

Her village's fury is soon kindled by the deceit of the pale-skinned men [I'm a little lost here. Who were the pale-skinned men and how did they deceive the village?], and Yana and Andres find themselves in a dangerous pursuit [Would love to see some specifics here in place of "dangerous pursuit"]. Just as the villagers have reason to claim Andres' head, Yana escapes with him beyond her world. [This feels sort of vague. Is there a short phrase you can use to provide a clear picture of where they go?]

But danger is not lost in the jungle. It waits for the couple, like a jaguar hunts its prey, ready to attack from the hills of Andres' Spanish home. Is Yana's newborn faith strong enough to endure what lies ahead? [Nice ending! You've resisted the urge to spell out the ending of the book, which leaves all the right questions in my mind.] :)

A few weeks later, Angie sent this revised version:

Yana's father, chief of an Amazonian tribe, has chosen three men to fight for her hand in marriage—savage beasts who assure her nothing short of a life of misery. But when a crew of Spanish explorers steps foot in their village, her heart begins to beat for the first time at the sight of the pale-skinned man, Andres Garcia.

Yana struggles with her forbidden attraction to Andres, a foreigner in faith and blood. And when she discovers his commander has crafted a plot to steal the chief's medallion, she must choose between her loyalty to her people and protecting Andres' life. She succumbs to his love and warns Andres about his commander's dangerous pursuit. Disease strikes the village, and Andres and Yana assume the plot is abandoned when the Spanish crew chooses to depart and avoid its spread. They bid farewell in secret. Yana once again faces a future with a ruthless warrior, without love or happiness.

The villager's fury is kindled when the medallion is found missing the morning when the crew sets out. After days of man hunts and deaths from illness, Yana finds Andres upon the road to her village, with the medallion cradled in his hands. Danger is inevitable, even in his noble quest to return the treasure, and Andres must escape to save his life. Yana cannot bear to say goodbye again, and chooses to follow him and His God across the seas.

But danger is not lost in the jungle. It waits for the couple, like a jaguar's eyes upon its prey, ready to attack from the hills of Andres' Spanish home. Is Yana's newborn faith strong enough to endure what lies ahead?

I really liked the clarity that Angie provided in this version, but I felt like she almost went the opposite extreme and got a little too bogged down in the details. I sent her a revised version, in which I condensed about a third of her pitch and jumped straight to the last paragraph (which I loved!).

Yana's father, chief of an Amazonian tribe, has chosen three men to fight for her hand in marriage—savage beasts who assure her nothing short of a life of misery. But when a crew of Spanish explorers steps foot in their village, her heart begins to beat for the first time at the sight of the pale-skinned man, Andres Garcia. Yana struggles with her forbidden attraction to Andres, a foreigner in faith and blood. And when she discovers his commander has crafted a plot to steal the chief's medallion, she must choose between her loyalty to her people and protecting Andres's life.

Disease and threats push Yana and her lover to escape the village in secret, and while Yana cannot bear to say goodbye to her home, she follows Andres and his God across the seas. But danger is not lost in the jungle. It waits for the couple, like a jaguar's eyes upon its prey, ready to attack from the hills of Andres's Spanish home. Is Yana's newborn faith strong enough to endure what lies ahead?

This pitch sets up the conflict and motivation for Yana at the outset--the arranged marriage, followed by foreigners and her attraction, and then the fact that Andres's commander is plotting to steal her father's medallion. Then by scrunching down those other details, we've given a brief glimpse of what the story holds while also leaving a powerful story question at the end. Some editors or agents might prefer that this be trimmed even more, which would allow you to have more of a two-way dialogue in your appointment.

But no matter what she goes with, Angie's job is to practice saying her pitch so many times that she'll sound natural when her mouth goes dry and her knees start knocking against each other. :) I know she'll do great!!!

Are you preparing a pitch for conference? Any questions you have about the changes we made to Angie's pitch? If you're feeling brave, share your pitch with us in the comments!


*Sponge photo by nuchylee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
**Keyboard photo by Gregory Szarkiewicz / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Steering out of a ditch...call in the troops...

I've mentioned some of the benefits of joining a face-to-face critique group here.

One benefit I recently enjoyed is getting help with a "stuck middle."

What do you do when you reach a fork in the road for your character?

I'm a meticulous plotter, yet when I begin writing the characters take over and move the story in their own direction. The imaginary tyrant takes the wheel! She likes to take the back roads. Sometimes she even likes to drive through a local farmers field after a rainstorm. Then "Miss Tyrant" wants ME to pull her out!  Suddenly I can be of service to her.

Or the car sits idly by the side of the road after one of the infamous abominable snowstorms in the homestate of "she who must be obeyed." This time I had to call in the forces.

My critique group.

Shamelessly grovel.  Call on their amazing word power and plot prowess to help you tow out "Miss Tyrant."

Here are some questions that helped get me through one of my stuck points:

1) What are my characters' options at this point? My critique group shared some options which led me to think of even more options.

2) Where will each option take her?

3) How will each option affect the resolution of my story?

4) Which option does my character have the most motivation to take, given what I know of her as a character?

5) What new obstacle can I put in her way to increase the tension?

After a session of brainstorming I found myself filled with new ideas and seeing my story in a whole new light.

Fortunately, my friends carved ruts in the ditch on their way in and through the grooves I can get back to the main road...or maybe I'll carve my own ruts and head in a new direction, but I'd better hurry up before Miss Tyrant takes the wheel again.