Lessons Learned from a Pencil

Hanging over the office computer desk where I do the bulk of my writing and all my internet activities is a framed plaque with five pencils displaced within.



First: the typical pencil with well-sharpened point and fully formed eraser. The caption underneath: Model shown comes equipped with executive “Cylindrical Malfunction Adjuster”.


Second: a pencil with well-sharpened points at both ends. The caption underneath: One for those who make no mistakes.


Third: a pencil with a fully formed eraser on both ends. The caption underneath: One for those who make only mistakes.


Fourth: a short pencil with a well-sharpened point and full formed eraser. The caption underneath: One for those who do very little.


Fifth: a short pencil, no well-sharpened point and no fully formed eraser. The caption underneath: And one for those who do absolutely nothing.


When you look at the plaque as a whole you see at the top of the sign is this message to the user:


Featuring:


• Fine or large print (manual control)

• Letters, words or entire phrases can be deleted with a flick of the wrist.

• Polished wooden cabinet

• Unlimited memory capacity depending upon the aptitude of the user.


Before there were computers to hold and contain our every thought and be a willing component in our fiction pursuits, there was the…pencil. Aren’t there days when you “become” one of those five pencils featured above?

The first is your standard pencil: Your typical day is spent amongst your characters. You erase and polish, write and use up your unlimited memory capacity upon that day until a cramp in your hand (and brain) slows the flow until another time. The perfect writing day really.

The second, for those that make no mistakes: We have days like this right? Probably on the days we get our contest results back. How could they possibly think such dirty things about my hard (and perfect) work! I’ve always thought that pencil looked a bit pretentious hanging up there.

The third for those that make only mistakes: Those are usually the days we struggle to write, correct? Many days we just can’t write for the knowledge that this is the worst writing we have ever slapped on paper. And slapped is right. Paint-ball mess. Worthy of the slush-pile writing. That pencil always makes me sad to look at it. I try to not draw inspiration from that one.

The fourth, for those that do very little: On those days when nothing wants to come, the word count is stifled at best and no matter how much we struggle we just can’t force them past gray matter. But you could look at it this way: maybe that pencil is short because you spent a hard day at work…

The Fifth is probably the most powerful, for those that do nothing: If we don’t sit down every day and write we will have nothing. Everyone says they want to write a novel. But you are different; you are sitting down and actually doing it. This pencil should inspire you the most. Because when you look at it you should see all the dreams that died before they ever began. You’ll see all the promises you made to yourself that you never kept.


Maybe it’s time to trade in that stubby piece of nothing for the real edition. Or better yet, go sharpen that stub and just begin.


Because nothing can be completed without first starting.


Which pencil are you?

Trendsetters I

"To be or not to be, that is the question..." 

My writer's dichotomy: to write what the market dictates or to write the awe inspiring, compelling story electrified with personal passion and risk the market.

Some of my manuscripts have been safely tucked on my computer waiting for the market to realize the need. :)

On the other hand, my current WIP might complement both worlds if I added a tweak or two. Wouldn't it be nice to write the next blockbusting trendsetter of to-be-published books?

Easier said than done, I know. 


How can I transform my WIP to a trendsetter?


Here are some starters:

A trendsetting book does not need to be a new idea:


Someone once said, "There's no such thing as a new story." (I'd credit the person, if I knew who he or she was.)  


The 2000 blockbuster movie, Cast Away, marooned Tom Hank's character on an island for several years. So captivated by the Fed Ex agent's plight, I didn't notice this was the same story as Robinson Crusoe until someone pointed it out to me.  Was this story a mere remake? Hardly. Cast Away sparked freshness, appeal, and power.  It yanked viewers from their seats and plunged them deep into a gripping story.

Take a moment to think about your current WIP plot.  What story is it similar to: Cinderella, (rags to riches) Sleeping Beauty, (dashing prince saves the damsel) etc.?  What special barriers have you used in your plot to yank your readers from their sofas and plunged them deep into your gripping story?

A trendsetting book feels, breathes, and responds:


I'm not referring only to romance novels. Stephen King's books own these qualities as well.

Authors like King, Clancy, Asimov, Shakespeare, Blackstone, Rivers, Alcorn, and a host of others have crafted stories that pry doors open and propel readers into parallel worlds. On the other side of each door lays a golden invitation meticulously centered on a silver platter, inviting--enticing--daring readers to turn the page.

These trendsetting authors teased readers with simple temptations: come--turn the page and walk into my frightening room where fears are tested; close your eyes as you enter the murder room or prison, wash up on the shores of the uninhabited island, climb the Himalayas, plunge into the ocean, creep into the dark alley, swoosh into your true loves arms, or rest in the romantic cabin aboard a cruise ship.

Then on the last page, the last paragraph, the last line, the last word--readers will force themselves to breathe again--and wish for more. 


Only a trendsetter could do this.


This has turned into a greater topic than I thought. Part II will be posted in two weeks. 

Until then, what are your thoughts?

What story made you whip through its pages, desperately fighting sleep to finish another chapter, or possibly the last page? 

How can your novel make future writers say, "I'd wish I thought of that?"


How have you added spices to your novel to cause readers to savor the words, characters, plot, or setting and think about them the next day?

Interview With Kaye Dacus - The Art of Romance

I'm thrilled to share with you an interview with Kaye Dacus, the author of both contemporary and historical novels. If you haven't met Kaye or had the privilege of reading her books, you have missed a treat. Her newest novel, The Art of Romance just released May 1, and as a special bonus, I am giving away a copy to a lucky commenter. In order to have a chance to win, you must answer her question at the end and leave your spam-free email address in the comment section.

Now, let's get a peak into Kaye and the inner workings of her writerly life.

Did you see yourself becoming a writer as a child? If not, what did you dream of being?

For many years, I was planning to follow in my uncle’s footsteps and become a racehorse breeder/trainer. Until I got to high school and realized how many science classes I’d have to take. After that, my Plan B was to major in secondary education/Social Studies to become a high school history teacher. But after a semester or two of majoring in Education, I realized I didn’t want to do that either. Then I discovered a Creative Writing Major. So I figured since I’d been (secretively) writing since around age twelve or thirteen, that’s what I’d major in—and I’d teach Creative Writing!

It wasn’t until I was thirty years old that I ever seriously considered pursuing publication and “becoming a writer.”

How long did you write before you sold your first book?

I’d been writing for almost twenty years—and even had a “manuscript” of over 200,000 words, though with no storyline and no ending in sight—before I attended my first writing conference in 2001 (Blue Ridge). Taking the advice from the Fiction 101 track I took there (to write from beginning to end and to finish the first draft before doing any revisions or making any changes), I completed my first full manuscript—one with an actual plot and an actual beginning and an actual ending—in the spring of 2002. Over the next year, I completed two more manuscripts, and in 2003, I started working on a story idea that would become Stand-In Groom. I wrote SIG between 2003 and 2006—completing the final revision of it for my thesis novel for my master’s degree in the spring of 2006. That year it also finaled in the ACFW Genesis contest (2nd place). I signed with my agent in January 2007 and signed the contract for Stand-In Groom in December 2007. (It came out in January 2009.)

How many manuscripts have you written and which is your favorite?

Not counting anything that isn’t completed (including the one that’s over 200k words), at this moment, I have completed eleven manuscripts (and am furiously working on the twelfth).

Asking an author which manuscript is her favorite is rather like asking a mother which child is her favorite! I have different feelings for each of my books, because I experienced something different with each one. What Matters Most is the first manuscript I finished. Stand-In Groom helped me fulfill two dreams: getting my master’s degree and getting published. The Ransome Trilogy books are a story of my heart that I wasn’t certain would ever be published. Love Remains allowed me to go back and resurrect characters from the manuscript I wrote before SIG and give them new life. The Art of Romance contains a couple that just won’t leave me alone.

How can I choose a favorite???

I’ve never heard you talk about an agent. Do you have one? If not, why? If so, how long did you write before you sought representation?

The inimitable Chip MacGregor is my agent, and I am so blessed that he decided to take a chance on signing me as an unpublished author right after starting MacGregor Literary. After Stand-In Groom finaled in the Genesis contest in 2006, I received requests to submit to him and another agent (“requests” as in, I told them I was a finalist and asked if I could send my stuff to them and they said yes). Four months later, Chip offered to represent me.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Depends on when my deadline is.

I would prefer to have at least six months to write a book—five months to do the actual writing and a month of intensive rewriting, revisions and editing.

For the last six books I’ve written, however, I’ve only had between two and four months to get them written, so it’s been a race against the calendar to get even a first draft turned in on time.

Who am I kidding? I’d prefer to have the three years that I had on Stand-In Groom and Ransome’s Honor, but then I’d only be putting out one book every eighteen months (those three years overlapped). And that’s no fun!

What do you like to do when you are not writing? Are you ever not writing?

With being under contract for three books in each of the last two years, there’s never a time when I’m not supposed to be writing. (You’re talking to the person who figured out how to write while driving so that I could redeem all that time I spent in the car traveling last year!)

Usually if I’m not writing, I’m (a) working on freelance editing projects; (b) filling out blog interview questionnaires or doing other marketing work; (c) writing my own blog posts; (d) catching up on TV series I missed over the years through Netflix Instant Watch or DVD; (e) watching movies; (f) on Facebook and/or Twitter; (g) teaching monthly workshops for Middle Tennessee Christian Writers; (h) online looking for more actors and actresses to add to my casting book; (i) downloading book samples to my Kindle which I might, eventually, get around to reading; (j) none of the above because I’m completely zoned out due to being overwhelmed by everything that I need to do.

Many of the people who follow our blog are aspiring writers themselves. Can you share your favorite writing tip with them?

The best writing tip I ever received (referred to above) was from Davis Bunn at the 2001 Blue Ridge conference: “Above all else, FINISH YOUR FIRST DRAFT!”

We learn more about writing by actually completing novels than we do by obsessively polishing and editing our first three chapters. So set the beginning aside and get that manuscript finished! And then finish another one. And another one. And another one.

If I hadn’t learned how to write a manuscript all the way through from beginning to end without getting caught up in that revision loop, I never would have been able to publish nine novels in less than three years.

Now that you are published, do you still experience rejections? If so, how are these rejections different or similar to the ones you received before becoming published?

I do still experience rejection—both in the form of having new book proposals rejected (I’m waiting to hear about two right now, one contemporary, one historical; I had a different historical proposal rejected last summer), as well as in the form of negative reviews of my books.

The rejection on the proposals are different now that I’m published—because my belief in myself as a writer isn’t shaken the way it would be if I were still unpublished and receiving rejections. I remember when we were trying to sell Stand-In Groom, every time Chip would e-mail me to let me know another house had rejected it, I felt horrible—because I felt like I was letting him down. After all, he’d taken a huge risk signing on as my agent when he’d just started a new agency and needed authors who were making sales. Now that feeling isn’t there, but it’s more of a scramble to make sure I have something else ready to go out if we get the word that a proposal is a no-go.

The negative reviews are a whole different level of rejection. It seems more personal—which, I guess it is. Rejections coming from publishing houses are different, because that’s a business decision. Rejections coming from readers is personal, because it’s their own personal, individual feelings about the book. And if they didn’t like it, that bothers me. After all, we all want to be liked. And we all want our “babies” to be liked. I don’t have children, but I would imagine it would be like someone walking up to a mom at Target, looking her child over thoroughly and then telling her that her child is not only ugly but poorly dressed and has crooked teeth and a lazy eye.

The Art of Romance released May 1. Tell us a little about the book.

 The Art of Romance came out of one of those fun “what if” sessions that I occasionally indulge in. I was crushing on Chef Sam Talbot, a contestant on the second season of the cooking competition show Top Chef. But I was already writing a book about a chef (Menu for Romance), so what if he had a different creative career—an artist! And what if he had a secret. . .that he put himself through art school by doing the clench-covers of steamy romance novels. And what if that wasn’t his biggest secret. . .what if he used himself as the model for the covers? Ooh—and what if the author of the books he did that for is now someone who isn’t proud of the fact that she used to write those kinds of books. But they meet and fall in love—keeping this mutual secret from each other.

And thus the story for The Art of Romance was born!

It was fun to dig into the psyche of an artist for Dylan Bradley’s character—especially since both of my grandfathers were hobbyists (one was an oil painter the other a sketch artist). And then having a heroine who’s a romance novelist. . .let’s just say a lot of me went into Caylor Evans’s character!

Here’s the official blurb:

Sassy Evans and Perty Bradley are determined to get their older grandchildren married off, but when twenty-eight-year-old Dylan comes home after being fired from his teaching position because of the betrayal of his ex-girlfriend, Perty knows her grandson has more important issues to deal with first.

                Sassy understands her friend’s reservations about timing, but she also sees so many ways in which Dylan would be the perfect match for her thirty-four-year-old granddaughter Caylor. With his record of acclaimed paintings and Caylor’s bestselling novels, they could complement each other’s talents and provide each other support and encouragement. And there’s no denying the spark of attraction between the English professor with the untamed red hair and the painter with the unusual tattoos.

                But neither grandmother realizes the secrets both Caylor and Dylan are keeping from each other. Will pain and embarrassment from the past keep Caylor and Dylan apart, or will they develop the courage to be truthful with each other and discover the true art of romance?

If you could only share one line from The Art of Romance, which one would you choose and why?

  Talk to his brothers about his emotions? He was an artist, not a girl. 

The Art of Romance turned out to be my longest published novel to date (yes, even longer than my historicals, at a whopping 110k words), and this was the first line that popped into my head—and the only one I can remember word-for-word, mostly because it made me laugh so hard that I even shared it on Facebook as soon as I wrote it. I guess it’s because I was afraid Dylan might come across as not masculine enough. But when this line popped up, I knew we were going to be okay.

Tell us what new projects you’re working on.

I’m currently writing the third and final book in The Matchmakers series, Turnabout’s Fair Play, which follows The Art of Romance and focuses on Caylor’s friend Flannery McNeill.

Jamie O’Connor knows his grandmother Maureen O’Connor has matchmaking on the mind when she starts inviting him to events where single women are present. Realizing she’s somewhat smitten with an older gentleman, Jamie decides to turn the tables on Maureen by agreeing to meet Kirby McNeill’s granddaughter at dinner—with both grandparents there. But will Jamie’s schemes go awry when he meets his match in Flannery McNeill? Flannery is thrilled that her widowed grandfather Kirby “Big Daddy” McNeill is now attending her church. So when he invites her to meet a grandson of a woman from his seniors group, she agrees to go along. Later, as Flannery conspires with Jamie to play matchmaker to Maureen and Kirby, she wonders how long she’ll be able to tolerate spending time with Jamie and his seemingly over-inflated ego. As the juniors scheme to bring their seniors together, mayhem and misconceptions ensue. Will these potential lovers walk away from what may be their last chance at true romance?

And then. . .as I said, I’ve got two proposals out, waiting to hear back on them. The historical is set in 1851 in England during the time of Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition (with two romance storylines in each of the three books). And, actually, Barbour is looking at two different contemporary proposals from me right now. One is a totally new idea set in a fictional small tourist town in the hills of Tennessee and the other one is a second Bonneterre/Guidry family series. So, until I know if any of those are sold, I’m actually going to get to take a break from writing after TFP is finished! (Meaning that I’ll get to spend time working up a bunch of new story ideas—including doing some brainstorming with writing buddy Liz Johnson on a WWII-era idea we’ve been bouncing around!) 

Now for a little fun…tell us 3 FUN facts about yourself that you don't think anyone knows. It doesn't have to be writing related, but a funny writing quirk would be FABULOUS!

People probably know these things about me, since I let everything hang out over on my blog, but here goes:

·         I’ve been to four Star Trek conventions and actually got to go back stage and meet Alexander Siddig (Dr. Bashir from Deep Space Nine) at the last one I attended in 1996.

·         I used to sing in a Southern Gospel quartet.

·         I’m obsessed with the actors Karl Urban and Oded Fehr and am convinced that I’m married to each one in separate alternate universes.

Do you have any challenging/silly/writing/or quirky questions to ask our readers?

In writing The Art of Romance, I learned that many famous actors started out as models and ended up on the front of romance novels—including Corbin Bernsen. If you could pick any actor in the world, living or dead, to be on the front cover of the book you’re currently writing, who would it be and why?

You can find Kaye Dacus here:

• Website
• Twitter
• Facebook

Don't forget to answer Kaye's question and leave your spam-free email for a chance to win a copy of The Art of Romance!

What's Up The Street For Next Week?

THANK YOU to everyone who filled out our survey. The info we collected from all of you has been very helpful and will help us make the Alley even better!

Here's to ANOTHER year of fantastic posts with all you. :-))

Soooo....

WE HAVE WINNERS!!

We have FIVE alone from last Saturday's post. All of you have been contacted, so be checking your email if your name is on this list!!

~Courtney
~Jo
~Ralene
~CarolM
~Ariel

And the winner of The Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy from Wednesday's post is...

~Beth Vogt

Congratulations Winners!!!

What's Up the Street for Next Week...

Monday brings Tangled to the Alley. Pepper shows the plot points to be found in the latest Disney film and how to apply them.

Tuesday we welcome author Kaye Dacus back to the Alley! A giveaway of The Art of Romance is being offered!

Are you a trendsetter? Mary covers the topic on her Wednesday  post.

Lessons Learned from a Pencil is Thursday's post with Casey as she blogs about what she has learned from a familiar plaque hanging above her writing desk.

Krista is your hostess here on Friday

NewsStand:

The Christy Award Nominees have been announced! Congrats to many friends of the Alley, including Siri Mitchell!

Check out Pepper's blog all this coming week for "review week" with Julie Lessman.

Does your profile picture need a face lift (no pun intended)?? Sarah has suggestions on her Monday blog.

Check out Casey's blog for a chance to win Mary Connealy's latest book, In Deep Trouble


Perhaps you'd like to read a Bible or missionary story this week on Mary's blog.

Scoring a Well-Rounded Manuscript: Setting, Backstory, and Hooks

For the last few posts, we've been talking about elements that make up a well-rounded story (check out previous posts on voice, and characters and plot). In the game of bowling, the goal of each frame is to bowl a strike - and each pin knocked down contributes to that goal. The same concept applies to story writing. Hitting and knocking down each pin (or touching on each important element of a story) will get you that strike, aka your well-rounded story.

So today we're onto the next row of pins. Three aspects of a story that can really help round it out if done right.

Setting

There's no question, setting varies depending on story. Some include very little setting description and others say setting is another character. Either way, using setting appropriately can add to a story.

Tips on Setting

*Make talk about setting proportionate to what stories of that genre require or typically demonstrate
*Use it to appeal to a certain type of reader if it suits your genre. Therefore, allow your setting to enhance mood or tone
*Keep it real. If your setting is a real place, make sure your facts are correct, and whether the location is real or not, make the setting relatable to your reader (if they enjoy small town stories, write about a small town, or similarly with a big city)
*Use small details. Setting isn't relegated to town or country, but sometimes specific places like a home or location outdoors. Utilize items and objects around the characters (like furniture, nature, etc.) to give the reader a better sense of setting

Backstory

This one can be a challenge, and I think most of us have struggled with it at some point in our writing journey. However, most of us will agree that backstory in some form or another is necessary, therefore important to get right.

Tips on Backstory

*Rule of thumb, don't use backstory much or in large chunks within the first fifty pages (though I've noticed this also hinges on publisher and genre, particularly in category fiction)
*Sneaking in backstory here or there, like a line to entice readers, can get them to keep reading
--for example: Jerry settled his glasses on his nose, watching the girl dip her feet into the fountain when she thought no one was looking. A gesture of confidence, of childlike delight. So much like his daughter before the accident.
Jerry swallowed and flicked his glasses into position again. Not now. He didn't have time for reminiscing. He had a job to do.
*Adding short visits to the past, whether spurned by feelings or sights, etc. can be used to interest the reader and make them want to know more

Hooks

Hooks can be simple but an undeniable asset to a story if done right.

Tips on Hooks

*You can use these for more than just opening a novel. Use hooks to open/end a scene, or to end a chapter
*Make the goal of your hook to encourage the reader to flip pages
*Sometimes less is more. Inundating your reader with details and backstory isn't always the way to go. Sometimes giving them the bare minimum is just enough to entice a reader, to hook them into reading on, and to contribute to pacing (which we'll talk about in the next post)

What kind of tips or tricks do you use concerning these elements of a story? Do you think using setting, backstory, and hooks well can help round out a story?

Hooray for Writer Mamas

In honor of Mother’s Day this weekend, this post is in celebration of writing moms. And what better way to whoop it up than to quote from one of my favorite standbys when it comes to writing advice, Writer Mama by Christina Katz.

A most excellent chapter in Writer Mama is titled, Practicing Good Boundaries. As all burp cloth totin’, diaper changin’, and/or homework helpin’ moms know, boundaries are a must if we want to pump out more than ten words a day.

In her book, Christina gives four crucial nuggets of wisdom:

Set Limits on Your Time and AvailabilityShe encourages moms to practice before dreaded deadlines are in the picture. It’s worth it to get in the groove of scheduling in writing time now.

Ask for Help When You Need ItSpousal support. A last minute call to friend to babysit. Honest communication with an editor. Tapping in to any one of these sources can help the writer mama accomplish her goals.

Share a Bit about What You DoHelp others understand what your job as a writer and a mama entails. Many people have no idea how hard writer mamas work in order to balance their load.

Filters and Routines Help (love this suggestion)

“A filter is a method of channeling your workflow to the appropriate place when it comes in, so you can ignore it until you need it and then find it easily when you are ready for it.”

I can’t say enough good things about this tip. It’s a surefire way to prioritize and to work toward efficiency.

For an example of routine, Christina suggests checking email only at certain times.

What has helped if you, if you juggle being both a writer and a mama?

So, have at it, give a congratulatory pat on the back to the writer mamas out there. Set those boundaries, and as always, write on!

*Now, if I’d been a smidge less busy, I would have put on my thinking cap and would have contacted Christina directly to give her the heads up I was writing this post. She rocks. Truly rocks. And I recently read on a blog comment that she played rugby making her that much cooler in my book.

**mom & baby photo from Flickr

Self-Editing Checklist: Show and Tell (plus a giveaway!)

No, we're not talking about that period in elementary school when Freckle-Faced Freddy brought his ant farm and let the little buggers loose.

But this topic can be just as problematic for a writer, can't it?

Point #6 in my self-editing checklist is all about Show and Tell. (For the previous five posts, click here.)

When analyzing your scenes for Show and Tell, here are a couple key points to watch out for:

a) Are you naming your characters' emotions? What sort of picture does this sentence evoke? "She gave me a scared look." Pretty vague, right? How about this..."A sheen of sweat sparkled above her lip and her eyes bulged." Gives a much clearer picture. If you see emotion words like "scared", "happy", "worried", "angry", etc., carve them out and show them through action and dialogue instead.

b) Are you relying on narrative summary rather than showing the scene as it plays out? Take note that sometimes narrative summary is okay, but in most cases, you want your book to contain scenes filled with movement and action (and action doesn't necessarily have to be shoot-em-up duke-it-out type of stuff).

Here's an example of narrative summary used in the wrong way, glossing over a key moment that should be shown instead.

Her long-lost son opened a folder and asked about her three names. She struggled through memories of her childhood and started to explain.

Here's the actual excerpt from Patti Lacy's powerful book The Rhythm of Secrets, which shows the main character's emotions beautifully.

"Thanks for meeting me." The folder flopped open. A sheet of paper was removed. "If you don't mind, I have a few questions for you."

His inscrutable expression muted her soul's music. She eyed the folder warily.

The paper shook as he shoved it close. "According to...my sources, you are both Sheila Franklin and Sylvia Allen." His shoulders grazed the leather booth when he leaned back. Ice glazed his eyes. "If that's true, then who is Sheba Alexander?"

The question tore open a lockbox of memories. A blazing fire. A one-armed prostitute. Maman. Papa. A thirteen-year-old girl who thought she could conquer the world, thanks to her parents' gift of that name she'd had to abandon. A name she just might have to reclaim...

"Sheba Alexander was..." Words fought to escape her cottony mouth. "...a silly girl." A very foolish teenager. She swallowed hard. How could she explain things to a man she'd just met, even if he were her son?

Gripping, right? This is a big-time moment in the novel, and Patti didn't hold back at all. She showed the emotions of both characters through action and dialogue, sweeping the reader away in the story.

Your homework for the next two weeks, should you choose to accept it: Search through your scenes for naming of emotions and work on ways to portray those emotions through action and dialogue. Look for large chunks of narrative summary and determine whether they should be shown in greater detail or even added as extra scenes. If they're irrelevant to the story or keep it from moving forward, don't be afraid to cut them.

Bonus giveaway this week! Patti Lacy has graciously offered a copy of The Rhythm of Secrets for one lucky commenter! We'll announce the winner in our weekend edition.

What's been your biggest challenge in the show-and-tell game of writing? What's the most valuable resource you've used in learning how to show rather than tell?

*Ants photo by Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net