Hello! I recently returned from the SCBWI Western Washington, which was a truly fabulous conference where I got to listen to incredible keynotes from such authors as Adam Rex, Grace Lin, Ellen Hopkins and Jon Scieszka (these people have turned the Power Point presentation into an elite art form), where I met with very talented and friendly editors and agents, and also got a chance to meet some blog readers in person (hello blog readers! Thank you for introducing yourself!).
I realized this morning on the bus that by Friday I will have worked 28 out of the last 31 days on account of going to conferences three out of the last four weekends, and thus whatever brain resources I have left at my disposal today are going straight to clients and work, where they are most needed. It’s like mental triage.
So rather than risk giving you hallucinatory advice like “only query in iambic pentameter” and “the best synopses include every single character in your entire manuscript no matter how minor,” I thought I’d turn it over to you for an open thread.
Open thread!
Bane of Anubis says
Mira – agree on the difference, sci-fi may need to be plausible, but fantasy still needs to be logical (so if you’re ice cube doesn’t melt in the desert, he shouldn’t melt in Houston either – that’s fine – it’s not plausible, but it’s logical).
It’s like NBA officiating – all I’m asking for is consistency.
Laura Martone says
Bane of Anubis –
I am so WITH you re: HP III. I love Lupin & Sirius, of course, but the time travel was ridiculous – if for no other reason then that it begs the question: Why didn't Hermione use this device in every book? How much would that have changed? Like reversing key deaths, for instance?
Sloppy writing (and editing), if you ask me. Course, you didn't. But that's never stopped me before!
Rick Chesler says
Stopping in to say hello.
Laura Martone says
Anita –
I think the real question here is why your hubby would consider it a nightmare to have two of you.
Personally, I think it would be cool to have a twin. But that could be the only child in me talking.
Anonymous says
Mira,
I am so shocked. You said you never wrote more than two words in prior posts. But here in your own words
‘I wrote a kid’s story awhile back, and the MC is a little heart made of ice.’
So disappointed.
Jo
De-stalking now.
jessjordan says
Ooooh, I’m going to the SCBWI conference in Cali in August, and I’m sooooo stoked! ๐
Ian says
Neil, toilet scenes are usually the hardest, which is why so few get written.
Ian says
Jessjordan, SCBWI is a very poor excuse for an acronym.
Mira says
Bane –
Yes, but it was consistently logical in Rowling’s book….I think….?
Jo –
I’m so sorry. I realize I’ve let you down. I feel just terrible about the fact that I did write something.
However, the few things I have written are extremely short, completely unpublishable and clearly make no rational sense whatsoever.
I realize that’s not as good as having written nothing, but it’s pretty darn close.
Ian says
El Aleph had the best plot of any short story ever written. It was almost nothing and yet it was everything. Discuss.
An open question for an open forum: which novel has the best plot?
Neil says
Marilyn — nice answer. Good luck with finishing the book, you sound like you’ve really put the work in. I too am familiar with the blinding headches (it’s called Writer’s Head, I think). Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “this book is blindingly good”. For my latest effort I’ve been neck-deep in research too, the first time I’ve ever really immersed myself in research for a book, and I have to say so far it’s been one of the best writing experiences I’ve ever had. So, should you need advice about Spanish architecture, the streets of Liverpool or the most-rented car in contemporary Europe, I’m your man.
Oh and Ian — you’re right. Toilet scenes are difficult. As are sex scenes, IMO, especially if your main character is a half-drunk raging narcissist. Sex scenes and toilet scenes: woe betide the writer who combines the two. Though if anyone knows of any examples…I’m kidding, keep them to yourself. Sheesh.
Nathan Bransford says
ian-
I signed with a Sharpie specifically so you could wash them.
Really, you should wash them.
Matilda McCloud says
If you’re writing children’s books, join SCBWI! Maybe this is obvious, but I mention it just in case some people out there don’t know about it. When I read slush (for a children’s book publisher), I would read the letters a bit closer if the person mentioned they were a member and went to conferences etc.
Also, I worked with John Scieszka when he was just getting famous, setting up his author appearances, and he was great to work with–wonderful, kind, and so funny. He’s started a great organization called Guys Read, which is about encouraging guys to read and that recommends guy-friendly books.
Scott says
I once wrote a fun and twisted screenplay based on a dream. If anyone’s curious, you can check out a short pitch video and a synopsis here.
Jarucia says
Amy,
I’m finding that my post was funnier than I intended…mostly because so many people could see themselves doing the same thing.
๐
I’m now officially pride-free.
Other Lisa says
Nathan, “read this over coffee.” Coffee is good for you!
Ian says
Seriously, it really perturbs me that they are creative writers and they can’t come up with a decent acronym. I am going to sleep badly tonight, worrying about this, have lots of dreams, including the best plot for any novel ever, forget it and then, Nathan, in a Saul Bellow kind of way, feel strangely reassured by the sight of my grubby shorts hanging on the back of a chair, waiting for me to breathe life into them and steer them through another day.
Marilyn Peake says
Bane of Anubis,
I didnโt have a problem with the time travel sections of the third HARRY POTTER novel because I accepted the Time-Turner device as part of the fantasy world J.K. Rowling was presenting. In science fiction, I like time travel based on scientific theories; but, in fantasy, Iโm satisfied if the storyโs interesting and the fictional world is consistent.
SPOILER ALERT:
Professor McGonagall gives a Time-Turner device to Hermione so that she can handle classes not normally possible to take at one time, and tells Hermione to keep it secret. Hermione later shares the secret with her friends and they use the device for more important matters. In the THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, it turns out that a large supply, maybe most, of the Time-Turners are kept in the Ministry of Magic, so it seems that they are both powerful and forbidden. It made sense to me that McGonagall had a Time-Turner in her possession and wanted to share the device with an outstanding, driven student to help her advance her studies. That was my take on it, but I think the HARRY POTTER novels definitely require constant willing suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader. ๐
Jil says
The most difficult thing I ever wrote was a computer novel backed by Art Linkletter.The reader would get to a certain point and have choices about where the story went, follow that to another choice etc. etc. Everything had multiple choices and then each of them had multiple choices. It was a nightmare to do but by a miracle I did it and the sample disc turned out well. However the money vanished and my summer’s work went with it. Bummer!
Marilyn Peake says
abc said:
“One thing Malcolm Gladwell left out of Outliers: how important napping is to success. I’m going to take right now. Discuss.”
My contribution to the thread: Good idea! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz …
Lori Benton says
abc,
I woke up this morning from a dream that had the most vivid, weird, and horrific supernatural story premise my brain has ever produced. My conscious mind would never have gone there. My first thought was, “Okay, I see how this could have happened to Meyers.” My second thought was, “Just shake it off… shake it off.”
Jil says
I must mention- Did anyone watch the end of Survivor last night and catch the fact that Coach has either written or had someone else write a book about his life? Is that why he behaved like such an egocentric jerk on the show? He certainly got himself noticed and either hated or loved. Nathan, would that get you to take on someone’s work?
Jil waiting to see whether she should do something really weird.
Marilyn Peake says
Dawn,
Thatโs wonderful that youโre in the manuscript polishing stage of your “Agent for a Day” book. Congratulations!
Kristi says
Coffee and napping are two of my most favorite things!
SCBWI rocks!
abc – I’m working on a YA ms right now and I dreamed the ENTIRE book (including character names), not just one scene. Once I dreamed an entire screenplay but since I don’t know how to write one, I just have notes on it until I have more free time to learn that process.I dream stories constantly – but for some reason, even though what I read is mostly literary, I tend to dream in paranormal/sci-fi (so my YA is paranormal – sans vampires or werewolves.)
Maybe that’s why I love napping so much since it gives me great ideas. Must go consume more caffeine as can’t nap today ๐
Mira says
Oh.
Since this is open post day, I can tell you, I’m so excited. I found the next word! For the first sentence of the book I’m writing for Nathan.
The sentence thus far is:
The ostrich-pickle conspiracy
Now, following the advice of my mentor, Stephen King, I needed an adverb.
But how to find one? Of course, I went to Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge that is good and wise, and it told me there were alot of adverbs. How many adverbs? Wikipedia said there were more adverbs. More.
Wow. That’s a lot of adverbs.
So how to pick just one?
Obviously special measures were needed.
I decided this task was beyond one lowly human being. I needed to get the Universe in on this. I needed the Universe to show me the magical adverb that would bring more light and love to the world, besides getting me a signing contract with Nathan.
So. I got my tarot deck. I consulted it. I waited until midnight, bowed to the moon, and drank sacred golden liquid as an offering. I did a little moon dance (the sacred golden liquid is called beer.) I praised God, Allah and anything else that happened to be passing by. I then asked for guidance, a guiding star that would lead me to the right adverb.
Then. I placed the holy dictionary on the patio table. I opened it to a page (tricky, due to the golden liquid) closed my eyes, and pointed. With great anticipation and serene trust, I lowered my finger onto the page.
A noun.
Whoops. Try again.
An adverb!! Oh, happy, happy day! This is it, my adverb, the special adverb that was waiting just for me. Here’s what the adverb was:
“gracefully”
Hmmmm.
Nah.
I don’t like it. Let’s find another one.
Well, it took awhile, but I finally narrowed it down the perfect adverb:
Vociferously
Isn’t that a cool word? And not only that, the next word practically writes itself. Obviously if you’re going to write vociferoulsy, the next word has to be “sanctified.”
Oh, happy day, happy day. I almost have my whole sentence:
The ostrich-pickle conspiracy vociferously sanctified
Wow. What a wonderful sentence. I can hardly wait to see what comes next!
Nathan Bransford says
jil-
Coach’s biographer must have been the one who had the true pygmy encounter.
KayKayBe says
I had a dream about a friend’s story I am trading crits on. No miracle breakthroughs for my own story. However, I did come up with the initial idea for my current project while exfoliating. That’s close to a dream-state, isn’t it?
MaLanie says
Oh goody! Open thread day!!
So Nathan, do you give new writers second chances when they make REALLY dumb mistakes? Kind of like an Accident Forgivness Program?
Like sending your first five pages in a hurry that had three mistakes! I know, I know but I did learn my lesson (I have the bruises on my backside from kicking myself to prove it!) and I will never ever do it again!
Katherine Grace Bond says
Enjoyed meeting you at the conference. I’m putting my query together and am very tempted to use iambic pentameter. BUT, I WILL RESIST.
Marilyn Peake says
Neil,
Isn’t research fascinating? I know an author who actually travels to the places he’s writing about in order to do the research, but I mostly read books and search the Internet. I love that some places even have virtual tours on the Internet, so it’s the next best thing to traveling there. I’ve researched Roswell, New Mexico, for both a short story and part of my current novel, and feel at this point like I’ve actually been there.
Marilyn Peake says
Julie,
I donโt remember ever coming up with a book idea in a dream, but Iโve had dreams based on books. Yesterday, I read 100 pages of THE LACE READER by Brunonia Barry, and loved the main characterโs description of wandering through an old, large house. Last night, I had a really cool dream about wandering through a very large, seemingless endless house.
Cat Moleski says
I used to get a lot of ideas from my dreams, but none of them worked out very well. I did work one up into a partial novel and then abandoned it. Lately, I’m thinking I’ll go back to that story and pull out the elements I think are good. Probably not the dream ones, though.
Lisa Lane says
Did somebody mention coffee…?
Marilyn Peake says
Coffee … Drooooool …
Mocha lattee … Double drool …
How very Pavlovian of me.
Neil says
Marilyn – yep, I’m with you on the net tours. My tip is a really, really fantastic website featuring composite satellite photos that make up virtual tours. It’s called panaramio.com and it’s come in might handy!
Anonymous says
Can you do a post on how to drop an agent? Mine will not give me the list of agents he’s submitted to. Nor has he heard anything about the MS he submitted 8 months ago.
Dawn says
Oh no, Vacuum Queen! Hahaha! My mother and I have loved watching Cain’s kissing skills for weeks. The first time I saw him kiss Lily I almost fell out of my chair. However, I do understand the boredom aspect of it. It’s not a soap without the mess. I just wanted a real Prince Charming for once, I guess. But honestly, as long as continues kissing like that and doing it well…I’ll probably be lured back, wicked or not. ๐
Kiki Hamilton says
Hi Nathan! Saw you at SCBWI WWA this weekend and unfortunately didn’t have the nerve to waylay you in the crowded hallway and introduce myself. RATS! I wanted to take a picture together and show it to my online critique group (who are all over the world) since we all think you are the rockstar of bloggers!
Anyway – since I didn’t have the nerve to tell you in person I just wanted you to know you are the ONLY blog I read every day. I so appreciate your humor and kindness. YAY for you!
Dawn says
Marilyn Peake: “Dawn,
Thatโs wonderful that youโre in the manuscript polishing stage of your “Agent for a Day” book. Congratulations!Thank you. If I could shove the rest of life out of my way and out of my mind, I could get it done and start querying.
Richard Lewis says
How many of you kalian (as we say here in Indonesia for “y’all”)) have been to Indonesia? Plan to be in Indonesia? The UBUD READERS AND WRITERS FESTIVAL (7 – 11 Oct) in Bali has in a few short years become one of the world’s best, this year Coetzee and Nam Le and others are resident. (This is not a plug,as I don’t have anything to do with the festival, but if you show up, drop me an email, would be cool to actually meet somebody upon my small rock)
Maria says
“All seasons of the year are nice,
For eating chicken soup with rice.” Carole King
Especially Tamanishiki rice in the gold foil bag.
Thank you Nathan for your presentations this past weekend. If the mayor of Redmond belonged to SCBWI, you’d have a key to the city in your luggage.
Lupina says
abc, I have dreamed four novels, three of which are written and in eternal revision stage, and one of which just won me an agent-partial read on another blog. I have several others with at least short story potential. I think this is not so very unusual; Jacquelyn Mitchard dreamed her “Deep End of the Ocean,” for one other example.
Nathan, may you find some quality chillax time.
Audrianna says
Regarding “Has anyone ever come up with a book idea from a dream?”:
I totally write down every dream I have. It’s this weird OCD thing I have, especially if the dream freaks me out or makes me cry in my sleep or what have you. I’ve used aspects of the dreams I write down in my books – not that any of them are published. Yet. ๐
Nathan – Just keep going until you’re slap happy and then it won’t matter how tired you are! You could just keep going and going and going and going…..
Jill Lynn says
I guess it wouldn’t be right to take advantage of open thread day, and post my entire novel, huh? First hundred pages maybe? ๐
Jen C says
Hmmmm.
1. If today is open thread day, does that mean the other days are kind of, closed thread days? Ahem, all you people who regularly go off topic, stop that now. (LOST OMG).
2. I have crazzzzy dreams all the time, and I’ve had some great story ideas from them. I like the weird dreams, way better than the dreams where there’s the guy that you’re into and you meet his girlfriend and she’s really nice and cute and peppy. *shakes fist*
3. I don’t drink coffee, but I’d kill for a good soy chai latte right about now.
4. Mira, I’m going to lobby to have the Ostrich Pickle Conspiracy added to the reading list for Uni. Please finish ASAP.
5. RE: POVs in fantasy, I think that you can potentially have a lot of them, but you need to be skillful in the way you do it. I’ve read fantasy before *coughterrygoodkindcough* where you forget which character’s POV you’re reading from because it’s all written the same. They need to be different in the way they’re written.
Patrick Rodgers says
Ash you should write a book then about being chased by zombies, heck isn’t their that popular series out right now of famous books with zombies.
My dreams seem to revolve around science fiction so it may be strange to go from a crime thriller to a sci-fi piece but it’s worth the try.
Sex in books is a good topic, I don’t want to write children’s or teen literature so yes I included sex. Not graphic or harlequin by any stretch of the imagination but sex all the same. I just wonder how much is too much or when it’s not enough and whether it hurts your mainstream appeal.
Dawn Maria says
On the subject POV- I love reading books with multiple POV. This happens frequently in women’s fiction and I’ve chosen to do it in my novel. I rotate between four main characters. I don’t think you can do more that four without it getting confusing, unless you follow Tracy Chevalier’s great example in THE LADY AND THE UNICORN.
I keep seeing the term upmarket, but I don’t know what exactly it means. Will someone (kindly) enlighten me?
Jen C says
Jarucia,
Your blog was hilarious! I don’t think there’s anything wrong with geeking out when you meet Nathan!
Word Veri: whedseup. I’m considering writing a book made entirely out of Blogger word verifications.
Bane of Anubis says
Marilyn, Mira – the problem with time travel (not the sci-fi usage – which should relate more to parallel universe theory, but fantasy usage) is that it’s a deus ex machina that raises the question: if you’re using it now (to do something as trivial as taking extra classes), why not use it later or earlier, etc? It’s a giant loophole that has no satisfactory answer (and saying they all got destroyed at the Ministry is a cop-out – why weren’t they used in book 4 to prevent V’s return, why weren’t they used in Book 2 to prevent children’s deaths, etc)… I agree with Laura – it’s sloppy writing (or editing) and lazy, too… though obviously I’m in the minority.
Mira, you do know that King doesn’t extol the virtuosity of adverbs, right? But if you’re intent on adverbiage, why not just call it the pickly ostrich conspiracy or the ostrichly pickle conspiracy…
Victoria says
Band Of A, I’m with you that good fantasy still needs to follow logic. I don’t think readers of fantasy should just suspend belief because they’re reading fantasy. I enjoy fantasy better if it is plausible,realistic, and maybe even a little bit gritty.
Re Epic fantasy and the number of POV characters. My thoughts on this are that I would keep them limited. But I think of it as stage time – so long as your MC has the stage most of the time – and they are clearly the MC – then it’s perfectly okay for another character to have some stage time now and then.
By the way, there’s a great competition called ‘War of the Words’, on at SciFiNow News which offers the winner’s sci-fi/fantasy novel publication with Tor. The one issue is the competition is currently only open to UK residents, but hopefully enough people will lobby to change that and it will get opened up to a wider field.