Campaign Challenge Three: Show, don't Tell

As promised, I am posting my response to Campaign Challenge #3 today. For those of you who aren't familiar with Rach's latest challenge, here's how it works (pulled directly from Rach's post, here):

Write a blog post in 300 words or less, excluding the title. The post can be in any format, whether flash fiction, non-fiction, humorous blog musings, poem, etc. The blog post should show:

• that it’s morning, 

• that a man or a woman (or both) is at the beach

• that the MC (main character) is bored

• that something stinks behind where he/she is sitting

• that something surprising happens.

Just for fun, see if you can involve all five senses AND include these random words: "synbatec," "wastopaneer," and "tacise."   (NB. these words are completely made up and are not intended to have any meaning other than the one you give them).

This scene is exactly 300 words and I managed to squeeze in the nonsense words too! So, without further ado, here it is:

Mara collapsed onto the fine white sand with a heavy sigh. It had already soaked up some of the morning sun’s warmth; it slowly soaked through the material of her suit coat and blouse and into the muscles of her back.

This is as nice a place to wait as any, she thought.

She sighed again, kicking off her shoes and digging her toes into the sand. She closed her eyes, focusing on the feeling of the sun on her forehead, the rush and crash of the waves in her ears, the salty tang of ocean air on her tongue…the trickle of sand sliding down her collar. She screwed up her face.

“I guess even perfection has its drawbacks,” she said to herself, imagining the sand that must have already worked its way into her long blond curls.

How long would it be until the board called for her? She’d seen their schedules and they weren’t nearly as busy as the company bigwigs pretended. All this waiting was just a ploy to unnerve her, put her on edge. She smiled to herself; if they’d actually read her reports, they might have realized such tactics weren’t likely to work on her. Not when she had someplace like this stretch of deserted beach to retreat to.

A gentle breeze tickled her nose, bringing an acrid scent to her nostrils from somewhere behind her. It smelled of machine oil and industrial sealant. Mara sat up in a fury.

“Tacise, get in here!” she shouted. “I’m supposed to meet with SynbaTec any minute now and I can still smell the machinery! Get Wastopaneer in here and get it fixed!”

She pulled a remote control from her pocket and clicked a button. The beach, the sun, even the sand in her shirt and hair vanished.

News and an Apology

So, first some exciting news. I'm going to be hosting an interview with Dan Wells, author of the John Cleaver books (an YA thriller/horror series). I don't have an exact date yet, but I'll let you all know as soon as possible.

Second, an apology to my Campaign friends. I know I missed the second post and that some of you were disappointed. However, I am working on the third challenge and will be posting it tomorrow!

That's all for now. See you tomorrow!

Another Friendly Conversation: Michelle Merrill

Today I have Michelle Merrill here. Her blog is called Perfecting the Craft and it's really good (one of the highlights of my Google Reader queue). And I'm just as excited about this interview as the rest of you because I really don't know that much about Michelle. So, let's jump right in!

How did you get started as a writer?

I got into reading first. Then I suddenly had some character's talking to me in my head. Literally, I had a hard time listening to real conversations when theirs were taking over my brain. So I finally wrote their story, which was an accidental time travel turned into revenge for future events. Even in its full awesomeness, it's stuck in a deep folder in the depths of the hard drive on my computer. It may never see the light of day, but some of the characters and events might :)

I think most writers' first books end up tucked neatly away. It's all part of the process of becoming a good writer. My first was a Sci-fi space opera about a guy and a girl who are both on the run from the same crime lord.

Do you free-write or outline?

I mostly free write, but after reading Story Engineering by Larry Brooks, well...let's just say things are more organized before I sit down to write a story. I usually get a general chapter by chapter outline and a realistic conflict. Then as the character's develop more, I have an 'extra's' folder for that and any additional info that comes for a certain chapter goes under that chapter in my outline. So, I plot a little but more comes as the story is told. I love when my character's surprise me.

I know! It's so exciting to see what happens when things don't go they way you planned.

What do you do to counteract writer’s block?

Write. Really, it usually helps. That and some sugar. And reading. For some reason, when I read, more ideas come. And no, I don't mean stealing from the author I'm reading, but it just gets my brain juices flowing.

Some of my best ideas (in my opinion) come while reading something else. And usually they are sparked by a small event or detail, or and idea inspired by such, that I just kind of run with and build into something completely different than what I read.

How do you keep your characters original? (i.e. what do you do to make sure your characters don’t turn out the same in every story?)

I give them each a limp and an eyepatch. Confused? Read Save the Cat  by Blake Snyder. You won't regret it. A lot of times in first drafts, my character will sound the same as in the first draft of another book I've written. But they all have different stories and those different stories shape the deeper character and help define them by the choices they make and the way they react to others. If you want some great exercises and advice on characters, read Save the Cat and Story Engineering!

I had to start sitting down and basically outlining each character's backstory. That way I know, at least a little, what the character's world view and attitude are at the beginning of the story. Then I have to figure out how to make him or her evolve into the person I know he or she will be by the end of the story. It's kind of fun!

How do you build a believable world within your stories?

It's hard to do without an info dump. But it's about knowing the world yourself and adding details as they are presented in the story. Explaining enough to make it real but not too much to be an info dump. It's a fine line that I'm still playing with right now! Keep it believable. Have your crit partners read it! They'll tell ya if you've gone too far :)

Couldn't have said it better myself! It's all in the small details.

What do you do to make your whole story interesting? How do you avoid “slow stretches”?

My crit partners are awesome in this area! It's hard for me to see this all the time, but they are good at pointing it out. Basically if something's not happening to further your story along, then it's not needed. Every sentence, every word, every scene needs to have a purpose. Oh, and Story Engineering has an awesome outline to get the right plot points and pinch points to make sure everything runs smoothly!

You cite that book a lot, and every time you do I become a bit more curiously about it. I'm definitely going to have to check it out.

How does your own life inform your writing?

Experience. I've traveled a lot. Not far away in different countries, but I went to 48 states in a van before I ever set foot on an airplane. I've met some interesting people. I've seen and heard a lot. Get out and observe. Don't let your muse keep you home all the time. Your writing can only get better by taking a break and observing. Read a lot and don't put limitations on your imagination until it's needed to stay realistic.

Road trip! I love it.

Have you ever attended a writing convention or conference?

I've only attended WriteOnCon two years in a row. But just because it's free and online doesn't mean it's not worth it. I've never learned so much in such a short time. I learned everything from craft to platform to submitting. The writing world is more than just words and it can become overwhelming if you let it. Make goals, stick to them, perfect your craft, write, get crit partners, be open to constructive criticism and stay true to yourself. There's so much to learn!

Amen.

Who is your favorite author?

Oh, that's so hard. Uh...between Jane Austen, Brandon Mull, Tamora Pierce, Gail Carson Levine, Maria V. Snyder, Shannon Hale, Brandon Sanderson...I'll have to go with Shannon Hale right now. I love her books!

Pardon my boorishness; I've only heard of two of these: Brandon Mull and Brandon Sanderson.

Favorite book?

Again with the choices. I'll go with Poison Study on this one even though Pride and Prejudice is always good.

Favorite genre to read?

YA Fiction. And in that I love fantasy, light paranormal, contemporary thrillers, and dystopian.

I like your taste!

Favorite genre to write?

Fantasy. Historical or urban.

Is historical fantasy a real thing? That's so cool!

When you’re not writing, what do you do in your spare time?

Take care of four small kids, read, watch movies, and play Magic the Gathering card game with my hubby :)

You're the second writer/blogger I've met that plays Magic. Small world!

What are three interesting facts about you?

I'm picky about how to load the dishwasher, I'm already listening to Christmas music, and I didn't like reading until four years ago.

I love it when someone discovers they love reading. It validates me for some reason.


Well, that's Michelle in a nut shell. She's pretty awesome. I really hope you all check out her blog. And thanks to Michelle for being such a great guest!

Another Friendly Conversation: Rosie Connolly

Today I've invited Rosie Connolly to talk with me. She runs a really fun blog called East for Green Eyes. I have to admit that the title was what got me to visit in the first place! I wasn't disappointed either! Sit and listen, then go check it out!

How did you get started as a writer?

Excellent question, and I’m not really sure I have a solid answer for it. I’ve always been somewhat of a storyteller, even if it just meant gross exaggerations and tales of ghosts and aliens when I was a kid. I started actually writing things down—outside of class assignments—when I was 11 or 12. After that, I couldn’t really stop. I started college (several years later, of course) as a creative writing major. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I set writing aside for about 10 years, returning to it in 2008.

A good story is what really makes me tick!

What was your first complete story?

My first complete story was a horror “novel” of about 50K that I wrote in JHS. I considered myself the next up and coming Christopher Pike, conquering the YA horror scene. Honestly, it was crap, but it was fun.

Yeah, I thought my first book was going to be the great American sci-fi novel... I should go back and revisit that one; maybe it can be salvaged ;)

What made you decide to write it?

Hahaha. Honestly, it was JHS, and I was unpopular (to say the least). I based several characters off of people I knew in my classes and killed them off. Totally cathartic J

Nice!

Do you free-write or outline?

A little of both, but I lean more toward the outline. I’ve found that if I don’t know the ultimate end game of a story, my characters won’t cooperate with me. So I always need to have a beginning, an end, and several middle points in mind before I can begin anything. But some scenes in between, and how I connect the dots, tends to be a little more free form.

That's about the point I'm at in my writing process.

If you free-write, how do you keep things organized?

I use a program called Scrivener for everything I write. I LOOOOVE it. I downloaded a free trial version for NaNoWriMo last year and I haven’t written in any program other than Scrivener every since. I can start a “scene” by taking notes for myself, and it’s always there, ready and waiting when I get there. And I can move things around so much easier than cutting and pasting in Word or another word processor. I don’t really want to sound like a walking advertisement, but, seriously, it’s the best thing I’ve ever paid for. (I’m even trying to get my husband to get himself a copy for academic writing. I think it would help him, too)

Ooh! Sounds fun! I'll have to check it out.

If you outline, do you plot the entire story first, or bits at a time as you write?

A little of both. Like I said, I can’t start without a beginning, several middle points, and an end, so I always have that as a loose outline. Sometimes I’ll free-write in between. Sometimes I’ll come up with another middle point that has to happen, and I’ll add it to the outline.

What do you do to counteract writer’s block?

The best thing that’s ever worked for me is forbidding myself from writing. It sounds silly, but once I’m not “allowed” to write, that’s all I want to do. My brain goes into overdrive and I can’t think about anything else until I can get back to that last scene. Reverse psychology at its finest.

Hahaha! That is awesome!

How do you keep your characters original? (i.e. what do you do to make sure your characters don’t turn out the same in every story?)

I’m not sure. My characters come to me in various forms, and they all just feel inherently different from the start. I can’t say it’s always a conscious decision. 

*Jealousy!!!* I have to check and recheck to make sure my characters aren't too similar...of course it forces me to develop them more, so it has it's advantages.

What exercises to you use to develop your characters?

I like to ask my characters a series of questions, some of which I have posted on my blog. Sometimes I’ll use some of the resources at the charactertherapist.com.

Honestly, and while it’s the easiest tactic, it’s also the most time consuming, I’ll write a full draft, and the character will develop on his or her own over the course of the writing. Then I’ll go back and tweak in revisions.

Cool! I'm going to go check out those questions!

What do you do to make your whole story interesting? How do you avoid “slow stretches”?

I picture each scene as having its own individual arc, so that it has to have some kind of rising tension throughout, possibly with dips, but there’s always something increasing the tension. Maybe it’s not the tension of the main plot, but it’s something to keep the reader interested. If I can keep that in mind, I like to think that it staves off the slow stretches. I suppose we’ll find out for sure once I actually start querying (hopefully just after the new year).

Hey! I do the same thing!

How does your own life inform your writing?

It does. I don’t think anyone can deny this fact. But how? I’ve noticed a trend recently where several of my main protagonists have missing parents. It’s not consistently one or the other, but there’s at least one absent. I suppose that’s because I’m still dealing with the death of my father from a few years ago.

Beyond that, I guess the only other thing is that I can’t stand my female characters being stupid or silly, just in the same way I can’t surround myself with those kinds of women. I need strong, smart female friends just like I need strong, smart female characters.

I find myself working my philosophy/values into a story by spreading them among the characters, including the villain. I find it gives the story a more realistic, well-rounded feel (especially when I can show the villain doing things for what even I feel would be a good cause, even if I am horror-struck by what he/she does).

Who is your favorite author?

(For the record, none of my following answers go together.)

I would say my favorite author is probably Barbara Kingsolver. I love the Poisonwood Bible!

I've always been a bit intrigues by the Poisonwood Bible, but never enough to pick it up. Maybe I'll check it out.

Favorite book?

Geeky as it may sound, War and Peace. I’m a sucker for a good epic. And a good romance.

Epic I can go for. Romance...well, just like chick-flicks, I prefer something with action and excitement.

Favorite genre to read?

Anything YA, though I’m definitely not exclusive in my reading. I recently devoured The Ghost and the Goth and Divergent. Excellent reads (imho) for anyone looking for a YA suggestion.

There has to be something extraordinary in a book for me. I don't mind books set in the real world, as long as there's something to take it out of the realm of everyday life. I like spy novels! I also like mysteries.

Favorite genre to write?

Definitely YA, though I lean more into the urban fantasy realm. The novel that I plan to query is a YA urban fantasy/romance. My NaNo piece from last November is YA urban fantasy. Right now I’m working on a YA dystopian, and my NaNo this year will be a YA paranormal.

Now that's what I'm talking about! Though I confess most of the ones I've read are all basically the same.

When you’re not writing, what do you do in your spare time?

Um, what’s spare time? I consider that I have two part-time jobs: the one that pays my bills now (which is working as a technical editor for a small academic publisher), and one that will pay a bill or two later (which is my writing). That consumes 50-60 hours Monday through Friday. Add to that my weekend work, and I don’t even want to think about the number of hours. I suppose after that I’m a compulsive TV-watcher/knitter. I also like to cook, but mainly because I’m cheap and I can’t really eat out (too many dietary restrictions).

Wow, and I thought I was busy! What's your weekend work?

What are three interesting facts about you?

1) I have a master’s degree in Slavic Linguistics. I specialized in Polish syntax and clitics.

Wow! How in the world did you decide on Slavic linguistics?!?!?!

2) As a linguist by training, I fit several stereotypes, including (but not limited to) have studied several languages but speaking none of them with any kind of fluency. The best two, I suppose, are Russian and Polish. If I were dropped in the center of either of those countries, though, I’d probably get my fluency level up within a couple of weeks.

That's about where my Spanish is.

3) One of my cats is from Poland. My husband and I adopted him while we were living in Krakow in 2004. We call him to dinner in Polish. Since then, we have adopted a second cat from the local shelter, who really just gets confused when we try using commands with her in Polish. She is hopelessly monolingual J

What were you doing in Poland? Gotta confess, I'm a little jealous (of the travel in general). And funniest pet situation in the world!!!

Wow! I've never learned so much about one of my visitors before! Rosie, you are an awesome interviewee! I hope I can read some of your stories some day!

An Experiment in Outlining

Hi everyone!

I had an interesting experience last night. First off, my wife has started transcribing all her old journals...which she has kept since she was in elementary school...consistently. So, the computer has been somewhat monopolized of late, which means I'm doing any and all writing (or writing-related activities) by hand, on honest-to-goodness paper with a real ink pen. I feel like I'm a kid again! It's actually been really fun listening to my wife laugh at her past self, and I've even enjoyed writing by hand again, but that's not what I'm here to talk about today.

I've never really gotten the hang of outlining. I realize that it is a powerful authoring tool, but I've always shied away from it because I didn't want to spoil the ending for myself. I've always been afraid that if I already knew what was going to happen in a story, I'd have no more motivation or desire to write it. However, my current WIP has not been cooperating...not for weeks. It is as hard as hickory knots! So last night, in an effort finally vanquish this irksome problem, I sat down with my paper and clipboard and started drafting a general outline. I actually got the idea from Teralyn's recent series of posts "How to Prep for a Book" (specifically posts #3,4).

I decided that I needed to get at least the basic framework down on paper so I'd have a sort of road map when I get stuck (which is happening all too frequently and regularly). I've been telling myself that knowing the basic plot line shouldn't ruin things for me because 1) I'm older and more mature than I was the last time I tried outlining a story (it has literally been six or seven years and I've changed a lot since then), and 2) I can still look forward to seeing how my characters react to each other and events! This is what I'm really excited about now.

All the same, if my pseudo-outlining idea doesn't improve things with my WIP, I think I might let it rest and germinate for a while. I've got three or four other ideas that I'm also really excited about, so I won't be wanting for something to write.

How about you guys? For all you fellow pantsers out there, why don't you like outlining? And what do you do when your story just won't come out? For all you outliners (whom I confess I envy a little), what motivates you to write when you already know the story? And for everybody: how do you know when it's okay to throw in the towel, even for a little while?

I look forward to hearing from all of you!

Another Friendly Conversation: Chantele Sedgwick

So, I had a whopping TWO entries for my contest. I guess that's better than nothing. So I've decided that both Angela and Tanya can pick one of the books I offered. They'll also both get the full 5K word critique. Thank you both!

Now, today I'm proud to host my friend Chantele Sedgwick. Hers was one of the first blogs I started following and it's well worth checking out. So, on to our little chat.

How did you get started as a writer?

I've always had stories in my head, ever since I was little. After I had my second baby, I finally started writing them down. I loved it so much that I'll never give it up! :)

I was the same way. I've been writing ever since I was little, but I got started on my first real project during my freshman year of college.

What was your first complete story?

My first complete book was The Last Heir. I actually talked about it on my blog this week. It's a classic fantasy with a princess and a crazy villain, a prince, castles and lots of sword fighting. :)

Ooh, that actually sounds really fun! Any chance of seeing it?

What made you decide to write it?

I had The Last Heir in my head for a very long time. I finally decided to write it down. I actually finished it and didn't know what to do with it. My hubby told me to try to get it published and that started my journey toward publication. Though that book was put away a long time ago, I would LOVE to go back and visit that world someday.

Ah, my last question answered! I hope you do revisit it someday...and the sooner the better.

Do you free-write or outline?

Pantser all the way! Woot!

You have to tell me how you do it. I don't like outlining, but I can never get anywhere pantsing.

If you free-write, how do you keep things organized?

I rarely outline. I do tend to write certain ideas down, and sometimes I'll write characters names and descriptions if there are a lot in my story, but I always sit down and just write whatever comes to me. I never write scenes that are in the middle or end of the book when I'm working on the beginning. I go in order. I'd freak out if I had a ton of scenes written with no clue where to put them. I should probably learn to outline a little, but I'm almost finished with my 5th book now, so my method works for me. ;)

Now that's admirable work!

What do you do to counteract writers block?

Honestly, I don't get it very often. But there are times when I'm not quite sure how to write a scene, or something just isn't working. I usually distract myself from it by writing or editing something else. Then I'll mull it over for a few days and usually I have it figured out by then. When in doubt, write something new. 

You continue to astound me! This is generally how I write, but for me it's slow, slow going and I'm constantly distracted by new ideas.

How do you keep your characters original? (i.e. what do you do to make sure your characters don't turn out the same in every story?)

Every character speaks to me differently, since they are all in different stories. Some are loud and obnoxious, some are quiet. Some know exactly what they want, some have no idea. I make sure to give them their own quirks and talents. Likes and dislikes. And I have to remember even if my characters are very different, my voice stays the same. And that's a good thing. If someone likes my voice, then hopefully they'll like whatever I write. Does that make sense? lol

Of course! The author's voice can make or break a book. I can't stand Terry Brooks or Earnest Hemmingway for that very reason.
What exercises do you use to develop your characters?

Uh ... none? I just write whatever character is in my head at the moment. If I am having a hard time with a character's personality, I'll write a bunch of questions down and answer them as if I were the character. But most of the time, I don't have any problem's getting into my characters heads.

Lucky! I have to know at least the basic back story for each of my characters, just so I know how they would talk or behave. I generally start out with an idea, but I have to delve into the character to understand why, and that helps me keep the character consistent.

How do you build a believable world within your stories?

Honestly, I have no idea. I just write whatever comes to me. I don't do a ton of world building when I'm drafting. I like to get the story out and then go back and do all the details. It takes me a while to get everything believeable and perfect during revisions and editing. I have to make people want to care about my characters and make the world they live in "real". It's hard for me to get my worlds just right. Probably the hardest thing about my writing, since I can see the world in my mind, but I have to make sure my readers see it too.

Again, I envy you. I tend to be a bit of a slave to world-building. It's a sickness really: I have to know everything about the world, or else it drives me to distraction while I'm trying to write.
What do you do to make your whole story interesting? How do you avoid "slow stretches"?

I always, always end my chapters with something that makes the reader want to turn the page and read more. There has to be some kind of conflict in each chapter. Whether it's a tense scene between the MC and her love interest, or a fight scene. An argument or a mystery that must be solved. I always have something going on. I don't like just writing whatever and then wondering what the heck it had to do with the story. I think it through. From conversations, to actions. And if it doesn't move the story forward at all, I cut it.

I totally agree! For me at least, it's easier said than done. This is why I am forced to make an outline.

How does your own life inform your writing?

My own life is a big part of my writing. I put a little part of myself into every character I write. Whether it's a trait or something stupid that happened to me when I was a teenager. ;) Some are subtle, some are more obvious. Also, the world is so depressing that I am a huge believer in happy endings in books. I have to have at least a little bit of hope. And my books always end on a happy note. I do like issue books, don't get me wrong, I just like hope. Love. Brighter things in life that make the world less gloomy. I want people to feel good after reading one of my books. You know?

I totally know what you mean. That's actually why I'm not a big fan of contemporary fiction—I get enough of real life everyday, especially on the news.

Have you ever attended a writing convention or conference?

Yes!!

If so, which one(s)?

LDStorymakers in Salt Lake City this year. I loved it.

I wanted to go to that, but I found about it too late.

What did you learn from it?

I learned so much about the craft that I can't begin to even explain it all here. What I loved most about the conference though, is that I'm not alone in this crazy dream of mine to get published. There are so many amazing writers. It's nice to know we're all in this together. Everyone was SO nice. Can't wait for next year!

I'm excited to go to my first one!

Who is your favorite author?

Ugh... I hate this question. There are SO many I love. I'll go with one of the obvious ones, since I'm a HUGE fantasy fan. J.K. Rowling. Her characters were all complex and amazing. I'll love those books forever.

Hahaha! I know it's a terrible question, but I have to ask.

Favorite book?

Another question I hate! lol The Harry Potter series, Twilight, (yes, I know) The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale, etc. So many!

See above.
Favorite genre to read?

YA fantasy. Hands down.

I love YA fantasy too, but I am also a huge fan of YA Sci-fi.
Favorite genre to write?

Ya fantasy. Obviously. ;)

It is fun.

When you're not writing, what do you do in your spare time?

Take care of my three little kids and my cute hubby! :) I also sing a lot. And read!

Sing and reading? You should meet my wife ;)

What are three interesting facts about you?

I've played the harp for 21 years; eyes freak me out; I'd rather give birth than go to the dentist; I hate lawn gnomes. They're creepy little eyes are always watching... :)

Isn't child birth more painful than the dentist? Granted, definitely more worthwhile...

Another Friendly Conversation: Shallee McArthur

Hi everyone!

Before I introduce you to Shallee, I want to remind everyone that the deadline for my contest is this Sunday night. Don't forget! I only have one entry so far, so if no one else enters, Angela wins by default.

Anyway, on to our interview. Shallee is actually an old friend of mine. We met during our freshman year at BYU and ended up taking a creative writing class together (which she apparently took to heart better than I did, but more about that later). So, here it goes:

How did you get started as a writer?

The first stories I really remember writing were carbon copies of the ones from the Story Club in Anne of Green Gables. I wrote my first original story at about age eight: The Secret of the Crystal. It involved aliens, mountain caves, and of course, a secret crystal. I was sure it would make me rich and famous.



Who knows! It might someday evolve into something that WILL make you rich and famous.

Do you free-write or outline?

I started as a complete pantser, but have gradually gotten to the point where I outline fairly extensively before I can start writing. But once I dive into the story, it doesn’t always follow those outlines. My character arcs end up changing, my plot might take a few detours, and I might add new things to my world. I love the direction I get from plotting, but I love the creative explosions that come with pantsing.

Where did the term "pantser" come from? Does it have anything to do with the old "seat of your pants" saying?

What do you do to counteract writer’s block?

Depends. Sometimes I take a break to play with my son or read a book. Sometimes I plow on through, knowing I might have to toss some of the words I’m writing. Usually if something is wrong but I don’t know what, if I keep writing for a few more pages, I discover what the problem is.

You must have a lot more writerly endurance than I do. When I get writer's block, I have to set the computer aside and just mull things over for a while. Sometimes, that "while" can be two or three months, so I work on something else in the mean time.

How do you keep your characters original? (i.e. what do you do to make sure your characters don’t turn out the same in every story?)

Usually my stories are so different that the characters HAVE to be different in order for the new story to work. I like to use the Color Code and Meyers-Briggs personality tests to help me figure out characters at their most basic, and I think that helps me keep my characters different.

I really liked your post about this, by the way. Very useful!

How do you build a believable world within your stories?

With reasons. J To me, if I want something to be believable, there has to be a reason behind it. I also try to make it natural to the character. I have a character relate to certain things that the reader would relate to (for example, having fun at a dance club), and then toss in an “accepting” attitude toward another aspect of it (the dance club has low gravity). The reader can accept it easier because the character, who they relate to already, is accepting it.

Sneaky! Instead of explaining or illustrating, you just pass it off as every-day humdrum!

What do you do to make your whole story interesting? How do you avoid “slow stretches”?

Plotting. I know, it makes a lot of people cringe. But it really helps keep the pacing up. Scene/sequel outlining is a fabulous tool—each scene either has a goal/conflict/disaster setup or a reaction/dilemma/decision setup. They flow in a cycle and it keeps the story moving without (hopefully) slow stretches.

Another great post. This is one of those things you took to heart in Newell's class and I forgot.

How does your own life inform your writing?

I use quirks from people I know, bits and pieces of places I’ve been, lessons I’ve learned, and all kinds of things from my life in my writing. I think that’s why one idea can generate so many different stories, because people’s lives always inform their writing.

This is a great way to make characters more real. I love it!

Have you ever attended a writing convention or conference?

I’ve been to BYU’s Life, the Universe, and Everything conference and twice to LDStorymakers. A-MA-ZING. I made great friends and learned more than I could put in this question. If you have a chance to go to a conference, do it.

I'm hoping to attend LTUE next year.

Who is your favorite author?

I have lots. I really love Brandon Sanderson and Dan Wells. And Jane Austen, of course. J

No wonder we got along so well from the start! I love your taste in authors (yes, I do, in fact, like Jane Austen).

Favorite book?

The Giver by Lois Lowry will always be my favorite. It’s the first book that made me realize books are more than just words on a page—they can change you.

My wife and I still argue about whether or not Jonas (did I recall his name correctly?) dies at the end or not.

Favorite genre to read?

I’ll give anything a try if it piques my interest.

You're more literately tolerant than I am then. I get enough of real life everyday, so I generally don't want to read the more "literary" fiction. I need something that strays out of the realms of real life.

Favorite genre to write?

Science fiction! I love all the possibilities.

Here here!

When you’re not writing, what do you do in your spare time?

I love playing the piano and guitar, hiking, and reading.

I love hiking, especially at this time of year!

What are three interesting facts about you?

I once hitchhiked in Africa—not my smartest moment. I have double-jointed ankles, so I can flip my feet completely backwards. In college, I got hit by a car while on rollerblades and got to ride in an ambulance (not a comfy experience).

The ankle thing sent a shiver of horror down my spine. No joke!

So, that's my friend Shallee. She's also an amazing novelist. Check out her blog here. Also, if you have a friend you'd like me to interview, I'm open to suggestions.