Writers in the Storm

Barbara Claypole White

I’ve always been comfortable in my own skin, and yet I’m a hot mess of insecurity about everything I write, including this blog post. Why? Because it matters to me. Writing is my passion, which makes it a soft target for that inner voice of worry. Doubt has been my constant companion through four manuscripts—one unpublished—and is now cutting its teeth on number five.

Earlier this month I came back from vacation rested, ready to detox from rum cocktails, and desperate to jump into my second draft. I hadn’t finished shaking sand out of the suitcases or putting away deflated pool floats before my work-in-progress was open on my laptop.

I steamed through a serious edit of the first fifty pages, which I’d already polished multiple times for my contract proposal, and then slowed to a turtle’s pace. The low point came when I wasted ten hours editing five pages…before I realized that I had the wrong POV.  You can figure out what happened next. Yup, anxiety pounced: I was never going to make my deadline; I’d have to return the advance; the manuscript was worse than crap; blah, blah, blah. To up the ante, I added a few personal catastrophes related to aging parents.

In the language of OCD, an anxiety disorder known as the doubting disease, this is called awfulizing. Your mind latches on to the worse case scenario and refuses to budge. When I reached page 125, I could barely hear anything beyond the ticking bomb of my deadline. Nevertheless, I turned up for work each day, even hauling my laptop to my OBGYN appointment. In the exam room—typing away in one of those natty, front-opening gowns—

something clicked: I wasn’t listening to doubt anymore. I was listening to my characters.

Here are some of the positive thoughts that helped me reach that moment:

• Doubt is omnipotent for writers. I’m sure even Stephen King occasionally believes he produces crap. (Right?) Acknowledge the doubt; accept it. Acceptance doesn’t make you a quitter. It gives you power. Think of it as waving to a talkative houseguest and saying, “I can’t chat right now but feel free to forage for breakfast. We’ll catch up later. ‘Bye!”
• Always keep writing. Writing through the bad days makes you a better writer. Others have said it before: writing isn’t for wimps. Lick your wounds until they heal, but always limp on.
• Bad writing days end, and every tomorrow brings a fresh start. Corny, but true.
• Anxiety isn’t logical, and logic is your best counter-attack. My family reminds me constantly, “You say this every time.” That’s the logic I grasp: writing isn’t easy, but I’ve completed four manuscripts. I can do it a fifth time.
• One rejection, one bad review, one weak chapter can eclipse everything, but it doesn’t have to tarnish your writing for all eternity. This time last year, I returned from vacation to discover that my contract for THE PERFECT SON had been cancelled. My amazing agent landed me another deal almost immediately and foresaw great things with my new publisher, Lake Union. I tried to believe her, I really did. But I’d been dumped, and my inner voice whispered constantly that the manuscript was to blame. When THE PERFECT SON was chosen for Amazon’s Kindle First Program, I told her it would be their first dud. I’m happy to report that my doubting Thomas was wrong, and that second pub deal has turned into my golden egg.

  

• KBO, keep buggering on. This is my writing mantra, and I stole it from Sir Winston Churchill, who defeated the Nazis and won the Nobel Prize while juggling a learning disorder with undiagnosed mental illness. Go, Sir Winston!
• The best way to reduce anxiety? Laugh. Repeat keep buggering on Laughing yet?
• You can’t please every reader—including that voice in your head—so don’t try. Make peace with the realization that you are not, and never will be, everyone’s cup of Earl Grey. Reading is subjective. The end.
• No one else can tell your story; no one else has your voice. You’re unique, baby! I write about mental illness and strangely functional dysfunctional families. Oh, and I use the f bomb. Combine those factors and I’m way outside many people’s comfort zones, but I’m writing what I want to write the way I want to write it.
• When the crap of life pulverizes your writing focus, fold whatever crisis derailed you back into your story. Steal mercilessly from the potholes of your life. The great Lydia Netzer reminded me of this a few days ago. After an emotionally draining four-day visit with my 99-year-old father-in-law—around page 125—everything I wrote fell off the page, flat and boring. But I had all these great anecdotes about old people behaving badly in a retirement home. “Weave them into your manuscript!” Lydia said. I did, and I started having fun again.

My favorite weapon against doubt is a technique used to combat OCD. It’s called boss it back. This can be as simple as saying, “Go to hell,” or “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Tell me something new.” Boss back that worry and then write over the doubt.

Do you have a strategy to boss back the worry?    Please share with us!

I was fortunate enough to go to the RWA Conference in New York in July (thank you, Alpha Dog). Between meetings, chatting with friends, and parties, I got to exactly 3 workshops (beat last year, when I got to zero!). But luckily I attended what I'm sure was the BEST of all workshops.

I've heard others sing the praises of Michael Hauge, and every year, have intended to make his presentation. This year, I committed to get there no matter what, and am I glad I did! I'm here to pass some of his wisdom on to you.

In case you don't know who he is, this is from his website:

MICHAEL HAUGE is a story expert, author and lecturer who works
with writers, filmmakers, marketers, attorneys and public speakers,
both in Hollywood and around the world.

If you do know of him, or have attended his lectures in the past - hang in with me, because some of this is new.

These are my notes from his awesome 2 hour lecture. He's talking about romance, but this works for all relationships - it's the explanation of why they work.

A good story is manipulation - you're trying to create an emotional experience for the reader.

All stories are based on 3 elements:

1. Character
2. Desire
3. Conflict

There are 12 components of a good story:

1. Hero - Protagonist is not necessarily heroic, but he has potential to be. The story is him realizing that potential or failing (tragedy)

2. Set-up - Glimpse you give of the hero's life before the story.

     a. Every good story is a reflection, of the before and after story. Reveal what the hero longs for, somewhat unrealistically. Ex: Heroine in Titanic                longs for adventure.

     b. How is the hero stuck? He's in a state of inertia - he's settling

3. Create empathy for the hero - for emotional engagement, the reader must become the hero

     a. Make the hero the victim of undeserved misforture

     b. Put a character in jeopardy

     c. Make the hero likable

4. Hero has a catalyst - an opportunity or event that pushes him forward. Could be good or bad

     If it looks good, it goes bad / If it looks bad, it goes good

5. New situation - the hero's goal is to decide, where am I, what are the rules? Involves exploration and questioning

6. Outer motivation - the hero creates a new goal

7. Other characters - Here's the new stuff 

     a. Reflection character - best friend, mentor, helper. They hold the hero's feet to the fire. Point out the problem.

     b. Nemesis - Villain, bad guy. Embodies the character has of himself.

     c. Romance character - outer motivation for the hero.

The biggest weakness of romance is that there's no logical reason for these two people to be together.

Wrong answers:

          1. Chemistry - Nope, that burns out. We're talking about love here.

          2. Love is not explainable - yes, it is.

The right answer:

The right hero for the heroine  is the only person who connects with her ESSENCE, not her IDENTITY.

Identity is the face we wear for the world - He sees what she really is, not the face she puts on for the world. We may even believe our identity is who we are.

Essence is who we truly are, deep inside.

Lovers are in conflict because one or both of them is in identity – not essence. This is great before sex, and it helps in a love triangle:

Whoever she dumps embodies identity

Whoever she chooses embodies essence

Laura - butting in here. This was an epiphany for me.  Think about Twilight, or Hunger Games. Something always bothered me about those love triangles, but I couldn't put my finger on why. This is it! There's no reason for them to be together; neither sees the girl's essence - or if they do, they see only a part. That's why you can't decide who the heroine should be with! And that bugs me - on a subliminal level. And if they're getting to me on a subliminal level, this is powerful stuff, no? Back to Michael....

8. Pursuit – More visible and persistent the goal, the more the reader is engaged. Goal must be within the power of the hero to achieve. Avoid something he needs another to achieve. Has to be big enough to carry us to the climax.

9. Conflict – Emotion grows from conflict NOT from desire. There 2 levels:

     a. Outer conflict – forces of nature, conflict with another character. Must get worse as story moves forward. Obstacle comes closer – faster – bigger

     b. Inner conflict – invisible, inside heroine.

                   What is the heroine’s wound? Mostly in adolescence.

                  What is the heroine’s belief? It's a misunderstanding about the world.

This belief is NEVER true, but ALWAYS logical

                  What is the heroine’s fear?

                  What is the heroine’s identity? Persona – the mask we wear to protect us from fears that grow out of the belief, created by the old wound. Identity is who we believe we really are.

                  What is the heroine’s essence? If you strip away the armor, what is left? They have the potential to become it, but only if the strip down to the essence and face their biggest fear. They can be safe and unfulfilled or fulfilled and scared to death.

10. Transformation – Begins in identity, ends in essence. Character arc

Steps:

     Identity

     Glimpse new way

     Vacillate

     Move steadily

     Disaster – major setback, all is lost

     Retreat – Doesn’t work. Reflection character may help here. Am I willing to be afraid?

     Essence

Bigger stake – if the hero’s courage also helps the outside world. Or, if he doesn’t find the courage=tragedy like Brokeback Mountain.

11. Climax – Complete the arc and the goal is achieved.

12. Aftermath – the ‘after picture’ in his new life.

That's it. Michael Hauge is officially my hero. If you ever have a chance to catch him live, don't miss it. By the way, he has videos, and books available on his website, and he also does individual coaching. Check him out at: http://www.storymastery.com/

 So, WITS followers, what what your biggest takeaway from the notes? Can you see a way to use this in your WIP?

About Laura

Laura Drake is a city girl who never grew out of her tomboy ways, or a serious cowboy crush. She writes both Women's Fiction and Romance.

She sold her Sweet on a Cowboy series, romances set in the world of professional bull riding, to Grand Central.  The Sweet Spot won the 2014 Romance Writers of America^®   RITA^® award in the Best First Book category.

Her 'biker-chick' novel, Her Road Home, sold to Harlequin's Superomance line (August, 2013) and has expanded to three more stories set in the same small town. The latest, Twice in a Blue Moon , released July 1.

In 2014, Laura realized a lifelong dream of becoming a Texan and is currently working on her accent. She gave up the corporate CFO gig to write full time. She's a wife, grandmother, and motorcycle chick in the remaining waking hours.

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Christopher Lentz

Unless you’re trapped in a 1953 Zenith television, your world is full of color. Whether you know it or not, you’re reacting to the hues that bombard you every second you’re awake. And, if you dream in color, the rainbow never ends for you. It beats me, but there are claims that we can discern 7-10 million colors. Now wouldn’t that spectrum make an incredible box of Crayola Crayons?

Did you know that colors have hidden meanings and not-so-hidden meanings? They do. Color actually has its own language. It’s a form of non-verbal communication, one that’s not entirely universal, however. There are regional dialects. For instance, black is the color most associated with mourning, but not in China where the color white signals death.

The information in following discussion isn’t hard and fast. And it won't be specific to book covers. But when we’re smarter about the psychology behind colors and the common associations humans have with certain colors, perhaps we can engineer our covers to tap into the key emotions or reactions we want to trigger. Sound intriguing? Let’s get started.

Speaking with color

We’re masters of words. We paint pictures for our readers with just the right descriptions to add dimension without dynamiting the flow and pace. Using an economy of words that most people have common associations with, we can deliver a message efficiently and effectively. Consider this: a coral and tangerine sunset versus a grey and steely storm cloud. Got the point? Good.

Selecting and visually applying colors can tell stories too. For instance, red and yellow are stimulating and active colors, while green and blue are considered calming and relaxing. Review the list below to see if you agree with U.S. researchers.

Black—The color of authority and power. Death and mystery. Think villains. Stylish and timeless.

Blue—The color of serenity and trust. Peaceful and calming. Think sky and sea. Can be cold. And while it’s one of the most favored colors, it’s one of the least appetizing.

Brown—The color of earth, as in dirt. Stable and reliable. Though favored by men, it can be sad.

Green—The color of nature. Relaxing and refreshing. Think growth and wealth. Brides in the Middle Ages wore it to symbolize young love and fertility.

Purple—The color of royalty. Abundance and dignity. Think luxury, spirituality and romance. Because it’s rare in nature, it can appear artificial. Purple dye was extremely hard to create, so it was a highly prized pigment.

Red—The color of love, fire and blood. Stimulating and dangerous. Think fast cars and lipstick. It’s an appetite stimulant. That’s why so many fast food restaurants decorate with red and orange.

White—The color of innocence and purity. Hope and openness. Think doctors and a clean sheet of paper. It’s the non-color that can indicate the beginning or perfection.

Yellow—The color of cheerfulness. Sunshine and attention-getting. Think taxi cabs and daffodils. Can be overpowering if overused.

What’s this mean for book covers?

Covers are our story’s calling cards and billboards. Much thought goes into the fonts and images, but how much consideration goes into the selection of colors? Now that you’ve been exposed to the natural associations humans have with colors, shouldn’t book covers leverage what attracts and communicates? Absolutely.

My recent novel, Blossom, features a cover that was strategically constructed. From the images, the potential reader can deduce that there’s sex (the seductive woman’s eyes), mystery (the fan) and adventure (the inferno).

Let’s look at how color selections further deliver the key elements of the heroine’s story. The eye is lavender, a pastel version of purple which can evoke romantic and nostalgic feelings. The hair and fan are black to reinforce style and mystery. The cherry blossoms on the fan add a dash of the color of passion. And the inferno is yellow and orange to indicate heat, energy and danger.

How does this language of color work on widely known book covers like Fifty Shades of Grey, The Hunger Games, The Help, The Great Gatsby and Twilight? Do you have an accurate sense of what you’re getting into if you turned those covers or clicked through to the story?

It’s something to consider when shopping for your next book to read. And it’s definitely something to consider when the time comes to wrap a cover around your soon-to-be-published next book!

To learn more about designing a book cover that tells and sells, be sure to read my June 3, 2015 Writers in the Storm blog.

What do you think about the covers shown in this blog? Or, go look at the cover of your favorite book and see if the dominant color that’s used triggers the correct response for the story it promotes. Would a different color or color combination do a better job?

About Christopher Lentz

Christopher Lentz is a matchmaker, midwife and murderer … when he’s writing books, that is. He’s a man who writes romances, a self-starter who self-publishes and a dreamer who thought growing old would take longer. He truly believes love changes everything. As a journalist, a corporate marketer and now a romance writer, his career has been all about storytelling. His first romance novel, Blossom, is now available and it’s the first book of the Blossom Trilogy. For more information, visit christopherlentz.org and blossomtrilogy.com.