Read, Read, and Read Some More

So I want to talk about something different today. This is still totally relevant to the blog, so stick with me.

I took a break from editing (and writing and schoolwork and sleeping and eating and... wait what?) to read a book* that I've been meaning to read for months now. It's a trilogy, so I figured it would take me a while. I started the first book on Thursday afternoon and now it is Sunday night and I am halfway through the third book. Like I've said before, I read fast when the book is good, and let me tell you, this book is good. I was afraid that reading would distract me from editing, which I've been slacking on the last week (school has been busy), but quite the opposite happened. I ended up taking notes on my phone for things that I need to work on that the author of the book did really well. There was a strangely high number of parallels that I could draw between the book and my manuscript. Sometimes scenes in the book reminded me of scenes in my own even though they were completely different simply because they made me think of things I could do better.

I know you've probably seen numerous people advise aspiring writers to read and I'm here to tell you that every single one of those people is absolutely correct. I had always seen advice like that and thought it was only applicable long term, like reading a lot makes you a better writer over time. While I still think that is true, I was not expecting to see the effects so quickly.

My point here is if you're getting stuck either while writing or editing, put it down and read something. Not only will this give you some distance from your own manuscript which is sometimes necessary, but it will also remind you of what you like in books when you read. I have been so caught up in my own story and words for so long that I forgot what I like to read. I forgot how much I love it when a book actually makes me laugh out loud. I forgot how interesting and frustrating it is to have a narrator that second guesses herself. I forgot how much I love sarcastic, sassy characters. I forgot how much I like confident but vulnerable love interests. I forgot how much I love when you feel a character's pain so strongly that you actually physically cry with them. And I forgot how much I love a book that forces me to read at every possible available minute because I just can't bring myself to part from the story. 

I think it's hard to remember your favorite parts of a book when you are writing one. It's easy to get caught up in the technical craft and trying to pander to what you think your intended audience wants. Taking the time to relax and read a book made me realize that I am the audience. I am a reader and ultimately, I should be happy with the final product. If I write a book that I don't enjoy reading, then I'll never be happy with it. If I write a book that I enjoy reading not just because it's my story but because it is genuinely pleasurable to read, then chances are other people will like it too. 

So take some time to read. Read books in your genre or books with similar elements. Read books that are drastically different too. Don't forget that the joy of reading a truly good book is what inspired you to write a book in the first place.

KMG

*The book series I read was The Selection by Kiera Cass. Definitely check it out if you haven't. It's incredible, as is The Siren by Cass.

Why Creative Word Vomit is a Good Thing

So I'm currently in the read through part of the editing process and it's... different. 

Let me clarify.

When I was writing, I was so focused on getting words onto paper (or computer screen) that I didn't bother with anything other than grammar. This resulted in just about every chapter being in past tense (it's supposed to be present tense), some major timeline consistency problems, characters dropping off the face of the earth for like ten chapters at a time, and the realization of something rather interesting. 

The story that I set out to write is not the one that came out on paper.

Don't get me wrong, a lot of it is the same, but I ended up changing a major part of the story. I had started out writing about a siren who pursues a music career despite her mother trying to kill her. What I ended up with was the story of a siren whose mother is trying to kill her while she struggles with the realities of being a siren, like the desire to kill. 

I liked the idea of the irony of a siren being a professional singer and how that would play out. I wanted to explore that concept. But the more I wrote, the more the music career fell by the wayside and this alternate concept of a siren who doesn't want to kill, but that's against her nature. That second concept was always intended to be in the story, but I never thought it would become a main plot point and major conflict in the story. 

So why do I say all this?

As I was writing, I read more writing tips than I probably should have. I kept seeing all these posts about writing the story that wants to be written and just sitting down and letting the story flow out and all I have to say is that those statements couldn't be more accurate. So many times I sat down to write something specific. I had a complete, detailed scene in my head ready to be written. But an hour later, I looked up from the keyboard to find a completely different idea on the screen. 

Sometimes your subconscious writer knows better than your logical mind. I ended up with a far better story (I think) kind of by accident, but I'm so glad for it. Now I can confidently edit, knowing I wrote the right story. I know it's often hard in practice to relax and just be creative, but sometimes impromptu creative word vomit is better in the long run.

<3
KMG

An Original Short Story! Titled: Cheated

Hey guys!

So I realized something today. I sat down to start editing my newly completed manuscript first draft (*squeals*), and my mind was buzzing with ideas for a potential sequel and ideas for a completely different book, and it occurred to me that I have never actually posted any of my writing.

Since my manuscript is still in the early stages, I won't be posting any of that. However, I do have some short stories and other things like that, so here goes nothing.

This is a story that I wrote almost two years ago. My freshman year of college, I took a creative writing class that I absolutely adored. Our professor encouraged us to try all styles, including nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. This is a fictional (very short) short story that I wrote for that class. The writing prompt was to write a short story based on one very simple but intriguing line. The first assignment was to write that line. The second assignment was to write the story based off of that line. 

The story I wrote follows below. The first line of the story is that initial prompt. Please read and comment and let me know what you think! Even though this is a few years old, I still really like it.

Cheated

The rustling trees brought back the ache of that day.

He remembered how beautiful she looked. Her glowing ember hair cascaded down her back, bouncing over her shoulder, springing back as she twirled the curls. He remembered what she wore. A blueberry shaded dress, strapless, that was longer in the back, only reaching the top of her pretty knees in the front. She wore black stilettos, one foot forward, one foot back. She was sitting on the bench, reading a book, looking like she had stepped out of a painting. Frankenstein. His favorite book. He had never seen such a stunning woman reading Frankenstein before. Every woman he had ever seen reading such a book was incredibly frumpy and unconcerned with her frightful appearance.

           

The wind blew, rustling the leaves, both those still clinging to the trees and those scattered on the ground. The breeze tousled her hair and she flicked a piece away from her face. Her silver bangles tinkled as she flipped her hair, chimed as her fingers delicately turned a page.

           

She was fully engrossed in her novel and oblivious to her admirer who sat several yards away from her. He was trying desperately to work up the nerve to talk to her. She was the ideal woman for him. No, the perfect woman. He loved red hair, adored science fiction novels, and there was nothing in the world he enjoyed more than sitting under the trees and listening to the persuasive breezes sway the trees. In fact, that is precisely why he was here in the first place. Going to the park was his favorite thing in the world because he dearly loved nature. He was enjoying the beautiful day and watching the trees dance under the wind’s power. She glanced up for a moment to observe a curious squirrel that had been observing her. She caught him staring at her, smiled, and went back to reading. He sighed. Her stunning green eyes captivated him and made him swoon. He just had to talk to her.

           

But he couldn’t do it. He tried, oh, he tried desperately to stand up, put one foot in front of the other and walk over and speak to her, but his fear of rejection kept him seated in his bench.

           

But he had to. She was a goddess, she was perfect for him, he could just feel it. So he stood. Slowly, but he rose to his feet. He took one step and paused. One more step, another pause. He heard someone walking behind him. He turned to see a man behind him. The man passed him without a glance and moved toward the girl. She smiled when she saw him, stood, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. He picked her up and spun her. She picked up her book and they walked away together.

           

He was shocked. Sickened. Crushed. He felt as if he had just been cheated on. He had never spoken to her, didn’t even know her name, but he loved her as if she had been his wife. He sat dismally, empty handed. In his imagination, he had found his soulmate, but in reality she was just a stranger and would never be anything more.

It had been more than ten years since that day, yet here he was, sitting on the same bench he sat on the day he was cheated. He’s married now, to the supposed perfect woman. All his friends are jealous of her. She is beautiful, charming, and hangs off of him adoringly. She is the perfect trophy wife. She is the perfect woman. But she isn’t his perfect woman. She cares more about her appearance than she does about him, hates reading, and her idea of enjoying nature is when he brings her flowers. He still comes to this park, even though she hates it when he goes.

The wind blows and the trees shake. He watches the squirrels scurry around in search of food and he listens to the children play together. He looks up at the three girls walking in his direction, though still a ways off. They are about thirteen or fourteen and they talk frivolously about boys and clothes. As they get closer, he takes notice of the one on the end. When she laughs, she shakes her auburn locks and smiles beautifully. He is startled by how much she looks like the woman from his past. He blinks quickly, trying to expel the hallucination from his eyes. Her mother catches up with her and hands her a worn copy of Frankenstein before watching her walk off with her friends. It’s her. The woman is standing only a few feet from him after nearly fifteen years. She takes notice of him, smiles familiarly, and walks off with that man.

He was left with only the old memory of her reading and the sound of the rustling of the trees.

KMG

MY BOOK IS DONE!!! (Except it's not...) 5 Tips

First things first: Drumroll please....

I FINISHED MY BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so obviously I still have a ton of editing to do, but the writing stage is complete! I officially have a completed manuscript at 69,000 words!

 (Giphy.com)

So I'm super excited about that. SUPER EXCITED. 

But let's take a moment to discuss things I learned while writing this. I am by no means a professional, but these are my own personal experiences.

1. Writing a book is hard

This seems obvious and SO many writers will tell you this, but I don't think I really believed any of them. Some days, the writing is easy and it flows out of your head and your hands can barely keep up with your thoughts. But other days, it's like trying to move a mountain. I had weeks long episodes of lying face down on the couch moaning about how my brain was useless and I couldn't write a single word and I was a failure. My mom tried to tell me that it would pass (and of course it did- moms are never wrong). You've just got to take those days in stride. They always pass. Writer's block is for real, guys.

2. Writing advice is great, but ultimately you should ignore it

I spent many hours browsing writing websites and reading writing tips from published authors (usually when I was procrastinating on writing) and I tried almost every tip I read, but ultimately, whatever I was doing originally was best. I tried different things, but I always ended up with my same old techniques I was already using. So I would say that if you're stuck, take the time to try out those tips, but remember what worked for you in the past.

3. Write the story you want to write

This sounds obvious, but don't pander to an audience or try to emulate another writer. The world already has a Suzanne Collins, a J. K. Rowling, a Veronica Roth, a C. S. Lewis. The world doesn't have you. Write the story that you want to write, regardless of the trends or anything else. If you write true to yourself, the final product will be far better than if you tried to be someone else.

4. Take time to do things other than write

Sometimes when you're stuck, it pays to stop and step back and do something that doesn't involve writing. Go to the movies, read a book, play a musical instrument, start a Netflix TV show marathon, read ALL the Twitter posts, bake a cake, whatever you feel like doing. It gives your brain a break.

5. Celebrate the little victories

When you finish a chapter, celebrate. When you reach a word count milestone, celebrate. When you break through your writer's block, celebrate. Enjoy the little successes along the way. It makes the journey of writing a book much more enjoyable.

Now I am going to take a few days to relax and celebrate the victory of completing a manuscript before I start editing (and editing will take a while).

KMG

Why Girls Need Young Adult Novels

Something has been weighing on my mind for some time now, but I hesitated to blog about it because I didn’t feel like it was really relevant to the topic of my blog. However, I’ve reconsidered because first of all, I do think it’s relevant as a related topic, and secondly, I think it’s far too important to pass up.

The Young Adult genre of books has gotten some flack in recent years. Some of the criticisms are reasonable and some are not, but that’s not what I’d like to explore here. What I’d like to point out is why the YA genre continues to have value and should continue to maintain an important place in the literary world.

               

Let me preface this by saying that YA is my favorite, so I’m a little biased. But I think my point still has merit.

               

Even though YA has a wide range of readers and fans, I think we, as writers and/or readers, can agree that it is written about teenagers for teenagers. Most YA books feature a teenager who faces a crisis in his or her life and must overcome it. Depending on the storyline, these crises can be very simple and relatable or very complex and extreme. Either way, the reason these books are so popular is because they possess emotions and experiences and thought processes that everyone has felt in their youth.

                

So why am I pointing this out? For a very simple reason: Girls need YA novels.

                

YA novels are unique not just because of the age of the protagonist, but because the protagonist overcomes a great obstacle. As an avid reader, nowhere else have I found such a strong positive female role model than in YA.

                

Let me give you a very famous example from one of my all-time favorite books: Katniss Everdeen.

               

(Side note: If you haven’t read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, you’re doing something wrong. If you are currently reading and not finished, no need to worry, there are no spoilers in this post).

               

The Hunger Games is one of the most popular YA books right now and there are many reasons for it. Collins tells a compelling story through excellent writing and superb character development. Her writing is top notch. But what I like most about this book series is not any of that (though I have an unhealthy appreciation/obsession of her writing chops). What I like most is Katniss Everdeen. From page one, Katniss Everdeen is a bad-ass who doesn’t let anyone push her around. She isn’t perfect and she makes mistakes, but she’s not about to let anyone control her life. Katniss never lets anyone dictate her actions or come anywhere near hurting the people she cares about. She’s brave even when she’s terrified, she perseveres when she thinks she can’t go on, and she finds the beauty in life even when she’s in a fight to the death. She recognizes injustice and doesn’t let anyone intimidate her into backing down, and that is very honorable.

               

Katniss embodies what I think YA books do so well: they remind people that young girls have the ability to do great things. Repeatedly throughout the series, many people doubt Katniss’s ability to succeed. Even Katniss doubts herself, but she never backs down from a fight. Katniss is underestimated because she’s a girl and at times, emotional, but she always gets the last laugh because she is far more powerful than anyone, including herself, ever thought she was.

                

I think that young girls need that. All young people need to be reminded that they have the ability to achieve greatness, even when people don’t think they can. All young people need these great examples, even fictional ones, that show just how powerful they can be.

                

Girls especially need these kinds of examples. As a twenty year old girl, I can tell you firsthand that I have experienced and witnessed a prejudice against young girls with big dreams. It’s sad that in the 21^st century, girls are still treated as less than boys. Girls are considered less intelligent, weaker, and all around inferior to boys. Now, don’t take this to mean that I’m a man-hater. I want guys to pursue their dreams fervently and become successful young men who don’t let anyone discourage them. I want guys to be encouraged to be all that they can be. But I want girls to have the same treatment. I want the world to tell girls that they are just as capable. If girls were ever treated like they deserve to be treated, I think we would see a vast improvement in our society.

                

Unfortunately, girls don’t hear the encouragement they desperately need. That’s why characters like Katniss Everdeen are so vital in literature. If Katniss can achieve what she does even under the most extreme of circumstances, then girls who are reading can believe that they too can succeed.

                

If girls continue to read about characters like Katniss Everdeen, Tris Prior, Lucy Pevensie, Lena Holloway, etc.,* then we can inspire young girls to seek greatness because they will believe they can achieve greatness, despite others trying to hold them back. YA books are filled with excellent role models for young girls and guys in a way that is unparalleled. This is why YA is my favorite genre. YA books are inspiring to the youth of the world, and that is priceless.

KMG

*Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games, Tris Prior of Divergent, Lucy Pevensie of The Chronicles of Narnia, Lena Holloway of Delirium