Words of Wisdom from the Smart Chicks

As a novice writer I find it fascinating to listen to seasoned veterans about the writing process and book business. Last Sunday I was fortunate enough to attend the Seattle stop on the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour. The lineup was quite impressive: Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Rachel Caine, Melissa de la Cruz, Sophie Jordan, Jeri Smith-Ready, Margaret Stohl, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Richelle Mead, Rachel Vincent, Stephanie Kuehnert, and Sara Zarr. I was starstruck for most of the afternoon. However, being the huge nerd that I am, I did manage to push aside those stars and take notes in my writers notebook. (Side note: On another huge nerd front, I also had several of the authors sign my writers notebook as a way to keep myself inspired to write. Sadly, this idea occurred to me halfway through the line up so I didn't get all of the attendees to sign it.) 

I decided to share some of my favorite gems with you today instead of creating a traditional crafting post. Hearing these ladies speak was so inspiring for me. I tried to write down where each tidbit came from, but at times the authors talked too fast and I just got the idea down.

Melissa Marr: Feed off your characters and be inspired by them

Sophie Jordan: Reading is the happiest time of my life.

Characters are often who we wish we had been.

Melissa Marr: I have a mortician on speed dial. (This was in response to a question on research.)

Melissa Marr suggested immersing yourself in your research for your WIP. Jennifer Lynn Barnes uses her real life experiences rather than traditional research for her writing.

Sara Zarr's Advice for Writers: Focus on becoming the best writer you can be - Craft should be your focus - Have life experiences - Read widely

Richelle Mead's Advice for Writers: Write about what you are passionate about even if you don't think other people will want to read it - there are no new stories so pour your heart into the story you want to create

Sophie Jordan: Give yourself permission to write crap.

Melissa Marr: I don't plot. I prefer to be consumed by my writing.

Sara Zarr: A first draft is a discovery draft.

Writing is hard and there are a ton of other things you could spend your time on. Push yourself and just force your way through the hard stuff.

You have to carve out writing time that works for you. Make it happen.

Writing gives you permission to explore what intrigues you.

Margaret Stohl: Being a writer is like being drunk all the time.

Writers block is a product of fear and lack of confidence.

Pay attention to language.

Pay attention to your life.

Listen to the lyrics of music. It can trigger inspiration.

Kelley Armstrong: You will only fail at writing if you walk away. Don't just think about it - write, write, write.

My Creative Juices are Pumping....

I am still thinking through my character and plot, but I was inspired by some images and music this week.

I love the sense of place I get from this photograph. My WIP has two main settings - Georgia and the Pacific Northwest. This image really got my mind working for the Pacific Northwest setting.

My WIP also deals with fire so I was drawn to this image. It seems as if the fire dwells within this person, which makes for an interesting literary concept.

My musical inspiration this week is from Massive Attack. I love the sound of the music and vocals. It puts me right into the moment with Thora as she is on the precipice of her life changing in ways she has never expected. I love that it almost sounds like a heart beat. I also like the line about teardrops on the fire - it lends itself nicely to the fire elements of my WIP. The idea of black flowers blossoming is also something cool that I might choose to explore somehow in my work at some point.

Interview with Mindi Scott (Author of Freefall)

Mindi Scott was kind enough to allow me to interview her. If you haven't read Freefall (2010), its a YA novel that I highly recommend. Mindi's writing is contemporary fiction that speaks to the tough issues facing teens. Her second novel, Live Through This, will be published by Simon Pulse in 2012. I chose to interview Mindi for the blog because she's awesome and I wanted to get the perspective of someone who writes in a different genre than I do. Learn more about Mindi on her website or follow her on twitter.

Drea: Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?

Mindi: I wouldn't say that I wanted to be, but when I was younger, I always thought I would write a book after I got really, really old. Instead, I got started when I was around 26.

Drea: Why did you choose to write YA books?

Mindi: I used to think it was because those were the books that spoke to me as a teen. I recently realized that I read a lot of middle grade when I was younger, and then switched to John Grisham and women's fiction and such. I read very little YA when I was a teen. So, I think my revised answer is that when I was making the decision about what kind of book I wanted to write, I connected with the dozens of YA novels that I read more than any other type of book.

Drea: What do you do when you find yourself telling instead of showing in your writing?

Mindi: I usually open up The Bookshelf Muse and scan through their ideas. That will usually trigger an idea for me of how to show something if it, in fact, needs to be shown.

Drea: Where do you get inspiration for your characters?

Mindi: I honestly don't know! Occasionally, after I've finished a book, I'll reread it and say, "You know, [this character] kind of reminds me of [this person]." Most of the time, though, I have no idea where they came from.

Drea: Do you think you will stick to writing realistic fiction or would you like to try another genre?

Mindi: I don't have story ideas for another genre at this time, but I am interested (perhaps!) in trying realistic Middle Grade.

Drea: Are you an outliner? If not, what do you do to plot your novels.

Mindi: I definitely outline. My outlines consist of a paragraph (or more) summarizing each scene that I anticipate appearing in the novel. It changes as I go, of course, but for better or worse, I always have a detailed map to follow.

Drea: What traits do you believe a writer must have in order to be a successful YA author?

Mindi: Ha, well, success is relative, right? I think to be an effective YA author, one has to strive for authenticity and truth. A path to success is harder for me to define.

Drea: Where and when do you do most of your writing?

Mindi: Sometimes I write scenes in a journal wherever I happen to be, but the majority of the work is done at my computer in my home office. I work a part-time job, and I pretty much write whenever I'm not there!

Drea: Who are your top 3 favorite authors?

Mindi: Courtney Summers, John Green, Carolyn Mackler

Drea: What are you currently reading?

Mindi: I'm reading the draft of Live Through This while I revise it. (Sadly, I've had very little free time so far this year to read.)

Drea: Do you listen to music when you write?

Mindi: Most of the time. My iPod broke several months ago, followed by my CD player. That pretty much leaves Pandora or the regular radio until I replace one or both of those.

Drea: What is the biggest challenge you've faced in your writing career?

Mindi: Managing my time has been a huge, huge challenge for me, especially in 2011. I feel like every day is go, go, go! and I'm always behind no matter what I do.

Drea: What is the hardest thing about being a published writer?

Mindi: Hmm. I saved this question until the end because it was the hardest one for me to answer . There are things I want to say, but I don't know if I really want to say them. And that actually sums up my answer on lots of levels! I've observed many communications that have gone so wrong over the past couple of years that I've become kind of paralyzed online.

Musical Inspiration

Cindy and I have had numerous discussions about music and writing. She chooses to write without music because it serves as a distraction. However, I don't think I could write a decent sentence without it. Music has writing power. I love how a melody or a set of lyrics can trigger the perfect character emotion or send my mind in a new plot direction. Each of my main characters has their own playlist. This helps me get into their frame of mind before my fingers touch the keyboard.

I wonder how other writers approach the issue of music and their writing. Is it an inspiration for you or does it only hold distractions?

I thought I would share a song from the playlist of the main character from my WIP this week. Youtube was being a punk so I just grabbed a video with the song - the dolphins while cute - have nothing to do with my WIP.

Get to know Drea

If you could be any item on Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why?

I would be nachos - because who doesn't love nachos???

If you were an item of clothing what would you be and why?

I would be a pair of pj pants - always needed, comforting, and cute most of the time. Plus, I enjoy my sleep - you don't want to mess with me when I am lacking in the snooze department.

When's your birthday?

March 7th

What quote inspires you most?

I am a quotation addict! However, I will control myself and only share one.

"Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of his divine discontent."
— Harper Lee

What's a pet peeve you have?

Slow drivers

Something about you that no one would know just by looking at you?

I am a Starbucks addict.

Who's your favorite princess and why?

Princess Grace - She was a timeless beauty and had great sense of style - not to mention some serious talent. (I obviously went the real princess route and not the Disney route.)

Why do you want to write within the YA genre?

I haven't quite figured out how to be an adult. I also didn't enjoy all the aspects of my youth so in fiction I can go back and make things happen the right way or at least a more interesting way.

Which YA book character are you most like? Explain.

This is a really hard one. Hmmmm..... I suppose that I am most like Ari from Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton. I am a bit of a tomboy, stubborn, and I don't always do what I am told. I also sometimes allow my curiosity to get me into trouble. I also have a ton of hair, but mine isn't quite as interesting as Ari's.


Plotter or Panster?

I am a total Panster. Plotting requires too much forethought and time. I prefer to live in the moment with my characters. And... I am kind of a procrastinator so plotting would be too involved for my tastes.

What do you like to do when you get stuck while writing to help work through it?

I listen to the playlist for the character I am working with or leave it alone for a bit to read or play a video game.

Was there a specific book you read that inspired you to start writing?

I have always had the notion of being a writer in the back of my mind. I suppose the book that really gave me courage to give it a try would be Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. I just loved that she created a world and characters that I fell in love with and I wanted to be able to do the same someday.

What is your single most favorite thing (feel free to be as vague as you like) about you're current WIP?

My characters - I love spending time with them

What book from childhood do you most wish you had written? What book from the past year?

Childhood: The Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal
Past Year: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Two truths and one lie about yourself.

I am related to a former vice president.

I have been to Forks, Washington five times.

My favorite food is sushi.