"Clear!"

Yesterday morning, walking to work at my parttime job (I have a 2+ block hike from my car to my building downtown) I heard shouts. Male shouts, and many of them.

"Great," I thought. "A riot."

But thankfully, no. (and yes we've had them before so don't just think I'm paranoid lol) It was a group of bicyclers. They were riding in formation, and judging by the calls of the man in the front and his obvious leadership position, it was some type of training class. Most of the guys were in their 30's and had on shirts that boasted either Police or Fire Department, which was interesting. They were all taking turns riding in different positions, and as the traffic changed and they paused at redlights (they were beside me for awhile, remember - 2 block hike) they would make different calls that would be passed down the line to the last rider, regarding cars in which lane, or "clear", etc.


I found it fascinating, even though I still am not entirely sure what they were doing or why. But it was a great example of teamwork. From the confidence of the bike leader to the very last rider on wobbly wheels (yes, I almost reached over to steady him more than once! Poor guy!) they had a mission and a purpose and they were all working together to accomplish it.


Writing might seem like a solitary act, but it takes a team. Think about it. While most writers tend to be introverted, they still crave the friendship and understanding that comes from other writers. Nothing can replace that. And when it comes to the actual act of publishing, it definitely takes a team - the writer, possibly an agent, the acquisitions editor, the copy editor or line editor, the marketing department, the art department, etc. Then it takes a team to sell books - your friends and family, your writers group, word of mouth among peers.


Teamwork is crucial to almost everything that's important in life. Think about it - raising kids ideally takes the team of a husband and wife. Our jobs/career take teamwork to produce a product or sell a product or maintain a business. Our spiritual walk even takes a team - you, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, not to mention the fellowship and encouragement received at church and the teaching from our pastor or sunday school leaders.


Why should writing - our goal, our ministry, our dream - be any different?


Just like the wobbly guy at the end of the line, we need support to do our best work. To remain motivated to stay the course. To improve in our craft and get better with each block. Each traffic signal. Each deadline. Each rejection letter.


So take a minute today to encourage a fellow writer. To holler back to the end of the line "You're doing great! Keep it steady!" Or even just call to the leader at the front of the line - "HELP!" Veteran writers (or in this example, riders) should have no qualms about offering advice and instruction to new riders (writers). We've all been that wobbly guy in the back, and should be eager to help strengthen and advise.

How can you bless a fellow author today?

Mastering the Interview

I used to look forward to interviewing people for my stories. I also looked forward to minor surgeries, root canals, and trips to the zoo with hoards of three-year-olds.

In all seriousness, there was at least one thing to look forward to about these events -- the moment they were over.

Then I went to school for journalism. And I found out interviewing wasn't as bad as I thought. In fact, I learned five tips that transformed my interview skills:

1- Focusing on the fact that it wasn't about me. Most interviewees are nervous. In fact, they want me to put them at ease.

2 - The right tools make all the difference. For in-person interviews, a pad of paper and a pencil are a lot less intimidating to most people than a laptop or recording device. (ALWAYS let a client know if the interview will be recorded.)

3 - Respect the person's time, but don't be in too big of a rush. Try to start out with common ground and establish yourself as the nurturing, caring person I know you are.

4 - Do your homework beforehand. This may sound like common sense, but a lot of people don't take the time. If the person you're interviewing has a website, read it. Learn as much as you can about the interviewee or the topic so you can ask intelligent questions and not waste his or her time.

5 - Find put beforehand if you are allowed to let the interviewee see the final product before print if you plan to sell it to a publisher. If it's for your own private use, this won't be as big of an issue.

So there ya go. One topic down, two to go. Next time we'll discuss how to tackle the root canal head-on, as well as the trip to the zoo...

Or maybe the rest of you experienced ladies could give us a few tips in the comments?

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B.J. Hamrick writes for you and for teens at www.realteenfaith.com.        



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P.S. - Sorry this is late today -- I took the wrong computer to my "office" (a.k.a. the library) and it didn't have my post on it.

Rose Colored Glasses

I have a tendency to look at my characters in a not-quite-fully-dimensional light.

Since I'm the one writing them, it's easy for bits and pieces of myself to end up in their character qualities. My interests start to become their interests. My thoughts, prayers, etc. become their thoughts, prayers and etc.

But sometimes, my faults tend to not end up on the page. And I end up with "perfect" characters who never make any mistakes.

I know we've all read novels where the main character is sickeningly perfect. She never has a bad thought about anyone. She never messes up. She never makes any kind of mistakes and she never uses contractions when she speaks.

I have nothing in common with this character.

And, I might go out on a limb and say that most readers have nothing in common with her either.

Look at your current WIP. Does your character make mistakes? Does he/she have to work hard at something? Does he/she have a fault that no matter how much she prays about it, she still can't move past it?

These are the characters that will resonate with readers! The ones who feel so real and so human that they might walk off the pages and sit across from you in your favorite coffee shop. Read back through your novel and ask yourself, "Would I have done that in that situation?"

Where in the World is Christa Banister?

Call off the search parties, my fellow Scribble Chick readers; I'm back after an embarrassingly long hiatus...

Truth be told, the time that's elapsed between this post and my last one is a little sad to say the least. See, I've had countless ideas for my regular Thursday post, but I never quite got around to sharing them, thanks to, well, the constant push and pull of everyday life.

But that's all about to change, my friends. While my schedule is certainly no less crazy, I'm learning how to manage it better, to make time for the things that are really important—like dialoguing with my fellow writers. And I guess what I've been experiencing these past couple of months is something we all can relate to, which is exactly why I'm writing about it.

When it comes to what's really important to you, and I'm guessing writing definitely falls into that category since you're here, it's easy to let less important things (that's you, Facebook and Twitter) consume all your time. Even things that don't fall into the social networking category can also steal our attention and focus, meaning that current WIP remains just that—a work in progress—rather than the fully realized novel of your dreams.

In the past few weeks, I've made significant strides in fighting for what I love to do, rather than just what I have to do. And trust me, this wasn't exactly easy. After all, it required me to embrace something I'm not such a fan of—structure. While I'd like to think I can work on my WIP any time I feel inspired, it always seemed to take a backseat to something else. Deciding change needed to come now rather than never, I put a plan in motion.

So here I was, full of ideas and excitement about my novel, but my progress was moving forward at a veritable snail's pace. Discouraged and a bit disgusted by the fact that it was already late July, and I wasn't nearly as far into the story as I hoped to be, I did some serious reevaluating of my life, schedule—what I needed to give up and what I needed to shift in priority.

And while I'm still far from perfect and will always be, I've certainly noticed how these changes have dramatically helped my WIP. Not only do I know exactly when I'm going to write, but I look forward to it. I'm kicking procrastination to the curb, one small step at a time, and am so excited about where the story is taking me (and eventually, the reader).

Now how about you? What is holding you back from making the progress you'd like? Is there a bad habit that needs to change for you to take that crucial next step?

Cheep Cheep - Round Robin

Writing exercises are very helpful in strengthening our craft.

There's several different types of exercises, including the ever popular "Round Robin", where one person starts with a story, and then another person picks it up, then a third keeps it going...usually this exercise has rules such as only two lines per person, and usually ends up being really silly and fun! :)

So in honor of the Round Robin, lets have some fun today. But instead of a Round Robin exactly, let's do a writing prompt, which is very similiar. This is where we all take the SAME first line and write 50 (yes, ONLY 50!!) words to finish it.

Fingers ready? Here we go!

Writing prompt:

One look into his shimmering, charcoal gray eyes told her everything she needed to know. She was without a doubt, completely and totally....

Take it from here :) Get creative! This could be a roamnce prompt. Could be a sci-fi. Could be a thriller or suspense. It all just depends on your perception. That's what makes it fun!

GO!

(only 50 words!!!)

Paragraph Swap

Hey Ladies! I thought it would be fun if we shared a few paragraphs of our current works-in-progress. Here's mine -- leave yours (and any questions you might have for us to blog about) in the comments. Can't wait to see what you're working on!

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...I was alone. Completely and utterly alone. Nothing but me and darkness. And the noise of the screen door, which chose that very moment to squeak open and slam shut again.

I thought of Buddy, the camp goat. It was on this very mountainside he’d committed suicide. Okay, so maybe the hill was too steep. Maybe it was just a slip of his foot. Or maybe it was a night like this when Buddy was so scared he ran – right off the mountain – forgetting there was a rope tied around his neck.

Whatever the case, I wasn’t taking any chances. I slammed both doors tight. I double-checked the windows – the ones that could be secured, anyway. I hunkered down in a corner… and tried to sleep.

But the questions haunted me. Why the sudden darkness? Was it a downed power line? Or something more sinister? Why hadn’t I brought a flashlight? And most importantly… how could I know for sure I just peed in the toilet and not my suitcase?

Writing Pilates

You asked for it! Get ready to stretch your writing muscles with a few little exercises today!

Creative (a.k.a. what-feels-like-pointless) writing can be actually VERY good for your current WIP. I hate, hate, hate, hate taking time away from whatever deadline I'm working on to write something meaningless, but I've noticed that after I spend a little bit writing something new, I get a quick breath and I suddenly have more inspiration to push through on my WIP.

So, are you ready??? :)

1. Here's an oldie-but-a-goodie from writer's conferences: Dig through a stack of magazines and cut out three pictures of different people - young, old, tall, short, thick, thin. Glue the picture onto a piece of paper and give yourself 10-15 minutes to come up with as many details about that person as you can (name, age, favorite color, favorite ice cream, weird habit, unique talent, etc). What is in their past that they want to hide? What is their biggest pet peeve? What (or who) do they love the most?

2. Close your eyes and think of the most desolate setting you can imagine. Now imagine a person who suddenly finds him/herself there. What would they live in? What would they eat? How would they stay alive? What did they bring or have with them? Do you think they will be able to leave there someday?

3. Pick a random object in plain sight - a cup, a table, a desk, etc. Now, set your timer for three minutes and write down as many adjectives about this particular object as you can. Is it soft, hard, squashy, sturdy, yellow, pink, wet or dry? Get creative - think of as MANY different, unique words as you can! And if you want to get really inventive, try making up a few words!!


Feeling inspired now? Great! Time to get back to work on your WIP! And please feel free to leave your answers to one of the exercises in the comments so we can all get motivated by you! :)