The Panster Who Became a Beater by Karin Gillespie

Back in January of 2007, I happily started a novel. Since it was my sixth novel, I had every confidence that it would chug along as merrily as my last five novels. I’d figured I’d take a few months to churn out around 80,000 words, polish it up for another couple of months, and then, as usual, I’d have a shiny new novel published some time in 2008 or 2009.

I couldn’t have been more deluded.

Problems plagued the novel from day one. I had a nagging feeling that my first draft was monkey gook but continued to slog through it. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

I set it aside for a couple of weeks, read through it and discovered it wasn’t just monkey gook--it was steaming, rotting monkey gook. Monkey gook that needed to be handled with gas masks and protective gloves. Nothing, save for the words “the end” was useable. So I re-wrote it again… And again… And then once more. Finally I sent it to my agent who, you guessed it, asked for yet more re-writes.

Two years later, my agent finally sent it out on two test submissions, and though the writing was praised, the storytelling was not. One of the editors said, “If the author really wants to roll up her sleeves and work, this novel could be huge.”
Trouble is, I’d already “rolled up my sleeves,” I’d practically dug the world’s biggest ditch for the novel. What more did it want from me? A kidney?

Ever the optimist, I was willing to try one more time. Both editors had given me great feedback, so in the name of a book I couldn’t let go, I did the one thing every writer fears doing: I opened a new document and started from scratch.

Nine months later I was like Henry Higgins triumphantly singing, “I think she’s got it.”
My euphoria was short-lived because once I sent it to my agent, she said, “I hate to tell you this but instead of improving the novel you’ve just created more problems for yourself.”

AARGH!

Back and forth I went desperately trying to fix my novel until I realized I was almost at three-year mark with the manuscript, and I still didn’t love it. Not only that, I honestly didn’t know what else I could do with it.

During all this mess, I started a new novel to distract myself, and as I was writing it I had this horrible feeling of dejavu. The novel wasn’t coming together. Was I doomed to waste another three years?

I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I’d easily written five novels before and they’d ended up being just fine. Had I been cursed?

I began to question my methods. I’d always been a seat-of-the pants writer (or “pantser “as organic writers are sometimes called). Did I possibly need to re-think my way of approaching a novel?

In the past I’d read a lot of screenwriting books and discovered most screenwriters are meticulous planners. They have bulletin boards, index cards and push pins and very systematically outline the whole darn film before they would dream of writing the very first word.

To me their process seemed as restrictive as a strait jacket. Every time I thought about outlining a novel I’d get the heebie jeebies and would start hanging out on Facebook instead of working.

But then I happened to run across a screenwriting book called Save the Cat by the late, great Blake Snyder. His method of outlining a story actually seemed doable. First off, he didn’t call it “outlining.” Instead he talked about “beating out” a story which sounded so much less oppressive than outlining.

The more I read his book, the more I comfortable I became with the idea of beating out my next novel. Everything Snyder wrote started to resonate with me in a deep way.

So what the hey? I went to Office Depot, got my cards and started writing my key scenes on my cards and fit everything into a three-act structure. Then I beat out my story as best as I could. Whole process took a couple of weeks.

The beginning of October I started to write, and instead of my usual slogging, I was skating. Each day I slapped down 2,000 words with very little problem. Even though, I’d worked out the structure ahead of time, I didn’t find it the least bit confining. I also discovered plenty of opportunities for surprises along the way.

By the end of November, I had 76,000 words and was ready to type “the end.” I set it aside for a week and read through it. I was in shock, thinking “who wrote this thing” because I’d never written anything thing so tight before in my life. Instead of facing a string of endless re-writes I was looking at two or three passes tops.

Need I say that I am a convert? I’m now more committed to “beating out a story” then Tom Cruise is to Scientology. And yeah, I’m sure all the outline people are reading this thinking “duh.” But to me, a former pantser, I feel like I’ve found the Holy Grail.

As for my previous three-year project, if I ever have the heart to re-visit it, I’m going to have to totally re-think it. It was never built on strong structure so every time I messed with it, it just fell apart some more.

I hate to think of all the time I wasted but at least it forced me to take a long, hard look at what I was doing and for that I'm grateful. Incidentally if you’re a panster who’s thinking about becoming a beater, here are some amazing resources. No only do the following emphasize structure but they also analyze the crucial elements of storytelling. So go ahead: Drink the Kool-Aid.

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby
The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers By Christopher Vogler
Also fellow Southern writer Alexandra Sokoloff has an informative blog about screenwriting tips for novelists.

Q and A with Quentin Whitwell author of If by Whiskey.

1.What is the backstory behind If By Whiskey?

If By Whiskey’s backstory has several components. The primary driving force behind the book being written was personal. Many of the scenes and issues addressed in section two, genuinely occurred in some form or another when I served as Student Body President at Ole Miss. Some of the intense rivalries existed, along with some of the racial rhetoric. For me, I needed healing, but also wanted to explore and push myself to uncover what being Southern is all about, both for black and white people. Another backstory that some folks may not recall is that the Presidential debate actually did take place at the University of Mississippi, or Ole Miss as its alumni and students affectionately call their alma mater. Encapsulating a true story around a fictional one required more research and accurate outlining; however, I think it draws the reader in even more, to the point where one reading the book stops and asks herself, “Is this for real or just made up?” Of course, following this pattern enabled me to make some broader social points about tolerance, stereotyping, heritage, progress and race relations. Finally, there is a story behind the title but I see that I will answer that separately!

The novel is described as "Old South Meets New South." Can you elaborate?

I am not trying to sound like John Edwards in his “Two America’s” speech here, but in some ways there are two “Souths”. There are those who live in the old one and those who live in the new one. And watching the two collide in If By Whiskey is like being an eyewitness to a train wreck - - you know it is going to be bad! I wanted to ask and possibly answer, but at least add to the discussion, this question, “Who are Southerners (regardless of race) perceived as, and are those perceptions reality?” Ultimately, I found myself creating characters that fit the mold one would expect. Sometimes, I would break them down and recreate them to unimagined expectations. Other times I would play them out just like the girl next door with a few twists here and there, of course! Ultimately, to answer the question, Oxford, Mississippi is a microcosm of the South. Known for guarding the entry to its gates of an African-American seeking an education, now it serves as one of the South’s most progressive towns. From a race relations perspective, Ole Miss is known today for hosting Barack Obama, who received a warm reception in Oxford and for the story of Michael Oher recently released as a film with Sandra Bullock entitled The Blind Side. So, the South has changed but some of the ghosts from our tumultuous past reappear from time to time.

What was your journey to publication?

Whew! That was the worst part. I had written five chapters and outlined the majority of the book when I realized that even if I wrote an entire manuscript, I had no idea how to get a novel to print. Turns out, as small as this world is, that my neighbor is an entertainment attorney and wrote a couple of sports books. So I called him. He introduced me to one of his partners and she guided me in. She gave me a deadline to have the draft complete, edited it, had it proofread (there are still a couple of errors that drive me crazy!), got printing quotes, designed the cover art, and 4000 copies showed up at my front door one day. That day scared me to death! I self-published my first one for several reasons. First, I had a timely story that did not need to sit on a potential publisher’s shelf for an extensive period of time. Also, I felt like I had enough of a built in constituency in Ole Miss alumni to get the book off the ground. From there, I knew it could get its own legs. Plus, we turned out a great product. And finally, I have another book in mind that should have a broader appeal. That one, I want to have nationally published and a track record of good sales should help my efforts.

Who are your literary influences?

Ha! Great question. I may throw you off a bit with this one, but I bet many of the readers can identify. It’s not that I don’t read, I do. I have read and been influenced by some awesome writers - - Kafka and Hemingway the most. The Trial and The Sun Also Rises, respectively are my two favorites. When I was accepted to Yale’s summer school program, The Trial was in my reading assignment. Before I went, I had the chance to sit down with one of my English Professors at Ole Miss. The discussions that flowed from that conversation as it pertained to that book, influenced my thinking greatly. I never viewed government or our justice system the same again. Previously, I had been too Pollyanna, let’s say. Other writings I love include Siddhartha as a simple read but pure, Francis Schaeffer from a religious standpoint, Jeffery Archer is a contemporary favorite, and Faulkner although he is brutal. But, ultimately I see writing as an art. When I wrote If By Whiskey, I tuned in to the Blues music and some Appalachian Folk songs on my iPod and really got in a groove. I also found that it was much easier to listen to the Gin Blossoms and write about the nineties for some reason! But, in all sincerity, I would argue that being a writer is no different than being a musician or a painter or a sculptor. We all have a story to tell. The question is, can you channel your energies, focus on the task, and deliver a punch line? Thankfully, I did. For a while there as I was writing, I was scared the ending would be a bust!

What's the story behind the title?

Well, as I am told, the phrase If By Whiskey has been out there for years with a number of meanings. Although I have not uncovered all the sources, I am told Mark Twain may have used it a time or two. But for me, a boy from north Mississippi, the phrase “if by whiskey” alludes to the famous “Whiskey Speech” delivered at the old King Edward hotel in 1952 in Jackson, Mississippi when a debate erupted in the Mississippi legislature about whether or not the prohibition of whiskey should be repealed. Understand at this point in time, the state taxed it, the people poured it, there was even a division in the tax commission with employees to oversee it, but it was illegal nonetheless! Soggy Sweat was a young man then and he was both for and against whiskey in the same speech. Absolutely hysterical - - both the speech and his delivery. All the readers should check it out. For me, Anna Neimus, the main character, finds herself in a whiskey moment. She is torn by the Old South traditions and the modern progressive appeals of the New South. So, like Soggy Sweat, she chooses both!

You're traveling extensively throughout the South for book signings. Any interesting experiences you'd like to share?

Oh yes. I have been to a lot of places and going to many more. But my favorite story so far is from Gulfport, Mississippi. I was invited to sign at a wine bar. And that was just my kind of book signing. But on my way, I received a call from a local who asked if I could join him at the home of Dr. Bobby Little. I did not even know who Dr. Little was. But it turns out that Soggy Sweat was his fraternity big brother in Sigma Chi at Ole Miss many years ago. I got some great stories on Soggy from him. But the best story was about William Faulkner. Apparently, Dr. Little grew up around the corner from Faulkner. He had the pictures to prove it too. Dr. Little said that when he was about 14, Faulkner showed up to his home in the rain wearing a trench coat and knocked on the front door. When Bobby appeared, Mr. Faulkner, who was very proper and formal in his approach to everything as I am told, asked if Bobby would go downstairs and retrieve a bottle of whiskey for him. When Bobby returns, Mr. Faulkner thanks him and turns to leave. As he does, the slit of his coat in the back begins to open. Dr. Little said he had no idea what that man was doing but apparently he wrote and drank all night in the nude!

The novel is flying off the shelves. Why is the book resonating so much with readers?

Well, first of all, let me say that I am humbled by the response. I have had people say the book took them down memory lane. There are the non-Southerners who feel enlightened to see a book that walks through the progress of the South. Some guys just want to meet the college sorority girls I described! The female readers have complimented the fact that I took on and accurately portrayed a female. Some have called me brave for writing about subjects like sexual promiscuity and race relations that many southerners want to turn a blind eye too. Even the very few that don’t like my book have further reinforced for me the need to write this book. It is time we grow up and face our demons. If we don’t they will destroy us. I know I grew as a person by writing this book, and I hope many more people read it.

Quentin Whitwell holds two degrees from the University of Mississippi, a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctorate. While at Ole Miss, he served as the Associated Student Body President and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Growing up in Oxford, Mississippi, he walked the path of William Faulkner learning that the legend of Yoknapatawpha still lives today with eccentric characters and folksy ways. An attorney and lobbyist in Jackson, Mississippi, Quentin draws from his life experiences to write this comedic fictional novel. Quentin is married to the former Ginger Gordon. They have two children, Davis and Gordon, and an English springer spaniel, Churchill. Visit his web site at www.ifbywhiskeynovel.com.

The Joys and Pitfalls of Writing a Series

As many of you have discovered, my current novel, Elvis and the Grateful Dead, is book two of my Southern Cousins Mystery Series. I’ve already written book four; I’m plotting books five, and I have the story bible for books six through umpteen. In other words, I’ll be writing this series as long as I can prop myself in front of the computer and still remember how to spell Evlis. Excuse me. Elvis.

One of the greatest joys in writing a series is getting to revisit characters I love. The Valentine gang and my basset hound who thinks he’s the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll reincarnated never cease to surprise and delight me. Elvis is always wise, always sassy. Mama and Lovie have more ways to get Callie’s goat than Elvis has fleas. And Fayrene’s pornographic memory and penchant for calling the highway control keep me in stitches.

I love being able to go into a new story with a sense of familiarity, a sense of coming home. Readers have told me they feel the same way about the Southern Cousins Mysteries. Another plus for series.
Then there’s the added attraction for both reader and writer of being able to follow characters as they break up, make up, marry, have kids, move out, move in, move on. A series gives me time and space to show my characters growing and changing through the years.

So what can possibly be the pitfalls? Remember the story bible I mentioned? It’s a spiral bound little black book that lists every character in my series followed by a long list of descriptive adjectives, favorite phrases, likes and dislikes. The little black book describes my characters’ cars, their houses, their jobs, their communities, their friends, their enemies. It even has their shoe size. Furthermore, it maps out the future for every character. Even the dog. Especially the dog. (Elvis made me add that.)

When I write an Elvis mystery, I keep the little black book open on my desk. Still, I don’t like to stop the flow of story to consult a story bible. I forge forward and cross my fingers that I won’t accidentally change brown eyes to blue, call a pink house yellow, have Callie leave home in her maroon Dodge pickup truck and drive home in her black Ford.
Even worse, I panic that I’ll make the same mistake I made years ago in my Donovan series. It was never meant to be a series. Tanner Donovan simply came to me two years after Paul Donovan had taken my heart by storm. I quickly researched Paul’s book, told myself, yep, he has brothers, then proceeded to write a whole slew of books about the feisty, lovable southern family.

There was one little hitch. In Paul’s book, Mr. and Mrs. Donovan were dead. In subsequent books, they were alive. When Bantam reprinted the popular series, my editor asked me to please write a letter to the reader explaining the “resurrection.”

I’d love to chat with readers about the joys as well as the pitfalls of series. Join me. I’ll be online all day.

Visit Peggy Webb at http://www.peggywebb.com/

The Rejection of Christmas Past

If you’re reading this post about rejection, I expect you’re either:

A) A writer like myself looking to read some good war stories and perhaps find inspiration for your own writing.

B) A nice person who is genuinely interested in books and writers.

Or

C) A sadomasochist, which may also qualify you for category A.

Three things I’ve learned in fifteen years of writing and with five novels to my credit:

1) Only a very small percentage of what comes out of my brain is inspired in any way, shape, or fashion.

2) Only a semi-chaotic, back-and-forth process of rejection between a trusted group of readers--not to mention agent, editors, publishers--and myself produces writing with which I am truly satisfied.

3) What scares me about a blog is that no one ever rejects my posts.

Peace, Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas to all.

(That guy born in the manger two thousands years ago? Now there was someone who ended up rejected.)

www.andystraka.com

TEA LEAVES
In our writing group, we share both our successes and setbacks, and that includes rejection letters. A few years back, we had accumulated quite a nasty little pile of these, so we decided that we’d meet for dinner and go over them in detail. Maybe, if we looked hard enough, compared the various comments, we find some little nuggets of advice—anything to help us get the letter that said “yes, we love it and we’ll publish it.”
We had rejections from some of the best agents and editors in publishing. They were so pleased/honored/happy that we’d chosen to send them our manuscript entitled fill-in-the-blank. After considerable consideration/careful reading /a lot of deliberation around the office, they’d decided that fill-in the-blank, just wasn’t right for them at this time. In our little letter sample, there were a variety of reasons for the rejection: we have too many first novels in house right now, your novel is too literary, your novel is too commercial (same novel, of course), there isn’t enough/there is too much action in your novel, your novel is set in the seventies/sixties, your novel just didn’t grab me/compel me/hit me where I live, and (my personal favorite) your novel was just too close to my own experience and I can’t relive this time in my life.
After several glasses of wine and some very tasty steak, it occurred to us: this was not some great literature we were reading here. These were the hurried missives of agents and editors, and let’s face it, their interns. They were doing a job--simply trying to get through a stack of manuscripts. Most anything they wrote other than “thanks, but no thanks,” was really out of kindness. So, parsing this language, searching the text for wisdom, attending to word choice and detail—all of this was completely futile. Here’s what we decided: ignore the actual words and look at the length of the rejection letter. The longer the letter, the more attention your manuscript has received. Anything over six lines means you’re making progress. Twelve lines and you’re in the ballpark.
We also decided that the size of our rejection stack—that was our badge of courage. Publishing is an endurance sport. Once you know you have a novel that is essentially publishable (which is a topic for another whole blog), then what you need next is volume volume volume. Every rejection letter stings (or worse), but this is what you’ve got to risk to find that single, fabulous agent or editor who has the good sense and good taste to say yes.
Eventually, all three of the manuscripts so rejected on that evening found publishers. This did not happen because we were so good at reading the tea leaves of rejection but because we listened carefully to each other. We reflected on the advice of our group’s careful readers. We revised and revised, and then, we sent out books back out.

Lynn York is the author of The Piano Teacher (2004) and The Sweet Life (2007). She lives in Chapel Hill, NC. Her website is http://www.lynnyork.com/.

How Much House is Really Necessary (Not Much!)

by Sarah Smiley (www.SarahSmiley.com)

Dustin and I had a large house in Florida. Most people there do. Perhaps it is the heat, which even in the middle of October can still feel as hot as the air from a hairdryer (only with less wind), but most homes in Florida are sprawling. Two-story houses are an anomaly; the bigger the footprint of a house in Florida, the better. This makes it so that no one ever has to touch or be near anyone else in their family. And in that type of heat, who would want to?

Our house was also typical in that it was covered almost entirely with tile and wood floors. Carpet gets too sticky when you're hot. And just like the majority of children nearby, our boys had a large playroom and separate bedroom. They had their own bathroom, too, which I am told stayed remarkably clean most of the time, but I can neither confirm nor deny this because unless I had a reason to venture into the boys' bathroom, I didn't see it. That's how big our house was. We had two extra bedrooms and one extra bathroom that were furnished but ultimately not used. We could have stored a mini-van in our attic.

So you can imagine our surprise when we received military orders to Maine, and an online search revealed that very few homes are larger than 2000 square feet. I fell in love with one that is just barely 1500 square feet.

"The house is perfect, but it just seems, I don't know, kind of small," I said to our real estate agent.

"You've never had to pay a heating bill, have you?" he said.

On moving day, our boys shamelessly cried when we gave away almost three-quarters of the toys that once filled their playroom in Florida. There just wasn't any room for them. It was my turn to pout, however, when we had to store my piano and the dining room set my grandmother gave to me. I was beginning to believe that our rented storage unit was roomier than our new house.

But then an interesting thing happened. While I swept the kitchen floor, I could hear my boys through the wall, playing in their bedroom, talking to each other about the scariest dream they'd ever had, their favorite new friends, and their best and worst subjects in school.

Had they always conversed with each other like this? I wondered.

Whereas they used to go up to their playroom to watch movies and cartoons, now they had to share the living room with everyone else. As I typed on my computer in the kitchen, I could hear the dialogue of the television program and intervene when necessary.

Was The Clone Wars always this violent? And when had the boys stopped watching Franklin? What other conversations and insights had I missed when my children were upstairs, shut in their playroom?

Once I was in the basement folding laundry when I heard Ford and Owen teasing their littler brother, Lindell. I directed my mouth at the ceiling and yelled, "Cut it out or you're both grounded," and like a snake sneaking up on its prey and bouncing forward to strike, my voice came through the vents on the floor into the boys' bedroom. They were stunned into silence. Maybe Mom does has eyes in the back of her head, I imagined them thinking.

One year later, I can't imagine living in a large house. Much like soldiers in barracks or college students in dormitories, my family is bonding. We are under each other's foot, in each other's business, but finally living with each other, if not on top of each other. Before, I wasn't sure how my boys would handle sharing a small room and not having a playroom. "I never had my own room until I joined the Navy," my dad said. "And I never had a playroom." He turned out just fine. Maybe even better because of it.

In hindsight, our old house was excessive. Our voices echoed off the tall ceilings and wide, open living room, signifying to me the distance that had grown between my family. Our voices don't echo anymore. They seep through the floorboards, out the open screen windows (maybe our neighbors know us a little too well), and through the vents in the next room.

One day, as I was getting dressed upstairs, I heard my boys talking in their room below. "Remember how Mom seemed kind of sad before," Ford said.

"Yeah, she's much happier now," Owen said.

I smiled to myself, my heart full and grateful. Then I put my lips to the vent on the floor and whispered, "I love you guys."

Silence.

I wrote a bad novel in one month

(Or, the blessings of turning off your editor and turning on your imagination)

by Karen Harrington

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I just finished the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge. For the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo dares you to write a 50 thousand word novel in 30 days with the aim of doing more writing and less editing. So I thought I’d share four observations after this – my third consecutive - post-NaNoWriMo experience.

1. Many a good writing book will tell you that writing is editing. Alas, you cannot edit a blank page. NaNoWriMo forces you to put something on the page as if on deadline. Funny thing about we humans – we are quite motivated by deadlines. Remember staying up the night before your term paper was due and actually creating something reasonably readable? The same applies for NaNoWriMo. The deadline oriented challenge forces you to get something on the page that you would otherwise procrastinate about.

2. The desire to procrastinate looms over the writer. With NaNoWriMo, you get the full benefit of applying my favorite writing method, known as the BIC approach to writing. BIC = butt in chair. No story is ever created without serious application of this method. If you sit down to write, you will write something. Very often, while writing something you HAVE TO write, you will write a gem. And then another, one sentence at a time.

3. My third point has to do with competitiveness. Each of us is competitive to varying degrees. NaNoWriMo attracts hundreds of thousands of would-be novelists as well as published novelists (author Sara Gruen wrote her first draft of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS during a previous NaNoWriMo). That said, you are competing against other writers to see who will cross the finish line. NaNoWriMo has neat little gadgets that allow you to input your word count – and view the word counts of others. There’s something about seeing the progress of others that prompts you onward, makes you want to stay with the pack or charge ahead.

4. The final point I’d like to make about my NaNo experience has to do with self-doubt. Sylvia Plath once said “the worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” I think many would-be writers do not sit down to write out of fear that the writing will be no good. Well, all first drafts are no good. But they are often inspired. There are always parts you will keep and hone. Ultimately, I believe that no writing is ever wasted. It is always practice. Like a pilot who must put in numerous hours before earning his license and being allowed to fly solo, writers, too, must put in untold number of hours before any good story appears. This is why NaNoWriMo, and challenges like it, are so valuable. The practice, experience and permission to write a bad novel in one month is liberating!

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JUST THE FACTS MA’AM

- I wrote between 2,000 to 4,000 words a day to finish. I didn't know I could do that!
- This year, I wrote a novel titled Mrs. Boyd, which re-imagined Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, set in modern Texas.
- Much of this challenge allows the writer to create lavish character sketches and describing locations in heavily adverbed-detail.
- Retracing the steps of an author, chapter for chapter, was a terrific experiment. I would compare this process to an artist sitting at a museum, doing his own sketch of a Monet. Try it!
- I will continue working on this novel.

What do you think about NaNoWriMo? Have you participated in it before? Do you think you would like to?

-- Visit my blog to read the variety of novel first sentences by my fellow NaNoWriMo participants.

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Karen Harrington is the author of JANEOLOGY, a unique and captivating blend of legal drama and paranormal suspense.