Cheesecake and Writing Organically

Image source: www.girlinthemini.com

Cheesecake Cupcakes: Writing Organically

Good ol' Wikipedia taught me the history of cheesecake.  Cheesecake has been around for about 4,000 years.  It was originally made using flour, wheat, cheese and honey.  It was believed to have made its debut at the first Olympic games and became such a favorite that it was served at Greek weddings.  Over the centuries, the recipe has been changed, using different varieties of cheese and adding different ingredients, such as eggs and butter.  In 1872, an American farmer was trying to reproduce his own version of a French cheese for his cheesecake and ended up making his own version of cream cheese.  He then decided to start selling the product in foil wrappers, much like we use today, which became the staple for cheesecakes sold in America.

When I hear the story about the origin and changes of one of my favorite cakes, I must admit it reminds me of my own manuscript.  I had a dream one night that inspired my story.  I wrote out the scene of my dream and planned the story around it.  But as the story took shape, characters began to do things differently then they did in my mind and my plans.  And as I revised the story, I realized more and more that the scene that had inspired the entire idea didn't even fit anymore.  I sadly had to cut it out.

We can brainstorm and plot and outline for a long time, but somehow, as we start writing and the words appear on the page, they seem to veer off in a different direction then we originally planned.  I think this is a good thing.  Organic.  It makes the story and the characters seem alive.  

Whether it was intentional or not, I'm glad for the changes to the recipe that helped cheesecake become the dessert we know and love.  I admire the farmer who tried to make a French cheese and ended up with something different.  Instead of tossing it out as a failure, he realized the value in it and made a new and improved product out of it.  It went on to become a bestseller.

Passion Fruit Cupcakes & Writing

Image from Our Best Holiday

Passion Fruit Cupcakes: Why Write?

I'll admit I've never tried a passion fruit cupcake, but I've had the fruit before.  It is purple or yellow and filled with seeds and juice that runs down your chin when you bite into it.  It makes me think of us, as human beings.  You see their outside shell, but you have no idea what is inside of them until you get to know them.  You have no idea what their dreams are, their hurts, their struggles and triumphs, but once you get to know them, the essence of who they are spills out. 

Sometimes it can be scary to share the essence of who we are.  It's easier to keep our dreams to ourselves in case they never come true.  It's easier to put on a mask of "all is well in my life" when really inside we're struggling. 

Frappuccino Cupcakes and Taking a Writing Break

Image from  food.allwomenstalk.com

Frappuccino Cupcakes: Taking a Writing Break

I love frappes.  Starbucks frappuccinos are no exception.  I go to Starbucks and get a frappe while I read my Bible or write, or revise, or blog.  Or I meet a friend at Starbucks and while we catch up on life I sip on my frappe.  Or when I've feeling stressed, I may stop by a Starbucks and pick up a frappe.  So, I was beyond excited to come across these adorable cupcakes.  They make me want to just sit back, relax, and savor life.

Those cupcakes look awesome!  And writing breaks can be too.  I have to admit, I'm on a major writing hiatus.  There are times I miss writing.  There are times I feel guilty I'm not writing.  But I've learned there are three reasons to take a break from writing, guilt-free.  

Three Reasons to Take A Break From Writing:

1) To let your writing breathe.

Put your manuscript away for at least a month, and then approach it again with fresh eyes.  When you work on it every single day you lose your objectivity along with your love for the story.  By putting the story aside, you'll come up with new ideas, and when you dig it out again you'll see new things, especially plot holes, and have a renewed desire to spiff up your manuscript and make it much stronger than had you kept plodding along.  Let your story relax.

2) To let yourself breathe.

Whether it's taking a day off from writing each week, or enjoying some time off after completing a manuscript, or whatever works for you, everyone needs a break to recharge.  And oftentimes, it's when we're not working on our stories, that's when the ideas come.  I can't tell you the number of times I've had ideas for my manuscripts while in the shower, driving, or on a walk.  Breaks are good and necessary for everyone.  Go read a good book, watch your favorite TV show, go on vacation, have a family game night, the sky is the limit.  You don't have to write every day.  Life is busy enough.  Let yourself relax. 

3) To pursue another project.

Whether it's another hobby, furthering your education, having a baby, etc, there are other things in life that are important to us and have every right to take a front seat for a while.  This is what I'm experiencing right now: putting my family first.  My children need me right now, and I don't want to miss out on time with them because my writing is competing with them.  There will come a day when they are more independent and that will be my opportunity to pick up my writing again.  Until then, I'm going to cherish time with my little blessings.  And when I have time, write a blog post or two.  Don't feel guilty about life getting in the way of your writing.  Relax and savor life.

Whatever reason you take a break from writing, know that in the long run, it'll give you fresh inspiration and energy when it does come time to dust off that manuscript.  Let go of the guilt, relax, and savor life.

Apple Cupcakes & Writing From the Heart

Apple Cupcakes: Writing From the Heart

Green, red or yellow?  Sweet or tart?  If you decide you want to make an apple cupcake, you have an array of recipes to choose from: with spice, as a streusel, with caramel, and the list goes on.  

I think as writers it's far too easy to fall into what I call an "I don't know what to write that others will like to read" freak out phase.  But just like all apples have a core, all writers have a heart.  If you write from the heart, that's where the seeds are.  It's vulnerable, yes, but if you want your writing to bear any fruit, you have to be willing to dig deep and share what you are with the world.   Doesn't matter what you think others will want to read.  Just write what matters to you.  And maybe, just maybe, it'll matter to others too.

Mark Twain says to "Write what you know."  I don't know if I agree completely with the man.  I've had to do quite a bit of research on creativity and neuroscience for one of the books I was writing, and I loved every minute of it.  I didn't know much about neuroscience, but I was fascinated with the concept and so I was willing to research it, willing to spend years of my life crafting what I found into a story.  It mattered to me, and that's what made me sit down and write and write, and then then rewrite and rewrite.  It was a story in my heart that needed to come out.  

What story is hidden in your heart?

Red Velvet Cupcakes and Character Transformation

Red Velvet: Character Growth

I must admit, red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting is up there as one of my fave cupcake flavors.   I remember one time I determined to make a batch myself.  Before I knew it, I had cupcakes baking in the oven, but my fingers and my counter were stained red.  But whoa, those cupcakes sure tasted good!  And with that cream cheese frosting (I must confess, it was from a can, I wasn't brave motivated enough to make my own) it seemed like perfection.  I was so proud. 

Same thing with the characters in my current WIP.  I must admit, I am a little protective of them, since I love them and created them and all.  But I've known for a while there was something missing with one of my characters.  He seemed almost like a jerk because his life seemed too perfect.  Nothing was really missing in his life.  I did everything I could to make him seem like less like a jerk.  I tried to give him more of a motivation for doing what he does in the story.  But it seems flat.  Jerk-like.  And I tried to up the stakes, but that also fell flat.  And then, I realized what my problem was.

He didn't have a dark moment to stain his life and help shape who he is.  You see, every person has something that happens in their life that affected them negatively.  It makes them believe a lie about themselves: maybe that they're not good enough, or that they aren't worth loving, or that they'll always be a failure.  Their thoughts and their actions are tainted by that lie, just as my fingers and my counters were tainted by that red food coloring.

BUT, and this is important, something major has to happen in the story to bring that lie back to the surface.  They have to choose if they're going to continue down the path they've been going, or if they're going to accept the truth about themselves.  Hopefully, your character grows from this experience.  That, my bloggy friends, is the cream cheese frosting.  It covers over the lies they've been believing.  It creates all things new.  It provides healing.  Redemption.

You need both the dark moment from the past, the lie surfacing in the present, and overcoming the lie with truth to have a beautiful character transformation.  

That character I mentioned before?  He was just a plain chocolate cupcake, no red coloring and no frosting.  No wonder agents were rejecting this manuscript!  But I'm going through and adding in touches of his dark moment.  I'm rewriting the climax to show him dealing with his demons.  And I'm showing him learning the truth and experiencing victory over the lie he's been believing for so long.

Healing and redemption.  It's beautiful.  It's poignant.  It's something to savor.  

Is it something you have in your story?

Savoring Black Forest Cupcakes and Romance

Happy Valentine's Day bloggy buddies! In honor of the day we celebrate the ones we love and cherish, here's a Cupcakes and Writing post about romance.

Black Forest: Writing Romance

"Since the 16th century, Black Forest Cake has been a love at first bite dessert. Originating in Germany, this cake was supposed to conjure up romantic feelings of darkness and mystery coming out of the forest of loneliness. The darkness certainly makes itself present in the rich, dark chocolate that the Germans are so well known for. Perhaps the gorgeous red, ripe maraschino cherries evoke feelings of love and romance."  -veggiesensations.com

I'll admit, I don't write romance.  But I think every story I've written has had a little bit of a love story that emerges as the story unfolds.  After all, love seems to be something we're all either looking for, savoring, or trying to avoid.  And the same is true for our characters.

The Cake Foundation: According to the quote above, the chocolate cake is supposed to represent the mystery, the depth of longing within a character.  Their longing could be for love, acceptance, approval, etc.  Or it could be to avoid getting hurt again and cling to what they already have, making room for no one in their world.  Figure out what your characters are longing for.  What's their deepest need and desire?  And how can another character fulfill that?  Or what's your character's greatest fear or flaw, and how can another character help ease it by being in their life?

The Rich Frosting: Once you've got the cake foundation down, you need to add frosting.  This is where all the fun stuff of the romance comes in.  The instant love or the instant hate when they first meet.  The fun times they end up having together.  And even the fights and the conflict.  All these elements add richness to your character and your plot.

The Cherry on Top: When I think romance, I think kiss.  Not that "oops, I kissed you without meaning it kiss."  I'm talking about that big kiss that says "Wow, I love you and here's my proof to you."  It's usually at the end of a movie or a book and it shows the love the characters feel for one another, the commitment they are giving one another.

When all elements are combined you either have a delicious cake or a vibrant relationship.  

I pray that all those of you who are married are in a vibrant relationship that you can cherish and savor for the rest of your life.  And that everyone, regardless of marital status knows on this day and every day that you are loved and cherished by God.

Happy Valentines Day!

Cupcakes and Writing: Devil's Food

Devil's Food: Writing Compelling Villains

I had to look this one up.  Why is it called Devil's Food Cake, and how is it different from a traditional chocolate cake?  Good ol' Wikipedia told me that 1) It's called Devil's Food because its color is counterpart to the white or yellow Angel Food cake and 2) It's different from chocolate cake in that it is traditionally made with cocoa, rather than chocolate, and with some shredded beets to give it a reddish, or "devilish" color.

Beets in cake, sounds weird to me. But then I thought, well, shredded carrots makes a delicious carrot cake, so what the heck.  Beets just seems like something incredibly unique to put into a cake.  And that's when I made the connection: to write a compelling villain, they need to have something incredibly unique about them too.

"I like villains because there's something so attractive about a committed person - they have a plan, an ideology, no matter how twisted. They're motivated." -Russell Crowe

Love that quote!  So, how do I make my villain unique or compelling, or in Russel Crowe's words, attractive?  I think it's different for every person, but I gave my villain the following three things:

1) A weird quirk.  My villain talks to a picture of his girlfriend as if she's really in the room with him.  "She" encourages him and also argues with him, adding a unique inner dialogue within my villain.

2) A back story.  Though short, it makes it clear that something in his past (ridicule and disbelief from peers that he was smart enough to pull something thing off) has driven him to prove them wrong and redeem himself in their eyes and in the eyes of others too.  Because of this ridicule he is disillusioned, thinking he is doing what is good for others but not being aware of how his deeds affect others.

3) He's powerful.  For my villain, his power is his intelligence.  He's ridiculously smart.  So much so that he is driven to prove his intelligence no matter the cost.  Even if it causes people to get hurt.

So there you have it.  A villain needs something unique to make them an attractive character.  They can't be all bad, there should be something human and compelling about them.

What traits do you think a compelling villain should have? 

Cupcakes and Writing: Turtle

Turtle Cupcakes: Persevering

Ahh, nothing like chocolate and caramel and pecans to create a scrumptious and savory treat.  And that turtle atop the turtle cupcake in that picture is so gosh darn cute.  Kinda wishing I had that kind of creativity right now to create such awesomeness.

But anyway, the turtle cupcake reminds me of two aspects of the writing life, and both have to do with perseverance.

First: Slow and steady wins the race.

You remember the story of the tortoise and the hare, right?  Well, he didn't let the hare stop him in his own race, which is something I probably would have done.  I probably would have thought, "Well the hare is gonna win, why bother keep going?"

But he did.

I enter writing contests and don't win, but I see some of my blog buddies win.  And I want to give up.  But eventually I determine to keep going.

I get ANOTHER rejection letter, and see a blog buddy get an agent or get their book published and I want to give up.  But eventually I keep going.

I get writer's block and want to give up.  But eventually I push through it and keep going.

Slow and steady wins the race.  And though the slowness can be discouraging most of the time, sometimes, it gives me the opportunity to appreciate the journey.  I sure am learning a lot along the way.  About writing and myself.  And I will keep going.  Because maybe, just maybe, I will finish the race.

Second: Turtles have to be bold to get anywhere.

I mean, think about it.  They carry this nice hard shell on their back.  It's always with them and they could stay inside it forever and never get hurt.  But, if they want to get anywhere, they have to emerge.  They have to be vulnerable and poke those little arms and legs and head out of their shell.  And then they have to take one slow step after another, their extremities continually exposed to danger.

As a writer, we have to stick our hearts out there every time we share our writing with someone, or we send out a query letter, or enter a contest.  And the potential for danger is always there: a criticism, another rejection is always a threat.  But, if we ever want to get anywhere, if we want our story to do more than just live in our computers, or sit in a desk drawer, we have to be bold and take risks.  We have to keep on taking step after step, even if it means we are exposed.

What setbacks have you faced?  And what motivates you to keep on persevering?   And what do you think of turtles (the cupcake and the reptile)? ;)

Cupcakes and Writing: Coffee

Coffee: Plot

According to GanoCup.com, coffee has become the second most popular drink in the world (after water of course).  They state that over 400 billions cups are consumed every year, making the coffee industry valued at 80 billion dollars.  And so, it should only follow that the world’s favorite drink should be transformed into cupcake form.  Now, I’ll admit, I’ve never had a coffee flavored cupcake, but I know they exist.  And if you were to hand me one, I'd gladly try it.  I’d imagine they taste like a Starbucks—the bitter smell of coffee, sweet smell of sauces and sugars emanating from the little cakes.  

And just like I go to a Starbucks to meet a friend or get some reading or writing done, people get their coffee to help them as they scurry around crossing things off their to-do lists.  Just as a coffee lover wants/needs their caffeine to keep them going throughout their busy day, so a good story needs an intriguing plot.

Whether you're participating in NaNoWriMo this year or not (I am for the fourth time and have yet to 'win') plot is something that is foundational to any story.  My first manuscript I ever wrote was a flop simply because it was so character-driven and had very little plot.  Not that characters aren't important, but if you want your readers to care about your characters, you have to give them a story they care to sit through.  And our goal shouldn't just be that our readers sit through our book, but that they're at the edge of their seats, turning those pages, rooting for those characters, "just one more chapter" kind of sitting through our books.

I have yet to learn the secret to developing a great plot.  I've read lots of helpful books, but I'm still not there.  I'm more of a 1) get the story out there, 2) think about it a looooong time, then 3)  revise it so the plot is more suspenseful.  And repeat steps two and three a gazillion times.  

I've learned a few tricks.  Such as make sure the inciting event occurs in the first chapter.  End each chapter with a cliffhanger. Each chapter should contain some kind of conflict.  Make sure there is something at risk for the main character and that they have strong motivation.  Start strong with a great hook.  

I wish I had the secret to developing a great plot.  Just as I wish a delicious frappe would plop in front of me anytime I sit down to write or read or surf the internet.  Or that I had a coffee flavored cupcake to try.

I'll just have to settle with learning new tricks for developing a stronger story.  Just like I make my own frappachinos.  But man, those things taste amazing when you have to blend all those ingredients together yourself.  You appreciate them a little bit more.

Hey readers and writers, what do you think makes a great plot?

Writers, what tricks do you have for developing a strong, intriguing plot?

And anyone else doing NaNo this year?

Cupcakes and Writing: Banana Cream

For me, cupcakes are kind of like my writerly mascot.  Well, so inspired the Cupcakes and Writing series. If you've missed any of the cupcake flavors and want to read them, you can check them out here.  Bon appetit! 

Banana Cream: Revising

If you’re planning on making banana cream cupcakes from scratch, you must peel a lot of bananas.  I mean, can you imagine biting into a banana cream cupcake and getting a mouth full of peelings?   Appetizing, huh?  

But that's what we must do with our manuscripts.  Remove those banana peels-the plot holes, the underdeveloped characters, the unnecessary details.  And add the cream: developing the characters and the plot.  Upping the stakes.  And molding our stories into something delicious.  Bakery worthy.

It's a process.  One I'm not a huge fan of, but it's necessary.  Just like we don't want our loved ones to eat banana peels in a batch of banana cream cupcakes we slaved over, we don't want our readers to read a story that is full of unnecessary stuff and lacking in the good stuff.  Plus, no one would want to sell it.

I'm on draft five of my WIP.  And each of those drafts have gone through major editing.  And then I'd realize I need to go back to the drawing writing board and either rewrite or make major revisions.  Yep, five complete drafts.  Because I've learned more about the craft of writing and applied it to my story.  Or because agents have recommended something that requires a rewrite: such as the agent who said I need to change the POV.  Uh, yeah, changing the POV isn't like "Find and Replace me with he."  Most definitely not as easy as peeling as few bananas.  Naw, it's major revision. 

But my story is better for it.  It's creamier and a little more delicious.  It may not be ready for a bakery/publisher yet, but it's getting there.  And that's my goal.

How do you feel about revision?  Any tips for removing those banana peelings in our stories and adding more of the cream?

Cupcakes and Writing: Molten Lava

For me, cupcakes are kind of like my writerly mascot.  Well, so begins the Cupcakes and Writing series.  Each Wednesday another cupcake flavor will be compared to an aspect of writing.  Well, until I run out of flavors, or inspiration, whichever comes first.  If you've missed any of the last ten cupcake flavors and want to read them, you can check them out here.  Bon appetit! 

Molten Lava: Story Twists

Have I mentioned how much I like chocolate?  Well, I’m addicted to the stuff.  So if I can have a chocolate cupcake oozing out even more chocolate, well, then I’m in heaven.  My mouth is right now drooling at the thought.  But, usually I’m unaware that there is added bliss right inside the cupcake.  All I see is a chocolate cupcake, and I happily dig in.  And then, to my surprise, (and delight!) I find more chocolate oozing out, and I’m one happy woman.  I love that kind of surprise.

Have I mentioned that I love to read good stories?  Well, I do.  But if as I’m reading, something great and unexpected pops up, well then I’m in heaven.  I dislike those stories that are so predicable I know every thing the protagonist is going to experience and how the story is going to end.  But if there’s a twist, something I wasn’t expecting, well then I’m glued to the pages, and in awe of the author who was able to blind side me.  I like to be blind sided while reading. 

I hope I can do the same as a writer.  I like to think that the story I tell contains surprises and twists that weren’t expected, and that keep the reader glued to the pages.  In fact, I think that’s one of the differences between my latest manuscript and my first one.  My first one had no surprises.  It was too predictable.  And lame.  It’s a dry and crumbly chocolate cupcake, not at all appetizing.

The hard thing to balance when you throw out those surprise twists, is that you oftentimes want to carefully lay out a few clues as to what might happen.  You bury the clues discreetly, the surprise ready and waiting to emerge and bring new life and enjoyment to your story. You don’t want your readers to guess correctly what your surprise is, but you don’t want them to be like “Whoa, where in the world did that come from?”  You want them to think, “Oh, of course, I should have seen that coming!”  Yep, that’s a hard thing to balance indeed.

As a reader, how do you feel about story twists?  And if you’re a writer, how do you incorporate twists into your story?

Cupcakes and Writing: Mint

For me, cupcakes are kind of like my writerly mascot.  Well, so begins the Cupcakes and Writing series.  Each Wednesday another cupcake flavor will be compared to an aspect of writing.  Well, until I run out of flavors, or inspiration, whichever comes first.  This is the 10th cupcake and writing post.  If you've missed any of the other cupcake and writing posts, check them out here.  Bon appetit!

Mint: Infusing Voice Into Your Story

I love anything with a minty taste.  It's such a bold and refreshing flavor.  I love adding a drop of peppermint flavor to my hot chocolate in the winter, love mint chocolate chip ice cream, oh heck, anything with chocolate and mint flavor I adore.  And so, it should come as no surprise, that when I tried a mint cupcake, I was in heaven.

When it comes to writing, voice is something that adds a unique flavor to any story.  It's like the story itself is the cupcake and the voice is a few drops of mint flavor that infuses the entire cupcake.  Yum!

I'm  not an expert on writing voice, but I sure can recognize a good voice when I read one.  One of my first manuscripts had alternating POVs, going back and forth between a guy and a girl's perspective as they tried to piece together a mystery.  I realized early on that they sounded waaaay too similar, (even if they were both teens).  So I began my work on trying to get the voices different.  And I realized that by doing that, when the characters were conversing with others I didn't have to use as many speech tags, because each character had not only their own unique voice, but also phrases they used often.  I think that's the way it should be.  Not only a unique narrating voice, but each character should have their own unique voice.  Their own flavor.

A cool tool you may want to try:  The website I Write Like, analyzes your writing and compares it to a famous author. According to I Write Like (to my relief!) my character voices were different. This is what I learned:

For my female character's voice

I write like
Chuck Palahniuk

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

For my male character's voice

I write like
Cory Doctorow

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

If the authors I write like are different than I must have been doing something right! Hmm, interesting though, that my female character's voice is similar to the author of Fight Club. ;)

So anyway, which famous author do you write like?  And any tips on infusing voice into your story?

Cupcakes and Writing: Funfetti

Funfetti:  Description

Whenever I see funfetti cupcakes with their kaleidoscopic display of fun colors, I can't help but smile. It's such a cheerful cupcake, bringing a little bit of joy and color to my day.  Otherwise, it'd just be a classic vanilla cupcake, which, while tasty, is nowhere as colorful and exciting.

I view those little colorful bits of yumminess in the cupcake and frosting as the description, imagery, simile and metaphor interwoven within the story.  It is possible to be overdone, and it is possible to be underdone.  It's a balance that I have yet to master, but I sure do appreciate it when I read it tastefully done within a story.

Now, I don't have a lot to say about this, except I could use some help in this area.  I know I write the bare bones of the story and therefore have a low word count.  I then go back and try to add more description as I revise and edit, but I know I could still add a lot more.  One book I found helpful in this area is Word Painting by Rebecca McClanahan.  But other than that resource, I need help adding more colorful elements to my story.  Anyone else struggle with writing description?  Anyone feel they over or under describe?  Any tips or hints?

Here's to adding the perfect balance of cupcake and colorful bits to our stories!

Cupcakes and Writing: Lemon

Lemon: Overcoming Setbacks

I must admit I'm not a huge fan of lemon, but vanilla cupcakes with a hint of lemon are moist and delicious.  While lemons can be bitter, the cupcakes themselves are sweet.

There are a lot of things in life that can lead to bitterness.  It can become so consuming you lose all the vanilla and sugary sweetness of life.  To be honest, I've recently had several bitter-consuming weeks filled with set backs.  I had a pregnancy complication that has me on limited bed rest (no picking up heavy things, bending, twisting, or walking/standing longer than 20 minutes) and unable to take care of my son and home the way I want to.  I'm in one state, so my parents can help me care for our son, while my hubster is in another, packing up our stuff and cleaning our place for our move and I'm missing him while we're trying to make major life decisions and prepare for the next stage of our life as homeowners, parents of two, and relocating to a new state.  Then there was a problem with our contract on our new home that we're supposed to move into on Monday.  As if I'm not already feeling bad I can't help with the move (being nine months preggo and on limited bed rest), the stress of trying to get the moving situation resolved has not been fun.  And then, as if that wasn't enough, I received three form rejections on my manuscript in one week.  Needless to say, I haven't written much in a while, nor had the desire to.

That wasn't meant to be a rant.  Just to prove a point: we can sink into bitterness and let it overwhelm us, totally changing the flavor of our lives.  Or we can rise above all the negative things in life and keep going.  We can keep on revising and sending out query letters.  Keep on writing.  Keep on loving our kids the best we can and know how. Keep on living and dreaming and persevering and do the things that make us feel alive.  That's what I decided to do. 

Today I've written 550 words on my new manuscript.  I revised my query and sent it out to three more agents.  I've written this blog post.  We got a lot of the housing situation figured out and under control.  I got to spend more time snuggling with my son and reading to him then I would if I wasn't on limited bed rest.  And I'm feeling good about life again.  Excited about what will be happening in the next few weeks.

When life hands you lemons, make lemon cupcakes.  Bon appetit!

If you've missed any of the first seven Cupcakes and Writing posts in this series, you can find them in the archive here.

Cupcakes and Writing: Oreo Cookie

I decided to combine two of my favorite things, cupcakes and writing, and each Wednesday another cupcake flavor will be compared to an aspect of writing.  Well, until I run out of flavors, or inspiration, whichever comes first.  Bon appetit!   

If you've missed any of the first six Cupcakes and Writing posts in the series, you can find them in the archive here.

Oreo Cookie: Writing "Magical" Dialogue

I remember as a kid watching the commercials for Oreo cookies: a child twisting apart the two ends of a cookie to "unlock the magic."  I viewed Oreos as a magical cookie after that, enjoying them dunked milk, swirled into my ice cream, crumbled atop chocolate pudding, mixed in cake frosting, etc.

The thing about Oreos is, it's essentially two separate cookies, bound together by that rich creme filling.  It's the filling that's magic, or at least, that's how I interpreted the commercials for a long time.

Now, when I'm writing, I view dialogue as something that has the potential for magic.  You have two characters, united by their conversation.  And their conversation reveals a lot about the character while simultaneously propelling the story forward.  It provides character development, emotion, action, and so much more.  See?  Magic.

Dialogue is easier for some to write than others.  I find it fairly easy, but then I've written a few plays and scripts, which rely heavily on dialogue.  But I have had to learn how to make dialogue sound realistic (especially as a YA writer--teen talk is just, you know, so interesting to, like, capture on paper), and I'm working on making sure each character has their own way of talking.  In fact, that's kind of fun: giving a character a word or a phrase they use often so that you don't always have to give them speech tags (those pesky he said, she said thingies.)

So anyway, just my two-cents on dialogue, and how it has the potential to "unlock the magic" of your manuscript.  Any thoughts on how to make "magical" dialogue?   And does anyone else want an Oreo cupcake now?  I know I have chocolate cake mix and Oreos in the pantry....

Cupcakes and Writing: Carrot

I decided to combine two of my favorite things, cupcakes and writing, and each Wednesday another cupcake flavor will be compared to an aspect of writing.  Well, until I run out of flavors, or inspiration, whichever comes first.  Bon appetit!   

If you've missed any of the first five Cupcakes and Writing posts in the series, you can find them in the archive here.

Carrot: Incorporating the Setting

Carrot cake is my usual go-to, since it's the hubster's fave.  But I must confess, I've never been one to peel and grate carrots and measure flour.  Nope, I use the boxed stuff, add the required number of eggs and portion of water and vegetable oil, scoop into the cupcake wrappers, and pop them in the oven.  Done!

Much like my  methods, I've been known to take shortcuts with my writing.  And one of the things I like to skip out on is the setting.  Figuring it out, describing it, etc, the setting is usually one of the last things I incorporate in a manuscript.  I care about the characters and the plot so much more and so that's where my focus goes.

But much as a carrot must live in the ground for it to grow and thrive, our characters need a place for their journeys to develop and for their personalities to thrive and develop.  I can skip out on peeling carrots to make cupcakes my husband will appreciate, but I can't really skip out on developing my setting.

Once I realized the importance of setting, I began to see what you can do with it.  It can become a symbol in the story, or seem to have a life of it's own like a character, or can help increase or decrease the tension in a scene.  It's a powerful thing that is easy to overlook.

Now, while I still am not a fan of writers who describe the setting for pages and pages, or who start out their stories with scene description, I am a fan of writers who delicately interweave the setting into their stories.  And I don't just mean writing about a location, but incorporating how it looks, smells, tastes, sounds, and feels.  It's an art form I still am working on, but I recognize it's potential.

How do you fellow writers feel about describing setting?  And what tips might you have for those who are struggling with incorporating it in their writing?

Cupcakes and Writing: Chocolate

I decided to combine two of my favorite things, cupcakes and writing, and each Wednesday another cupcake flavor will be compared to an aspect of writing.  Well, until I run out of flavors, or inspiration, whichever comes first.  Bon appetit!   

If you've missed any of the first four Cupcakes and Writing posts in the series, you can find them in the archive here.

Chocolate:  Hooking Your Readers

Mmm. Delicious, creamy chocolate. When things get tough, that's where I turn. When I'm frustrated, I grab a few pieces of chocolate. Bored? Unwrap a few Hershey kisses. Stressed? A little hot fudge drizzled on my ice cream. Happy? Time to celebrate with (what else?!) chocolate. And of course, chocolate cupcakes are up there as one of my faves. The hubster knows this. He knows if his wife is getting a little emotional, throw her a few chocolates and run.  To put it simply: I am a chocoholic. I am addicted to the stuff.

How is that any addiction starts?  Something grabs hold of you.  You like it.  Before long, you need it to function.  You may or not be aware of it's hold on you, but it makes you feel good, and you know when it's been a while since you've had it.

When we write a story, we want to write something that captures the attention of our readers.  We want them to become addicted to the story, to NEED to know what's going to happen next, just like I think I "need" chocolate.  To get their reading fix with YOUR book and not someone else's.  

I've lost count of how many times I've rewritten my intro.  I've changed POV's and started with different scenes.  I am in no way an expert on how to write an intro that "hooks" readers, but I've found that I prefer intros where I can immediately identify with the protagonist and where they're thrown into action immediately.

It seems there are so many ways to begin a story, and everyone has different opinions about what to do and what not to do.  So, if you're struggling with your intro, struggling to hook your readers, I highly recommend you read Les Edgerton's Hooked.  It's a fabulous book for not only helping you write that captivating intro, but to keep the momentum going throughout your book and write a compelling story.

One that could be as addicting as chocolate. :)

What tips do you have on writing an intro that "hooks" readers?

Cupcakes and Writing: Salted Caramel

For me, cupcakes are kind of like my writerly mascot.  I decided to combine two of my favorite things, cupcakes and writing, and each Wednesday another cupcake flavor will be compared to an aspect of writing.  Well, until I run out of flavors, or inspiration, whichever comes first.  Bon appetit!   

If you've missed any of the first three Cupcakes and Writing posts in the series, you can find them in the archive here.

Salted Caramel: Creating a Page Turner

I had my first salted caramel cupcake just the other day.  Whoever thought of combining chocolate, caramel, and salt is just plain genius, because though it sounded like a weird combo, together, it was awesome!  And that salt on top made me thirsty for more.  I wonder if that's the point...

Anyway, thinking about salt, and how it makes you thirsty, made me think about books that you just can't put down, books that hook you and don't let you go.  And that led me to think about how the the three main components of a compelling read with the three unique ingredients of a salted caramel cupcake...

Conflict

Blake Snyder, author of Save the Cat (a book I highly recommend for any writer who hasn't read it yet!) says that every single chapter of a book should have conflict.  It could be at the beginning, the middle, or the end, but it needs to be there.  It could be an internal struggle, or a conflict with a friend, or the antagonist or, well, you get the idea.  Once I realized that, I went back through my WIP and checked to make sure that I had some kind of conflict in every chapter.  And it really did make my story stronger.  Because I know for me, whenever I read a book with conflict, I'm glued to the pages, because I'm eager to find out how they resolve the conflict, if there'll be more tension along the way, and how it'll affect the characters.

Pacing

Pace isn't just about how quick the plot unfolds, or if you're slowing it down to add description.  Pace is also about character development.  A lot can be revealed about a character in one conversation if you let it, or you can just let it remain a scene of dialogue.  Every word you choose to grace the page is critical to building the scene you are going for.  If you want a page turner, then ensure every word moves the story forward.  Tara Hudson, author of Hereafter and Arise says that "every three pages or so should be something exciting.  New action, new character, etc.  And in between should be an even balance of description, dialogue and action."  Easier said than done, Tara, but so true!

The Cliffhanger

I hate these and yet I love these at the same time.  So many times I'll say to myself Ok, I'll start dinner when I finish this chapter.  And then I get to the end of the chapter, and ahhhh! something amazing and suspenseful just happened and I have to keep going, dinner can wait another 5 minutes, right?  And the next thing I know I'm to the end of another chapter and ahhhh! no way did I see that coming, I have GOT to see what happens next.  Let's just say that there have been nights we have had something lame like PB&J for dinner since I couldn't put a book down.  (Lucky for me the hubster doesn't complain.)   But all this comes about simply because where you would think there's a natural place in the story to take a reading break it suddenly doesn't feel so natural. You want to stay tuned, see what happens next.  It's how successful TV shows keep viewers coming back week after week, and counting down until the next episode or the next season, just so they can FINALLY find out what will happen.  Once I realized that, I added a cliffhanger to the end of my first chapter, and then quite a few amid the rising action and climax.  Maybe then I'll make someone else suffer the I'll put the book down when I finish this chapter--wait, must keep reading... syndrome....

Anything else you can think of to make a story into a more compelling page turner?

Cupcakes and Writing: Pumpkin

For me, cupcakes are kind of like my writerly mascot.  I decided to combine two of my favorite things, cupcakes and writing, and each Wednesday another cupcake flavor will be compared to an aspect of writing.  Well, until I run out of flavors, or inspiration, whichever comes first.  Bon appetit!   

If you've missed the first two Cupcakes and Writing posts, check them out here:  

Red Velvet: The Messy Writing Journey

Classic Vanilla: Writing Authentically

Pumpkin: Character Development

I LOVE pumpkin flavored stuff.  Bread, muffins, spiced lattes, pie, cheesecake, and of course cupcakes!  Now, I'll admit I'm not much of a cook, but I do like to bake, and I especially love to bake in autumn, when I can make pumpkin flavored goodies.  Something about the smell of pumpkin and spices wafting through the house just makes me smile and brings back happy memories.  And pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting is right up there as one of our family faves.

Now, when I bake anything pumpkin, I always go for the canned pureed stuff.  The thought of carving a pumpkin, digging out the goopy pumpkin pulp and seeds, ugh, just doesn't sound like fun to me.  I like to avoid work and avoid messes.  So, I take the easy route and buy the canned stuff.

Unfortunately, we can't do the same for our characters.  Taking the easy,  non-messy route in developing our characters does our story absolutely no favors.  This is something I've always struggled with.  When I create a character, I care about them.  I want what's best for them.  I want them to have a happy ending.  Sure, I give them flaws and quirks, but I want their life to be easy.  And that makes for a weak story and no true character motivation.

Donald Maass recommends thinking about your character's greatest fear and then make it happen.  That's how you give your character motivation and up the stakes.  That's how your character will grow and develop.  It's not easy.  It's meant I've had to kill characters and kill other characters' dreams.  But I have a much better story now.

While you may not want to get your hands dirty and have a pile of pumpkin pulp and seeds on a newspaper so you can make pumpkin cupcakes, you do need to get messy with your characters.  Don't baby them.  They need some baggage, some pain in their life, something to motivate them.

Here's to the a-ma-zing scent of pumpkin and spices wafting through our kitchens, and realistic characters bringing life to our manuscripts. 

Cupcakes and Writing: Classic Vanilla

 For me, cupcakes are kind of like my writerly mascot.  Well, so begins the Cupcakes and Writing series.  Each Wednesday another cupcake flavor will be compared to an aspect of writing.  Well, until I run out of flavors, or inspiration, whichever comes first.  Bon appetit!   

Classic Vanilla: Writing Authentically

Flavors, nuts, food coloring, chocolates, you name it, a cupcake can have it. But classic vanilla, now that's different. It has one distinct color and taste. Nothing to compete with it. And I think that's the way we're supposed to be as writers. Pure and focused on our writerly journey.

Too often I'm caught in it: The Comparison Trap. I compare my writing to others. Or I compare how many books they've written, how many books are published, how many Followers they have. And I find I'm no longer focused on my own journey, but on others and along the way I've added other flavorings, other colorings to my cupcake base and it is no longer vanilla, but it is most assuredly not any other recognizable flavor either. It tastes bitter.

The social networking thing is awesome. I love connecting with other writers, seeing what they're learning, I can encourage them and share my own ideas with them. Now, I'm not saying we can't learn a thing or two from the writers we look up to and incorporate it in our writing. But it shouldn't come at the expense of losing our own flavor.

Remember, everyone's writing journey/flavor is different. Don't let it effect your own. Remain true to yourself and write like YOU were born to. And when you give a reader a taste of your writing, they'll like what they are experiencing.