Melina Marchetta & the St. Sebastian’s Crew

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I just reread both these books for the umteenth time, and they are just as good (even better?) every time. When I read Melina Marchetta, I think, “Yes. Let my books be THIS.”

Jackie Lea Sommers's avatarJACKIE LEA SOMMERS

Look, friends. I know that by now you think I’m a professional Marchetta evangelist, but I HAVE TO BE. She is the best YA writer out there (six reasons I love her!), and if you’re not reading ALL THE MARCHETTA, your reading life has an abysmal hole in it that you need to fill.

Today I want to just pause for a moment to relish in the masterpieces that are Saving Francesca and The Piper’s Son. Every time I re-read one or the other, I come away thinking, Yes. This. This is what a perfect book looks like. No one does characters as well as Marchetta.

ST SEBASTIANS

In Saving Francesca, we first meet the crew. It’s the first year that St. Sebastian’s, a traditionally all-boys school, has admitted girls, and it’s not going well. Francesca is miserable … but as she goes through the year, her life is changed…

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THIS Book

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I keep reading, “You only know how to write the book you’re writing.” In other words, you might have written one or two or ten books before, but that doesn’t mean that you can follow the same formula for any other book. You just have to learn how to write THIS book, the current one.

I’m learning that is true. I’ve felt a little loosey-goosey trying to figure out how to write THIS book. I don’t usually outline, but with this book, I’ve written two or three separate outlines, a synopsis (maybe two pages), and I can’t seem to figure things out. Tonight I started to write a LONG, detailed synopsis, and I think it’s really going to help. I think it will help to show me where the pacing lags … but I’m also going to go through it and color-code it based on what characters/storyline it follows. The hope is that if I notice, “Oh gosh, there are like four purple chapters in a row and nary a sign of green,” that I can figure that out NOW before I go back and revise it.

I’m reading a couple good books about writing right now, including The Art of Slow Writing by Louise DeSalvo, and it’s like a balm. Sometimes it feels like this book is written SPECIFICALLY FOR ME. The other book I’m reading is The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner, and I feel the same way about that one too. It talks so much about anxiety around writing, plus the relationship between editor and author. There was a whole chapter about addiction and mental illness, which just goes to show how strong the correlation between these things and creativity is. I sometimes tell people that I’d be an alcoholic if I took one drink … so I don’t.

Life is crazy, and the Minnesota summer is TOO HOT. But I finally feel like I’ve made good progress on thinking about this novel. THIS novel. 🙂

Writing Paralysis

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That’s hyperbole. A little bit.

I’ve been working on my story, but it’s a monumental effort every day to get to the manuscript.

I think I’m battling with fear, depression, and heat. It makes me want to sleep instead of write.

Doing everything I can to fight back: therapy, medication, air conditioning, encouragement from friends and family, grace, prayer.

Please don’t consider this whining. I don’t mean to complain. I just want to be honest.

Okay, I’m going to go write now. Thanks for reading. ❤

Things I Need for Success

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A week or so ago, I, the Queen of Lists, made another list: Things I Need for Success.

It was kind of long.

It includes things like more energy, mentoring, better scheduling, more time, and more money.

I realized that “more money” is only going to come from spending less, not making more, so I think I need to make a budget. I’ve used Mint in the past but never stuck to it. Does anyone have any tips for using Mint, budgeting in general, or another (free) program to help with this?

More time. We all get 24 hours a day (even Beyonce, as they say), which means that I need to shift my focus to better scheduling. I made a list of all the things I’d like to do every day— and it’s too long. What are things you do every day? How do you squeeze it all in? Do you use any technique or program to schedule your life?

Mentoring. Working on this through my workplace. They are all about this sort of thing.

Energy. I know this is going to come through better food, better sleep, more sleep, and exercise. However, this comes back to that whole “I need more time” problem. How do you fit these things in? Do you have any shortcuts you use? I need shortcuts. (P.S. I hate cooking.)

Well, enough of my rambling. I didn’t even realize when I started this post that it was mostly going to be soliciting advice from blog readers, but there you have it. Would love to hear your ideas!

Review: Dreamology by Lucy Keating

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dreamologyAlice has dreamed of Max for as long as she can remember– in her dreams, they are happy and in love, going on the kind of crazy adventures that can only happen in dreams.

When Alice moves to Boston, though, Max is in her psychology class at her new school! Except this Max seems detached … and he has a girlfriend.

I really enjoyed this one! There were some really great lines, and I especially loved the character of Oliver, one of Alice’s new friends. I loved the dream sequences, and it was fun to tweet with Lucy Keating while I read it too. An interesting concept, though the conflict at the end confused me a little bit. All in all, an enjoyable, light read!

 

The Mathematics of Writing

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On Thursday, I wrote for an hour.
On Friday, I wrote for an hour.
Today, I not only wrote for an hour but also spent a lot of time brainstorming, researching, plotting.

Theoretically, if I keep doing this enough times, I will fashion a novel.

I feel good. Tired. But very good.

So far, I have a rough draft of a new prologue and the start of a revised first chapter.

Not very far yet– but I trust the math.

Rhythm is a Dancer

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… and for a while now, I’ve not been invited to the dance.

That said, last night I wrote for a whole hour, and it felt SO GREAT. I remembered why I love being creative, love the hard work of it, the struggle to find the exact perfect word, the research and learning, the epiphanies (no matter how small).

I hope I can sustain some sort of rhythm. Right now I need TIME. There never seems to be enough hours in a day …

 

Review: Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

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0-545-05474-5I loved this book.

I’ll be honest, it’s not one that I would normally pick up from the description. But my editor is reading it right now and encouraged me to read it too. I got a copy from the library, devoured it, and then bought a copy for my personal library.

The premise of the book is simple: Marcelo is on the autism spectrum– he says he’s best described as having Asperger’s but admits that’s not quite accurate either. He goes to a special school that he LOVES. His father, a lawyer, tells Marcelo that if he can successfully handle an internship at his dad’s law firm that summer (in the “real world”), he can go back to his school for senior year. Otherwise, he will need to go to the public school in town.

As I said, a simple enough premise. But the execution is masterful.

The characters– especially Marcelo– are so deep, the conversations are fascinating, the writing is beautiful.

It was one of my favorite reads of 2016.

 

 

Doors/Goals Update

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collage photos of doors on the old districts of Europe

Hi peeps. So, I figured I should do an update on my goals. Less for you, more for me.

Behind Door 1: a final manuscript of Yes Novel Salt Novel (???) (edited 1.10.16)

I’m about to start on a second draft of Salt Novel. I have lots of ideas but very little motivation. I need to crank out a draft in the next 5-6 weeks. Ultimately, I need to have a final draft by next summer in order to publish by summer 2018. I feel like I know what I want to do with this novel– though I’m not entirely sure how to do that. If you’re the praying sort, this would be something you could pray for me about. I desperately want to write a beautiful, thought-provoking, successful novel, but HOW? I read this thing today by Neil Gaiman about how Gene Wolfe told him, “You never learn how to write a novel. You only learn to write the novel you’re on.”

I need to learn to write Salt Novel.

Behind Door 2: a first draft of my next novel.

I mean, technically I have a first or second draft of Yes Novel. Does that count? That’s all I’m gonna eke out this year.

Behind Door 3: three new story ideas, just the bare bones.

I do indeed have some ideas tumbling around my mind on the delicate cycle. Stuff about foxes and carousels and Romania. It feels far away though.

Behind Door 4: a writing retreat.

I’m taking off the week of Independence Day. I don’t think I’ll have enough money to travel anywhere, but a staycation sounds so nice. My basement is beautiful and inspiring and cool and will work. I’d rather have Lake Superior out my window, but the pond at my townhome will have to do!

Behind Door 5: a day of creative exploration.

Just asked on Facebook for suggestions. I need to start crafting this!!

Behind Door 6: a pruned TBR shelf, via reading and weeding.

This has been a success. I’ve sold a lot of books to Half Price Books, read a bunch, and am being more selective about the books I buy! I’m using the library more too. Note: I’m not against having a large book collection, but there is something not right about purchasing books that sit unread for years and years, only to sell them off at a fraction of the cost. This is about being a smarter reader and a smarter steward.

Behind Door 7: a book of poetry every month.

I really suck at this, don’t I? I never get more than 3 or 4 months into the year before I lose sight of this goal. I need to try to pick this back up. This summer’s book is My Bright Abyss by Christian Wiman. I need to get cracking!

Behind Door 8: a healthier writing lifestyle.

I’m trying. So hard. I’m taking more breaks, giving myself more grace, going regularly to therapy, trying to eat better. I need to get outside more, especially before the Minnesota summer gets too hot to handle. Trying, trying, trying.