There Be Genre Choices Ahead

Someone asked me the other day what genre I write and I immediately responded with fantasy. They followed up by asking my why. All that came to me was, "I have trouble with reality." We both laughed, but it got me thinking why do I write/read mostly fantasy? Of course there is my love for Renaissance Faires, Lord of the Rings and D&D that fuels my desire to spend as much time in a Medieval Stasis type situation as possible, but it's the magic. Yep, always the magic that gets me. I was reading my old flash posts and backed up files. They are all a quick romance flash, traditional or contemporary fantasy. Which I actually thought was urban fantasy, but I lack the grit required to be in that category. Then I was wondering how many categories are there? I found list upon list of categories and subcategories many of which I honestly never knew were a thing or the proper name for. It was a bit confusing until I found this genre map. It looks cool and is interactive.

I've been having trouble with inspiration probably because I need structure and guidelines. If my options are wide open I freeze and nothing gets done. So I was thinking about seeing how many different genres I can work in. Some of them would obviously require a bit of research, but it seemed exciting and excitement is something that has been lacking from my writing attempts as of late. I think steampunk is where I am going to start because it has been on my mind. With gears, steam, fantastic machines and victorian fashion I think I wouldn't miss my elfs, gnomes and dragons as much.

Oh, almost forgot that the first flash I have shared in a long time was posted yesterday at the Lake Writers blog. Please have a look and let me know what you think.

ROW80 Rundown

Make the check-ins on Sundays and Wednesdays - Running late again, but still plugging along.
Visit 5 fellow ROW80 bloggers each check-in - I visited 5 ROW80 friends posts, but still couldn't get my phone to cooperate and allow me to comment. I spent 7 hours Googling (There may be gremlins in my phone.) to figure out how to fix the problem. I don't think I found the correct solution, but a I reached a good enough that allowed me to be me instead of my my daughter on my phone. It would have been easier to just sit at my husband's computer, but I took a fall and sitting up was hurting so badly I couldn't bear it.
Write 500 words every day -
Monday - I started a steampunk flash. I got to just under 600 words, but it still needs work.
Tuesday - Took the fall Monday night so getting through the day was the most I could manage.
Wednesday - Went to the Dr and added just over 200 words to the steampunk flash, but then got to attend the Lake Writers meeting. We visited more than anything else and I had a really good time.

What genre do you write in most? What about reading, the same or different? What keeps you coming back to the same or skipping around? Let me know in the comments.

Photos by Pixabay.

O is for Opening

The first page is a powerful tool and should be used to tell readers what kind of world they've just landed in.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.-JRR Tolkien from The Hobbit

One of my favorite openings. Already you know you've landed in a magical story with non-human creatures and that there are comforts to be had. The opening section of your book has a few objectives. To hook your readers, introduce your hero, establish stakes, foreshadow future events and then to get the show on the road.

First stop your hook. Larry Brooks over at Storyfix teaches that you need a hook within the first 20 pages of your book. What exactly is a hook? It's something to get your readers attention and pull them into your story. It can be blatant or subtle as long as it packs an emotional punch. The best way to get someone's attention is to make them feel. Immerse your reader in what is happening now. Until you have your hooks in them the time is not right for backstory.

Another opening task is to introduce your hero. Don't tell your readers her whole story, but do let them get to know her. If she spends a lot of your story angry let her throw a tantrum now to set the stage. Show her character flaws, we all have them and so should your characters. Also, let the readers see what your hero's life is like. Is she a rock star who only eats green M&Ms? Is she a humanitarian working to feed and cloth children in a poorer neighborhood? What has she been doing and what are her goals?

Now please tell me why I should care. What does the hero have at stake? Her family, career, love or even the fate of the world could all rest on her shoulders. Show don't tell when it comes to, well everything in your story. It is important to show the readers what will be in jeopardy for the rest of the story. Of course you can and should up the stakes later, but there must be a compelling reason for your hero to jump into the meat of the story.

Foreshadowing future events is subtlety or blatantly hinting to your readers about a plot point or issue of characterization. The purpose of foreshadowing is to prepare your readers for something important that is coming. If readers aren't prepared when a big event occurs it can leave them feeling jarred or worse lied to and cheated.  Most of the first quarter of your story should be a huge beautiful tapestry of these hints woven together. If it's supposed to be an obvious hint give it emotion. If it's supposed to be subtle it's a little trickier and you can let it pass without much notice. Subtle is usually better because you don't really want to give away your plot twists. Once you planted the hint make sure you give them the yield. Not bringing the hints to fruition will leave your readers just as confused as a big event without foreshadowing.

Now if we've done our job all that's left is to get the show on the road. The inciting incident, also known as the first plot point, brings the opening of your story to a close. It launches your hero into a different world where their goals and dreams have just been rearranged by the antagonistic force.

What do you find as the hardest part of the opening to write? What is the easiest? Please leave a comment and don't forget to let me know where you came from so I can follow you back.

Photos by Pixabay.

Eternally Juggling

Like most people I am struggling, I meant juggling. Well, maybe some of both. My routine has become as hectic as an octopus standing on land heaving flaming torches while balancing a sword on his head and trying to eat an angry crab. Oh, he's also being kicked from behind, at random, by a woman in stilettos.

Writing torches in the air for this post:

• A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80)
• The Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG)
• Prep for A to Z 2015 Blogging Challenge
• One Year Reading Challenge 2015

IWSG:

Okay, so I may be over committing myself, but I really like joining challenges. Some people can do these things on their own, but I am not that competent or organized. I need the people to help me stay motivated and to bounce things off. I love that you all are so bouncy and supportive.

Things have been keeping me from writing or maybe I have not been trying hard enough. It isn't the big things. Everyone recognizes major challenges when they arrive and pushes the pause button on non-essential goals. It's the little things that pilfer my time without me even realizing it's gone. The Facebook is chief among those time sucking miscreants, but you can't overlook more mundane things like housework and homeschooling. Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.

What do you do when you feel like a eleventy-one year old hobbit?


ROW80 rundown: 

1. Write 500 words per day on any project.
Sunday: 631
Monday: 374
Tuesday: Sleep and snuggling sick kids, but no words.

2. Blog at least every Wednesday and Sunday.
I am thinking these are a win.

3. Check out at least 10 posts from each new ROW80 linky before the next one comes out.
I got to 8 and midnight hit and I decided to work on my post.

4. Use Twitter at least once per day.
I was not able to get to Twitter Tuesday.

5. Post on my author Facebook page at least 3 times per week.
I am going to have to think about changing this goal. I have only been able to get it done once since I jumped in. Let us see how it goes for the rest of the week and then I will decide.

6. Read 1 book per week.

With Sherlock out of the way I move onto The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It will be fulfilling my "book over 100 years old" category. I am only a few chapters in, but am liking it. I guess I should have read these classics long ago. I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks for all who stopped by from the different groups. Leave me a comment and say hello so I can follow you back and see what you are up to.

photo credit: _DSC9593 via photopin (license)
photo courticy of Pixabay

Liebster Award Nomination

I was graciously nominated for the Liebster by fellow Lake Writer, Elise VanCise. The Liebster is a getting to know you kind of post. A fun way for bloggers and readers to get acquainted. The nominator picks 11 nominees and gives each of them a set of 11 questions to answer on their blog. In response, the nominees choose 11 new nominees from their circle and gives them a different set of 11 questions.

Basically, it's kind of like an interview. You might even be nominated more than once. Which is okay because you get to answer different questions and have more fun. Now on to my set of questions hatched by Elise.

1. If you could spend a day in a book which book would it be and what would you do?

Easiest question EVER! I would choose Lord of the Rings. My heart already lives in Middle Earth so getting to spend a day there would be a dream come true. The thing I would like to do most is spend time with Tom Bombadil. No he wasn't in the movie, stop looking at me like that. I adore that he was able to handle the ring and not be influenced by it's power. 

Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow, Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow. None have ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the master: His songs are stronger songs, and his feet are faster. —The Fellowship of the Ring

2. What are 3 things that are rarely known about you?

Secrets, embarrassing stories and confidential information. No, seriously I'm not gonna tell you.

3. What is your favorite coffeehouse treat?

Mile High Peanut Butter Pie from Austin's Coffee. Where they know not to include the whipped cream, but to double the peanut butter crumbles. I will go with it's because they love me.

4. Do you like to write with music or utter silence? If music, tell us what inspires your muse.

Usually I write with my husband yelling at the video game that he is playing in the same room and snoring coming from my son's room. Maybe this is one of my problems with the writing experience

5. Tell us what makes your hometown awesome.

We have the whole Disney World thing going on. Plus there is Sea World and Universal. When I lived in Orlando I was a pass holder and pretty addicted to Disney. I have literally been the last person out the Magic Kingdom gate. The staff never said anything to us, but followed us from Fantasy Land through the stores and to the front gate creating a human blockade to keep us from turning around. When they closed the gate there was loud and rowdy cheering. It was quite the experience.

6. What inspired you to become a writer?

There is a story in my head and I need to get it out so that I can have room for stuff like the bills and other things I am supposed to be doing. That and apparently I am into torturing myself.

7. What is your favorite book to movie adaption?

I don't really like movies that much. Yes, I have been told I am an odd one before. They are usually pale imitations of the tomes that they are portraying. That being said the costuming, scenery, visual effects and set building in the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit movies were stunning and made a part of that movie come alive for me. Not that my imagination couldn't experience it until Peter Jackson put it to film, but they left the Shire standing. I can actually take a trip there, if I could ever afford it. I think that makes them my favorite adaption.

8. Where is your favorite place to write?

My favorite place to write is at a coffee shop or a Denny's type place. Even with all the hustle and bustle it is still quieter or at least less distracting than my house.

9. Have you ever participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)?

Yes, I have. I participated in 2011, 2012 and 2013. I decided to take a break in 2014 which I regretted a week or so into November. I will be back for the 2015 season.

10. Do you have a routine or thing that makes you feel ready to write? Like a special shirt or a writing exercise.

No, but I should probably get one of those. Maybe if I had a routine it would help me get in the mood to write faster and more often.

11. If the Tardis appeared outside of your house. What would you do?

If the Tardis appeared outside my house I guess I would load the gun. If the Dr. is here, shit just got real!

Well, there you have it 11 random things about me. Now it's my turn to pass the spotlight.

I would like to nominate 11 people, but to be honest there aren't 11 people who come to my blog on a regular basis. Instead I have listed 1 person from Lake Writers, 4 people who subscribe to my blog who also have a recent post and last but not least **YOU**. That still doesn't get me to 11, but sometimes your best is all you can do.

1. Katherine Starbird
2. Susan Says
3. ... MICHAEL DI GESU ... ... ... In Time ... ...
4. Menopausal Mother
5. Writing Off The Edge
6. YOU! THAT'S RIGHT IF YOU READ THIS FAR THEN I NOMINATE YOU! LEAVE A COMMENT SO I KNOW TO FOLLOW YOU BACK TO YOUR BLOG AND SEE YOUR ANSWERS!

Your questions are:

1. What is your name? What is your quest? What is your favorite color? OK so those aren't my real questions, but I couldn't resist.

The real questions:

1. What character from a book would you most like to meet and why?

2. What is your favorite TV show?

3. Have you ever suffered from writer's block and if so how did you get around it?

4. What is something only your family would say about you?

5. Where would you go on a dream vacation?

6. Do you have any hobbies besides writing and reading? What are they?

7. If you could live in another time, which time would you choose to live in?

8. Who would you rather be Pinky or The Brain?

9. What is your idea of a perfect date?

10. If you could have a supper power what would it be and why?

11. What 3 words describe you best?


ROW80 quickie:

1. Write 500 words per day on any project.
Monday: More of the writing in the book thing while on the road/indisposed.
Tuesday: 648 actually typed on The Most Magical Place
Wednesday: 1206 on this post (Probably too many, but fun.)

2. Blog at least every Wednesday and Sunday.
Still doing this and feeling accomplished.

3. Check out at least 10 posts from each new ROW80 linky before the next one comes out.
I only made it to 8.

4. Use Twitter at least once per day.
Check again.

5. Post on my author Facebook page at least 3 times per week.

As Meatloaf would say, "Two outta Three aint bad."

6. Read 1 book per week.
Not much progress.

Some images by Pixabay
photo credit: stop the writers block via photopin (license)