It’s hard to note milestones when you don’t feel like you’re moving at all.
A friend of mine recently complained that even a rejection letter would be preferable to the great, soul-eating silence from the agents she’s queried. I understood exactly what she meant.
In the writing world we view rejections as milestones. It’s been said many times that receiving those rejection letters is part of the process. It means you’re getting your work out there. Blah, blah, blah.
But when you’re stuck in the Bermuda Triangle of publishing, the panicked questions take over.
Did the agent/editor receive my query? Should I send a follow up? Will that tick them off? What if my manuscript was so bad they figured it was a joke? Did I actually even send the query, or was that a dream? Am I dreaming now? Do I even exist?
When you’re this thoroughly lost and confused, it’s time for an anchor, something to tether you to reality. My critique partners regularly joke about tying a rope around my waist so that when I jump off a cliff, they can pull me back up. Critique groups are a writer’s sanity check. I wouldn’t hesitate to call any of the women in my writing group and ask, “Are you reasonably sure that I do, in fact, exist?”
I think only one of them would take that opportunity to really mess with my head.
Another way to drop anchor might be to go over notes you’ve taken in workshops or read an agent’s blog. I heard some good advice from an agent at a recent conference. She suggested that when you send that query off, you should look ahead in your calendar and make a note of the date four weeks out. Then forget about the query. Don’t sweat it. When that day comes and goes, it’s safe to do a follow up. Tips like this can help writers navigate the doldrums of the submission process.
You can also break free of the holding pattern by simply telling yourself, “It’s time to move on.” I know it feels like abandonment to leave that project you love and start on a new one, but this is one of the few things in the writing journey that is solely in the writer’s control. You can move forward just by writing. You can turn your stint in No Man’s Land into a milestone. In a few months time, you’ll look back and say, “I wasn’t getting anywhere, so I (yes, I) decided to move on, and look what I’ve accomplished because of that.”
Evangeline Denmark has to take Dramamine in order to even look at a boat. She has co-authored two children’s books, The Dragon and the Turtle (Waterbrook Press, 2010) and The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari (Waterbrook Press, 2011) and also writes adult fiction. You can find Evangeline online at www.evangelinedenmark.com and www.dragonandturtle.com
This may sound strange, but I have never liked the traditional Easter call and response of “He is risen, He is risen indeed.”
It took me awhile to figure out why I got uncomfortable every Easter Sunday when the pastor said, “He is risen,” and all around me voices droned, “He is risen indeed.” Finally it occurred to me that this rote response lacks meaning. For me, that is. I know I’m probably in the minority, and I am certainly not advocating the removal of this part of Easter Sunday service. But for me the wonder and awe of the resurrection cannot be expressed in an automatic response.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get annoyed with the Bible for not giving me enough details. Something horrendously interesting will happen, and the scribe gives it one summary verse, and I’m going, “Hey, what happened next?”
Not so with the account of Jesus’ death and resurrection. I cannot help but be moved by the details of the event. Crowds chanting, a purple robe, a crown of thorns, darkness that came over the land, wine and vinegar, a tomb cut out of rock, spices, sunrise, a man dressed in white with a message for Mary Magdalene. Wow! It’s so much more than words. I can see it in my mind and feel it in my heart.
As writers, it’s our job to never lose our wonder in the world and its Creator, in humankind, in sound and sight, in touch and sent, in love. Anne Lamott puts it like this:
This is our goal as writers, I think; to help others have this sense of--please forgive me--wonder, of seeing things anew, things that can catch us off guard, that break in on our small, bordered worlds. When this happens, everything feels more spacious. Try walking around with a child who's going, "Wow, wow! Look at that dirty dog! Look at that burned-down house! Look at that red sky!" And the child points and you look, and you see, and you start going, "Wow! Look at that huge crazy hedge! Look at that teeny little baby! Look at the scary dark cloud!" I think this is how we are supposed to be in the world--present and in awe.
Why does the account of Christ’s crucifixion have the power to affect us thousands of years after it was written? Because the vivid details make us see it anew every time we read it. The words make us present. And, most importantly, the story of the resurrection cannot fail to draw a completely personal response from our very core—awe.
Evangeline Denmark has storytelling on her heart and in her blood. The daughter of novelist, Donita K. Paul, Evangeline grew up living and breathing good stories. She has co-authored two children’s books, The Dragon and the Turtle (Waterbrook Press, 2010) and The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari (Waterbrook Press, 2011) and also writes adult fiction. Evangeline is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, serving as chapter secretary. You can find Evangeline online at www.breathenbreatheout.blogspot.com and www.dragonandturtle.com
It seems strange to be talking about new beginnings when I’m smack in the middle of my WIP. Then again, it’s while you’re slogging through the muddle in the middle that new ideas spring up out of nowhere.
You’re staring at the computer screen, ransacking your brain for your next sentence, and suddenly a plot for a completely different story pops into your noggin. Strange new characters whisper in your ears while you labor to get old Klaus and Gertrude down off the mountainside before the volcano erupts.
It’s so easy to get swayed by these new project possibilities. I once read a funny piece that compared the allure of a new story idea to meeting a new romantic interest. The temptation to dump your current dimming flame and take up with that hot, new prospect can be overwhelming.
What should we do with these new beginnings that crop up when we need to be focusing on finishing our current novel?
First, be encouraged. You may feel like your brain is an empty paper bag with nothing but a hint of Sesame Chicken wafting around inside it, but creativity lurks amid those dried-up bits of rice. Use that spark of a new story to remind yourself why you write, that you CAN create, and that God has more exciting plans for your writing journey.
Second, write it down. Throw just a few words into a document detailing that mind-blowing plot or those compelling characters. You’ll feel better knowing you’ve put something on a page and can come back to it when the time is right.
Third, get back to work on your WIP. Tell that flirty new beginning that you’ll be in touch soon, then disconnect and get back to business. Because the only thing more exciting than a new beginning is the satisfaction of typing “The End.”
Evangeline Denmark has co-authored two children’s books, The Dragon and the Turtle (Waterbrook Press, 2010) and The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari (Waterbrook Press, 2011) and also writes adult fiction. Evangeline serves as chapter secretary for Worship Write Witness and has only broken up with one of her novels since she began writing in 2006. You can find Evangeline online at www.breathenbreatheout.blogspot.com and www.dragonandturtle.com
The other day I was thinking about what to write for this blog post while chopping onions for chili. Before long I was crying. It occurred to me that if my boys happened to walk in the kitchen, they would ask, “Why are you crying, Mommy?” They would be worried about me and would try to comfort me. Why? Because they have no experience with onions.
Now, if my husband happened to walk in while I wept onto my cutting board, he would laugh and make some smart remark like, “There’s no need to cry over dinner, honey.”
Why the different reaction? It’s obvious. My husband is older and wiser than my kids. He’s chopped onions a time or two and knows the water works are a simple physical reaction.
I believe the same principle applies when we write romance. An immature reader looks at the physical signs of attraction, believes the characters are in love, and is satisfied. An experienced reader knows infatuation for what it is and wants more depth.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a sizzling, tension-filled interplay between hero and heroine. But if we want to truly engage our readers’ hearts, we must employ what they know to be true about genuine love.
That can be hard, can’t it? After all, if we struggle to show real love to our spouses and those around us, how much more difficult is it to have fictional characters put the word into action?
I suggest that as we formulate our main characters and plot lines, we pick one or two of the love principles from 1 Corinthians 13 to ascribe to our hero and heroine. As we write, we can focus on just that characteristic and how we can bring it to life on the page.
For instance, I have chosen “Love keeps no record of wrongs” for my heroine. Now I look for ways to make that truth evident between my heroine and hero. Maybe he offends her early in the story, and the next time they meet their interchange is strained. By having my heroine choose to let go of that offense or try to see the situation from his side, I can
• bring depth to the scene • show a genuine aspect of love • maybe surprise a reader who expected a clichéd fight-over-nothing.
Go ahead and give it a try next time you’re writing a scene. Just beneath the spice and sparks of physical attraction add a touch of true love in action. I think you’ll find that not only is your romance delicious, but it’s also genuine and heart-filling.
Evangeline Denmark has co-authored two children’s books, The Dragon and the Turtle (Waterbrook Press, 2010) and The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari (Waterbrook Press, 2011) and also writes adult fiction. Evangeline serves as secretary for Worship Write Witness and serves onions for dinner whenever she can. You can find Evangeline online at www.breathenbreatheout.blogspot.com and www.dragonandturtle.com
So this month we’re talking about writing goals and resolutions, but maybe, like me, you feel that any goal you set would be unrealistic. Maybe just thinking about meeting a daily word count is like contemplating a life-sentence. Maybe “overwhelming” describes the act of brushing your teeth. Maybe, like me, you’re pretty sure that life is trying to kill you.
If that’s the case, watch this clip.
The movie “What About Bob” seems to apply to everything, doesn’t it?
Baby Steps. Don’t think about how many words you need to finish your WIP. Just think about how many words you need to finish this chapter. Or, this sentence.
Don’t think about the odds of getting an agent or getting published. Think about making contacts in the writing world. That can be as easy as reading another writer’s blog and commenting.
Don’t think about your grand character arc. Think about your character’s next step. His next thought.
And if that’s still too much for you, it’s okay. Believe me, I’ve been there. Recently. Here are a few of my baby steps to reassure you that you are not alone if you feel like writing is torture especially designed for you.
1. Today I will write one sentence. 2. Today I will think about my characters while I’m folding laundry. 3. Today I will only check Facebook 99 times instead of 100. 4. Today I will not throw my laptop in the fireplace. 5. Today I will highlight one good sentence in my chapter. 6. Today I will promote another author’s book. 7. Today I will use one of my favorite words. NOT the four letter ones. 8. Today I will brainstorm the next plot development. 9. Today I will trust that there is a plan to this madness. 10. Today I will not give up.
My critique partners regularly talk me down from ledges. They’re probably compiling a manual on how to keep an insecure writer from committing career suicide. One of them shared this verse with me.
"With the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you..." 2 Peter 3:8-9
Taking baby steps feels like a pretty slow way to get somewhere. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be running and leaping right now. But neither speed affects God’s timetable. So, for my own fragile sanity, I will keep taking baby steps.
“Baby steps into the office. Baby steps to the desk. Baby steps—turn on the computer. Baby steps—open document.”
Evangeline Denmark has storytelling on her heart and in her blood. The daughter of novelist, Donita K. Paul, Evangeline grew up living and breathing good stories. She has co-authored two children’s books, The Dragon and the Turtle (Waterbrook Press, 2010) and The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari (Waterbrook Press, 2011) and also writes adult fiction. Evangeline enjoys wearing goldfish in jars around her neck and desperately needs a vacation from her problems. You can find Evangeline online at www.breathenbreatheout.blogspot.com and www.dragonandturtle.com
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12
A friend and critique partner shared this verse with me recently when I received yet another glorious rejection. Heart sick. I think nearly every writer knows the feeling. Unless you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ve experienced some kind of rejection. At best, the deferment of your dreams. At worst, the annihilation of all hope.
And it’s hard to get up the next day and keep trying. Logic says that getting a job at Wal-Mart is a safer bet.
I want to give up. Why should I keep trying to sell something no one wants buy? Isn’t it a waste of time to pour my effort into pages and pages of a story only a handful of people will ever read? What is the ever-lovin’ point?
This is when writing becomes worship, more specifically a sacrifice of praise. Because, you see, I still feel called to write. I don’t know why. It doesn’t make human sense. I mean, if I’m called to write, shouldn’t someone out there feel called to read what I write? Or am I merely a slave to my own inner drive? Like a hamster on a wheel, am I endlessly chasing my instinct and blind to the reality of my situation?
I don’t know. All I know is the call is still there. Even when I tell myself it’s time to be a grownup and do really meaningful things, like clean the bathroom. Even when I quit and surrender to the ever-present role of taxi-driving drone. Even when I tell myself, “Evangeline, this is your life. Be a good wife. Be a good mom. Be a good daughter. Clean the bathroom. Drive the car. Make the meals. That’s it.”
But that isn’t it. God desires more from me than duty. He desires my praise, my joy. And, because He designed my praise and joy to come in the form of written words, He desires me to write.
And, wouldn’t you know it, my particular form of worship happens to be the medicine for my sick heart. What starts out as a feeble attempt to follow my calling turns into life-giving communion with my God.
I’m not going to pretend it’s easy to keep crafting an offering that has no value in the human world. But it is my worship, and so I’ll keep at it.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. Hebrews 13:15
I’m grateful for so many things in my writing journey. My supportive husband. My critique groups. My mom, of course. Not everyone gets to be Donita K. Paul's daughter. Conferences. People like Susan May Warren and Jeff Gerke who write books that help me figure out what I’m doing.
Most recently, I’ve found myself thanking God for my agent. He inherited me after my former agent moved, and at first I thought, “But he’s a guy! He won’t understand my out-of-the-box romantic novels!”
After a meeting here and an email there and a few phone conversations sprinkled throughout, I realized two things about the guy I call Secret Agent Man.
1. He is, above all, supportive of my writing. 2. He quotes Shakespeare in every day conversation.
He has other great qualities too, including a background in marketing, keen instincts, and superfly Clark Kent glasses, but it’s the above two characteristics I find most reassuring.
The first is self-explanatory, but you might be wondering about the second. Or, maybe you also majored in English and right now you’re saying, “Oh yeah, if an agent quoted MacBeth to me, I’d feel totally at ease.”
It isn’t really love for the bard that feeds my confidence, but rather my agent’s appreciation for the classics, for high-blown themes, and graceful language—for everything Shakespeare’s work encapsulates. Those concepts feed my soul, even if my mind lives on the literary equivalent of fast food.
For the past two months, Secret Agent Man and I have been piecing together a proposal for my WIP, The Immortal Heathcliff. I’ll be honest with you, the process was somewhat laborious. I don’t know many writers who adore writing synopses, summaries, and market analyses. I was relieved in September when we had most of the pieces in place. Then Secret Agent Man tossed me a curve ball.
“Let’s put together a book trailer,” he said in his most non-threatening Clark Kent voice.
“Now?” I asked, sure I’d misunderstood. Weren’t book trailers for already published works? It seemed presumptuous to create one to go out with my proposal.
Secret Agent Man assured me all the kids were doing it, so I went home and handed the project over to my computer geek husband. It crashed two computers, cost nearly $200, and ate up our evenings for more than a month, but the end result is eye-popping.
I sent it off to Secret Agent Man and he loved it!
“We’re good to go now,” I thought.
Then Secret Agent Man emailed, “Why don’t we make a page on the Brontës to go with the proposal?”
I banged my head against the wall, then tried to say something brilliant about the Brontës that hadn’t already been said a million times. I failed, of course. But Secret Agent Man came to the rescue, formatting our page into a Q&A and supplying me with interesting questions to answer.
I handed it in and held my breath. I figured next he’d ask me to dress up as Emily Brontë and make a clip for YouTube. But, to my delight, he pronounced us ready to move and sent out the book trailer and query.
Our work paid off. No, I don’t have a contract yet, but we’ve had lots of positive feedback on the extras we put in the proposal. I’m so thankful Secret Agent Man understands the classic themes that drive my passion to write and also knows exactly what tools will clarify my sometimes less-than-focused interpretation.
And if he asks me to don Victorian clothes and talk about Wuthering Heights into a camera, I probably will, but only if he wears a black suit and sunglasses and stands behind me with a walkie-talkie.
Evangeline Denmark has co-authored two children’s books, The Dragon and the Turtle (available now) and The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari (available 1-11-11) and also writes adult fiction. While less cultured than most Austen Addicts, she enjoys a classic love story and a cup of Chai tea. You can find Evangeline online at www.breathenbreatheout.blogspot.com and www.dragonandturtle.com
I’m guessing many of our readers are making their way back from ACFW National Conference today. I’m not one of them. I couldn’t go this year but was excited to see updates on Facebook and Twitter and to follow the live blog of the awards ceremony.
I imagine that advocating continuing education to those returning from national conference is preaching to the choir. After all, it’s one of the best writing conferences. Some of us might argue the best. You can’t NOT learn from the experience.
Well, maybe that isn’t true. Maybe one day you woke up a zombie, stumbled downstairs in search of yummy brains for breakfast, and through a series of mystifying events ended up in a conference room with only your tattered, moldy clothing as fortification for the day.
That happened to me this weekend.
Somehow wires crossed, the stars fell out of alignment, and I found myself with a birthday slumber party and a Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conference planned for the same weekend.
Ten boys, ages six to ten, invaded my home on Friday night. In a display of sheer insanity, I spent all day Friday cleaning for the occasion. I’ll never do that again. I mean, really, only the village idiot tidies her hovel for the approaching Viking horde.
Aside from the noise and the mess, the party went well. My husband, the sainted Kory of Denmark, took over the party at 11 PM, knowing I had to wake up at 5 AM to drive to Denver for SCWBI. Unfortunately, a lightsaber battle broke out shortly after I’d gone to bed. My husband must’ve been quickly vanquished because the young warriors ended up in my bedroom, fiercely battling and oblivious to the maiden trying to sleep.
The maiden got out of bed and kicked them out. The battle raged on until 2 AM, when Kory the Long-Suffering resurrected and decreed that the army must make camp or DIE!
Shortly thereafter, the zombie maiden rose and walked among children’s book enthusiasts.
In all honesty, caffeine kept me vertical but didn’t do much for my learning receptors. I tried to listen to speakers, tried to apply their advice to my writing, tried to network and smile and form coherent sentences. But how could I absorb anything with the mushy head of cauliflower I had for a brain?
You’d be surprised. The good thing about cauliflower is that it has sponge-like properties. On the way home from Denver yesterday afternoon, Mom and I talked over our last session with children’s author Linda Arms White. I mentioned that I liked Linda’s concept of having a bank of words for her picture books. She only has around a thousand words in her bank and must decide how to spend those words wisely. She allows herself only two adverbs per story. In my mind, those adverbs equate to splurge purchases.
Mom said something to the effect of, “See, you did learn something.”
And she was right. Despite my limited brain function, lack of coordination, and occasional drooling, I did manage to absorb several good tidbits of information, and I’m glad I went. My point is, there's no excuse for not benefiting from continuing education. You can always learn something new. Even if you are undead.
Evangeline Denmark co-authored The Dragon and The Turtle (Waterbrook Press, 2010) and The Dragon and the Turtle Go On Safari (Waterbrook Press, 2011). Evangeline also enjoys writing adult fiction and has perhaps allowed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to go to her head.
This is a hard topic for me but not because it isn’t important to me. I don’t think I could write a book without a spiritual thread even if I wanted to.
The problem is, I live in mortal dread of . . . I’m gonna whisper it so it doesn’t sound so scary . . . preaching.
Ack! Run away! Run away!
Seriously, I think preaching should be afforded the same status as telling in our critique groups. That is, whenever it crops up in a manuscript, critiquers should circle it, highlight it, cross it out, draw skulls and crossbones in the margins, and otherwise call attention to its horribleness.
Sometimes I lie awake at night, torturing myself by reliving instances of preaching in my own writing. Inevitably my wincing and cringing leads to dramatic vows never to smack my reader in the forehead with a . . . wait for it . . . Important Lesson.
But how do we avoid the detested P-word in our writing?
My critique group suggestion was not completely insincere. I’m blessed to be in two fabulous critique groups, and members of those groups have called me out on preachiness. One critiquer in particular—whose authenticity as a Christ follower I find compelling—won’t hesitate to raise the red flag when I lapse into Christianese. He seems to have a radar for it, so I highly respect his opinion. As with other bad habits in our writing, sometimes another reader can see it more clearly than we can.
If we’d like to stop extraneous preaching in our manuscript before we get to critique group, I suggest applying Jeff Gerke’s formula for when to use exposition. You can find this in his book The Art and Craft of Writing Christian Fiction.
“. . . your reader can tolerate telling to the degree that she is interested in what is being told and to the degree that the story can’t advance without the information.” (The Art and Craft of Writing Christian Fiction, 185)
To me this means that if I’m going to include an outright reference to God, Scripture, or Christian doctrine, I better have earned that moment by making my readers care enough about my character and story to tolerate an undisguised message and by making that principle integral to the plot.
In case you’re wondering how I choose to weave a spiritual thread into my writing—I try to let it happen organically. Is that an oxymoron? TRY to LET it happen. As I brainstorm a novel, a spiritual theme presents itself. For the last novel I wrote, the theme was ‘to love is to serve.’ For the novel I’m working on now, the theme is forgiveness. As I write, opportunities arise for my characters to experience events that relate to those themes.
As my characters move through their arcs, I seek to develop my theme and hopefully leave my readers with a glimpse of one small aspect of the character of God or a deeper understanding of our continual need for Jesus.
That’s my approach. Sometimes I’m too subtle. Sometimes I need the megaphone wrested from my hands.
Evangeline Denmark has storytelling on her heart and in her blood. The daughter of novelist, Donita K. Paul, Evangeline grew up living and breathing good stories. She has co-authored two children’s books which are under contract with Waterbrook Press and also writes adult fiction. Evangeline is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, serving as chapter secretary.
I don’t know much about editing despite having once considered it for a career. And so, instead of restating what you’ve already heard, read, or learned by osmosis, I thought I’d interview an expert. It helps that said expert lives downstairs, just completed edits on her 15th book, leads three critique groups, and is my mom!
So, here you go: Donita K. Paul’s thoughts on editing and revisions.
ED: Hi, Mom. Thanks for being willing to answer my questions and for not giving me a hard time about that overly-spicy Tilapia I cooked last night.
DKP: What she didn’t say is that I’m not allowed to see my grandsons until I do this little questionnaire. That is diabolical persuasion.
ED: Diabolical--and effective. First question. Can you tell us a little bit about your methods of self-editing?
DKP: I always read what I wrote the day before to get into the flow of the story. I also pick up little typos and minor problems as I do this read-through. I have a blog now for when I am writing that shares editing things I run across during my writing time. These are short, short tips. http://awriterwritessometimes.blogspot.com/
ED: Obviously, you’re pro-critique groups. How do you assimilate all the comments you get and how do they shape your writing process?
DKP: When I go through the pages we’ve shared, I look at each comment seriously. I change things that I agree with and sometimes I am so very, very grateful to my crit partners for catching things that would embarrass me if an editor had sent me a note. If two people note the same thing, I change it.
ED: Let’s talk about getting notes back from your editor. Have you developed a system for tackling that sometimes tricky process?
DKP: ACK! Do I have to talk about this? This is such a humbling experience. The author learns exactly how proud, stubborn, and uncooperative she can be. The editor learns the writer has werewolf genes and snarls when moonlight is shone upon her work. It is something you have to deal with. Eight times out of ten, I’m grateful for the insight of another person, who is geared toward improving my work. The other two times, I wonder if this editor-person is even from our planet. My advice: express all that sarcastic frustration to an empty room, then write a tactful response covering the difference of opinion. Or have your daughter review your comments to the editor’s comments and have her tell you the places where you have become too snarky.
ED: Just for fun, do any of your books stand out in your memory as the hardest to edit/revise?
DKP: The first of the Dragon Keeper Chronicles, of course. I had to cut 20,000 words. I’d never done that before. It was over the Christmas season, so no one was in the publishing office for days on end. My editor had a death in the family and went missing. I didn’t know she was attending a funeral, and I felt abandoned. And I was resentful that this edit was infringing on my enjoyment of the season. In other words, I regressed to pouting thirteen-year-old.
ED: Newbie authors like me are told to polish, polish, polish our manuscripts before sending them to an editor or agent. What are some signs that indicate we’re ready to send that puppy out?
DKP: When you can quote whole pages of dialogue. When you call your husband by your hero’s name. When you put things on your to-do list that belong to your heroine. My advice really: to put it in a drawer for two weeks and the read it through cold. If you are not changing things on every page at this point, it is probably ready to go.
ED: Thanks for sharing your wisdom on editing and revisions. Now I’m supposed to tell you that your grandsons want you to get off your computer so they can play Fishdom.
DKP: Send them down.
Evangeline Denmark has storytelling on her heart and in her blood. The daughter of novelist, Donita K. Paul, Evangeline grew up living and breathing good stories. She has co-authored two children’s books which are under contract with Waterbrook Press. Evangeline is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, serving as chapter secretary.
Maybe you think I’m a little crazy to try to write supernatural romance for the CBA market. Maybe you think I’m simply following trends in the ABA. Maybe you think I want to be edgy for edginess sake.
The truth is, like most other Christian writers, I feel called to write what I write. And I do it with what I hope is a sensitive ear to God’s prompting.
Yes, the rise of supernatural romance, urban fantasy, and “dark romance” got my attention. I read a few and found things I liked and things I didn’t. But mostly what those books stirred in me was a desire to use the genre to explore elements of The Love that we as Christians believe is the source of all romance.
This subject has already been discussed with insight and finesse by several other bloggers this month. Suffice it to say, God’s love for his children is the basis for all our understanding of love. Jesus’s sacrifice for his bride, the church, is the love story—the one we echo again and again.
I figured, if we can use the romance genre to reflect the love of God in the relationship between a man and a woman, how much more can we do that with supernatural characters?
This is simply another outlet for metaphor and allegory. Just as Donita K. Paul uses the fantasy world of Amara to present an allegory of the Christian walk in The DragonKeeper Chronicles, and Tracey Bateman uses vampirism as a metaphor for alcoholism in Thirsty, so I use a brounie to explore one aspect of love.
A brounie (brownie) is a house spirit or faerie who does chores, cleans up, plows fields, and in one legend, even fetches a doctor for an ailing family member. Maybe you can see why I chose this particular mythical creature to examine the idea that to love is to serve.
Sure, I could do something similar with a self-sacrificing human, but I enjoyed both the challenge and the freedom of developing a character whose very make-up included a totally unselfish desire to love and serve.
Who knows if my novel will go anywhere? Maybe all the viewpoints I mentioned at the start of this entry will negate my chances. But I learned something about the heart of God as I wrote this book. I had the opportunity to study one tiny piece of His great love and that was more than worth all the effort.
Evangeline Denmark has storytelling on her heart and in her blood. The daughter of novelist, Donita K. Paul, Evangeline grew up living and breathing good stories. Now she enjoys creating stories of her own. She has co-authored two children's books that are under contract with Waterbrook Press and writes novels as well.
I confess I’m a seat of the pants writer. I start a book with a general idea of the story and am often surprised by the twists and turns that show up between Chapter One and The End. But, until recently, I didn’t realize that I used a similar approach to character development.
What does that look like? Well, instead of using complicated character charts that detail everything from shoe size to food allergies, I let my characters emerge from the story in a more organic way. Not that character charts are bad. I have nothing against that method. It just doesn’t work for me.
Since I’m about to start a new project, I thought I’d give you a snippet of how this works for me.
In the first chapter my character, Julien, is going to get in a street fight late at night. That’s a plot point really, but what can I learn about my character from it? Here are a few possible character traits that might emerge from Julien’s altercation.
1. Julien is not a coward. 2. Julien probably doesn’t spend most nights at home reading by the fire. OR, maybe he does. Maybe the fight is totally OUT of character for him. 3. Julien may have one of the following: a. A strong sense of justice b. A hot temper c. Really bad luck
No matter what traits I choose to ascribe to Julien through this plot point process, I cannot fail to deepen his character. And, the next time Julien comes up against a similar situation, I have a precedent for his reaction. Viola—seat of the pants character development.
So tell me, how do you prefer to develop character? Do charts and character exercises work for you? Or, do you get to know your character as you write?
Evangeline Denmark has storytelling on her heart and in her blood. The daughter of novelist, Donita K. Paul, Evangeline grew up living and breathing good stories. Now she enjoys creating stories of her own. She has co-authored two children's books that are under contract with Waterbrook Press and writes novels as well.
I’m at a crossroads in my novel. I’m stuck. I know what happens in the end, but I don’t know how to get there. I’m in no man’s land, the doldrums. You guessed it. The middle of the book.
So I did what I always do when I get stuck. I called my brother. Case has an uncanny knack for diagnosing and treating plot problems. This may have something to do with the fact that he has not stopped reading since the age of three. Or maybe it’s because he’s a doctoral student in English at Purdue. Or maybe, for whatever reason, God saw fit to gift him with the creativity I needed in my career as a writer.
Whatever the reason, my brother is my favorite plot doctor.
And this time was no exception. He had some fascinating suggestions, helpful advice, and undiscovered tidbits relevant to my story. Whenever I’ve talked to him before, I’ve found my mind expanding with ideas sparked by our discussion.
But this time, my brain refused to stretch. We talked about my basic problem.
Me: “I’m stuck in the middle of the book. I need for something bad to happen.”
Him: “Can you give me just a little more information than that?”
Me: “I need for my heroine to be proactive.”
Him: “Riiiiiight.”
We went on to discuss the particulars, and then Case suggested something called The Bottle.
“Huh?” I said.
He sighed. “You know, it’s a classic literary trope. You take your character or characters, isolate them, attack them, and make them work out their issues, solve the problem, face their fears.”
“Oh, you mean like in scary movies?”
*suppressed groan*
We talked a little longer, agreed to think about my plot problems, and touch base again should brilliance strike one of us. Statistically, it should be my turn since the lightning of superior intellect has clearly already zapped my brother.
Since then I’ve been thinking about The Bottle, and I’ve decided that the metaphor applies to me, the author. My book and I are stuck together, and my choices are to get productive, solve my plot issue, and crawl on toward the end of the book. Or, wallow in my glass prison, able to see the light outside, but unwilling to do the work that will get me there.
Right-click and save this graphic to your computer, then place it on any web site or blog with the link set to www.acfwcolorado.com. Please do NOT link directly to this image. Thank you for your support.
Posts
