Monday Musings

Here is a toast to all those that hear me all too well

I’ve put my manuscript out there a few times. Some friends have read it, some critique partners, and even some agents. So for today’s Monday Musings I just want to give a shout out to all those that have made my manuscript what it has become and say that you all are my real “muse.”

Jennifer- The first person to read my manuscript the entire way through! (And this was a pretty rough first draft). She was the first person to really “get” my main character and really made me want to change my ending because you wanted more.


Kelly- Another friend that kept pushing me. When I would get a rejection she would tell me, “Stop with the self doubt.” She also helped to make Blaine “less emo,” and “A little more angry.”

Stephanie- maybegenius.blogspot.com- My first critique partner. She only got the rough first 30 pages of my like fourth draft, but by going through it and saying “I want to see this, explain it to me.” Or “Don’t stereotype, show it.” These little pushes helped to push my manuscript out of a cliché and into a real story.

Lynsey- narrativelyspeaking.blogspot.com – The first person to read the manuscript who I didn’t know in person! This was a very nerve wracking process, but she was also one of the first fans of my manuscript! By pushing my first chapter to “be all that it could be,” and wanting more “romance,” she brought out that great hook that will hopefully keep future readers wanting more.

Laurie- authorlaurielarsen.com- The lady that got me to join RWA. I will never forget how much of a creeper she made me feel like since I stalked the local RWA website and then e-mailed her, looking like some weirdo off the street. I was very lucky to meet her and have someone to help “take the predictability” out of my manuscript. She made me push through my rejections and helped me to never give up!

Nicole – http://thewhowhatwhenwherewhy.blogspot.com/ – My new virtual critique partner! She finally pointed out how much I was tiptoeing around certain character traits, (my MC’s eating disorder, ect.) By really playing up this flaws, I took my character and made her into that beautiful, vulnerable yet strong woman that I wanted her to be and could just never get it out!

Rachel- My Rae Rae. The one who couldn’t have pushed me further. I don’t know how many times she has gone through and said “Did you not learn grammar in high school?” Or being the person that really pushed me to “Put the kiddies to bed and bring on the sexual tension.” Libby and Blaine wouldn’t be Libby and Blaine without her and I am eternally grateful to have a friend and freelance editor like her.So, no, still don’t have an agent and I’m still going through and editing for content. (Should be back on submission by September and a wonderful agent does still have my full!) So for now I will keep using all your suggestions as my musings and can’t wait to hear more of them!

Xoxo,

The punching bag

Monday Musings

So for this Monday I want to discuss the Muse.  Muses are those people, things, actions that inspire our story.  This picture above is of Gossip Girl star, Blake Lively.  For those of you that have never seen Gossip Girl or don't know who Blake Lively is, well we can discuss that later.  When I imagined my main character for MY PAPER HEART it was Blake that I would imagine as Libby, which in turn actually made it easier for me to describe Libby's actions.  My "research" required me to watch hours of Gossip Girl...okay no I did that on my own.  But just by watching that show, it sparked more ideas for my story and actually propelled Libby into her own well-rounded character.

On the other hand, Blaine Crabtree was completely in my head.  He's just some guy that I created and there isn't a celebrity, nor a model that matches the Blaine in my head.  Thus it took me a little longer to figure out how to portray Blaine on paper, so how did I do that?  Sometimes it was just little excercises.  I would do a character map of Blaine's physical attibutes or his favorite things.  Sometimes I would even do little short stories (which some day I may share) and just see how Blaine reacts to certain things (sometimes even he surprised me!)

There of course was also music and pictures that would inspire me and propel the story foreward.  My love of New Orleans made me want to look back at my pictures from when I worked down there for Habitat and served to help with the "stairway to nowhere" scene.

But today I want to leave people with their own uses and think about what inspires them and how that helps to inspire.  If you'd like to share, I would love it!

On a side note...the contest ends the 20th and may be the last one that I do.  I haven't gotten much of a response for it (I'm not sure why, they are pretty awesome prizes), but the second contest I had planned is definitely on hold.

Second side note:  I'm looking for a critique partner (Lynsey I may be looking at you!)  I need another person to read my work (You have to like Chick-Lit, YA, and contemporary) and in-turn I would like to critique others becaue I believe it really does help your own work.