KISS

Among other things, KISS is called the mantra for writers. It is supposed to make you think. Slow things down. Put invigorating, yet comprehensible storytelling in your manuscript.

For a long time, I never kept things simple. My writing has always been about the large and in charge: the next big thing that is going to change a genre. It was stupid of me to think like this.

All writers really want to do is have a kick-ass manuscript that agents can gobble up. However, it's not about complexity. It's not about how many words you can cram into the story.

It's about your protagonist. You've chosen your protagonist to be the guy or girl for you because you see something in them. They're interesting. They're fulfilling to you as a writer. They're witty or emotional. They carry a burden or are in the midst of creating one that will affect others. All of this surrounds the story, but if the plot cannot be made simple, it will become lost in the words.

My generous critique partners, who I trust indefinitely, have since pounded this mantra into my head. When I started a new project to get my head out of another giving me trouble, I went through two outlines, neither of which were simple.

It can be about the protagonist or it can be about the journey. It can be about growth or loss. But whatever you choose, make it the focus. Don't allow your strong protagonist to become lost in the journey. Don't let him or her both grow and lose equally. There must be a happy center point. Choose and make peace. If, at the end of your outline or planning process, that way doesn't work, you start again.

How do you KISS? 

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP

It's Like Creative Deodorant

This is a follow up from my post on March 15th, A Painful Truth. Following the aftermath of trunking my baby, Bond of Darkness, my manuscript that received so much TLC, I started with a new project.

It took me a while to break out of the fantasy shell. I really didn't know anything else. Fantasy is what I have always read and always been interested in. But to get my mind of Bond of Darkness, I needed to start a project in a new genre. 

This genre became paranormal, with historical fiction involved. I was happy to be able to start something that bloomed quickly. It was fun to be able to do research for a novel. When writing fantasy, research is hardly required. You're the god, tilling the world and creating the people. In a world that exists (Earth), you need to research the real aspects: towns, cities, types of people, transportation. 

But I didn't want to entirely abandon fantasy. So, I added my historical fiction twist. 

My partners are proud that I'm working on something new. We've all started breaking out of our writing shells, and while it took me a while to get going, I think my project will be healthy for me creatively. A creative mind needs to be stimulated in various ways. Reading is the obvious matter to do this. But you also need to experiment. Write outside your genre. Partake in conversation that might stimulate voice for character. Learn from other writers. Browse blogs. Force yourself to do prompts.

Only if it were this easy.

All will push you to better yourself, slowly but surely. Even if you're like me, where writing is more of a hobby and not something that will be your career choice, remaining creatively healthy is a must.

What have you done to spark a change in your writing? Do you force new projects on yourself to stay diverse, or do you pick up a new project when deemed necessary?

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP

Introducing: Elena Solodow, 2011 ABNA Quarter-Finalist

It's true, it's true! My fantastic, super critical, but dearly loved and tremendously helpful critique partner, Elena Solodow, has advanced as a quarter finalist in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition.

The odds for her advancing this far are undeniably overwhelming, but the chosen excerpt being showcased really prevails in her favor. I don't want to brag, but it's amazing. Please visit this link: Whip-Slip free Kindle download to read what brought her this far. This is a shameless plug to highlight Elena's achievement and I, along with her other fabulous critique partners, wish her the best of luck.

Go. Link. Download. Read.

'Nuff said.

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP

A Painful Truth

So this comes from experience, as most unpublished writers might have experienced. A few days ago, the manuscript I cherished and loved, put tender care into (literally sometimes thinking over just the right words), got a fierce slap in the face. One of my critique partners tore it shreds, beat it to a pulp, and stomped on it.

However, those shreds weren't burned, the pulp not used for a shake, or that boot that did the stomping was more like a slipper. The slap in the face was like fuzzy gloves.

While her comments reached the very core of my story, showing me there was no true plot. Nothing connected with linear progression any more. The truth was that my manuscript, over the six years that I constantly edited it and attempted to make stronger, lost a plot. I did so much world building and added so much mythology to my land that I lost sight of my MC's purpose. He was simply walking, doing what he was told and forced to believe it. Nothing was personal to him anymore.

She told me...and here is where I swallowed hard...that I needed to trunk the project, scrap the version it became after six years, and start fresh.

I wanted to pull out my hair!

However, I knew that with all the overwhelming comments she supplied, she must have seen something in it if praise and encouragement equaled those comments. She continued to tell me the parts she liked and should be expanded. But moreover, I needed to start a fresh relationship with my MC. I needed to get more into his head.

Thus, trunking the project and starting something new. I'll return to my baby, my first manuscript, because I AM CERTAIN my story has potential.

If not for my critique partner(s) being truthful to me, I would have continued to edit and possibly query a manuscript that had no plot. I'm thankful to have such fantastic partners who care as much for me as if they knew me in real life. Although we only contact each other through chat forums and email, they never fail to impress me.

Are your critique partners up to par? Mine are!

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP