Insecure Writers: December

It's that time again, Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG), created by the talented Alex J. Cavanaugh. I have two insecurities this month:

1. Not being disciplined enough to keep up with this blog. My goal: try to post something every week. Honestly, if I kept up with this blog as much as I keep up with Facebook, I'd be posting something every day, and really, blogging is like a journaling exercise for me.
2. Believing that I really stink when it comes to writing short stories. I've read some 'How To' books on short stories, but my mind is just a mess of thoughts, and lots of times I have a glimpse of an idea that I think would make a good short story, and it just doesn't translate onto paper. I envy some people who can get their thoughts down on paper and it all flows very logically, but I don't necessarily think logically when I'm in the creative process. I think the most frustrating thing is when you go back to edit your work, and after Drafts 3 and 4, you find that your idea (although evolving) still lacks meaning or resonates with you. I'm working on a short story right now about blindness that I'm ready to toss. It's loosely based on my own experiences with a retinal detachment, but when I read the story back to myself I'm like, "What the heck is this even about?" Do you know the feeling of frustration I'm talking about?

Anyhow, those are my insecurities for December. To end off, since this blog is supposed to be about inspirational quotes applied to writing, here is one I found:



Hmmmm.... what do you make of this quote when applied to writing? I know what I think, curious to know what you think. Happy December!!

Resurrection Blogfest & Insecure Writers Support Group

This is a 2 in 1 post for the Resurrection Blogfest and Insecure Writers Support Group. For the Blogfest, you had to re-post (resurrect) something on your blog. The flash fiction piece below was originally posted on March 7, 2012 for  Rachel Harrie's Flash Fiction Campaign Challenge. The story I wrote means something to me, so thought it would be fitting for this Blogfest.

Regarding IWSG.....same old insecurity I guess. Lots of ideas for stories, but just seems to take forever to complete anything--not enough energy! I thought that when my son started JK this year I would have lots of time to write, but I still have my 1-year-old to take care of, not to mention life getting in the way (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). The commitment to a serious writing schedule just doesn't seem to be working out for me at the moment and I guess that has me insecure, like if I was a 'real' writer I'd get down to work. Just trying to give myself a pat on the back for when I do get some writing done, I guess. No point in beating myself up...how motivating is that? Until next IWSG. -Siobhan-



(Prompt 4)



 Nandini’s Treasure

We dig in the trash, the filthy trash, my brother, sister and I. Most days we find ourselves here, scrounging for treasures: scraps of metal, worn tires, anything that may be of value we can sell.

No matter how many treasures we find it will not make Mother better.

On this day I find a surprising treasure. A ring.

Mandeep snatches it from me. “Nandini! We are rich!”

I know I should be happy but all I can think about is our mother lying on her side, a mat of woven grass beneath her. Her lips are cracked, her eyes devoid of awareness. Where has she gone, the woman with the bright eyes who used to fill our home with laughter? She cannot even drink the water we dribble into her mouth. My father pretends as if she is sleeping ... you cannot fool a child who has grown up on the streets of Calcutta.

As my brother turns the ring around in his fingers I realize that Mother deserves more than to die in an inferno of a hut, flies perched on her sweating face.

I snatch back the ring. “It is my burial gift for Mother.”

Spooktoberfest: The Time Renegades

A Note

Hello and welcome to my blog! This is my post for the Spooktoberfest blog hop, 269 words with the 5 key words: Cobweb, Cauldron, Jack-o-lantern, Ghost and Razor. The inspiration for this piece of flash fiction came from a book I am reading called, “Surviving the Angel of Death: The Story of a Mengele Twin in Auschwitz,” by Eva Mozes Kor and Lisa Rojany Buccieri. Some of the atrocities I’m reading about that took place in Auschwitz made me so mad and sad that the result was the following short story out of my emotional response. Certainly not a Halloween theme, but something I felt compelled to write.

 

The Time Renegades

by Siobhan Minty

They had materialized in Poland 1944 at Auschwitz concentration camp, a group of time travellers determined to set right all of history’s wrongs. There was nothing that could stop them. No tyrant in history stood a chance against the advanced technology of their weapons.

The rain beat down on Ghost, Cobweb, Jack-o-Lantern, Cauldron and Razor as they stood in front of the gates of one of the most horrible places on earth even as Nazis from within the gates shot at them and shouted in German. The bullets deflected off of the dome-like energy shield that protected the group of futuristic soldiers.

“Oh no, don’t hurt us... Fools don’t have a clue who they’re dealing with,” said Razor, a codename given to her by Ghost for her cutting sarcasm.

Cobweb, a wisp of a thing with hair as silver as a spider’s web, sighed. She looked at Ghost. “Captain, once we’re through here, you think we can take a break somewhere peaceful? Jumping back and forth in time like this is exhausting.”

Ghost charged his gun. He motioned to the rest to do the same. “Focus on the task at hand then we’ll talk.”

Cauldron, a bear of a man, gently put his hand on Cobweb’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll get a break soon. You know how the Cap is when he’s in fight-mode.”

“Y’all ready?” asked Ghost.

Jack Lannturn (a.k.a. Jack-o-Lantern) spit on the ground, something he did when he was in a place he despised, and pulled his Ray-Bans over his eyes. “Let’s get ‘er done.”

Ghost nodded. “Don’t retreat until all of the Nazis are dead.”

Insecure Writer's Support Group: The Never-Ending Manuscript!!

'Tis the first Wednesday of the month., that means another 'Insecure Writer's Support Group' post, a group created by Alex Cavanaugh.

It's already October ... hard to believe. Where has the time gone?

My main insecurity as a writer this month is that I don't think I'll EVER finish my manuscript to the point where it's polished enough to send out to an agent and/or publisher. The first draft is done, and for the last 8 months I've been editing the heck out of the thing, but I'm not even half way through the manuscript edits. Granted, these are major edits, but it just seems like it's taking forever.

Life gets in the way. Fatigue gets in the way. And sometimes my lack of motivation gets in the way. Even when I try to work on short stories to feel like I've completed something, by the time I take them to my writer's group, I just see more things I need to work on.

It just seems like there are a whole bunch of incomplete projects on my desk, and I'm just discouraged at how long it's taking to get them done, because as writers, we know when our work is done, when it's the best we can possibly do with the work, when our writing 'sings' to us and resonates. That's when we feel confident sending it off into the big world.

Yeah... I'm not there yet. At this rate, I'll be lucky if I submit this manuscript by the time I'm 75 (okay, so maybe a slight exaggeration there, but hopefully you get the point).

The Mind of a Writer

Found this quote and thought I'd share it with you. This applies to life in general, but it can be applied to the writer's life too.

The way I interpret it to fit with writing, is that if there is something challenging in writing (let's say editing a manuscript or short story that just doesn't seem to be working), the 'weak' mind may give up.

The 'balanced' mind may know that it's tough and feel like giving up, but knows that continuing to go back to that manuscript is a way to challenge herself as a writer.

Finally, to me the 'strong' mind means someone who happily embraces the journey of writing with its ups and downs, and sees a manuscript or short story that isn't working as an opportunity to make it the best work it can be by committing to the editing process.

How do you apply this quote to the writer's life? 

You vs. Yourself

Do you ever find yourself competing with other writers? I guess by its very nature, publishing is a competition (i.e. your manuscript competing with so many others for a publisher's attention).

I know that deep down, I often compare myself (and I guess compete) with my other writing buddies. For example, there are a few individuals in my writing group who are getting published. While I'm so happy for them, there is that part of me that compares myself to their achievements. I want to get published too. Are they better writers than me? I wish I had half the energy and motivation that some of them seem to have so I could write more. All of these comparisons ... and it just gets me discouraged.

That is why I find the above quote encouraging. Why do some of us strive to be 'better' than others? We don't know the struggles and sacrifices that person may have gone through to get where they are in their writing career today. Anyway, why bother comparing yourself to another person? You will never be them.

There is only you and your writing journey. So the true competition focuses on this question: how can you be a better writer today than the one you were yesterday?

the unsung editor sings another day... Blog Evolving

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This is the next stage of evolution for this blog.

I'm on a journey of self-discovery right now, and positive quotes have been a starting point for me to reflect on myself, not only as a person, but also as a writer. So that's what I think I'm going to focus on here in this blog for the time being--inspiriational quotes and how this applies to the writing life.

Hope you'll be able to find some inspiration here too.

Insecure Writers Support Group: Discipline down the drain!

It's the first wednesday in September... time for another Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) post, a blog hop created by Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Honestly, during the summer I've been lazy when it has come to my blog. I managed to get a few writing project done... a third edit of a short story, some more of my novel, submitted a children's book to a publisher (yada yada yada). But when it get's so hot outside, I really find it hard to concentrate, set goals and get the work done. Any limited reserves of energy I've had this summer has mainly gone to taking care of my kids and making sure they had fun.

Not getting as much writing done as I'd like to has made me insecure however, especially since individuals I know in my writers group (or know of from word of mouth) are getting published. I'm so excited for them, but at the same time I'm like, holy crap. At the rate I'm going editing my novel, and writing new stuff, it'll be ten years before I have anything good enough to submit.

Now that it's September, and my son starts school for the first time next week, I'm beginning to think I need to set achievable goals in terms of writing (one of them being to keep up with this blog, because I like blogging and networking with others). I just hope I can stick to the goals I set.

You know, I used to pride myself on being a 'disciplined' person, not only in terms of writing. I don't really know what happened. I set a goal to write, I get tired and would rather rest instead. I go on a diet, I can't resist a chocolate or a glass of wine. I say I'm going to exercise and I do sometimes, but then the rest of the time it's like, hahahahaha...

I just feel like I'm completely all over the place, or maybe that's just my lifestyle now with young children, a part time job, and a lot of other responsibilities. I want to be a great mom, a great employee and a great writer (oh, a great wife too I guess ;) I'm being pulled in so many directions that it's tough to master any one of these, yet they're all so important to me.

Guess all I can do is try my best and maybe focus on my accomplishments instead of on my shortcomings.

Insecure Writers Support Group- Not a Profound Month

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This month I've struggled to think what my writing insecurity is... it's not that I don't have one. Believe me! I guess there's just so much on my mind right now with work and the house and the kids (oh, and that little thing called editing a novel), that I haven't really had the time to ruminate about my writing insecurities (maybe that's a good thing)?

I guess the only real insecurity that's been picking at me is the fact that I would like to write and complete more short stories... I just don't feel I'm sending out enough of my work. This novel editing is taking up the majority of my writing time (which isn't much to begin with), so other projects have been neglected.

When I hear that some people have written something like 40 (+) published short stories, firstly I think, WOW, good for them!! And secondly I think, okay, how did they do that? Honestly, for me to get out one good short story, there are usually several drafts involved, so to think about writing 40 of these--oh boy!!

Anyhow, that's my shpeel for this month. Maybe in September I'll have a writing insecurity that is more profound...lol.

Words can be very powerful ...

Thought I'd share this photo with my fellow bloggers. Words are very powerful, and as writers, we have the ability to use our words in powerful ways. Just by putting pen to paper (or typing), we have the power to use the written word as a tool for good, whether that be by entertaining others, encouraging others, or challenging others to see different aspects of life. Never forget what a gift you have by being a writer!

Insecure Writers Support Group: Does anyone have any extra energy to donate?

It's the first Wednesday of July ... time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) post. The IWSG was started by Alex J. Cavanaugh, and it's a great forum to reflect on your writing journey as well as network and support other writers who may have similar insecurities like you.

So what is my insecurity this month? My lack of energy! As I write this, I have a mini-bottle of "5-hour Energy" staring me in the face. Maybe I should take some, but I'm afraid things like that are addictive and not all that good for me.

Okay, so maybe I'm being a bit hard on myself, after all, I am raising two very young children, I have a part-time job, I still have a household to run, and a social life is always nice, (not to mention spending some time with my husband), but I feel like my writing is taking a backseat. It's not like I don't write. I'm in the process of editing a novel and I do take part in a writing group, but I feel like I could be doing more.

I read an article the other day that gave 8 tips for writing when you have young kids. One tip was taking advantage of nap/rest times. When the kids nap in the afternoon, I should write then. Good advice, and I have been trying to do this for years, but most times I'm so tired myself that I end up staring at my computer and taking a nap anyway. Another tip was using Playtime as a work time. When the kids play, I write. I've tried this too, and though my energy is higher at these times, I find it extremely challenging to write anything of any real value, since my 3-year-old is constantly talking to me, and my 1-year-old is into everything. Plus, I can't help feeling a little guilty for ignoring them.

So, how about bedtime? Um ... sometimes I have a bit more energy to write then, but mainly I'm a write-off. So last night I thought I'd be clever and set my alarm for 5am so I could get two hours of writing in before the kids woke up. A person in my writing group does this and I admire his energy.

My alarm clock went off at 5am this morning ... hahahahahahaha ... I hit Snooze, then Snooze again, then Snooze again, until it was like, "To hell with this! Waking up this early is unnatural."

So here I am now, posting this blog. I guess that counts for some writing today. Hmmmm ... maybe I should take some of that "5-hour Energy" to see if I can get some writing done during the kids' nap time today.

Does anyone have any tips to boost your energy?

"Gerund-ing"

It's Wednesday! I almost forgot to post today to be honest ... took the kids out to the playground this morning, did the lunch routine, and I've been working on my novel for the past few hours and then it hit me, "Oh crap! Blog!" In addition, at the playground today my friend mentioned the 'Pinterest' web site and signing up for that site as well, and all I could think was, I'm already on Facebook and Blogger and to think of joining something else right now would just be a bit too much.

Anyway, I'm really challenging myself to do weekly posts on this blog simply because I like the blogosphere and the networking vibe. So far, I've visited a number of blogs (and plan to visit more) and I've been fascintated by all of the different writers out there. It's a great little community!

So enough with my 'diary' and let's get onto 'Gerund-ing.' Well, really, the word is 'Gerund.' I read an article by Susan Sundwall in the latest edition of the Children's Writer newsletter about gerunds, and I'm always interested in finding out the exact terminology for the word-tools we use as writers.

According to Sundwall, gerunds "are words ending in ing and express action or a state of being." For example, golfing, fishing, barbecuing (just thought I would throw those verbs in there since it's Father's Day this weekend and all ;)

Also, gerunds are great for economy in terms of tightening your writing (i.e. "He golfed all day while he drank beer" vs. "Drinking beer, he golfed all day.")

So there's your word of the day ... "Gerund," in case you didn't know ;)

Until next Wednesday! Happy Writing!

Insecure Writers: Is it good enough?

Short post today, but seeing as it is the first Wednesday of the month I wanted to make sure I posted something for Insecure Writers.

My writing insecurity today ... I have a writers group tonight (I always look forward to going to these!) and I've submitted the second draft of chapters 1 & 2 of my novel. I think it's a lot better than my first draft, but I never know what my writing group is going to think.

Many times they point out things I've missed--which is why I attend a writers group--but sometimes when I think my work is really good, it surprised me when it hasn't resonated with others. This makes me insecure because how do you know when your work is actually good, and good enough to send out to an agent and/or publisher? I suppose there is no black and white answer for this.

So off to writers group I go tonight for some great discussion, and socialization with people who share my same interest. It will be good night no matter what, even if my work is not good enough.

Writing Therapy: The Word "Can't"

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Can't - is unable to; does not have the ability to; is forbidden to; is not permitted to

I don't like the word "can't" when it comes to a lot of things, particularly writing. The word "can't" limits, it hinders, and boxes in an individual's expression. In terms of writing therapy, "can't" can hold a writer back because they may be so focused on what they can't do according to the subjective opinions of others, and could potentially lose confidence in their writing ability.

Do you get where I'm going here?

I've read some books by "real writers" or "experts" in the writing industry, and while I appreciate the advice and understand a lot of it comes from their own personal experience, I still have an issue with an 'expert' telling me that I can't (i.e. "You can't write backstory in the first chapter," "You can't switch point of views in the middle of a chapter," "You can't write in the passive voice," etc). 

While I believe it is wise to heed advice from experienced writers in order to grow in the writing craft, I think it is also wise to carefully pick and choose the advice that works for you as a writer. To take the word "can't" too literally could have you second-guessing everything you write. 

For example, I remember taking a writing class where the Professor said "You can't write in the passive voice." I took this literally, and for years after that class I really believe that this piece of 'advice' stunted my growth as a writer. Suddenly, my work felt stilted, like I wasn't expressing what I really wanted to say, including my tone and voice. Have you ever experienced this?

When I finally broke free of the "can't," I found my writing expression was more organic, and I enjoyed writing a heck of a lot more. My philosophy is that there is no right or wrong when it comes to writing like there is in math for example. The only real question is, does your writing resonate with your intended readership? If it doesn't, then edit it! 

Maybe I'm all wrong about this, after all, I'm not an "expert," just a humble writer who would rather remove writing barriers like "can't," in order to open up a world of possibilities and encourage fellow writers to express themselves authentically.

Musings: Writing to Empower

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So I call this my 'Musings' section--I try writing one once a month. Basically, it's just my reflections on anything that has to do with writing in the broader scheme of things. Today, it's about empowerment, specifically, female empowerment.

Recently, I got a part-time position as an Outreach Program Supervisor at a local women's shelter. My new job has me developing, facilitating and evaluating a curriculum targetted toward young women ages 16-21 who may have issues with self-esteem, self-confidence, body image and so on. In addition, the program teaches leadership skills to empower these women to have a voice in their community.

I'm excited about the position, though thinking at times that I'm a little crazy because I'm still a full time mom, have editing jobs on the side, and oh ... there's that little interest of mine called 'writing,' but I think this is a great opportunity to contribute something positive to my community.

So how does this relate to writing? I'm thinking about how I would like to go about developing a curriculum for the program. Since the program is all about self-expression and voice, I'm thinking of incorporating some type of writing component in it, but I'm just not sure how to go about doing it. I certainly don't want to intimidate these women--get them to write a speech about themselves and present to the class.

So how do I assist in improving their self-esteem and self-worth while using writing as a tool without making it seem like a big, scary classroom?

Any suggestions?

Editing Tips: Point of View

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What Point of View (POV) do you usually write in? First person, Third? Do you prefer the omniscient POV (i.e. the narrator knows everything that is going on with their characters ... feelings, thoughts, motivations, backgrounds) or do you prefer to not go 'there' and let the characters' actions speak for themselves.

I, myself, prefer to write in First person POV. It feels more intimate to me and I find it easier to stay in one person's head instead of switching voices and perspectives. Of course, this type of POV has its limitations, for example, you're stuck with that character. If something else is happening in another room, your character can't observe it if she's not in that room.

I've come across various techniques that authors use in terms of POV to tell their story. I quite like the way 'A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire' is written, with every chapter in the head of a different character. It works, and the reader can be all over the world and not just stuck in one character's head. Then again, if an author is to use this type of POV technique, the characters need to be well fleshed out and interesting enough that the reader will care about their POV.

POV can be tricky to work with though. I've read the work of some authors who write in Third person and every paragraph seems to be in a different POV. This can work if there is some type of pattern, or consistency, but if not handled with care it can become very confusing to read. My advice to beginner writers ... if you're not sure, then stick to only one character's POV, usually the character who has the most to lose, which is probably your protagonist.

Some POV Tips:

• Don't jump from what one character is thinking to what another character is thinking... usually this doesn't work because if the reader think she's reading from the POV of one character, to know the other character's thoughts doesn't seem believable--i.e. can character number 1 mind read? 
• If you have to change POVs in the middle of a chapter, try to do so with a page break to clearly indicate that a scene is over so you can start fresh in another character's mind.
• Try to write from the POV of the character who has the most to lose in the scene because it will raise the stakes and most likely engage the reader more.

That's all for now. See ya next Wednesday!

Insecure Writers: Patience is a Virtue

“Patience is a virtue.” – A nice boss-

Just when I was about to take a rest from the A-Z Blogging Challenge, the first Wednesday of the month pops up (*sigh*), but no worries! It’s Insecure Writers Wednesday and there are always a plethora of insecurities to discuss—kind of sad actually L

Will any of us ever get to the point where we can feel secure within, I mean even if things aren’t working out on the writing front (or any other front for that matter)? That’s a huge topic. Certainly not something I’m prepared to blog about today.

So … back to my insecurity for the month of May. Impatience. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the most patient person, and, oh, how I admire the quality of patience; the ability to not be in such a rush, rush, rush, all the time, and the skill of waiting, allowing something to develop on its own time. When I was younger, a nice boss kept repeating the phrase to me, “Patience is a virtue,” and that it is.

I would like to think I have developed a bit more patience throughout the years, but I still have a long way to go. In terms of writing, I have been rather impatient lately—okay, more like forever! I want my novel edited and polished now. I want to complete a few short stories that have been buried in my files today. And I want to start sending more things out to agents and publishers now, now, now!

There is a fear inside of me that nags, “If you don’t send it soon, you’re going to miss the wave.” I write YA fiction like many other writers, and now it seems like YA is still hot, but by time I finish making my manuscript as “perfect” as it can be, then write the queries, the synopses, etc, etc … maybe I’ll be something like eighty years old and an agent will say, “You missed it, kid. YA was so early 21^st century.” Alright, a bit of an exaggeration, but do you know what I’m saying?

In addition, I get impatient with myself. Being the mother of two very young children, sometimes finding the time (and energy) to write even two hours a day is quite a feat. For example, I set out weekdays to write for 2 hours a day while the kids are napping/resting, but by the time they are settled down, the house gets so quiet. It makes me so zonked that sometimes I say, “to heck with writing today!”

So I guess I’m confronting my impatience with respect to writing.  I’ve realize that I cannot be so hard on myself when I have other responsibilities (important ones at that with children)! And personally, I would rather write one good book that I really did the best I could on, than plow through several that are not my best work, especially when I don’t have any set deadlines from a publisher (yet ;) This can only be achieved by patience.

Do you struggle with impatience at times?

Z is for Zoloft: Writers and Depression



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Sertraline hydrochloride (trademark names Zoloft and Lustral) is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. Source

This article isn't about Zoloft--it's about depression. Perhaps this isn't the most upbeat topic to end the A-Z Challenge with, but depression is a very real issue in general, and it can also affect some writers.

Did you know that according to health.com writing falls into a group of ten careers with the highest rates of depression? As writers we have to be troopers because the rejection rate is high, and in addition, the isolation of writing can contribute to depression as well.

I'm not going to go into a big speech here on the subject because there is a well-written article about the topic at Romance and Beyond. I encourage you to read it if you, or another writing buddy of yours may experience depression.

And remember there is always hope. Depression can be defeated, and one rejection or a thousand rejections doesn't make you any less of a writer! It only means you're determined.

It's been a blast. Welcome new followers. New articles posted every Wednesday.

-Siobhan-

Y is for Your Self-Confidence as a Writer

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Do you ever lack confidence in your writing journey and career? I know I do. At times there is that little voice in my head that says, "Are you really good at this?" or "You didn't win that writing contest ... maybe your work wasn't as good as you thought it was." Do you get these voices from time-to-time? Aren't they discouraging!

How do you fight back in terms of all of the negative self-talk? One way is to think positively. I know that sounds cliche, but I challenge you to stand up to that negative voice in your head that keeps trying to discourage you. Any time that voice comes to haunt you, fight back with these statements:

"I am a good writer! Just that I'm on this journey of writing expression makes me a good writer because it means I have a voice. I have something to say."

"Just because someone might not 'dig' my work doesn't mean that it's not good. The art of writing is extremely subjective, and there is someone out there who will appreciate my work."

"I am open to constructive feedback to improve my writing because I am secure as a writer in my skills and I love the challenge of improving."

"I finished a first draft. Even if it's not where I want it to be (yet), completing a draft is a victory in itself."

"I just started putting words to paper. That makes me a writer."

"I just love expressing myself through the written word. Period. If no one else gets what I'm trying to say I can edit it. The most important thing is that I get what I'm trying to say, and that's one step toward inner reflection."

Postive self-talk goes a long way when it comes to boosting your self-confidence as a writer.

X is for eXamples of good writing: In my humble opinion anyway

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So I did a self-editing Revision Checklist on my blog April 20^th. It was in no way comprehensive and I’m sure things could be added to the list, but it gives you a basic idea of key elements you need to be considering when revising your novel, novella or short story.

Today, X is for eXamples ... okay, so it’s not really an X word but there aren’t many of them and I had no idea how to relate the word Xylophone to writing ;)

I’m going to apply eXamples of what I think is good writing to the Revision Checklist:

1) Characters – I recently finished reading the book ‘Annabel’ by Kathleen Winters. This book was nominated for the Canadian Scotiabank Giller Prize and I can see why. It was a coming of age novel and had a lot of good character development in it, not just by the main character, but also supporting characters. The author made the reader care about the characters by her use of inner conflict, flawed natures, sympathetic circumstances, dreams and ambitions and growth. The characters seemed like actual people I was reading about more than fictional beings created from someone’s imagination.


2) Plot/Structure – Okay, I know it’s overdone, but ‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins is the most recent novel I’ve read that has a really good plot. I also loved the way she organized the book into three parts with nine chapters in each part; it gave the reader a good sense of how the story would be framed and structured. The novel was a page turner in my opinion which suggests that there was a lot of good tension and conflict.



3) Tone – ‘The Distant Hours’ by Kate Morton was really good when it came to this. Though I thought the book was too long, the author did a good job of keeping a consistent tone/mood throughout the novel. It had a very dark, suspenseful and gothic feel to it.


4) Voice – I haven’t read a lot of his books but I think Christopher Moore does this well. He’s a humorous writer and when I pick up a piece of his writing I know he’s the one telling the story and nobody else. One of his older books, ‘Lamb,’ is still on my reading list.



5) Dialogue - ‘Blue’ by Lou Aronica was fairly good when it came to this. It’s an e-book (not sure if it’s only available on Kindle), about a divorced couple with an only child. I particularly liked the dialogue between father and daughter, and ex-husband and ex-wife. The way they spoke to each other was believable and really gave some insight into the hearts of the characters.



6) Pace - I’m going to say ‘A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire’ by George R.R. Martin for this one. The book was really long, and I admit I haven’t read the others in the series just because of the time commitment (not that I don’t plan to). The pace was bang on in my opinion however. Unlike ‘The Distant Hours’ which tended to drag at parts, ‘A Game of Thrones’ kept a steady pace, sped up where it needed to, slowed down in other places that were appropriate. I never felt that the author was zipping by things I needed to know, and I never found any parts tedious and wished he would speed up.


Only 2 more days of the A-Z Challenge left. It’s been fun, and I’m happy I’ve gotten the chance to network with more writers because of it!