I was taking the suggestion he’d made–as well as a comment from a mentor–under advisement about adding more action scenes. When Bryan and I met up I asked him how I could do that and we talked about it. I told him about the creative writing class I’m taking right now and how I was hoping the morning pages exercise would help me get back into a writing routine. And to help me hear the voices again.

Draven and I aren’t talking right now.

In fact, we haven’t conversed since around this time last year, when I dusted off Book 1 and revised the first 50 pages. Again. For, like, the 3rd or 4th time. My thoughts have been very quiet and not in a good way. I told Bryan that it’s been like chirping crickets in my mind for quite some time and he suggested that maybe there’s a reason. Maybe she’s trying to tell me something and I haven’t been listening. He said maybe I need to have an artist date and find out what’s going on with Draven.

So I took his advice.

Today, after getting home from work, I went on an artist date.

In the tub.

Lights out.

Candle flickering.

It didn’t take long.

My first book, Secrets and Kisses, was an idea.

My second book, Dance Jam Productions, was a reoccurring dream I kept having. Once I wrote it, I stopped having the dream.

The Draven series was an idea. The idea was based off of my niece and I was writing it for her. In a “Hey, wouldn’t it be cool to write a YA series about a strong, kick-ass African-American heroine? Don’t see much of those” kind of way.

And it was good.

Boy-howdy, the conversations we she had.

And it was good. For two books.

Conversation started getting strained around Book 3, when I was trying to write her next assignment for NaNoWriMo in 2009.

Yeah. That was like finding a turd in a punch bowl.

And, as I mentioned, things were good for a little while around this time last year.

But here we are again. Same time, different year. And Draven is silent again. Even as I worked on Chapter One of the GN, she never said a word.

I got scared. I was afraid I was losing my creative spark and for a writer, well, *holds out arms, wrist side up*, let’s just say that’s not a good thing.

I thought it was because of school. That even after nearly 3 yrs in, I’m still trying to find that work/life/school balance…and school’s winning by a landslide.

But that’s not it.

Well, Bryan, you’ll be happy to know that I figured it out.

Draven’s not talking to me anymore because someone else is.

Another reoccurring dream (I think there’s a pattern emerging). One that’s been hanging on for a very long time. I’ve been trying to block her out, covering my ears and ignoring her, because she’s not a teenager. I keep saying “I write YA!” But I don’t think she cares. LOL. No, no, I don’t think, I know: she doesn’t care.

I’m a little superstitious and I believe in signs. When it comes to my writing, that is. And I really can’t believe that I’ve been ignoring this one.

So I’m not going to any longer.

With that being said, I’ve decided to put the Draven GN series on the back burner for a little while.

NOT INDEFINITELY.

The idea is still there. I still love the idea of a teenage FBI informant.

But someone other than Draven is talking now and she won’t shut. the fuck. up.

So I’m going to let her speak her peace and see what happens.

I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes.

The Artist’s Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity. An international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to living the artist’s life.

I’ve heard about this book and the workbook that goes along with it. I remember hearing about “morning pages” (“pages of longhand writing, strictly stream-of-consciousness, which provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize, and synchronize the day at hand” first thing in the morning.) and we’re going to be required to do that for this class. We won’t have to share what we wrote, just the experience. I’m hoping this will get me back into a writing routine again because I seem to have lost my momentum until recently. This book is a 12-week program that will will “will help you discover and recover your personal creativity, artistic confidence, and productivity”.

When Ms Cameron teaches this course, she requires her students to sign a contract committing themselves to the course. There’s an example in the book and I’ve decided to sign the contract for the public to see.

I, Celise Downs, understand that I am undertaking an intensive, guided encounter with my own creativity. I commit myself to the thirteen-week duration of the course. I, Celise Downs, commit to weekly reading, daily morning pages, a weekly artist date, and the fulfillment of each week’s tasks.

Celise Downs
6 June 2011

You read it here, folks. This is going to be interesting.

Technorati Tags: Julia Cameron, THE ARTIST’S WAY

Session #2 – Mar 31st

This time, I did a lot better. I took a page from the script section in the IDIOT’S GUIDE TO CREATING A GRAPHIC NOVEL and copied the format of that script. Very, very helpful.

I stopped over-describing things, but still described things. If that makes sense. And Bry still suggests that I should cut down on the dialogue. CLICK ON LINK FOR FULL-SIZE VIEW

When I sent him these next 5 pages, I said this in my email:

• I revamped it a little after we talked. I liked your idea about the full page of the spa and police cars with flashing lights in the parking lot. I also liked your idea about the initial meeting between Draven and the agents. That was pretty much the whole first chapter.

• I know what you’re going to say about some of the dialogue (too much), but it’s going to be a graphic novel, not a comic book. And I liked the way Richard Sala did it in CAT BURGLAR BLACK.

• At one point, I had decided to model my novel after CBB: 126 pages, roughly 16 pages per chapter. The first chapter actually had 40 pages. And it’s only got 5 chapters! But I like the prose-with-picture theme that Hannah proposed, which made me think of a diary format (Kinda like “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”. I’ll bring a copy tomorrow so you can see what I’m talking about. And no, the copy isn’t mine. I borrowed it from a co-worker who’s got a kid). LOL): where it’s like Draven’s telling the story (pictures) and will occasionally “interrupt” and provide a little commentary. You’ll see what I mean when I use the different font.

In regards to that last bullet point I would like to add that this is Book One. I feel that this first time, there needs to be a bit of explanation as to Y.I.D.’s purpose and a little background on Draven’s target. I may cut it a little bit, but for now, I think the wordiness needs to stay. Of course, that may change once the illustrator gets his/her hands on it. Since I’ve decided to go the picture-and-prose route, that per chapter page length might not work (although I’d like to keep the 126 total page length). I think it would really depend on how I do the prose. But an idea Bry came up with regarding the cover got me a little fired up about how this GN will look when it’s printed.

Without giving away too much, the cover is going to look like a file folder and the concept was that Draven would be telling the story like a diary (with pictures), so the pages would look like lined paper (i.e. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series). But if it’s going to look like a folder on the outside, it should look like one on the inside, too, right? Not like a diary, wouldn’t you say? Yeah, that’s kinda what I was thinking. And the contents of a folder generally have a lot of notes in the margins, sticky notes, pages of actual notes, etc. Draven does a lot of internal thinking and she also keeps journal-style notes of her activities and findings.

Bry came up with a fabriffic idea that during these points in the book, I should use an actual image of a Post-It note with writing on it…or an actual blank page with typed up notes…or a note in the margin that’s one of her internal thoughts.

How. Freakin’. Cool. Is. That?

I never would of thought to do something like that. Bry continually opens my eyes and shows me how much you can do in a GN and how it’s all about The Visual.

“So, how did it feel this time? Was it more difficult?” he asked.

“The script format is easier. The re-writing is a little difficult, still. I’m starting to realize that I’m cutting out whole chapters,” I told him.

He shook his head and said, “No. Don’t think of it as cutting out, but just writing it in a different way. If you think of it like that, it should get easier.”

Which totally makes sense. I’m used to describing EVERYTHING and a lot of the things I’m describing can now be images. So really, all that’s left is dialogue and Draven’s inner thoughts.

During these past two sessions with Bry, I’ve had so many Lightbulb Moments it’s ridiculous. That one however, felt less like a lightbulb and more like a spotlight. LOL.

And now you see why I love working with him.

Lessons Learned:

~ Start looking for an illustrator now – It took Bry 7 months to find his. I was thinking that I needed to wait until the story was done, but I already have the story. Duh.

~ In selecting an illustrator, be well, selective – Don’t send the whole script, just a few pages to see how they perceive your characters. Website is preferred (so you can at least see a portfolio), if not, have them send samples. If you can’t pay the artist (which is preferable for me, but let’s get real here…), then work out a talent+trusting relationship+belief in the project=the-money-will-come-and-we’ll-split-it-50/50 situation.

~ Assign a color to each main character to indicate who’s talking – Especially if the dialogue takes place off-panel.

~ is WAY more helpful to me than . Sorry Scott.

~ Just like writing a novel, there’s no right or wrong way to write a GN. REALLY. – It’s whatever works and feels comfortable to you and your illustrator. This is actually something Bry has to keep reminding me about, but sadly, it’s going to take a little longer to absorb. LOL.

Technorati Tags: IDIOT’S GUIDE TO CREATING A GRAPHIC NOVEL, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Post-It

The second part of the midterm was a self-assessment. In 200-500 words, we had to answer a series of 7 questions: What were your expectations coming into CRW170, and what is the reality of the experience at this point? What surprised you about the course? How do you think you are performing? What are your strengths as a writer? What are your weaknesses, and how will you handle them? What do you expect to take with you at the end of the course? What are your future hopes in writing?

I won’t bore you with the details. It was a 2-page response that’s too long to post here. However, I will post my answer to the first two questions.

My expectations coming into this course were that I would learn how to write a short story. The reality is that it is a lot harder than I thought. I have had to adjust my writing process while taking this class. I find that I am not writing scenes in sequential order like I normally do, but in sections. I am writing to fit the assignments, so right now the story I am trying to write, in my mind, is not cohesive and it bothers me a little. My greatest fear is that it will not come together at all. I think it is just me trying to get used to being in a classroom-type setting after so many years. And the fact that I am not used to dissecting a story, just writing them. What surprised me is despite the fact that I’ve basically been writing since the 7th grade, I’m really not as familiar with the elements as I should be. I could have done better on Part I of the midterm and it made me think I should take writing classes more often.

When I told my co-worker that I was taking this class, she said, “But you’re already a writer.” LOL. So true. At the beginning of this class, we had to write an introduction for the teacher. Here’s part of my intro addressing why I decided to take this course:

I am taking this course for three reasons. First of all, I started writing in the 7th grade and from that first moment, I knew that I wanted to write full-length novels. I had a hard time writing short stories because I did not want to stop at a designated word count. I always wanted to add more, to keep going. Now, I think I am in a different “writing” place and want to try again. I feel that the YA series I am working on could benefit from little side stories and thought I could start by creating one in this course. Secondly, I want to dabble in another genre and feel I should get my fingers wet with short stories before trying full-length novels. Lastly, I can count on one hand how many creative writing courses I have taken since I started writing. As a writer, there is always room for improvement. Even though I am taking this course to fulfill a degree requirement, I am also looking at this as an opportunity to better hone my skills.

There’s a reason why we edit our work at least 10 times. Maybe more.

There’s a reason why you should never send an agent your first draft.

There’s a reason why some authors get multiple book deals and six-figure advances.

It’s because we had to work our asses off!

Like every other creative endeavor—acting, painting, sculpting, sewing, etc—it has to be nurtured and cultivated.The seemingly natural gift of being a writer takes a lot of work to make it look natural. This gift just wasn’t handed to us on a silver platter and it’s not as easy as it appears.

When it comes down to your talent–whatever it may be–there is always room for improvement. If you think otherwise, I may have to snatch those rose-colored glasses off your face and stomp them under my Keds.

FYI: Overall, I got a 92% on the midterm. I’m rockin’ a high A.

Technorati Tags: Intro to Fiction Writing, Rio Salado.

For the longest it was going to be print. That was a given.

But before I printed, I was going to podcast the series. Gain a bit of a following first. I have yet to hear of a YA author who’s podcasted his/her book. I could be wrong. I hear it’s a lot of work. Very time consuming. Don’t know if I’d have the time, even after I graduate from college.

Then, for one of my classes, I was writing a research paper about how graphic novels can be used as an educational tool in the classroom. For about a week or so, I was actually thinking about going that route and did a little asking around about how to get started. I’m already two novels in. Not sure how I could go back and change everything to fit that genre.

Currently, the Draven Atreides website is being designed. I thought maybe I would just post the books online there. Throw them up as I finished, a week at a time, get feedback, and then revise again.

Then I read an article about this place and it made me contemplate the e-book route. Seeing as how I don’t own a Kindle, a Nook or an iPad–and I still love the feel of a book in my hand–I’m not sure I want to go this route. Besides, are any teens out there reading books online? Maybe I should take a poll…

After all that, I’m still not sure what route to take. Any suggestions?

Today was definitely a good day.

Normally, I would be doing this on my breaks and at lunch. But since I have two other classes, I’m writing during my hr lunch. Not so much at home. Yet.

The 1st 30 pages are due next Thursday. Hoping to have a better day tomorrow.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #33: When/why did you start writing?

I started writing in the 7th grade. Me and a friend had just eaten lunch and were bored, so she suggested we write stories. I agreed. I don’t remember if she finished her story or not, but I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to keep going, so I did. By the time I reached high school, I knew my target audience was going to be teens. Back then, I was a bookworm, never rocked the boat at home, and crushed from afar. I lived vicariously through my friends. And boy, were their lives like soap operas. LOL. “You better watch out or you’re going to end up in one of my books” became an ongoing joke between us. And, actually, my best friend did end up in my second book, so I guess I really wasn’t kidding about that. LOL. The cool thing about this writing gig is that for all the people who’ve done you wrong, can now end up in your books as the victim. And all the guys you crushed on from afar, who never even knew you existed, can be the love interest.

Truthfully, I think I was destined to be a writer even before 7th grade. I didn’t have imaginary friends, but I did talk to myself when I was younger. A lot. If I was playing a game with a friend and it required me to be on the phone or something, I would have the best conversations. Seriously. Or if I was playing by myself, I’d have long, drawn out conversations in which I would play both parts. LOL. To this day I still talk to myself, but it’s more of a “figuring things out aloud” type of situation than when I was a child. When it starts that young, I think it’s a sign of creativity. Don’t you think?

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway

The story lacks focus. You say your main plot is about the investigation into this fellow yet from what I can nearly 100 pages in, Draven has does very little to show the reader that she is this awesome, kick-ass informant. We see much more of her at school or with her friends just talking about “stuff” that is arguably sub-plot and fails to move the main plot along.

I see very little tension at all in the book. I assume as a reader that a book which focuses on a sleuth will have elements of tension, danger not only from the investigation itself but from Draven’s cover being blown. I also assume that in her role, she will make enemies. So, that also adds to the danger/tension. But I see none here. In fact, she is just hanging out like nothing is going on at all.

So, that is the plot, sub-plot and story-telling side.

There are some issues with redundancy and consistency. I’ve highlighted them in some cases and made comments on others.

There are cases when I feel the dialogue is forced. Some pages of dialogue go on for too long and fail to move the story to the next level.

Also it is hard in some places to know who’s talking in your dialogue exchanges. Watch for it.

Consider your pop-culture references and how they might date you as an author and how a reader may take that reference. There are many. While they may be funny to you, your readers are teens today.

Consider your use of stereo-typical representation of Hispanic youth. “Chica, Chiquita, etc.” Just make sure that you are 100% comfortable with these references and they are genuine.

There’s a scene in CLUELESS where Brittany Murphy’s character said something hurtful to Alicia Silverstone and Alicia responded with, “That’s way harsh, TY.” That line was running through my head after reading this. LOL.

But I have to remember that it’s a first draft. The novel, not the feedback.

It’s not going to be good the first time. Nor is it going to be good the second, third, or fourth time.

It’s a story that I completed some time last year and then promptly put away because I didn’t want to look at it anymore. It was a hard write. Then I pulled it out—I don’t remember when—and started editing it. I got midway through Chapter 8 before putting it away to start Book 3 (NaNoWriMo 2009 Fail).

I wish this was the only class I was taking this summer, because I won’t be as focused on the process as I normally would be. The revisions won’t be as good as I want them to be, or should be. Yeah, I know it was my bright idea to create a book revision college course, but even though my concentration is going to be pulled in three different directions, I still expect this to be a learning experience I can carry through to future books.

Technorati Tags: CLUELESS, Brittany Murphy, Alicia Silverstone