Dear Muse vlog #4 & 5: How to Make Your Blog More Popular, Pottermore, etc

Here are the 4th and 5th installments of Dear Muse. The usual attempt at writing tips and story ideas, as well as pretty much everything I know about making your blog more popular. Also Pottermore, Middlemarch, and a giant Hershey's bar.





Two more things: first, in terms of making your blog more popular and getting followers and stuff, I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who do follow this blog, or read or comment or anything. Your support means the world, and I totally mean that. So thanks.

And second, is it bothersome for me to put these videos up here on the blog? My hope is for them to be as entertaining, enlightening and profound as my usual blog posts (haha), but if it is something you'd rather I not do, don't be afraid to let me know. They won't be coming up too often either, so don't worry. Maybe every two weeks or so...we'll see.

Sarah Allen

A Post for the Guys

Now that I have your attention...(ok, so not all guys are shallow). I've noticed something lately. Most of my followers, and almost all of my recent ones, are women. Not that that's a bad thing at all, or even unexpected. I mean, I am one. But for publicity's and also just curiosity's sake, I was wondering, what do the guys out there look for in the blogs and books they read?

There are the generalities and summarized statistics: guys read mostly action/thriller/comic books, and girls read much more anyway. But I don't like generalities, and I want to know what's really behind the statistics.

So here are my questions: Why is it that girls read more? And are there just more girls than guys who read author blogs? What's the best way to reach the guys who do read author blogs, and are the topics they're interested in so different than the ones interesting to the girls? And what about books. Who are the guys that read stuff like adult mainstream/literary fiction or YA? And how do you reach that (even if it's small) segment of the population?

Anyway, there you have it. Like I said, because of what I write, because girls read more anyway, and because I myself am of the female persuasion, I expect and and am totally happy with the majority of my readership being women. That's awesome. I'm just musing, just wondering if I can find more ways to expand, learn something new. Let me know if you (meaning guys or girls who know any guys) have any insights or ideas, yeah?

And just to keep things from the shallow generalities level, I'm aware everyone is different and unique and has totally different taste. Mine is somewhere between



and


(Ok so they're both married. Don't judge me. And don't ask me what it is they actually have in common, besides me thinking they're awesome.)

I'm saying this so you guys out there know two things: 1) Like I said, I know you're all different and have your own unique taste (in books and women. Or...not.) That's why I'm asking for your input. And 2) We women aren't all shallow, either, and being nerdy, sweet, and smart is much more meaningfully attractive than pecs like Eric Bana. Trust me.

Anyway, happy writing! Girls and guys.

Sarah Allen

To Jumpstart Your Writing

When you sit down to write, whether that's first thing in the morning or late at night, how do you jumpstart yourself in to writing mode?

That is my question for today. This has been a big problem for me lately, and I'm sure its something other people struggle with too. When I only have small chunks of time here and there to write, as opposed to big blocks set aside specifically for writing, I have a hard time getting in to the groove before I've run out of time. Does this happen to you? And how do you make it so that doesn't happen, and you can just hit the ground running...er, computer screen typing?

I've tried a few things that do help a little. Like ending in the middle of a scene, or remembering the last sentence I wrote and forming the next sentence in my mind while I'm away from the computer. But I still feel like it takes me a good twenty or thirty minutes to really get in zone where things start really coming, and sometimes twenty or thirty minutes is all you have. Sometimes less.

Am I alone in this or does it happen to you as well? Is there a way to get rid of or at least shorten the less productive warm-up time? Or is it just a natural part of the writing process that just happens and has to be dealt with?

Sarah Allen

Lovin the Language Blogfest: 5 lines from the WIP

I stumbled on the Lovin the Language Blogfest last night, and my first reaction was "Eek, no way, my WIP is so not ready and I'm way too embarrassed." But then I thought, why the heck not. This thing is going to see the light of day someday, I might as well open one shutter a crack for a few seconds. Give you guys a taste of what I've been living with, struggling with, and working on for the past few months. 5 lines won't get me into too much trouble with future agents/editors, right?

Now its just a matter of picking five lines...

Ok, here goes.

Cindy was already asleep in her bed when he got home. He cracked the door open just enough to see her. She lay curled under the dark green quilt she’d gotten last Christmas and only her thick red hair, a gift from her father, was visible. Not for the first time, George questioned why Jane had left her daughter to him instead of mom. Mom was just a few blocks that way, of course, and helped with stuff like babysitting and teaching Cindy how to wear eyeliner, and she hadn’t seemed surprised at Jane’s decision, either; but seven years, first period and first prom later, he still had no idea what he was doing.


*blush* Ok, so this is first draft form and will be hopefully improved in its final form, but it sort of gives a good jist without giving too much away :) Happy writing!

Sarah Allen

Saturday Night Movie: North & South (BBC and Richard Armitage!)

Another long movie (4 hours ish?), but again, SO WORTH IT!!! Like Jane Eyre, there are moments in this movie that give me chills just thinking about it. And hello. Richard Armitage.



I don't watch these movies just for the beautiful men, I promise. Ok, so mostly for the beautiful men, but its freaking Elizabeth Gaskell and the BBC, which also most definitely add to the awesome. Weekends are obviously good movie times, and if you're not going to be reading the book, then the BBC is quite a good alternative. Although, read the book too. And did I mention Richard Armitage?

Take a few hours this weekend and bless your life.

Sarah Allen

The Green Lantern, and why Hector Hammond is (to me) the most interesting character

So I took some cute kids to Green Lantern last night. I'm not huge in to super hero movies (don't get me started on Dark Night minus Heath Ledger), but I actually quite enjoyed it. Graphics were cool, aliens were pretty cool which for me is saying something, the creepy villain monster was actually creepy, and Ryan Reynolds is of course adorable.

Here's my problem with super hero movies. The heroes themselves are just so one-dimensional and cliche, and the stories are always the same. Don't get me wrong, super heroes and their traditional plots are totally classic, which is why they've been around so long and generally work very well. I just prefer more complexity and unpredictability, I suppose.

Which is why villains are almost always so much more interesting then their hero counterparts. I mean, who would pick Jack Shepherd when you could have Benjamin Linus, or Harry when you could have Snape, or Shuester when you could have Sue, or Andy Sachs over Miranda Priestly...you get the point.

It's the layers that make the villains and anti-hero's interesting to me. When you realize that Snape and Ben and Hector are all just deeply in love, even if they can't help but be creepy about it. When you realize that Snape and Ben and Hector were all abused or mistreated by their fathers. When you see that Sue does have a heart in the form of her downs sister, and that scene when you come in on Meryl Streep/Miranda with no make-up...that scene is the quintessence of what I'm talking about.

It's the fact that under this:

there is this:

And under this:

there is this:

And that the good ones always have a pitiable and usually sympathetic reason for what they do:



Happy writing!
Sarah Allen

p.s. Whats that? I've mentioned Meryl Streep and Benjamin Linus a hundred times before? And Snape? I'm sorry, have we met? I'm Sarah Allen.

Pottermore and other goings on

She is quite fabulous and beautiful, isn't she? Anyway, not a new Potter book, but still very exciting. I expect to become addicted.

Other news.

I'm finally reading Middlemarch. It's about time. I'm only two chapters in, but already I am completely blown away by George Eliot's skill with language.

The book is coming along, slowly but surely. I'm beginning to put together some semblance of a schedule, which works so much better for me. Things are settling, and I hope to be able to have a real schedule with writing time very soon.

I am going to the gym today. Bleh. But I am going.

I am working on vlog post number 4, and still waiting to have a bazillion subscribers on YouTube. Any tips? I could really, really use them.

Anyway, back to writing!
Sarah Allen

Why Writing for Teenagers and Adults is the Same

One piece of writing advice I hear quite often is to keep ones readers or target audience in mind. It makes sense, right? I mean, Judy Blume, Steven King and Fyodr Dostoevsky probably all have very different readerships.

Lies. At least partly. I've read and loved all three of those authors, and know lots of other people who have too. I mean, you can make generalities, but since when have generalities been good for writing?

My point is this. The only real audience you can write "to" is you. And by you I mean everybody. Let me explain. (No, there is too much. Let me sum up.) When you are honest and very specific, and write things that you enjoy and that mean something important to you, then your readers are able to grasp that important meaning through those specific details. By being specific you become universal. People can relate to grass stains and cigarette smoke and the first day of school. Those things may mean something different to different people, but they have much more meaning than if you just said happy or anxious or sad.

That is why writing for adults and teenagers is the same. The point isn't to pander or adjust to any preconceived "level." The point is to tell the most interesting story you know in the most meaningful way you know how, whether the main character is 7, 17, or 70. You can't control what any given reader is going to take away from your work, because they will all take away something different anyway. Our job is to do our best to make sure they can take away something. No matter what age they are.

When you really get down to it, we're all just human.

Sarah Allen

How do you plot?

Plot has always been something I've struggled with. I love characters and intriguing relationships and situations and scenarios, and can come up with those in a snap, but getting those ideas from the character scenario point to a novel worthy plot is a whole different thing, and much harder for me.

But I've been learning. The system I use currently is this: I start out with the character and scenario that I like and that I think I want to work with. Then I look through old notebooks and books from my bookshelf and cards from the game Liebrary and think and think until I have a bullet-point type list of plot points, just like a half sentence describing each. Something like, "Ben finds the lost golden retriever on his porch". I grow the list as much as I can until its nice and long. Then I break the list up into tentative chapters, make sure I have enough, see where the plot holes are and try and fill in where I need to. Then I go chapter by chapter, changing plot points around or adding as needed.

What do you do? Do you just start from the character scenario place and just go and see where it takes you? If so, how? Or do you have paragraph length descriptions for each chapter? I would seriously love to know how you go about building a story. Specifics are good, I think we all could use some advice and fresh ideas.

Happy writing!
Sarah Allen

Dear Muse: My Brand New YouTube Vlog

I've been wanting to do a vlog for a while now. YouTube is one of the best social networking and marketing resources out there. However, writers aren't known for being entertaining and comfortable in front of a camera, and I am no exception. But I've spent a long time thinking and working on this, and I believe I've finally created something that I'm actually somewhat proud of. The videos took all my very limited video editing ability, and I'm still trying to swallow my self-consciousness. I like them, though, and even if I feel a little awkward and embarrassed, I had fun making them and, like I said, they could turn out pretty useful marketing-wise.

Everyone is super busy, I know, but these are pretty short videos (about 3 minutes each), so if you get the chance, I could really use some feedback and additional ideas. I'd love to know what you think.

So, without further ado, I present to you, my fantabulous readers, the first three episodes of my debut video blog for writers, 'Dear Muse.'







Thanks for indulging me. I hope these were at least a little bit helpful and entertaining. Again, I'd love some feedback, so don't be shy. Happy writing!

Sarah Allen

On Fathers and James Scott Bell's 10 Writing Commandments

I don't really know how to start a post about my dad. I won't get too personal/mushy, don't worry, and I'll try and keep things writing related, but what can you really say about the people to whom you owe your upbringing, character, values, habits, outlook, quirks, neurosis, not to mention your existence?

But dads. We are who we are because of our parents, impacting not only the fact that we are writers, but the way we write as well. Our whole perspective and outlook and style is shaped by our parents. It's kind of nice to take a step back and look at how our writing and writing careers are influenced by the parentals. Today, our dads.

I'm going to brag about my dad for a second, if that's okay. You know that little old geneology site called Ancestry.com? Yeah, he started that. Now he's with an equally awesome company, also geneology, called FamilyLink. He's got amazing ideas for increasing ease and efficiency popping in to his head all the time, is always on the technological cutting edge (the number of computers at my parents house is amazing, and I think he was one of the first few hundred people in Utah Valley to join LinkedIn), and has awesome ideas about marketing and networking. I get my fascination for that kind of thing from him. Getting the actual ink-on-the-page writing done is really a one-woman job, but for everything else needed to make a successful career as a writer, especially in today's publishing industry, I've had an incredible example and teacher.

Not to mention he's just a really, really great dad.

So what about you? How has your father influenced who you are as a writer?

Before I sign off, I want to tell you to be SURE to check out James Scott Bell's post giving his 10 Commandments for Writers. It's the sort of thing you'll want to put on a plaque in whichever room you do your writing.

Have a happy Father's Day and a pleasant Sabbath, and keep writing!

Sarah Allen

Pottermore and J.K. Rowling's Announcement

Oh gosh. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh gosh...hee hee :)

Is anyone else doing this?



I don't know how many of you are aware of whats going on, but its...oh wow...giddy like a school girl. I thought the waiting till midnight at Walmart for the next Harry was over, but maybe...

Ok. To the point. J.K. Rowling (Joanne, as I like to call her. Or Jo. We're buds) has a site up called Pottermore and a YouTube channel with nothing more then a countdown, which at this typing is at...lets see...5 days, 4 hours, 7 minutes and 45...44 seconds. So, Rowling is announcing something. New Harry book? New book in general? She's pregnant? I don't know, but it better be something awesome, because I did the calculations, and (I'm an English major, so don't trust me %100 on this) but the time on the countdown clock means that in Utah, the big moment is at 5:00 AM on Thursday morning, and I will, of course, be getting up to see what the heck is going on. Worth it? It better be. I like my sleep.

So Rowling, you've got my hopes up, which is, admittedly, easy to do, but please make the anticipation worthwhile. 5 days, 4 hours, 3 minutes, 52...51...50...

Sarah Allen

P.S.: The misplaced percentage sign was a joke, just fyi. I know it goes behind the zero, at least after 1's and when sounding like 'a' as in neighbor and weigh and on weekends and holidays and all throughout May and you'll always be wrong no matter what you say.

P.P.S.: Extra awesome points to anyone who knows who that's from.

P.P.P.S.: 5 days, 3 hours, 59 minutes and 19...18...17...

The top free ebooks I MUST have

So, I've been having a lot of fun with my new kindle. I've downloaded previews of all the new novels people have been talking about (Possession, by Elana Johnson. Preview is amazing), novels I've been hearing about for years (A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray. Also amazing), and lots of other awesome stuff (North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell. Of course).

Now I need recommendations. Like most other recently-graduated-in-English-wannabe-writers-working-on-their-first-novel, I is po', so the word free makes me happy, especially when attached to anything one can read. So tell me, knowledgeable reader, what are your favorite, the top, the best, and the free-est ebooks that I should know about?

Sarah Allen

Guest Blogger and free book givaway: Sherry Soule, Pitfalls of Introspection

So excited to have with us YA author Sherry Soule. Her book 'Beautifully Broken' is being released on July 1st. She is here to talk to us today about the pitfalls of introspection, and how to know how much is too much.

The Pitfalls of Introspection
The info dump is one of the worst offenses you can make as a writer. Introspection and backstory should be elegantly woven into the story. Do not ramble on for long paragraphs at a time, or dump it. (Hence, the phrase info dumps because you're dumping information on the page in long blocks of text.) It's bad because it's jarring for the reader. It takes the reader out of the story because it reminds the reader that they're reading and the author has intruded. A concise paragraph here or there is fine. Subtly is the key.

According to author Ken Follett, there are three qualities a storyteller needs above all others. He/she must be (a) imaginative, (b) literate, and (c) stubborn. But you can have all three and still write a bad book.

Follett humbly admits in one "writing" book I read that he wrote a few bad books. When he was starting out. (Hard to imagine, huh?) Yet, if I'm being honest, I have to admit that I've also written a couple of bad novels. And had them published. *cringe* Ah, but that was many, many moons ago before I sharpened my writing skills and studied the art of fiction writing with a crazed intensity. My writing has vastly improved and my pacing became tight and fast-paced. The hard work paid off. My debut novel, BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN has found a publisher.

Recently, I've purchased several books on copyediting in book publishing and grammar to fine-tune my skills and broaden my understanding of the craft. I am the type of person who dives headfirst into anything I am passionate about. Editing has given me great insight into how to be a better writer and sharpen my own skills. Software programs that indicate pacing and clichés are my tools to perfect and tighten my prose. Reading other copyeditors, agents, and author blogs has also being very enlightening--there's so much great information out there for struggling writers to use.

Every writer has strengths and weaknesses. A wise author understands and notices their weak areas and strives to correct them. I like to think I'm good at building tension and suspense, but I realize I struggle with narrative arc. That's my weakness, my Kryptonite. I suck at creating and building a character arc. What are yours?

Recognizing the strength and weakness in your MS can greatly improve your skills as a writer. And please, find a crit partner and beta readers. I don't care if you're already published a book, having a writing buddy look over your work is important. This kind of feedback is invaluable to any writer at any stage in their career. Be open-minded, even with the negative stuff. Even if you disagree. Think of your readers. Kill your darlings. Show and don't tell. Be ruthless in your edits. And above all...avoid author intrusion.

That said, please try to condense long blocks of internal monologue. Author, Linda Sue Park has great advice on this; she gives herself no more than three sentences. That’s all. If she finds places in her novel where a character is just thinking to himself or describing something, and goes on for more than three sentences, she knows it's time to revise and get things moving again.

A major nuisance of too much introspection within a story means it brings your novel to a screeching halt. Remember, it makes sense to work darned hard to make sure that every chapter ends with narrative that escalates the tension and moves the plot forward. Go through your MS and read the last paragraph of every chapter then revise it to make it sizzle and has some action. Not lengthy inner-monologue or info dumps—please. Or you’ll find the reader putting your story down—never to return.

Where you can find Sherry:
Official website
Official blog
Twitter
Book Trailer on YouTube

Don't forget to comment for a chance to win a free copy of Beautifully Broken!

Sarah Allen

Sarah Allen's TV Guide for Writers

[This is a re-post of an entry from 2009. I have new shows I could add here, definitely, and I may sometime later, but its amazing and awesome how much I still love all these ones]

I wanted to do this for two reasons. First, whether you're specifically writing in the TV script genre or doing other stuff, I think all writers can learn a few things from what works in certain shows and what doesn't. One of my goals here is to look at some great shows and see what makes them work. Second, there are just some delightful and awesome shows out there, and talking about them makes me happy.

So here is Sarah Allen's TV Guide for Writers. Hope it helps:

-Frasier-

For me, I can sum up the best thing about this show in three words--David Hyde Pierce. His portrayal of Niles Crane is honest, poignant and frankly adorable. Mostly I am referring to his infatuation with Daphne. One lesson I take from Niles is that quirky characters who are madly in love with someone they don't feel they could ever get are pretty much always totally loveable. The best parts of Frasier are the moments when Niles' love for Daphne becomes uncontainable and he almost spills the beans. So lesson from Niles is: quirky lovesick characters=good.

Another lesson from this show came from the fact that I actually don't really like Frasier himself. I don't know if this is the character himself or Kelsey Grammar, but I just think Frasier himself can be conceited and annoying. What is interesting about this is that I still adore the show, even though I don't quite connect with the main character. This makes me think of Harry Potter in some ways, particularly book five, when Harry himself becomes particularly obnoxious. Its all the characters around Harry (Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Neville, Lupin, Snape) that make the books particularly worth reading. This seems to say to me that your main character can be almost dislikable as long as there is at least one other character thats worth rooting for.

-The Big Bang Theory-

This show is simply delightfully written, and all the cast does such a great job. Again, the arguably main character, Leonard, is whiny and one of the more annoying characters, yet he is also a quirky character in love with someone he thinks is out of reach, which makes him likable. What is awesome about this show is watching a group of guys who don't fit in try and fit in. You see the characters struggle through awkwardness, waiting for moments when they get what they want. What I think we can learn from this show is that even characters that you may not think you can relate to (i.e., genius scientists with doctorates working at a university) can be made very accessible through real life, very human emotions like wanting the beautiful girl next door, and the struggle between wanting to be yourself and wanting to fit in.

-The Office-

In many ways this show is like Big Bang Theory in what it can teach us writers; most of these characters are awkward, average or just plain weird, and yet they have very human wants and hopes that help us relate to them. We watch the show, waiting for these very awkward, quirky characters to have moments of poignancy when they get what they've been wanting for a long time. At points this show is almost too awkward to bear, but those poignant moments when things work out are so satisfying, and are thrown into relief by the surrounding awkwardness. For example, Steve Carrell's portrayal of Michael Scott is brilliant; he is one of the most awkward yet lovable characters on TV. Most of the time he is being ridiculous, making the audience shake their heads and say, "Oh, Michael." But then he gets emotionally beat up and abandoned, and then we cut to a downtrodden and lonely Michael handing out Halloween candy to a bunch of kids, and then we feel deeply for him, and say "Oh, Michael" in a very different way. Those moments make us love him, and want him to be loved, even though most of the time he can be really frustrating.

Those moments are one thing that work for The Office, but look at it this way too; what if we related to those characters not because of their moments of niceness and poignancy, but because of their awkward loneliness? Which one is it? I think its probably both.

-Star Trek: The Next Generation-

Ok, I'm admitting my geekiness on this one, but I had to get something scifi out there, didn't I? And this show actually does have some great creative lessons. This show has a sense of awe for the universe and humanity that gives it scope and makes the viewer feel somehow grand. What I take as the best lesson from this show, (spec fiction writers take note), is that they use non-human characters to explore humanity. The best example of this is Data, brilliantly portrayed by Brent Spiner. Data is an android intrigued by humanity, and he explores human characteristics and what makes someone truly human. Again, this gives the characters and show scope. But it doesn't have to be speculative fiction in order for this principle to work. Think of Ebenezer Scrooge in Christmas Carol; he's an "inhuman" character who finds his humanity. This is what Star Trek does best.

-Lost-

There are so many things to learn from this show. Obviously action/adventure shows like this rely more on plot then on character, but I think I want to start with the latter. Like Frasier and Harry Potter, the main characters like Jack and Kate can often be frustrating and annoying. There are a couple awesome characters (Hurley) but actually, most of the characters on this show are not that memorable, and in all honesty a lot of the acting is just ok. With one ginourmous, incredible exception: Michael Emerson, i.e. Benjamin Linus. Every time he opens his mouth I am blown away. His line delivery and intensity are stunning. But despite my bias towards his superior acting, there are other reasons why I think Benjamin Linus is the best character on the show. It goes back to the moments of poignant humanity thing. As a character, Ben does some awful things, like killing his father and an entire town of people. He is manipulative, dishonest and makes things hard on everyone around him. But here's the thing; he is also very conflicted and confused, emotionally and physically beaten up and tossed aside, desperately lonely and in love. All this, brilliantly portrayed by Michael Emerson, creates one of the richest somewhere-between-villain-and-anti-heroes ever seen on television.

As for plot, the obvious lesson comes from the season three mistake; because the directors and writers had so much time to stretch out this story, it was stretched out too far. Questions weren't being answered and things weren't moving along. Once they got a deadline and started making things happen again, the show got back to its awesome old self. So never let your story lapse, always keep it clipping along. On a more positive note, the complications and story and intertwining of characters on the show is frankly genius, and just plain awesome. Any book would be made more intriguing with the complex, involved kind of plot that Lost has.

Anyway, there's some of my favorite shows and what creative writers can learn from them. I'm sure I'll be writing about them in the future, but this is a good start.

Hope it helps!
Sarah Allen

3 Ways to Be a Better Writer

People (meaning aspiring writers) often wonder if writing can be taught, and how much, or if its something you either have or you don't. I've been wondering about this quite a bit lately, basically because I've felt like I've reached a sort of plateau in my writing career, and have been looking for ways to revitalize my writing and give it an extra boost.

Here's how I see it. I think a person has to have a certain amount of instinct to see what works and what doesn't, and how to create things that lean more towards the working side, and a lot of that has to come naturally. But I think more can be taught then people realize or expect. If you're looking for ways to improve your writing, as we all should be, here are three things that I think can make all the difference.

1. Read, read, read, read, read, read, read, and read. Oh yeah, and read. Even if you have little or no natural instinct about good writing, reading great literature from an early age can pretty much teach you all you need to know as far as that goes. I can't think of a better way to learn than by watching a master at his craft. This is advice you'll get from EVERY writer giving advice, and for good reason. I think most of us are voracious readers, but I want to expand the definition of that phrase. Read people and experiences and life and other kinds of art. They all have things to teach and stories to tell. Be voracious about everything.

2. Know the rules. Notice I said "know", not "follow" necessarily. Read all the good writing books out there (yes, more reading). On Writing, Elements of Style, Writing the Breakout Novel, all give super great and logical advice. Know the knit-picky rules about adverbs and dialog tags and grammar and cliches. Know the rules, know how to use them, and then do whatever you want. The rules are there for a reason, but they are tools, not chains. You can even break the rules in a bad way and still be not only published but incredibly successful. *ahem* stephanie meyer *ahem*.

3. Get to that thing at your deepest core. This one's a bit harder to explain, but please bare with me. See, the reading and writing rules are all well and good, but that only takes you so far, and its in going beyond that things get very personal. You can have a grammatically impeccable story based on Shakespeare, Dickens, AND Dostoevsky and still have it feel flat and meaningless. The reason Shakespeare and Dickens and Dostoevsky reach us so powerfully is because they let themselves be vulnerable and never let up in their dig into the deepest recesses of human nature. I'm being abstract, and I hope you don't mind if I use myself as an example to help get more specific. Like I said, this is where it gets personal and I can't think of another way explain.

Here's what I mean by "thing" at your deepest core. Everybody has something, a subject or emotion that shakes you and impacts you in a greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts kind of way. So, my example: I've got a sister who is 18 months younger than me. She is gorgeous and smart and incredibly talented and organized and is one of those make their bed even on Sundays kind of people. She is kind and generous and has always been able to make friends easily, at least so it appears to me. Not so easy for me. In elementary school there were a couple of years when I had to wear hearing aids, and I remember a time when she had a friend over, and I was sort of tagging along until the friend pulled me aside and told me she just wasn't used to playing with kids with hearing aids. So I went and read a book. Obviously that experience and the emotions and thoughts and ideas about myself that come from that kind of thing have stuck with me like a barnacle, and shaped me in ways both good and not so good.

When I took my first creative writing class in junior high, my relationship with my sister, my feelings of inferiority (my problem, not hers), that was the main fodder I had to work with. It took a while, a few years even, for my teachers to get it out of me, because being that personal and vulnerable and honest can hurt. Even writing the hearing aids story in this blog post twinges a little bit. Fortunately I had teachers who knew how to get it out of me, who were patient and had more confidence in me then I had in myself, and who knew that utter honesty and vulnerability and self-exploration are what make for good writing. Even when I don't write about sibling comparison or self-confidence issues directly, the experience of feeling something and being impacted by it deeply gets you to a point where you can better understand and sympathize with all the other human emotions and human nature in general, and that makes your characters and stories and what you have to say something everyone else can relate to. Universal.

Everyone has something. You probably were thinking of your core issue as you read this. I'm still learning to not be afraid of it, and use it to reach other people. That's the key: if you can get to that core point then you can write from your core, and your writing will have a ring of truth and the superficial, cliche and abstract dilutions will be gone. It can be a little painful, but it is so helpful and worth it, and even personally can be so cathartic and refreshing. Do you have a barnacle?

I hope this makes sense and that it helped at least a little. Any other ideas for becoming a better writer?

Sarah Allen

Mark Rylance, Louis Jenkins and the Tony Awards

Mark Rylance is a genius. He was artistic director at the Globe for 10 years, and last night won his second Tony award for his performance in Jerusalem. I think you only get to being as good as he is by being obsessive and a little bit crazy. He is one of the most widely read people I know about, and can talk very intelligently on almost any subject. This is what I'm gathering from the bios and interviews I've been reading through.

Because I think they're awesome, here is Mark's acceptance speech for Boeing-Boeing, back in 2008, and the poem he read in his acceptance speech last night. Both are by mid-western American poet Louis Jenkins. The poem he recites in the video is called "Back Country."



***
WALKING THROUGH A WALL

Unlike flying or astral projection, walking through walls is a totally earth-related craft, but a lot more interesting than pot making or driftwood lamps. I got started at a picnic up in Bowstring in the northern part of the state. A fellow walked through a brick wall right there in the park. I said, "Say, I want to try that." Stone walls are best, then brick and wood. Wooden walls with fiberglass insulation and steel doors aren't so good. They won't hurt you. If your wall walking is done properly, both you and the wall are left intact. It is just that they aren't pleasant somehow. The worst things are wire fences, maybe it's the molecular structure of the alloy or just the amount of give in a fence, I don't know, but I've torn my jacket and lost my hat in a lot of fences. The best approach to a wall is, first, two hands placed flat against the surface; it's a matter of concentration and just the right pressure. You will feel the dry, cool inner wall with your fingers, then there is a moment of total darkness before you step through on the other side.
***

Awesome, right? Have any of you ever tried prose poetry like this? I took a class my last semester that involved a lot of mix genre stuff, such as prose poetry, and other stuff like flash-non-fiction and other crazy stuff. I appreciate Mark Rylance for introducing me to Louis Jenkins, and providing such a good example of literary crazy awesome. Read and study a TON TON TON and a TON more, and its ok to be crazy. When you read that much and are that dedicated to your craft, I don't know if its possible to NOT be crazy in some way. Maybe eccentric is a better word. And look what the possible results are: a nice shiny trophy and people thinking you're awesome.

I love the excitement and motivation I get from introductions to awesome people like my new buddies Mark and Louis. I want to learn more about writing plays. Now...what poem would I recite in my acceptance speech...?

Sarah Allen

Sunday Song: Betelehemu

Just thought I'd share something enjoyable for your Sunday. Betelehemu is a Nigerian carol and this is a version done by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I guess it's technically a Christmas song, but its only 6 months...well, Christmas in July...wait, um...ok, so I like Christmas music, and its in Nigerian anyway. But its awesome, and definitely worth listening too. Just letting you know, the song starts off slow but then gets progessively awesomer. Also the soloist at about 3:58 is one of my old choir directors, Shane Warby, who is kind of an incredibly fantabulous singer. If nothing else, you get to watch a bunch of old white guys trying to be African. We try, ok? ;)



So your next character is going to be a professor studying Nigerian folk music, right? Ok, maybe not, but hope you enjoyed!

Sarah Allen

Saturday Night Movie: Jane Eyre (Masterpiece Theatre, 2006)

Picking ONE and ONLY ONE favorite movie (or book) is so impossible its ridiculous. However. If someone asked me if I could watch only one movie ever for the rest of my life, my answer could quite possibly be:



Its long, yes, (about 4 hours) but so worth it its ridiculous. And Toby Stephens. Oh help my melting single soul. Did I mention its ridiculously good?

Sarah Allen

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides

Ok. It's late, but here are my quick thoughts, after my second time seeing it.

Happy happy happy for any chance to see Johnny Depp and Geoffory Rush, and Captain Jack is sexy.

So relieved to be rid of Kiera and Orlando. Sorry, but its the truth.

The first pirates is still totally the best, and I still think they should have stopped there, but I think I actually enjoyed this new one more then 2 and 3.

Plot was not great, kind of sketchy.

Cleric dude and mermaid story was cute, they both provided the eye-candy they were meant for. Meh. Whatever.

Some great Jack and Barbosa moments, which is the main point for me anyway. "We shall need a cross-bow, an hourglass, three goats and one of us must learn to play the trumpet while the other goes like this." And come on, the whole movie is worth it just for the part when Barbosa puts on his really big hat.

Most of all I want that screen shot of Johnny coming up in the fog as the wallpaper in my room, with the famous grinning over his shoulder from the first movie for the other wall. And the music of course was awesome.

What did you think?

Sarah Allen

Breaking Through a Marketing Plateau

You know when you start a new diet, and the first 5 or 10 pounds come off in a snap, and then a few more pounds come, and then, without you changing anything, it just stops? You've hit a wall or a plateau, where one pound feels like a life or death struggle.

Well, I think the same thing happens with marketing. You start a blog, write often, comment on others, use Twitter to bring in readers, everything you know you're supposed to do. And it really does work, you can get some pretty good growth that way. But then after a while it almost starts feeling like your little market is saturated. You're doing the same things as before, but numbers start flat-lining. Not nearly as many new followers, not as many comments. When this trend happens too often or too severely in something like book sales, it can be deadly.

So what can you do? I'll give you some suggestions of what I think might work, but mostly I want to hear your ideas. Those of you who have been in this game for a while, how do you keep things growing, keep the life blood flowing?

First of all, keep going. It's definitely not going to go anywhere if you stop moving. Keep writing, commenting, tweeting, touring, networking, everything. Sometimes, fingers crossed, all you need is time before your next spurt.

Find new places. If your main tributary starts drying, look for new ones. Find websites that you're not already using and give them a try. No need to stress about it either, just add one at a time and see if they give results. Maybe get business cards, or look for local opportunities doing readings, signings, panels, lectures, that kind of thing. Go to conferences and network. Of course those things are more time and money intensive, but they may be worth it.

Change something up. Add something to your blog design or change the time of your posts. Try writing about something a little out of the norm. Try tweeting more often or You might catch the attention of people you wouldn't have otherwise.

Then of course there is always the publicity stunt type stuff. Plan a book drive, organize an event at your kids school, do a blog contest, something like that, and get the news to come if possible. Again, intensive, with potentially little pay-off, but who knows.

So what are your guys' ideas? Even just using your online presence, how do you revitalize it when it seems like the normal methods are slowing down? How do you keep finding new people, and keep them coming back?

Sarah Allen

3 Writing Lessons from Chandler Bing

First of all, I just have to say that I loved having a reason for looking up pictures of Matthew Perry. He makes me happy. I know I just did this kind of thing with Steven Tyler, but I kind of like the idea of seeing what we can learn about writing from really awesome people. Like Chandler.

1. Humor helps. In real life and in writing. People remember you and you're writing more if you're funny or witty or entertaining. Think about it, the most quoted person on Friends has to be Chandler or Phoebe. Chandler's the one with the witty comebacks that you wish you'd thought of first. Even if what you're writing is serious, having moments of comic relief not only helps your audience breath for a bit, but the contrast allows the dramatic moments to stand out and mean more.

2. Awesome is a relative term. Most of the things you think you need to be awesome (ripped body, money, a British accent) Chandler doesn't have. He's got an unglamorous job, is sometimes immature and is always a total dork. And yet he's still totally awesome. He is what he is, and even makes fun of himself for it, and that makes him awesome. Write the best you can and always try to improve, but be yourself and write whatever kinds of things you think are awesome. Just be what you be and write what you write.

3. Don't take the people in your life for granted. Chandler did at first, always looking outside of his group for girls. But Monica was across the hall the whole time. Even if you don't have famous author friends or know a host of New York agents, which most of us don't, if you pay attention you can learn from everyone already in your life. Get to know them deep down, and hear their stories. That always helps with writing. Or one might have done an editing minor in college, or just be a really good reader. And who knows, maybe one of them actually does have an old roommate with an uncle's neighbor's twin sister who is an editor at Random House.

I'll leave you with a link to my favorite scene. Happy writing!

Sarah Allen

Questions. Also 'Possession' by Elana Johnson.

I am feeling very, very answer-less, so here goes.

-How many words do you write every day?
-Do you have special habits or strategies that help get the juices flowing when you sit down to write? Specific times of day? Specific drink, music, ninja moves?
-What do I do with the new shiny idea for book #2? Shelf or multi-task?
-How do I keep the word count rising when I'm not able to have a set writing schedule and everything else feels so unstable and I'm distracted by worrying?
-How long will it be before I meet someone who wants to take care of me? He doesn't even have to look that much like Clark Gable. What if its years? How do I become brave enough to take care of myself in the meantime? What if its never?
-Is graduate school a good choice? What if I don't get accepted?
-How do I live in Utah and still get diversity and experience? Why is leaving home and independence so important anyway?
-How do I not feel like a lame, cowardly, awkward nerd? Where did all this stupid immature angst come from? Why was I so much less afraid in high school?
-How do I know which agents to submit to? Who will like me and do a good job?
-What if every agent and editor I submit to hates me?
-What if I never find a job?
-What are good ways to find new books, movies and music that I like?
-How do I know there's a light at the end of the unpublished, single, jobless tunnel, and how far away is it?
-What if I'm really just a hack and suck at writing? How do I tell?
-J.K. Rowling...how?
-Will posts like this affect future books sales?
-How do I get more blog followers? How do I get big on YouTube?
-How do other people go about the leaving home thing? Usually accompanied by a spouse or higher education, right? Is it ok that I messed up the first time, and when and why and how do I do it successfully next time?
-How do I ask these questions without sounding like the naive, horribly inexperienced, lame, dorky, terrified and insecure 22 year old that I really am? Is it possible, should I even try, and what will it make people think of me?

I may have asked some of these questions before and I probably will again. I hope this isn't too much, I promise to be done with the personal dramatic thing very soon. I'm not sure I even expect answers, but it felt good to get all those questions out into the cosmos. Next post, back to relatively normal, I promise, but thanks for letting me get this out there.

On a completely different note, and to get something out there that might actually be interesting or useful to you, be sure to check out Elana Johnson's post about todays release of her debut novel, Possession. (Here's the Amazon link). I gotta say, I am super excited about this. Everything I've seen and heard about this book looks absolutely fantastic.

Best of luck to you all. Thank you for everything, and happy writing.
Sarah Allen

Getting Back on Track

So, being a grown up person is hard and kind of scary. My life has somewhat exploded lately, not in a terrible tragedy kind of way, but in a this-is-complicated-and-not-what-I-expected-what-do-I-do-now kind of way. There's really not much to do except regroup, add some reality to my plans and expectations and move forward as best I can.

That's kind of where I'm at right now. Big things happening this week. I'm moving in to a new apartment with new roommates and a new ward, got a couple of job interviews scheduled and waiting to hear back from a LOT of other places I've applied. Trying to make decisions and form plans about where I will be living in the fall, also trying to make decisions and plans in regards to grad school. All very uncertain and frankly terrifying.

Writing seems to be the one stable, certain thing in my life as far as plans and ambitions go. It's hard to keep that steady when absolutely everything else is or feels up in the air, but I think things may be starting to fall somewhat in to place again. I'm hoping to get everything stabilized soon so I can get back on a regular writing schedule and keep things going networking/marketing wise too. I don't want to lose grip on my WIP, and I've got some cool online platform things in development (be prepared for an awesome new YouTube series especially for writers).

I'm beginning to feel some semblance of confidence putting itself back together, and the goal is to keep a handle on the writing thing, keep things progressing nicely at least in that area, while I try and get things settled down everywhere else. Hopefully I can, and hopefully the regrouping will go very fast. Basically, all things writing are moving forward, though a bit hampered, and as soon as the world slows down enough for me to stand its full steam ahead.

Sarah Allen

A Character Before Bedtime

I have to credit my sister's friend with this idea. She's a bit of a writer, and my sister told me that every night before she goes to bed she entertains and lulls herself by developing a character. She creates someone, who they are, what they do, the color of their eyes and hair, their background and relationships. I'm a terrible sleeper anyway, and don't know if this will help me with that, but it could be a good use of the trying to fall asleep time. A new character every night gives you quite a stock for your current and future projects. You may even dream about the character, write a novel about it and become the next Stephanie Meyer. Or not. But it sounds like a cool idea, and I thought I'd pass it on. So next time you're lying in bed trying to sleep, instead of counting sheep, create someone in your head.

And speaking of sheep, here's a character to get the juices flowing. James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett in Babe. Genius going on, right here.



Happy writing!
Sarah Allen

In which Amanda Hocking is awesomely hilarious

If you are one of the two writer/bloggers NOT following Amanda Hocking, you are missing out. Outside of the tips and advice from an incredibly successful author, there are the frequent bust-a-gut witty humor moments. Like yesterday. She wrote a post highlighting some great stuff from past blogs, and I don't know about you, but when I read her blog I often find myself shouting "YES!" and thinking 'I wish I had written that.' For example:

"Here's the thing: CGI is just like Keanu Reeves: it looks good, it's useful in moderation in action movies, but there's no substance. And puppetry is like Meryl Streep: no matter how you use it, or how small the part, it always carries the film."

This took the words out of my mouth so hard I didn't know what to say. I'm such a Streep fan she's in my About Me section, and in high school drama we had green hoodies with circle slash Keanu signs. And I love extending the thought based on what I've read from Amanda before. By that I mean, I can imagine that she was thinking of The Matrix when she wrote the part about Keanu, because thats one of only two decent Keanu movies out there (the other being Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure). Meryl Streep is awesome in everything she does, which was the point, but as far as the puppetry thing goes, based on previous posts and the mention of Jim Hensen in this same post, I can imagine Amanda was thinking of Labyrinth when she wrote this, which I adore, and by which I mostly mean David Bowie, and I'm wondering if my attempt at reading Amanda's mind is anywhere close to accurate. Maybe not, but its still AWESOME when someone says EXACTLY what you think better than you could ever say it.

This is one of those fantastic connection moments that readers can get when authors are open and honest and genuine. When they let themselves be themselves and find out that they have a lot of kindred spirits, at least in some aspects. Great lesson-by-example here from Ms. Hocking. Be kind, honest and sincere and people will feel drawn to you, like they know you. To me thats sort of the whole point of being a writer.

Sarah Allen

Where do you discover the books you buy?

Yesterday at The Kill Zone, Michelle Gagnon told us the best and worst writing advice she's ever gotten. There were some great tips here, some I've heard before and some I haven't. I definitely think keeping ones day-job is a good idea, for both financial and social reasons, and I've heard several people warn against spending too much on a publicist.

One thing that I'll admit surprised me was the statistic Michelle gave about social networks. She said that only 4% of book sales come from Facebook and Twitter, and probably even less from writer-centered sites like GoodReads and Shelfari. 4% is tiny, insignificant, minuscule, particularly compared to the percent of marketing effort most writers put into these sites.

Assuming that these statistics are correct, here's my question: what other/better options do we poor writers have? If Facebook, Twitter and GoodReads only give marginal results, where are more useful places to put our limited resources? Social networks take a lot of time, but cost nothing and therefore seem like a good choice. I still plan on using them as best as I can, but I want to put my money and time where it will really pay off, so I need some ideas.

I'll admit, I'm not the best at the discovering books from relatively obscure sources thing. This is absolutely something I hope to fix in the future (with the help of my new kindle...eeeeh :), but the majority of my reading picks come from classic lists (Dostoevsky, Austen, Brontes, Dickens, Hugo, etc.) best-seller and critically acclaimed lists (Steven King, Rowling, Kaye Gibbons, Tea Obreht) and recommended from friends and family (Connie Willis, Joan Bauer, Sharon Creech, Louis Sachar). There are many, many fantastic mid-list and indie authors with incredible books just waiting to be discovered. And you have to be discovered before you can become a classic, be put on lists, or be talked about around the dinner table. Since I'm just beginning to dip into this whole new pool of writers, and since for us beginning, un-listed, not-yet-classics, less-talked-about writers doing our own marketing is absolutely crucial, I'm coming to you guys: where do you discover the books you buy? If not Facebook and Twitter, then where?

My two ideas about this are that the most basic thing success in this field requires is great writing, and the second is that as far as marketing goes, blogs have big potential. I'm pretty sure the first idea is correct. I don't think you can really get that far on bad writing, though there are a few exceptions. But what about the second idea? Do blogs really do that much? It seems like Amanda Hocking used blogs and blog tours more than anything else to promote her books, and look where she is now. Of course I could be wrong, but I'm looking for ideas here. I bet a lot of people find books the same way I do, via lists and word of mouth, but what course of action does that leave for us writers, especially if social networking sites don't really help that much? What are the best places and ways to help us get to that listed and talked about point?

Thanks for your ideas, and happy writing!
Sarah Allen

Summer Writing Goals

Happy June 1st, everyone! The days are getting longer and warmer, vacations and family reunions are looming, all great stuff, but sometimes the crazy, lazy, spontaneous nature of summer can make keeping up with the writing a little difficult. Here are a few summer goals that can help keep all of us on track.

Be smart about scheduling writing time. You may not be on a normal schedule, and things might be changing every day. But its still possible to make things work by taking them a day at a time. Plan just a day in advance, and you can be prepared to take advantage of any spare moments you can grab.

Always have a book. While your driving to the beach, waiting to pick up from soccer camp, take the spare minutes to read a page or two. It will keep words and ideas flowing through and rejuvenating your mind.

Learn from and take advantage of all your fun and exciting summer adventures. Vacations are a perfect time to people watch. Learn about and explore the new places you're visiting, you may be able to use the details for plot, characters or setting. Be observant, and don't be shy about promoting your work either.

I hope this helps. What other ideas or plans or goals do you have for your writing this summer?

Sarah Allen