A Pause for Remembering

Hello World!

Your pardon, please.  I must pause in the story of creating my novel. Today I must share a familial story instead. It is the tale of this past year.

A year ago, I discovered an article on the Internet about Mom’s brother, my Uncle Don, now living in a retirement home in Florida. It gave the family an emotional lift, as Don had lost his ability to communicate verbally, and had barely kept in touch for some time. A well-beloved, soft-hearted joker of a man it showed Don with an adoring younger woman who remembered a good turn he had done her 60 years or so in the past. A flurry of communication among Mom’s family members ensued, and I printed the picture from the article on our Christmas card last year.

 In May, my husband Tom and I took a long-planned trip to upper New York State, where my mother was born. I wanted her to go with me and point out the Medina, NY sites she recognized. She could see her sister Jan and cousin Flo as well. But she felt the trip would be too difficult for her, so Tom and I went instead.  Mom’s cousin Ben was nearby for his granddaughter’s birthday which sweetened the trip. He had lived with us briefly when I was growing up, and we still felt a strong bond.

The trip was a success. Medina lived for me through Mom's tales. Ben and wife Elizabeth accompanied us, recapturing our long relationship. We visited Flo, pushing 90 years old, who enjoyed the occasion as much as any birthday. She was amazed at pictures of Mother -- how had she grown so old! Tom took a photo of us laughing together that portrayed the day perfectly.

We visited Aunt Jan and her husband Pete on another precious day. Needing a walker, she rarely left her little condo. But except for her shocking white hair, she was the same woman I had known as a child. Her voice and mannerisms reminded me of Mom, and she was pleased to see my pictures and hear about the day in Medina.  Jan was 90, and her husband 94.

Two months after the trip, in July, Mom heard that Flo had passed away. I was sad, but more for Mom, whose generation was dwindling, than for myself or the delightful woman I had met on my visit.  Yesterday, Mom’s call signaled a deeper loss. Just before Thanksgiving, Aunt Jan had been diagnosed with cancer, and she passed away yesterday morning – about six months after my visit.

Then Mom described how she had attempted to reach Uncle Don, only to find that he, too, had passed away earlier this year. Neither she nor Jan had been contacted. She had effectively lost her sister and brother in the same day.  He had been 91.

So now there is just my mom and Ben left of her generation. The five have become two – all too quickly. My sister and I are quickly becoming the older generation. How can such a thing be?

But I am blessed to have had that long-delayed visit. I grieve, but I am lucky to have known Mom’s family. As the pain fades, I'll revisit the memories, all tied up in a Christmas card and the photo of a laughing woman I met only once.

My Second Year at Write on the Sound (WOTS)

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I realized how long I've been blogging today when I recolled last year's posts from about this time of year. How fast the year passed! Amazing how much has changed in that time -- and how much remains the same. 

For instance, I'm attending the Write on the Sound Conference (WOTS) in Edmonds, Washington for the second year in a row. But unlike last year, this year I entered both the non-fiction and fiction contests. (Non-fiction is a new genre for me.) Last year I took a Friday intensive course where writers critiqued one another's writing. This year I took a workshop on the armature of writing story, a practical class with a whole new set of lessons (Wow!) Last year, I drove. This year, I'm depending on rides from my husband (not sure what that says about me, except that my muffler fell off my car.)

All in all, however, I am excited at the thought of all the workshops I will attend in the next two days. I can't wait to share the fascinating and helpful things I learn. Stay tuned -- if there is one thing similar about these two years, it is that I will be absorbing like a sponge. (Insert sucking sound here.)

More soon!

Breaks: An Important Phase

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Yes, I once again believe I have pulled out of my insidious addiction to Kingdoms of Camelot on Facebook and may consider myself a writer. I do hope I am correct this time. The promising part is that I am writing again, with the help of a new reader. (Thank you Terra, dear!) I crave the creative urge again, and occasionally my muse floats in and flies with me.

I am excited that Terra and I have worked through the first third of The Game together. I re-read and revise chapters I wrote back before addiction set in. She reads about two chapters a week answering questions on plot, characters, and her expectations of what is coming. Very satisfying feedback. (As Chris in my book would exclaim, "S-weet.")

And the bizarre thing? I cannot feel sorry about the "lost" writing time. I have learned an enormous amount about online gaming, made deep friendships, developed new skills (diplomacy, for example), and grown more than I ever expected. KoC was "just a game," but the people have been worth it all. And the time away has allowed me to see with fresh eyes, catching flaws I might have missed had the writing ontinued unbroken these months.

The upshot? I fully expect to finish The Game by year's end. I have more people interested in my novel than previously. The research into gaming and its community was a fabulous success. And I confronted long held but unexamined cultural assumptions and flushed them down the sewer -- a repeated theme in The Game. 

Once again, I experienced the process and the relationships as more important than the plan. Had I actually let that slip my mind? Nah. It is a foundational truth of my life.

Kingdoms of Camelot (KoC) Part III: Parallels with The Game

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Kingdoms of Camelot (KoC) has been seductive and addictive, has spiked my adrenaline and linked me into a community of new friends. So here’s the hard part. How do I duplicate all this in my novel, The Game? Is it possible to reproduce the allure of virtual gaming in the  real-life theme park of my story?

I think I’ll examine my four summaries on how KoC works in reverse order.

The fourth piece is easiest – community. My characters are all looking for connections. That the Game exists means that friendships will form. Plus, I encourage interactions between the local. and The Game staff through a system of rewards. The book’s in pretty good shape here.

You can’t have too many adrenaline spikes, but I have not neglected them. And with those that occur outside The Game, this is fine tuning rather than substantive change. Hopefully, awareness is all that is needed.

The first two aspects of KoC gaming – seduction and addiction – are those I must recreate in The Game. Of the two, addiction is more difficult. Yet for The Game to work, must draw people in and leave them aching to return over and over again.

I’ve been working, with my writer friend Lee Hallison, on developing the pamphlet that players in the story will receive as they enter The Game. It describes points, categories and levels of experience, and offers some hints.  Having my characters reference it for direction should help non-gamers understand what is happening..

The Leaderboard could dominate more, I suppose, though comments from my writing group tend to ask, “Why explore?” “Why continue?” Who cares about earning a score?” Why indeed? The seduction needs to precede the addiction – and I’m not sure yet how to strengthen it.

In kiosks, players can check what they’ve found and their points earned. If my characters make more use of these at first, they’ll be reinforced more often. Perhaps I need some additional way for players to discover their progress?

Though I sense layers of involvement on the horizon in KoC, they seem less adaptable to The Game. The vital elements must occur early on – make The Game more winsome, and draw the players into exploration. Their rewards will constantly encourage them onward.

Next stop – back to the book!

Kingdoms of Camelot (KoC) Part II: Adrenaline and Community

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In yesterday’s blog I began an analysis of factors that made the fb game Kingdoms of Camelot effective.  If I’m to  include them in my book, The Game, I need to figure out how to adapt them and weave them into the experiences of the characters.  I covered numbers one and two, so shall move on from there.

1              KoC is seductive.

2              KoC is addictive.

3              KoC spikes adrenaline.  Not long into the game, I was attacked! Already seduced into believing I was talented, and addictively spending hours online, I played in a zoney glaze. Suddenly, WHAM! My carpenter friend had me defend my castle and I wiped out my attacker’s entire army. Bound to my city, I wanted nothing more than revenge!  I counterattacked, waited for my troops to arrive, then cheered and shared the victory (see #4.) One U.K. player described his city as “his baby,” and I understood his possessive devotion. Build it. Protect it.

4              KoC builds community.  The best protection for your investment is an alliance (up to 100 people.) Our alliance has a particularly enticing chat. A new member from a different alliance recently told us, “I like experiencing the people all around me.” In chat, I help others, speeding up their building and research by tiny increments.  If they are fb friends, I can help again on their fb post. We send virtual gifts on fb, and receive several chances per day at winning magic spells. Webs of connection spread.  We forge connections as we pass the time in chat. Online communities are quite compelling. I love meeting people without visual prejudices kicking in. So I support this alliance – and the idea of losing these friends one day is totally unacceptable.

Which brings me to the end of part II of this blog. The hardest part is ahead. How can I use this knowledge within my very different novel to make my real-life game work? I guess I’ll just have to wait until I can read what I write in part III!

To be continued . . .

Kingdoms of Camelot Part 1: Seduction and Addiction

Hello world!

Yesterday marked two months of involvement with Kings of Camelot. A good time to distill what I’ve learned and gained (and lost) so that I can somehow infuse it into my novel, The Game. The what-have-I-learned part is easier than the distilling, so, for the sake of my own sanity, I’ll start there.

1. KoC is seductive. Early on, I had to discover what was expected. A list of “quests” set my goals, and a “might” score increased as I messed around. As the might score increased, I began to earn higher ranks. By following quests and points and ranks, I trained myself to be a better and better player. And always, the little rewards and awards kept coming, making me feel smart and competent (whether or not that was true).
2. KoC is addictive. I’m reminded of training my late cat, Caspia. She occasionally stood on her hind legs in anticipation of a treat, so I encouraged the behavior, until she always stood for food. Then, I enticed her to stand for longer, and finally had her do a string of “tricks” to receive her goodie – chase me round and round the divider between the living room and kitchen, run to her indoor cat condo and climb to the highest level -- squishing her chubby belly through a tight passage (making us laugh), until she stood on hind legs at the tip top, five feet above the ground, in anticipation of her reward.

Similarly, KoC’s reinforcement schedule trained me to give over bigger and bigger chunks of time. There is a city to construct -- structures to build. They take a few seconds at first, and it’s a small inconvenience waiting for them to finish. But each one needs eight more upgrades to achieve full usefulness. Each level means a longer wait, and they begin to require resources that you need to gather. So you learn to wait longer. And longer. Soon, you are spending all day online. Trained exactly to the game’s demands as surely as Caspia atop her cat condo. 

With that lovely image, I think I’ll stop for today. But do check back for the next thrill-packed episode . . .

A New Year's Resolution about Gaming

Hell world!

     Where have I been? Good question. November just sped along until travel and holidays took over.  And December? Well, that is today's story.

     The Game, my novel, is about people and cultures. But the setting is a theme park with real-life gaming (instead of virtual). Many writers treat setting as a character. My wonderful reader’s group felt that the setting wasn’t as well developed as my other characters. 

     Consequently, just before Thanksgiving I started playing a virtual game as research.  I hoped to make the novel more attractive to gamers – and everyone else.I joined a game through Facebook called “Kingdoms of Camelot.” Within a week, I was totally addicted. Hooked. Mesmerized.  And the fascination has not worn off. (ç Understatement.)

     I became accustomed to building cities and alliances and attacking enemies, and was drawn into the community chat. I met wonderful people there.

     A gentle chiropractor in ND.

     A one-time-bad-boy carpenter, struggling to find work in the damaged economy of southern CA.

     A boy with stunning leadership skills.

     A cancer researcher in Sweden.  

     A lonely lover in East Java.

     Two Lebanese college students.

     An Australian contingent, including a Kiwi.

     Canadians, folks from the UK. People from all over the world. Relationships forming and growing.

All of which is wonderful. Superb, in fact. And similar in many ways to the community that forms in my book.. It all came together!

     Only, I need to regain control of my time.  Balance this wonderful new community with my need to work. So that’s what I’ll do.

     My first resolution of 2011.

Write On the Sound (WOTS) Part 3: So Am I Writing?

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On my previous entry I received a question asking if I was writing. Yes! Yes! Yes!

If you've been following this blog for long, you know that one of my earliest rants was about sharing my book with a few relatives and friends only to get zero helpful feedback (and I only exaggerate slightly.) Up until now, the hardest part of writing for me was having to go it alone. I so wanted to hear something -- especially something critical -- from a reader.

I had considered hiring an editor just to get some feedback, but the expense put me off. I'm just not that far along in my rewrite yet. To hire an editor at this point would cost me double, because I'd probably have to do it again later. Obviously my family and friends were too nice to tell me what every writer knows -- rough drafts suck. And those critique groups I knew of had offered me no invitation to join despite my pointed hints.

But an awesome thing happened as a result of the Write On the Sound (WOTS) Friday workshop. I've begun exchanging work with several other writers! Not only does practicing my editing skills on their work sharpen my ability to see glitches in my own, but they critique mine! This has been better than Christmas. Seriously.

With one fellow, I have sent two chapters and critiqued three of his. A doctor, he has been able to help me make a medical scene much more realistic. Then, my new online critique group finished our first round a couple of weeks ago. As I wrote in a summary e-mail, two of the women pointed out the descriptions they really appreciated, while the third, primarily a flash fiction writer, helped me weed thorough the rest and tighten up my chapter. Then, from one I got a three-word description of a main character that blew me away, one reminded me to consider the grittier side of gaming in my book, and one shared her hope for what might come next in the story. (Her idea was so much better than mine that I changed my story!)

I find myself on fire to write again. My muse is grabbing me and taking me on a rollercoaster ride. I love rides. And critiquing with my new on-line writer's group has helped me move forward far faster than I was able to do before -- even counting all the time I put into my critiques of their work. 

As one character likes to say in my book, "Sometime, life can be very good."

Part 2: WOTS Conference Discoveries and Amazon.com Links

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In my last blog entry, I started telling you about the Write on the Sound Conference. I'm nowhere near finished. I learned so much.

The keynoter was Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing Down the Bones and other books. With a gentle voice and excellent humor she gave a wonderful talk on how she discovered who she was. As her journey continued, she started writing and discovered she liked it. She became an author.

Writing Down the Bones was 17 years in the writing (and 4 in the publishing), the result of long meditation on the writing process and the way of life. She tells people to practice, practice, practice.  Translated, that means write, write, write -- even if it's sh#t. We all need to keep reminding each other to keep going. Keep our mechanism oiled and ready. If you read the comments on my last blog entry, you'll see that another writer who heard Natalie speak reminded me of that fact recently! (Thank you!)

Natalie had three main bits of wisdom for writers. 

1. Never stop writing. Write daily, even if you have nothing to write. "It’s a deep practice," she said.
2. "Don’t be tossed away," she said. Every time you're put down, after each fall, get up again. And again -- write.
3. "Make positive effort for the good," she told us. As with any good habit like just picking up the toothbrush and brushing your teeth, "just pick up the pen and write."

I first heard about two other books at WOTS that interest me. One is Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Brown and Dave King. Self editing is something I want to learn well.  I've been an editor for others for years, but editing my own work is harder. So it's on my list, and I'll tell you more about it once I've read it. The other one -- as my writer friend reminded me in that comment I mentioned above -- is a current popular YA book called Hunger Games. She (and I) hope it will help inform the game in my own book-to-be, The Game. I have it on reserve at my public library.

If you are interested in the Amazon.com info on these books, I've added a look-up link and a display at the bottom of this page. All the books in the display are my picks -- only the books I've discussed on this blog. I'm a great supporter of the library system, but occasionally I buy books to use over and over again. If you would like to purchase these (or other) books, and do so here, I get a little kickback. Seems like a benefit all around to have the link available. Hope you don't mind.

Write On The Sound Conference (WOTS) in Edmonds Washington

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I spent the weekend at the Write on the Sound (WOTS) Conference. I'm so glad. What an infusion of information and motivation!

On Friday afternoon, I attended a special workshop where 10 fiction writers read and shared possible edits and structural changes on each other's writing. The leader was a Community College writing professor and author. I met some good people (one from Denver, CO!) and learned quite a bit about how writers work together.

One thing that became evident is that such workshops are not a great place to take your worst writing. How do I know? Well, guess who was naive enough to do so? Yep.

We sent in 10 pages of text that was distributed to the other writers. I figured that since I had this chance, I'd send 10 pages that I was really struggling with. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Most of the writers and the leader seemed unsure what to do with my pages, though the leader intends to e-mail additional thoughts. One participant gave back little more than a statement that the writing held no interest for him/her. (I'm not sure interest should have been the deciding factor in whether or not to give feedback, but that is a different issue.)

Most people presented work in progress at a higher level of revision than mine. About half brought work that bordered on polished. One woman's work was so far along in the process that all I could really do was list the questions I would want to answer if I were able to read on. I hoped that knowing how one reader's mind worked might be helpful. Giving critique can be quite challenging!

The best result from this experience so far, aside from learning what level of work to submit and discovering the difficulty of critique, was that another writer, DIane, and I plan to work together, reading and commenting on each other's novel. I have wanted to do this with someone for over a year, so I am very excited. Hopefully, by the time  Diane next encounters the 10 pages I submitted, if they are in no better shape (a false assumption, I hope), she will better understand how they fit into the story, be able to follow what is going on, and thereby share useful feedback with me. And I will get to read more of her novel, a YA story that already has captured me!

I have lots more to write about the conference, but I think I'll stop for today. I want to encourage other writers to attend a writer's conference, especially if you feel stuck and want a boost in motivation. You may also get a fresh pallet of tools to apply as well!

Redesigning Myself

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While I prepared my various prose chunks for "Write On The Sound" (WOTS) conference, I rewrote, not only my book summary for The Game, but my author bio as well. Actually, I ended up with several bios of various lengths, starting with my 100 word version, and gradually cutting down to the mere 30 words that would be read about me were I to win (ha, ha) the WOTS short story contest. Although I'm still not at all sure I have a final version, I have come a long way from my original effort. My fear now is that I've gone overly creative compared to the more prosaic one I posted earlier!

See what you think.

Sharman Badgett’s wondrous internal universe was more winsome in childhood than the “real” world. Adults’ inability to understand made her fear she was a changeling-child. Finding non-fiction dry and dead, she discovered life’s deepest truths in fiction, attempting her own first novel in sixth grade. As a mystic wanderer-adventurer, Badgett gathers examples of unexpected cultural assumptions. Then, as a therapist, researcher and instructor, she helps others broaden their experience of freedom, spirituality and life. Her writing explores misunderstandings, motivations, isolation and connectedness, and the yearning to love and be loved well. She enjoys living in the cool green Pacific Northwest.

Looking At Myself Differently

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What a month! It started with my second Marketing Yourself and Your Work class, included over a week off the grid at remote Holden Village in the North Cascade Mountins, and ended with preparation of a short story for a writing contest.

I put the fiction entry into the mail today. Taking the story of two secondary characters from my book, The Game, I stripped out the parts that were only necessary to the longer story, and shortened up the remaining 3,500 words into a 1,500 word story that (I thought) read quite well (entitled "Defining Love" or DL). Part of my process included thinking I had DL finished and having Tom read it and do a copy edit for me. He told me it was good, but not very good. As a rather common human story, it needed more color and descriptive language to make it unique. That set me off on an additional day of further rewriting that moved it up in both his and my ranking system. By the time I sent it in, we agreed that I had added a "very" to my good story.

I'm certain that two excellent stories will win the prizes, but I don't mind. As I take parts of DL and weave it  back into The Game, I know some important scenes will sparkle from the work I completed. The competition results won't be anounced until October at the "Write on the Sound" (WOTS) conference. I look forward to reading the winning stories and discovering what it would take to move a short story up in the ranks another notch.

I also will be attending a half-day workshop at WOTS where 10 of us with a local writer/professor will critique one anothers' writing. My next project is choosing and spiffing up (a technical term!) another section of The Game for submission to that class. I get to send in just 10 double spaced pages of text, so I'll have to skim through and find an appropriate segment.

The other presentations at WOTS look very helpful as well. Even though this conference is a local Edmonds, Washington affair, it appears that some talented people will offer invaluable assistance. I have to admit, I'm excited.

Book Summary: The Game

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At the second session of my "Marketing Yourself and Your Writing" class, I received feedback on the 75-- to 100--word summary of my book, The Game. This summary might appear on the back cover, though it has other uses as well. In response to class feedback, I have re-written the summary, and decided to share this version with you.

I always assumed that a publisher would choose these words. As with my bio, writing them myself makes me a trifle uncomfortable. At least you are getting a later version of my book summary than I posted of my bio.

Hopefully, since this is its purpose, this summary will make you want to read the book! Your comments are welcome, as always. Let me know if it works. Here goes.

The Game

Relocating to Eastern Washington, Jason’s foreign commune encounters traditional wariness of the atypical. Lee enjoys their theme park with its hidden clues and extreme challenges. But as Lee draws closer to playful Jason and odd “Honest Gabe,” she wonders whether the immigrants’ excessive friendliness belies some ulterior purpose. Then, Jason, stunned by family crisis, becomes a target of violence. To support Jason and Gabe, Lee immerses herself in bizarre secrets the community rarely reveals. Using romance, mystery, and speculative science, The Game examines the power of assumptions, how we attach and detach from one another and the need for Home.

Marketing Myself and My Writing

Hello world,

The class I'm taking on marketing myself and my writing assigned me challenging homework. -- to write a 50 to 100 word bio that could be used on a book jacket. It appears that this bio will have numerous other uses over time, as well.

It's harder than I thought putting together a short piece about myself, written in third person. Everything sounds commonplace and boring instead of being something that would cause a potential publisher or reader to bounce in excitement. My ego is taking a beating while I work on finding the right words. Maybe I'll see if I hear from any of you before I take this to class tomorrow night.

I've put my first draft of the bio below. All suggestions are welcome!

"Sharman Badgett has a background in technical writing and social science/educational research that gives her fiction depth and believability. Through experience as a therapist, Sharman creates complex characters and explores what causes them to attach and detach. She enjoys visiting diverse cultures and discovering the assumptions that lead people toward either trust or fear. Having ridden elephant back through jungles of Thailand, white-water rafted in Costa Rica and bungee jumped in Canada, Sharman makes her home in the Pacific Northwest."

Port Townsend for July 4th

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I just returned yesterday from a recuperative four-day weekend in Port Townsend. (Ahhh.) While there, tucked above a bookstore, I came across an informative, petite shop on Water Street, "The Writers' Workshoppe." In my many trips to P. T., I'd never seen it before. My conversation with the owner, Anna Quinn, was full of interesting information.

For those close enough to benefit, she and guest speakers offer regular workshops for writers at various stages in the process. Check her website at http://www.writersworkshoppe.com/. I am seriously considering one in late summer or fall, as Anna and her guest speakers offer fascinating topics of study. If I go, I'll let you know about my insights.

One thing Anna told me stands out above the others. Most people never finish their books. Only a fraction of those who do finish continue into the labyrinth of submission for publication. Consequently, only about 1% of writers get to the point where they receive those tedious piles of rejection notices that we all dread. (At least the piles are fine fire starters for cold feet in the winter, I hear.)

For some reason, my heart feels lighter knowing this. Can I make it into the 1%? Certainly. I have no doubt. From there, with so much of the competition already fallen by the wayside, I feel I will have a better chance than I'd feared I might. I shall enter the Labyrinth.

Anna also complimented me for taking on the difficult job of carefully rewriting each scene. I'm making certain that character development, drama, and tension occur in each scene and goals, changes and themes are clearly mapped, as suggested by Martha Alderson (see previous blog). From Anna's comment, I feel reassured that I am still journeying along the right path, slow and rocky though it may be.

I have enrolled in a two-day writing class here in town led by two successful writers. It concerns marketing your work. For awhile, I put on blinders so I wouldn't become discouraged by what I heard about publishing and marketing. Now, I'm finally ready to hear about what I imagine will be the toughest steps. After my classes, I'll share a few high points with you.

Meanwhile, I hope I'll find some of you traveling through the labyrinth when I arrive. Wouldn't it be fun to journey together? If we combine our piles of rejection slips, we can keep our feet warmer than if we travel alone.

A Book Report and a Favor

Hello World!

Today I have a book report to share and a favor to ask.

I know several of you follow my blog. I’d like to ask a favor of you. Would you please share with my readers and me one or both of the following?

• sources that you find helpful when you write
• the author you would emulate if you were to write a novel

My responses follow.

I mentioned before that my favorite book on writing is Martha Alderson's Blockbuster Plots Pure & Simple. See my April 1st 2010 post for more about why it is my favorite.

The author I would emulate in my novel is Mary Doria Russell. Her first book, Sparrow, completely blew me away. It is a tale of difficulties, beyond language, that keep Earth scientists and clerics from communicating clearly with two intelligent species coexisting on another planet. The expedition occurs because the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) finally picks up signals alien signals. Scientists and the Roman Catholic Church plan and fund the space trip together.

My book, The Game, also looks at the differences between cultures, a foreign communal group that has recently relocated to Eastern Washington and the local people they meet. My two groups are not different as those in Sparrow, but I hope I can make them both as similar and as distinct.

It’s not that Ms. Russell’s three cultures cannot understand each other. Problems arise when the conclusions they draw from facts and observations are incomplete or incorrect. Assumptions based on those findings bring about totally unexpected results, though everyone is certain relations are caring and peaceful between the people of Earth and the two new cultures.

As a person who learns more from fiction than non-fiction, I appreciate how well Ms. Russell presents the fallacy of believing quantitative information is truth. Not only do facts tell only part of the story, they are necessarily viewed through our cultural sieve, something I want readers of The Game to experience.

Ms. Russell’s story continues in Children of God. The two books excel in creating complex cultures containing complex characters. Hers is not a tale of good and bad guys. Instead, each character has strengths and weaknesses and creates success or chaos depending on the situation. How I would enjoy creating characters as 3-D as hers!

Hopefully I can present your writing and fiction choices in a later blog.

Congratulations (At Least, a Mini One)

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Today I congratulate myself.

Don’t get too excited -- this is a small celebration. No, I have not yet finished my scene by scene analysis and rewrite, an effort that will undoubtedly take longer than writing my original draft. I have, however, completed a copy edit pass through the entire novel that tightened up its extensive length.

At its longest, The Game ran 588 pages. It now stands at 482 pages. Yay!

Not all of those pages vanished through my copy editing. Several entire scenes did not survive the extensive analysis/rewrite process. Hopefully, I’ll find more of those, because I plan to add several exciting additional scenes as well.

In case you are still concerned at The Game’s length, I’ll let you in on a secret. My pages are a bit shorter than actual book pages. In the end, I will convert them. For now, I continue to estimate the “tomeishness” of my work by counting its original-length pages.

Although a rewrite is more vital than copy editing, I’m pleased by the evidence of my progress. Maybe an occasional celebration should be required during long-term projects like writing a book. It makes feel better about my work and energized to move forward.

Congratulations to me!

Researching The Game

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I’ve been thinking a lot about research lately. Most of my life I’ve worked in social science and educational research, which includes a lot of writing. Writing this book, I’ve discovered that writing includes a lot of research, as well. It is fortunate for me that the two fit so well together.

Of course, if I wrote non-fiction, I’d plan for lots of research – after all, think of all those facts! Yet day after day during the writing phase of my novel, I’d come up with answers I needed so my setting and characters would remain believable. Some were quick googles, while others took deeper research. Occasionally I lost an entire day to exploration. ! even took a class on one of my research topics.

The working title for my novel is The Game. My research made me feel like I was one of my characters, involved in my own game. Below are some examples.

Research topics for my novel The Game (selective list)

• What has contributed to various peoples growing taller in some parts of the world than in others?
• In what months do various crops mature in Eastern Washington?
• How are body hair, pubic hair and facial hair similar and different?
• Had the past 60 years of U.S. defense/war resources gone to our space program instead, where might it be today?
• What happens to the mother and the embryo during the first 3 months of pregnancy?
• What allowed the Love Israel family to continue so much longer than other communal groups?
• What changes have occurred over the past 30 years in Walla Walla and the surrounding area?
• Historically, which nationalities and ethnicities immigrated into Eastern Washington and when?
• How long do cows and goats give milk after bearing young?
• When is the yearly rodeo in the Walla Walla area?
• What advances are anticipated over the next 10 year in genetics?

Perhaps my research has been more difficult, in some ways, than non-fiction research. The variety of topics I’ve had to consider may be wider, for instance. However they compare, I now understand why some authors hire researchers on various questions. If I didn’t love the search, I could easily bog down in the writing.

Writing and other jobs I've held

Hello World!

I’m about 1/6th of the way through my first rewrite of my novel. I don’t find rewriting to be nearly as much fun as writing. Although I expected as much, I had hoped I might be happily surprised once I got going. Instead, this part of the process has the feeling of simply plodding along.

Rewriting is far more structured, for one thing, than writing was in the haphazard fashion I chose that fit my personality. Going through the list of attributes each scene has to contain, and figuring out how to fit them all in smoothly can be difficult as well, especially in a short scene.

On the other hand, I love being back with my characters again. I’m quite fond of them! And watching their story get tighter and more interesting is very rewarding.

A wonderful surprise has been how much I love throwing scenes away. I’ll find one I wrote mainly for myself, so I knew where the story was going, and I’ll read through it, getting ever more excited as I realize how much I can cut. I love looking at the total number of pages at the bottom of my Word window, blowing the scene away (wheeeeee!), and seeing how many pages have vanished. I keep deleted scenes in a separate file, in case I need something from them later, and that gives me freedow from worrying that I’ve lost anything. Watching those drearier scenes go is seeing improvement in real time sans slog.

Every job I’ve held in my life was similar in that no matter how much I really enjoyed suggesting books as a librarian, counseling a client, or discovering new information as a researcher, there were always the tasks that I needed to plod through: shelving books, doing paperwork, or entering data. The difference is that the enjoyment level of the writing, for me, was far above the enjoyment level of many of my jobs, and so far, the plodding part is still better than most of the past mud slogging.

I wonder how running the publishing gamut will feel? I suspect it will be my least favorite part, but I’m not ready to go there yet. I’m going to stay in the now as long as the rewriting lasts.