Trends and Fiction

Here's a question.

How does a trend become a trend? For awhile, chick lit was super hot. Now, according to Stephanie Bond and other sources, chick lit is well, not hot. Werewolves, vampires, and anything with paranormal elements is super hot (in the romance world anyway).

Here's my humble opinion on the subject. A trend becomes a trend when an agent/editor/publishing house takes a chance on something new and innovative. Bridget Jones by Helen Fielding was probably one of the first break-out chick lit books (and I loved both of them). And then, suddenly the market was flooded with chick lit. It boomed for a few years, but now, the popularity has suddenly dropped.

Regency-historical novels continue to be popular. Have you seen the boom of Jane Austen-related books? There's even a few movies about Jane Austen and her life, and not adaptations of her stories.

So here's something I don't quite understand when it comes to World War II fiction. I've had agents pass on my manuscript because "World War II is a hard sell at the moment." Well...ok. But then I point to the success of Ken Follett, Alan Furst, Jack Higgins, and...

Wait a minute. Those are all male writers. Female novelists who write about World War II are few and far in between. Why is that? The most obvious answer, of course, would be that men generally are more interested in military subjects, i.e. war.

BUT...

Wars involve everyone - man, woman, child. World War II saw the advent of women, especially American women, enterting the workforce, of keeping the homefront going while their men went off to war. Women were in the military, too - as WACS, as WAVES, as army nurses, as airplane pilots, and yes, even as spies. Books abound on women's role during World War II. I should know - I have most of them!

Yet World War II fiction written by women continues to fall short of the male novelists' output. The inspirational market has more World War II-set fiction than the secular, and though there are a few female novelists that have written secular war fiction - Anita Shreve, Pam Jenoff, and Morag McKendrick Pippin - the balance is clearly in the men's favor.

This whole idea intrigues - and frustrates me. I have so many tales I want to tell about World War II - but is the market there?

I believe it is. Look at the popularity of Hollywood movies like Saving Private Ryan, Pearl Harbor, Black Book, and Schindler's List, to name a few. Ken Burns' documentary was hugely successful. History books on new subjects of the war continue to be released every month. The interest is there.

I can think of only one solution to getting the powers-that-be in the publishing industry to sit up and take notice of our need for World War II fiction written by women - write a great book. A high-concept book. A book that will spark a new trend.

You know that burn-out I had last week? Well, consider it gone. I now feel like I have a mission - to write a book that will spark a revolution of sorts, one that will open the market to more novels set during WW2 written by women.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on World War II fiction. Ever read any? Have any desire to read any? Do you have any ideas on why it's not a big seller in women's fiction?

(And if you would be so kind, please take the poll in the left-handed column).

Outrage

I don't often use this blog to discuss potentially "hot-button" subjects. We all have our opinions, after all, and I like to keep this blog to, well, my writing.

But I can't stay silent on this subject.

If you have kids, especially little girls, I'm sure you've heard of the Bratz dolls. I've never liked them for a few reasons, but the main one is that they look like little prostitutes. I'm not being harsh, really I'm not. But dolls wearing belly-showing shirts, short-shorts, mini-skirts, high-heeled platform shoes, and tons of make-up, is just a bit much for a girl aged 4-10 or so to be playing with. My daughter was given a Bratz doll for Christmas at one point - I vowed never to buy her one. But since she's not into dolls (she is a huge Scooby Doo fan) I didn't worry too much about it.

I'm thanking God right now that she could care less about dolls, especially the Bratz ones, after reading this article. If the American Psychological Association is issuing warnings about these dolls, we better sit up and take notice. Our current society teaches our children - especially young girls - that their bodies are the most important thing about them. I'm not being a prude - but come on. Some of the girls clothes in stores today I would never let my daughter wear. In fact, that's another blessing I have to count - she doesn't like skirts. She's a jeans and t-shirt gal. At this particular time in our culture, I think I'm glad she doesn't want to get all dolled up with the make-up and hairspray, etc.

Being a woman is a wonderful thing. But where has our femininity gone? Even I have fallen victim to the mentality that I have to show a bit of skin to get some respect. That is so darn backwards, isn't it? What about modesty? Now if you wear a long skirt, you're looked at as being a prude. Less is more in the world of fashion. But we're adults. We can make our own decisions on what we want to wear. That's our prerogative.

But here is the kicker. Our children are now the targets. The Bratz dolls are not your average Barbie dolls - Barbie was tame compared to the Bratz! The name alone is insulting. Yet someone is marketing these dolls to children. Hollywood is going to make a movie about them. And their "fashion" is creeping into the girls' clothing departments in every major store. Short mini-skirts. Flimsy, too-tight tops. Shirts that say, "I'm spoiled" and other sayings that really only degrade instead of flatter.

Let's not even get into what this is doing to the little boys of our society. That's a whole 'nother rant. I have a teenager, and let me tell you - the costume I saw his girlfriend wearing to the Halloween party made me eyes pop - and not in a good way. Yet he said it was "hot."

There's something wrong in our culture if our little girls, who should be enjoying their childhood, are worried about how they look. As the mother of a little girl, I refuse to succumb to society's pressure. I have every intention of raising my daughter to be a woman with high self-esteem based on who she is, not what she looks like.

Advice from the Pros

I met Stephanie Bond this weekend. Yes, the Stephanie Bond, the highly successful, prolific, and wonderful novelist. She is the epitome of Southern gentility, very soft-spoken, and gracious.

She gave a one-day workshop at the Nebraska Romance Writer's 5th Annual Conference and although I no longer belong to NRW or RWA, and even though I have been experiencing writer-burn-out, I still went. I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to go, but I'm so glad I did. Not only did I glean some great writing advice and wisdom, but I also feel energized. Two of my friends and I are forming a critique group and we've already set a deadline for ourselves to get started. This has given me focus, and I'm suddenly rarin' to go.

There's just something about being with other writers - face to face - that is, well, essential. I haven't had that lately, and I miss it. Internet communication can only take you so far.

Here's a few tidbits of advice from Stephanie:

--Stephanie always writes a synopsis before she starts the book. Always. Does she sometimes deviate from it? Yes. But what's important is that she has a roadmap of her book. And here is the second important thing she does - she gives that synopsis to her critique partner. That way if there are any holes in the story, her critique partner can point them out before Stephanie even starts writing. This is exactly what my friends and I are going to do - we each have to have a synopsis of our story to each other in two weeks. Here's the crucial part - do not discuss the book with your critique partners before you send them the synopsis. That way they act just like an editor - they know nothing about your book and cannot fill in the holes of the story with the information you've already given them.

--Your story begins on the day your character changes. Simple enough. But this will help you get rid of all that gunky backstory.

--Use definitive sentences in your novel. What are definitive sentences? Think of the most often-quoted movie lines. For example, "This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship." or "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." Those lines are memorable and can reflect a turning point for your character, and can set apart the beginning of your book, a chapter, or even a paragraph. Make a conscious effort to include these types of sentences.

--If you're writing a tragic story or it doesn't end in a "happily-ever-after", then above all, do one thing: Leave the reader with hope.

And on the business side of things, if you're struggling to find time to write, remember this: We take as much time as we give ourselves. You're the CEO of your own business - your writing business. Write a business plan to help you keep on track and know where you're going.

The Choices We Make

In my younger years - oh, say age five to around age 18 - I was quite a crafty person. I loved to dabble with my grandmother's craft stuff. I drew, painted, sewed, glued, latch-hooked, colored...you name it, I did it.

When I hit 6th grade and started to really focus on my writing, I didn't leave my crafting love behind and continued to do just as much as before. But during college, marriage, and a career, I abandoned it. I got into rubber stamping for awhile after I got married, but I haven't done much of anything with it for a long, long time.

The other day, my daughter and I went to Hobby Lobby again where they had pre-made wooden Christmas decorations on sale. So I selected a few a few, bought some acrylic paint and brushes, and headed home. Wednesday night I decided to not worry about the writing or the housework, and I just sat down to paint.

It was so much fun. I didn't have to worry about a character's motivation or if this particular plot point made sense, I just painted. All I had to worry about was what color I wanted to paint my snowman's scarf!

This led me to wonder at why I chose to pursue writing above my other creative endeavors. Why didn't I pursue art instead? I loved to draw in elementary and high school, but I haven't picked up a pencil to sketch in years. Drawing wasn't the easiest for me, but when I look back, I think it was a lot easier than trying to write a novel.

I guess there's only one answer for this - I had the passion for writing. Sure, I loved to draw and paint and hot glue, but it wasn't a consuming need. I did it because it was fun to do and I enjoyed it. It was a hobby, not a passion.

Writing is my passion. But I've also recognized that I need to take time to just sit and paint and let my mind be creative without being mentally exhausted afterwards. That is what triggered my burn-out. I was focusing on the work and not the fun. And let's not kid ourselves - writing is a lot of work. But it's also a lot of fun. When you lose the fun part, well, it's just a miserable existence.

What about you? Do you do any other creative activities besides write?

Happy Friday!

A Must-Read: Patricia Wood's Lottery

I really can't say enough good things about Patricia Wood's debut novel, Lottery. It is one of the best books I have ever read - and I have read A LOT of books.

Here's a summary:

Perry L. Crandall may have an IQ of 76, but he is not retarded—he’s just not as fast as everyone else. Perry works at a marine supply store in Everett, Washington, and lives with his wisecracking Gram. After Gram’s death, Perry tries to resume a normal life, but that all changes when he wins Washington State’s $12 million lottery. His famously-callous family suddenly takes an interest in his well-being, and Perry’s fame makes him a target for unscrupulous money grubbers. With the help of his boss, Gary, his best friend Keith, and Cherry, the gum-chewing convenience store girl, Perry has to navigate this scary new world. But just because he’s slow, doesn’t mean he’s stupid…

A truly remarkable novel that will make you think twice about the world around you.

And my second book review (for those interested in my other passion, WW2) is over at my World War II blog - a new picture history of World War II with several never-before-published photos.

Role Reversal

It's fall break this week, which means my kids can stay up late and sleep in late. That's what vacations are for, y'know!

Last night I went to bed and I asked my daughter if she would read me a bedtime story. Her eyes lit up and she said, "Yes!" and then went upstairs to pick out a book. She chose the one pictured above, a book that I absolutely love.

And while I was tucked under the covers, she read me Bear Snores On, even holding it up like her teacher does in the classroom.

I nearly cried. Not only was it a precious memory, but to see her read and sound out the words she didn't know was such a blessing. If you'll remember, she struggled with reading quite a bit. But thanks to the wonderful efforts of her school and the Reading Recovery program, she is back on track.

On Writing

Yesterday, I had a bit of a lull at work. So I decided to do the unthinkable - write. *grin* I had an idea for a story while riding the elevator and I started typing. I didn't think about what I was writing, didn't worry about spelling or grammar, but just wrote. And I got lost in flow, forgot about the noise around me, and just wrote. Will this story ever see the pages of a magazine? Doubtful. But that's perfectly ok. I need to get the idea out of my head that everything I write has to be for publishing purposes. Sometimes, it's ok to write just for writing's sake.

I also had a bit of a breakthrough on the whole burn-out issue, and felt the spark start to slowly flame to life again. But I'm not pushing the issue, and so spent the night reading, learning how to draw Scooby Doo with my daughter, watching Disney's Cars, and talking with my husband.

Thanks to all of you for your great advice and comments on yesterday's post. Each and every one of you is awesome!

The Spark Is...Gone?

It's finally time to admit it.

I'm burned out.

I sit down in front of the computer and open up my novel, then I slave over each and every word. It's not fun.

I'm not excited to write right now. When I'm at the day job or in the midst of a particularly bad day, I don't stop and think of my novel and feel a rush of relief because I always have my writing (I used to feel this way all the time, especially when life was tough). Lately, it's more of a yoke around my neck than anything. I've started second-guessing everything that I write. Everything. A little gremlin has popped into my head and said, "You can't write anymore. You lost your talent. It's gone. And it's not coming back. So there!"

I know I shouldn't believe him. But right now, that psychological block is there.

Barbara Bretton wrote a great article on writer burn out. After I read it, I felt better. Yes, it does happen, even to multi-published authors. The creative well runs dry.

I've suspected something was off-kilter for awhile now. My entire mood has been up and down. There are times of the day when I feel really good - and then an hour later, I'll be depressed again.

Maybe it's all just the residual effects of the summer medical disaster with my husband. Maybe I'm still adjusting to the new job. Maybe I am just going through a particularly down period.

Whatever the reason is, it's scaring the crap out of me. I don't like feeling this way. I don't like thinking about my writing and not feeling that burst of happiness. I don't like going through life feeling, well, rather numb.

I don't know what's going on, but I'm trying to take some action. I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday because I felt the need to be creative in something other than writing. I wanted to paint, to draw, do something different. But by the time I got there, that same lackluster feeling overcame me and nothing caught my eye. I decided to make my own charm bracelet, which consisted of picking out charms that represented who I am and then attaching them to the already-made bracelet. That took all of ten minutes to make. I love how it turned out, but it didn't ease the ache in my soul.

I haven't been exercising as much, although I do take a break every afternoon and go and walk. My eating habits are getting better. And this is my favorite time of year! I love fall. I love the leaves changing color. I love the cool breezes. I love preparing for the holidays.

I've also been reading a lot, watching movies, hanging out with my daughter (we colored pictures last night and watched a movie), and spending quality time with my husband.

In a way, I'm grieving for my writing. I want it back. I want to feel that spark again. But it's been doused.

Will it come back? I'm sure of it. But at this point, I'm not going to rush things.

A Constant Struggle?

Here's one thing that I've recently learned about writing (okay, maybe not recently, but you get what I mean). No matter how many times you pick yourself up from a bad writing day or no matter how many times you remind yourself to shut off the internal editor when you're writing your first draft, you're going to keep doing it.

Here's what I mean.

I've immersed myself in craft for the past two months. I've studied books, worked on my outline, and prepared myself to write. Now that I'm actually in the writing stage, I'm having a hard time shutting off that internal editor.

Is this the first time this has happened? Absolutely not. Will it be the last? Nope.

Our writing personas are constantly in flux. One day we'll have no problem zipping through our daily word count or coming up with an awesome turn of phrase. The next we'll have a gremlin jumping up and down on our fingers, making us produce absolute rubbish or criticizing every single thing we write.

It's a cycle, isn't it? Every day is different.

But that's what makes the whole writing journey worth it.

Agree or disagree?

Bit by the Travel Bug!

I haven't traveled anywhere outside of the U.S. since, oh, 1994! That's pretty bad. But if you're a faithful reader of this blog (thank you!), then you know I'm planning a trip to Italy sometime in the near future.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? Money is no object!

List your top three places!

Here's mine:

1) Italy

2) United Kingdom

3) Germany

We Have Lift Off!

I started Chapter One on the Italian novel, tentatively titled Catch and Release, last night.

And it felt great.

I've been trying to figure out a way to plot this novel so that I don't run into any dead-ends, thus prolonging the entire process. Here's what I came up with. Chapter by chapter outlines. Does this stifle my creativity? On the contrary! Before I started writing last night, I sat down and wrote a short synopsis of everything I wanted to include in this chapter. I sat down at the keyboard and felt, well, free. I didn't have to worry about sitting there and trying to think of what was going to happen next. I could see the scene in my mind.

No, I didn't put every detail in my short chapter synopsis - but just the essence of what I wanted to happen in the chapter. My plan is to write one of these short synopsis for each chapter before I write it. That way I'll hopefully be able to catch any potential problems before they start.

Otherwise, weekend consisted of a bit of shopping, a horrific tension headache on Saturday that thankfully was pretty much gone by Sunday, and lots and lots of rain. We're slated to have thunderstorms and cloudy skies for the rest of the week. Since I thrive in this kind of weather, that's a forecast I can live with!

The Power of Lunch Breaks

Yesterday I decided to ditch the office over my lunch break and head to a new coffeehouse/sandwich shop that just opened here in town. After I ordered my sandwich, I settled into the cozy backroom on a stuffed leather chair, ate my lunch, and then dove into some character work for my novel.

It was glorious. Not only did I have a yummy, healthy sandwich, but I found out new things about my character that will add an amount of depth to the story that I didn't have before.

I have a feeling I'll be heading back to this place several times a week, if possible. Taking that creative break in the middle of the day gave me an energy I didn't have that morning.

It's the weekend, and I plan to start Chapter One on the Italy novel. Wish me luck!