Carrie Spencer - Smart Ass Romance » writing

Electrical Storms and Writing

carrie — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:27:57 +0000

Iowa weather has been sucky these past seven months. Spell check informs me sucky isn’t a real word, but if you lived in Iowa – well, it’s sucky.

December – April brought mountains of snow, power outages, high winds. You might picture me snuggled all warm in my house by the fire, writing brilliant words by the thousands.

You’d be wrong.

You’d be better off picturing me huddling by the gas stove, wearing 13 layers of clothing and shivering so badly that typing on my Alphie was out of the question. Brain freeze does not inspire plotting nor characterization!

We finally moved into spring, that lasted maybe 15 minutes. Seriously. Summer waddled in and it’s basically the same weather as what we had in January, but no snow – just rain. Not freezing – just 100+ degrees out. Now we huddle around the air conditioner, hoping to stay cool.

And again, writing is a chore. We’ve been having violent electrical storms. Major lightning strikes taking out trees and power. And of course, like a good girl, when it lightnings, I turn off my computer and unplug the network cable.

Is this just all Mother Nature’s conspiracy to disrupt my writing? Could be. But she didn’t count on my Alpha Smart. Almost twenty hours of battery time, recharges in a few hours, and works pretty darn sweet.

Bring it on Mother Nature! I’m still writing!

carrie

Ssssssssssssynopsis

carrie — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:16:49 +0000

Augh!

Got my synopsis back, with a wonderful crit…thanks Christie! And a few wrinkles to hammer out. I don’t mean iron, I mean hammer.

With a darn big hammer.

But that’s okay. I’m dealing with it fine, and am actually excited to get back to work on the synopsis, because now I feel I have direction. I’m close, this close!!! to having a well thought out synopsis, I’m sooooooo close to having all of the arcs. In just a few well placed sentences – and well-worded! – it’s entirely possible my synopsis will not only make sense, but that it’s RIGHT.

And that’s a huge load off my mind. Huge. Bigger than Refrigerator Perry. (and yes, that’s the only football reference I’ll ever make in my entire life)

So, what’s stopping me from leaping head first into finishing off that synopsis?

Stuff.

You guys have all had stuff, I know you have. Something came up. Family. My dog, my cat. Laundry. Etc. That’s all stuff. My stuff has been work, extracurricular work, and favors owed friends this past week, but the biggest stuff of all?

My new grandson was born on June 21, and transported a few hours later to NICU. That’s big stuff.

Good news is, he’s headed home tomorrow. We’re thrilled. He’ll be recuperating at home with his dad and mom and big sister Ava, but all looks good.

Now maybe Gramma can take a little stress break and finish that synopsis. Er…I wonder if anyone ever thought writing a synopsis would be an activity listed as “less stressful”?

I’m gonna guess no.

carrie

Brainstormin’

carrie — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 02:09:18 +0000

Sometimes a girl can use an extra brain.

It’s not because mine isn’t sharp enough, it is. It’s not because mine isn’t creative enough, it is. It’s because sometimes it’s little wires get twisted and I can’t find a way out of that creativity and sharpness.

Eh?

I know, hard to follow. But here’s what happens. I work on this stupendous story, and it’s brilliant, if I do say so myself. Then someone, usually a crit partner or a friend (hi Jen!) will come along and say why? Why does she do that?

Because.

Because why?

Well, I just don’t know. I’ve thought up this wonderful masterpiece, this book of brilliance, until someone says Why?

Drives me buggy.

Just go with the flow, I want to say. She (the heroine) just does it.

They give me the “look”.

Crap.

What if…..

And that’s where the brainstorming starts.

When inventing a story line, my brain seizes the story idea and runs along the train tracks, thinking this! and then this! and then this! And that parts a blast, let me tell you.

And then I write….and I write this! and then whoa..this! and what happened there this!

And then, someone says….why?

And my brain train derails.

Because it was up there in party central, zooming along with happy ideas and brilliant thoughts and creative maneuvers…but the darn thing never questions – why?

Possibly there’s a brain training course I can take. Possibly I should put sticky notes all over my computer monitor that say WHY?

Or possibly I can just call upon my critique partners and friends and say hey….if this situation happened to you, what would YOU do?

Brainstormin’. It’s not done with just one brain, it’s picking the use of several other people’s brains to get yours back on the track to writing the perfect story.

Got a brain? Fire it up. I’m coming to get some ideas from you!

carrie

A little stumble…

carrie — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:15:30 +0000

In my non-stop-quest to finish the book (yes, technically I’m only 4 chapters in and have a loooong way to go, thanks for rubbing it in) I admit I stumbled a bit this week.

But, I’m getting back on track. Honest.

I had double shifts, I had work trauma, I had back trauma.

But, I’m working on it! Really.

I had a migraine, stomach upset (no, I won’t share the details) and 57 emails that need answering. Now.

But, I’m kicking myself in the rear and getting back on track.

Thursday I only did 280 of the promise-to-myself 1000 words on my evenings off count. Friday, I didn’t do any.

But, it’s okay. Relax. Back in the saddle here.

Today, on my 1000 word count day, I’m already up to 847. No sweat. My running total as of 3:12 on Saturday afternoon is 13,933.

Suh-weet.

I figure I’m about 1/5 of the way done.

Yes, I know I still have a long way to go, yes there’s all the re-writing to be done, and yes, I still have double shifts to get through next week.

But – I’m going to do it.

Stick with me here, and you just wait and see.

Determination is something us asses – especially us smart asses, know a little about.

carrie

Hey, be nice!

carrie — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:53:43 +0000

holy smokes.

I know I live a frenetic lifestyle, zooming here and there, holding down more jobs/part-time jobs/cats than any normal woman should, but it’s always worked for me.

Some days just require more chocolate than others. No problemo.

But the past week has gone above and beyond the duty of lets-destroy-carrie-and-bring-her-to-her-knees.

I won’t tell you about work, because everyone works, and everyone runs wildly because of it – unless you’re a Professional Couch Potato, in which case, hats off to you. I won’t mention the side hobbies, the jewelry, the websites (ok, I might growl about those later), the laundry, etc. Because EVERYONE has the same problems. Right?

But what I am going to whine about (what, you didn’t think this was a whining post?) is people. Ok, and cats. But mostly people.

This past week I’ve had people comment on my hair (ohhhh ….umm..did someone NEW cut your hair? that’s a different look for you, isn’t it?) my clothes (you look so pretty tonight, especially compared to the last time we saw you) my eyes (why is that one eye like that? is that a birth defect?) my weight (yeah, we’ve all put on a few pounds over the winter – some more than others eh?) my shoes (those shoes are about ready for the trash pile huh) and even my bra (oh, is that one of those new silver colored bras? oh no, wait…that’s just gray isn’t it?)

Seriously, people. I realize that most of the time, I’m a public figure. I work out in the public, I should expect a certain amount of “commentary”.

But when does it go beyond commentary and into gosh-bob-that’s-none-of-your-darn-business?

Believe it or not, the bra comment wasn’t the final straw (that was my chiropractor doing ultrasound)

It was actually the your-characters-are-flat comment. (See, you KNEW I’d bring it around to writing somehow!)

I know it was a rough copy, I know it was first draft. But yikes. Critiques can hurt. Or they can make you try harder.

For me, I’m generally inspired to drink four vodka lemonades, eat handfuls of chocolate while ranting wildly about how clueless people are….and then when I’m hungover with sugar blues the next day, I let reality slide in, and think that maybe yeah, maybe I could do better.

And sometimes, it takes two or three of those vodka/chocolate days before the realization sinks in.

And sometimes, by golly, it just never happens.

Today is going to be a vodka/chocolate day. And tomorrow, well, tomorrow my characters won’t be called flat anymore, by God.

But I’ll still be wearing any ugly shirt over my chubby body, which should be ugly enough to cover up my gray bra, reading through my lopsided eye with a bad haircut while wearing worn out shoes.

But tough beans.

At least I won’t have flat characters anymore.

carrie
ps word count? 7066
cats? 3 birds, 3 mice

Tag Lines

carrie — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:18:21 +0000

Some months ago, I challenged myself to come up with a blog. That was the easy part. Coming up with the name of the blog – that took…ok, that was pretty easy too. Finding the graphic! now that took….

ok, so technically, I drempt (not a real word, I know I know, stick with the story here) the entire thing up in less than 15 minutes and had it ready to roll, hot off the presses in about a day – tops.

Voila, instant blog.

But lately, I’ve noticed my little corner of the world is missing something. A tagline.

I’ve read other blogs and they always have something cute, or daring or….at the very least interesting.

“Escape to the past with a romantic adventure…” is Terry Blaine’s tagline.

“Real Women. Real Life.” Vicki Taylor

“Passion and adventure worth fighting for.” C.C. Wiley

So, of course, I have to have one.

So here’s a few…

Those are just a few that popped into my head….hmm…might need a little more thinking here!

carrie

Line Editing

carrie — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:29:15 +0000

So, I bought a new book.

Big deal right? Go ahead and say it, I know you want to.

But this is a special book. It’s about line editing.

What’s line editing? hellifiknow, but that’s why I bought the book! Pay attention, girlfriend.

So anywho…this book is about the correct lining up of your sentences, so you don’t end up with those dangling participles or predicates in the wrong place.

I can’t read it. Seriously, it puts me to sleep within 5 minutes.

I’m going to recommend a copy to everyone over at Insomniacs Anonymous. If you can get past page 3, you are a professional insomniac, and there is no cure.

My problem with sentences started in seventh grade, with my English teacher, Mrs. Carver. She hated my guts. The feeling was mutual. She’s explain over and over and over again about adverbs, pronouns, subjects etc. Then she’d draw line graphs on the board demonstrating why you HAD to have a predicate in your sentence, why you CAN’T dangle anything off the end, and God FORBID you should put an extra comma where it didn’t belong.

Bored. Me. To. Tears.

But now, I’m starting a writing career. I should know about these things right? I should care whether my adverb is preceded by the correct pronoun or not.

Well I don’t.

So there.

phllllbbbttt.

I’ve tried for over 2 weeks now to not only read, but understand this book. My eyes swim with the extra small spelling, words dance like mutant spots in front of my eyes, my attention jumps to important things like belly button lint and wondering if I can touch my tongue to my nose. (yes, I can)

I’ve shortened my reading time down to just one paragraph. If I can make it through, and comprehend, that one paragraph, I get to do something fun! Like read a real book!

No can do.

My next plan is to get the book on CD, slip on my headphones and zone out for the night.

Learning English through osmosis.

It’s the only way to go.

carrie

Chapter Two

carrie — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:22:33 +0000

So, one day in April, shortly after my forty-seventh fortieth birthday, I decided I was going to be a romance writer. Over the years, I’ve heard tons of people (ok, mostly family…ok, mostly my mother) say I should be a writer. So, I decided that’s what I’m going to do. So I bought books. Read agents blogs and artists blogs. And bought books. Amazon loves me, this I know.

So, I wrote a book. 250+ pages of romance novel, in about 2 months. And then I started taking online classes. This is how Columbus must have felt when he sailed to the New World. Not so much wow, look at that huge land mass I’ve discovered – but HOLY SHIT!

So, in taking classes, I found out everything I did in my ms is ..well…wrong. I did head hopping, had no viable GMC, I was a pantser without a clue. I was proudly showing off my first chapter, and getting blasted back to the dirt. “What’s your heroines long term goal?” Say what? Umm..to have sex with the hero? Bzzzztttt! Wrong answer! “What’s your black moment?” Umm…when I first look in the mirror every morning? Bzzzttt!! Not only was I mistaken in how to write a novel, but I found that very few online class instructors have a sense of humor about such things as GMC’s.

So I learned. And I polished. And I turned my 250 page ms into a 17 page chapter. Huh. I have a blurb, I have a logline, I have a query – all for a book I no longer have written. Those other 223 pages? Gone with the wind. Oh, I might be able to salvage parts, but once I got technical with the story, turns out it’s weak. Flimsy. Unconflicted.

Crap.

So, with the help of instructors, classes, books and so on, I’ve now polished my first chapter. It’s beautiful. It has conflict, sexual eye contact, flowing hair.

But now, I have to move on to chapter TWO. It’s taken me technically 6 months to have a perfect chapter one…how on earth do I start chapter two? I no longer know where my story goes, who my characters are…I have to learn them all over again, re-invent their story and move on….to chapter two!

Does anyone have a chapter two class out there!???!

hellllpppp!

carrie