Character Flaws

I’m going to be awful this week. You may have to avert your eyes. I’m delving into the realm of character flaws. Those juicy blights on a character’s personality, if not soul, that may either attract (bad boy) or repel (too good to be true) us as readers.

Hmm? Where do we go to dig the treasures of character flaws? First, if we are brave, we pull them from our own shortcomings. Second, we shamelessly steal negative traits from people in our lives.

Come with me, if you dare, down a list of flaws. (If you think you see yourself in this list you are hallucinating.)

Grandiosity

Know-it-all-osity

Lack of tolerance for stupid people

Insecure to the point of annoying

Never-shut-up-ers

Interrupters

I’m so much better than you-osity (I love a good –osity)

Liars

Bullies

Never-follow-through-ers

Selfish (Not to be confused with shellfish)

I don’t listen when you speak to me-ers

My life/loves/job/problems are so much more important than yours-ers

Cheaters

Enough about me…

What characters flaws drive you loopy, but are a blast to write?

Obsession Confession - Middle Earth Alert

I admit it. I have an incurable obsession with any and all that is J.R.R. Tolkien’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Above all else this work inspired me to put pen to paper as a writer. It gave me permission to build fantastical worlds, set forth on adventures, and create swoonworthy heroes (Aragorn, not Frodo).

Confessions of a LORD OF THE RINGS addict:

• I immerse myself in the story every year by either reading the trilogy, listening to the audiobooks (appendices included – you haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the full story of Aragorn and Arwen), or watching the extended versions of all three films.
• I read the entire trilogy aloud to my children. (My Gimli ROCKS)
• I own a cardboard standee of Aragorn (Thank you Peter Jackson for casting Viggo Mortensen.)
• I still have nightmares about the Nazgul (Sauron I can deal with, but those nine riders FREAK ME OUT.)
• I play the LORD OF THE RINGS slot machines (I’m up to the Shards of Narsil bonus.)
• I attended Trilogy Tuesday, December 16, 2003, and watched all three movies back to back in the theatre the day RETURN OF THE KING debuted (That’s a lot of popcorn. I’m on the left in the pic.)

All kidding aside, I revere this story. It continues to set a literary bar that I will never achieve, but always strive for.

Tolkien permeates my teaching as well.

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost” – is a fabulous writing prompt.

“War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend…” – this works as a Patriot POV on the Revolutionary War.

Are you a Tolkien devotee? What piece of literature continues to glitter the gold of inspiration to your writing?

Middle Earth Fans: Check out Peter Jackson’s Video blog for THE HOBBIT

Query Weary

Are you query weary? Have you offered your bright and shiny manuscript up to what seems like a sky-high stack of agents and haven’t made a love connection yet?

You are not alone. Welcome to the business end of writing.

I went to a fabulous SCBWI query workshop last year where I heard, “If you haven’t queried 100 agents you’re not doing your job.”

Wow, 100 agents.

Recently I read on a blog that a writer’s magic query number was 187 before she clicked with her agent.

Wow, 187.

In my acting days we used to say that if you had one callback in 20 auditions you were doing well.  As a writer I equate that to receiving one request for a partial or full in 20 queries.

Is it worth it the hours of agent research and a memory book full of rejections?

You betcha! I’m a first hand witness to the magical synergy that happens when a writer finds THE agent they were meant to connect with. It’s an exciting partnership that inspires and motivates. The journey is worth the prize.

So if you are query weary, here are some hints to keep on the trail to successfully finding the agent of your dreams:

1. TARGET POTENTIAL WEAKNESS AND GIVE IT A NEW COAT OF POLISH:

Channel your Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys self and analyze your track record. Is there a pattern to your “no thank yous” from agents? Can you find a weakness to strengthen in your:

Query letter/Voice/Characters/Plot…

2. GO FISHING FOR AGENT POSSIBILITIES:

There are wonderful blogs and websites that will guide you to excellent agents.  Two of my many refueling stations are:

Casey McCormick’s Literary Rambles

Chuck Sambuchino’s Guide to Literary Agents

3. FEEL THE LOVE FROM YOUR CRITIQUE PARTNERS:

They know your work. They are fresh eyes for you. They are going through the same thing you are be it at the agent or editor query stage. In the case of my group they are now cherished lifelong friends and trusted colleagues. Lean on them.

4. KEEP THE FAITH: In the hopeful song PICK YOURSELF UP Lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Music by Jerome Kern from the film SWING TIME:

Nothing’s impossible I have found,

For when my chin is on the ground,

I pick myself up

Dust myself off,

Start all over again.

Oh, What a Day!

Glass half-empty:

• My son and I locked ourselves out of the house an hour before his behind the wheel driving test.
• We surprised my friend during her shower to get our spare key, after calling another friend to drive us to her house to get said spare key.
• The brake lights shorted out as the DMV examiner was checking them, so my son couldn't take his driving test.
• It took two hours to get the short in the brake lights fixed at the car place.
• A spaced out lady almost backed into me in a parking lot.
• The DMV website would not let my son reschedule his test online.

Glass half-full:

• It's impossible to break into my house.
• My son's friends have their driver's licenses to rescue us.
• My friend showers.
• My son didn't get rear-ended while taking his driving test with faulty brake lights.
• I had time for a delicious veggie wrap while the car got fixed.
• I am alive to write this blog.
• Still working on a glass half-full/DMV line...

And then I starting my writing day...

• Birds chirped
• Cats purred
• Music played
• The outside world disappeared
• Bliss and Joy took my hands

How has diving into your writing reframed a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day for you?

What? An award? Me?

I have a confession.  Long ago in a galaxy far far away someone gave me a blogger award and I lost track of it.  My organizational skills are shady at best.  I apologize for not being able to thank you in person for that first award.  I was thrilled.  I skipped and sang a song.

The amazing Lisa Gail Green has given me a second chance despite my previous dimwitted slight, by honoring my blog with the Stylish Blogger Award.  Run, don't walk to check out her blog Paranormal Point of View.


Seven things about myself:
1. My greatest fear is that I will be eaten by a shark or a bear.
2. I was the assistant art director on IT'S GARRY SHANDLING'S SHOW, for three seasons.
3. My collection of STAR WARS memorabilia is the envy of every ten-year-old boy on the planet.
4. I changed my daughter's middle name from Colleen to Christine in labor.
5. I enter a Zen state when I go to a bookstore or an office supply store.  Pretty, pretty post-its.
6. I was Louisa in a national tour of SOUND OF MUSIC my freshman year of high school.  Yes, I wore the sailor suit.
7. Twitter overwhelms me, but I will persevere and figure it all out.


Here's a shout out to a few of the blogs I love and am honored to pass this award along to.  Check them out and enjoy.


Jess Falling Leaflets
Monica Love YA
Michelle L. Brown Brownie Points
Julie Musil Writing and Blogging Between Carpools
Dana Elmendorf A Squirrel Among Lions
Jessica Love Jessica Love Writes


I could go on, and on, and on, and on...  
Thanks to all you dedicated bloggers who teach me something new with every post and fill me with inspiration.

View From the 5th Grade Trenches - March 2011 - For Japan

Art is the heart beat for expressing emotion, be it through canvas, camera lens, music, or words.  As my class watched the cataclysm unfolding in Japan, they felt a need to send love to our brothers and sisters suffering across the sea.  Haiku, a poetic gift from that exquisite country, was the way they expressed their thoughts.

We are in much fear                                                    

God will find a way to help                                         

There are no tears left                                                

Lisa                                                                               

Just hope, don’t be sad                                            

No more tears, help will be there                              

Hope is there for you

Rian    

Days and days go by

Hope and sadness fill our hearts

Devastating news

Ashley S. & Kathleen

Sadness of Japan

Family's hearts are broken

Something good will come of this

Gage & Pratik

This link will take you to a list of official Red Cross donation sites supporting the relief efforts in Japan.    http://www.redcross.org/en/otherdonationsites/

Conflicted

Back in high school English we all learned about universal conflicts:

Man vs. Man

Man vs. Nature

Man vs. Himself

Man vs. Machine

It’s a blast to write YA because in the teen universe EVERYTHING is a conflict, spanning the spectrum from global to minutia.

Teen vs. Parents

Teen vs. Siblings

Teen vs. Friend today gone tomorrow

Teen vs. Teachers and School

Teen vs. Weather that makes your hair frizz

Teen vs. Their own reflection in the mirror

Teen vs. Trendy Outfits

Teen vs. The DMV

Teen vs. The Fast Food Job

Teen vs. Lack of Money

Teen vs. Social Status

Teen vs. Hair Product

Teen vs. Acne

Teen vs. Acceptance

Teen vs. Cell Phone Service

Teen vs. Who has a car?

Teen vs. the Internet

Teen vs. Curfew

Teen vs. Everyone is stupid except for me

Spy vs. Spy – Sorry, couldn’t resist giving a shout out to my old MAD MAGAZINE reading days.

I’ve only scratched the surface.   Dig out your own teen conflicts and share.

Show Me the Love

When I hop in my time machine and journey back to my YA years for material to pop into my writing, there is one word that flashes in neon above my head.

LOVE – LOVE – LOVE.

Ah, the many faces of love in those chaotic days of high school never disappoint in making our stories ring with truth.

FIRST LOVE: Sweet, delicate, and completely uninformed.

UNATTAINABLE LOVE: Aiming higher than your social sphere.

POWER PLAY LOVE: Dating the right person for social advancement.

TRUE LOVE: Shut up Mom, it is possible to find your soul mate in high school.

CONVENIENT LOVE:  Sticking together for social events especially in senior year.

FORBIDDEN LOVE: Your best friend’s boyfriend.

ON AGAIN – OFF AGAIN LOVE:  You’re my boyfriend THIS week. 

SLOPPY SECONDS LOVE: Next…

MY PARENTS DON’T WANT ME TO DATE YOU LOVE:  Rebellion.

SEXUAL-TENSION LOVE:  Combusting hormones blot out all logical brain function.

OMG LOVE: When you give a so-called “friend” a second look and voila…

Which face of love fits your favorite characters?   What new faces would you add to the list?

Shine

It’s conference week in the 5^th grade trenches.  Today I asked my students to list three things in the following categories to share with their parents during our meeting.

I shine at…

I need to improve in…

As my student’s were listing their positive attributes with no qualms about bragging, I realized that as writers we tend to dwell on the areas in our work that need improvement rather than celebrate our strengths.

So for today, let’s share the shine.  I’ll go first.

I shine at dialogue.  (That BA in acting finally paid off.)

I shine at settings.  (That MFA in design finally paid off.)

I shine at humor. (My irreverence and smart-alecky mouth finally paid off.)

Now blind me with your shine. 

View From the 5th Grade Trenches - February 2011 - Meeting Mark Hamill

A long time ago in a galaxy not so very far away, my boyfriend, dragged me to what I thought was going to be a stupid war movie.  By night's end I was bombing the Death Star with Luke Skywalker, using the imaginary firing button on the armrest of my seat.  I was smitten.  The boyfriend didn’t like STAR WARS, A NEW HOPE.  I dumped him.

Since that day I have dreamed of meeting Luke Skywalker, and last Thursday my wish came true.  The amazing Mark Hamill came to our school and spent time with our 5^th and 6^th grade students.  He answered what seemed like a thousand questions with generosity, humor, and graciousness.  The man is a genuine Jedi through and through.

Mark was a wonderful inspiration to the kids.  He told them to follow their hearts and they can achieve anything in this world.  Here here, Mark Hamill.

Here are a few wide-eyed revelations from the 5^th grade trenches about our awesome guest:

He does so many amazing different voices.  Robyn

He loves video games and is the voice on some of our favorites.  Jerry and Fernanda

He came from a big family that moved around a lot.  Lexi and Cade

He’s a regular dad with kids.  Gage

He wasn’t popular or an athlete in school. Rylee and Kayla

He was student council president. Hunter and Alex

He’s a writer and created the Black Pearl comic.  Tyler and Kyle

He is a director too.  Rylee

He says he’s a comic book geek.  Kait

He likes the weird/cool Star Wars characters like Yoda and Darth Vader. Rian

He was the last human filming on THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK with puppets and snakes.  Ava

I had a tear in my eye when Mark shared that if he were to be anything besides an actor, he’d be a teacher.  I remain smitten.

The force was definitely with us.  Thank you, Mark Hamill for being our shining star.