Handling Criticism Appropriately

"Who cares what that person thinks?" 

"What do they know?"  

My first response to criticism is defensiveness.  I pout, I kick, I scream.  I realize that I can be a bit of 3 year old sometimes.  However, I am not ignorant enough to allow my inner 3 year old to get the best of me.  I've learned that when it comes to writing critiques, the critter is never wrong.  They are telling you what and how they felt about your work.  If you are wise you will take this response, good or bad, and learn how to make your work better-- the best.

The first time I put my work out there for the world to read and comment. I had many cheerleaders, praising my story and the emotions that I touched on.  I was floating on cloud 9.   There may have been some crazy victory dancing, or not.  Then someone reminded me about gravity.  

The critter didn't even put his/her name on the comment.  This horrible person had the nerve to say that:

1. I was telling, not showing.
2. I could develop my character more thoroughly. 
3. I had to readdress my POV discrepancies. 

I sulked, I pouted, I complained.   I was a royal pill.  Then, I was thankful.  Why hadn't I noticed these faults?  I was so stuck in my own story that I didn't see its weaknesses.  We should be grateful for those people who are willing to lay it out there for us. 

I am not saying that we should weight every critique equally, because ultimately it is our story to tell in the manner that we feel is appropriate.  However, approach a critique with gratitude-- even if it takes some kicking and screaming to get to the thank you.  

Amber Lynae

Pitcher of the Year!

That's right!  I'm the self-proclaimed pitcher of the year!  I figured since I agonized over my pitch on the blog, I should tell you how it went.  First of all, I got to the conference Friday night, just in time to hear a class by Elana Johnson on Pitching to Agents and Editors.  Her class was Uh-May-zing!  I rethought my pitch and came up with something a bit better, but the best inspiration hit me at 5:00am.  I woke up and just knew what my pitch was, so I wrote it down and memorized it. 

But first I need to back up a bit to Friday night again.  I attended the meet and greet with the editor and agents.  I spied Kirk Shaw before he even entered the room (He's really tall, kind of hard to miss).  I must have been staring him down hard because he came right up to me and shook my hand.  I felt like a two year old meeting Mickey Mouse for the first time ever.  I mean, here he was, a living, breathing editor shaking my hand.  Taking a deep breath I got my name out and even managed to mention that I would be pitching to him the next day.  That was a mistake, because he asked me what my book was about.  What??  I wasn't ready!  I think it may have sounded something like this, "Uh, women, uh, self, uh help..."  But he sensed my nervousness and quickly moved the conversation on to other things which eventually fell on my favorite books, "The Wheel of Time" Series by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson.  He had read the whole series!  That's it, he won me over!  Anyone who is also a fan of Robert Jordan is definitely a friend of mine.  Too bad I wasn't pitching "The Wheel of Time" series because I came to life.  I probably monopolized too much of his time, but it was well worth it because I was able to see him as just a normal person (Well, a little above normal, he is a Robert Jordan fan after all!) 

So Saturday rolls around and I completely enjoyed myself at all the classes, but kept my pitch in mind the whole time.  I was fortunate enough to get Kirk's last pitch of the day.  That meant I had all day to pitch to anyone who would listen.  (Thanks to all you unfortunate people that I cornered!)  By the time my appt. came up, I was ready.  I handed him my pitch package, (I had it in a nifty black folder with my business card).  He explained that he wouldn't be taking the package but that he would take my business card.  I didn't let it bother me, but I did direct his attention to my annotated Table of Contents (a TOC with a summary under each chapter.)  He pulled it out and I dived right in with my one minute long pitch.  He kept his eyes riveted to me while I talked (yes it was a bit unnerving, but I got through it.)   When I stopped he glanced at the TOC then back at me and said, "That was a great pitch, by the way."  (HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!)
Then he asked me questions from the TOC and I answered them all with confidence.  The best part was I actually did feel confident.  I did feel like I knew what I was talking about.  When our time was up, he actually asked for a little more time with me (Being last has it's perks!)  Then he told me to send him the manuscript when it's completed and gave me his business card!  I was flying so high!  It was a wonderful experience and I recommend you all try it!!  (Course, maybe I just had the priviledge of pitching to the best editor ever!!)

Soooo Unoriginal!

It's been said (by more knowledgeable people than me) that there are no original stories. Plot lines have been recycled since the beginning. (Think Adam and Eve...well, maybe they were original.) So try as we might, there's not anything we can come up with that hasn't been done.

Don't let that discourage you, however. This is actually a good thing in many ways. For instance, people instinctively recognize these familiar lines and find comfort in them. That's why you might gravitate to mystery, or romance, or something that has a pattern that speaks to who you are. You're a product of your own experience, and that's why everyone of us comes to a story bringing a different interpretation to the events.

That can also be a problem as well. For instance, the other day I gave what I had of a current WIP to a writer friend to look at. It wasn't very much, about 40 pages. She came back with some wonderful suggestions that I'm excited to implement. She did say, however, that the initial scene where the hero and heroine meet reminded her STRONGLY of another novel. A best selling novel. One that everyone knows.

I was horrified. She was quick to say that she didn't think I'd set out to rip off this other story, but I might want to rethink that first meeting. As in "better change it".

I got me thinking, though. I could give you a basic plot line, say "Boy meets girl, boy and girl get together, boy loses girl, boy finds girl again". And each one of us would come to it with a different take. We'd have as many different stories as there are people. But there are certain shall we say, conventions, that we would use. There would have to be a first meeting. There are only so many places people can meet. They have to meet somewhere, or there would be no story.

So my question is this...If a popular story has some memorable scene or setting, can up and coming writers use those same conventions, or are they now the permanent property of the famous one? Can anyone else but Stephen King use a small town in Maine? Or have your boy and girl meet in a classroom at school? Or be invited into a magical world you never knew existed? I don't know that there is a definitive answer, but it's worth thinking about.

What are your "thinkings"?

Clueless Caller or Skilled Tour Guide?

by Tamara Passey

            Do you remember the last time you made airplane or hotel reservations? Did you know where you were going? Of course you did, right? Well, I have a certain sister that works for a certain airline as a reservationist. She talks to people all over the country (and world) to help them buy airline tickets. A common conversation she has with callers goes something like this, 

     “Hi. I want to check flights for the week of June 16^th.” 

     Silence, until she asks, “And where will you be going? 

     The caller responds, “Oh, oh, right, Bermuda” 

Then they have another round of similar dialogue so she can establish where they will be flying from. In this age of technology, when companies can know so much about us at the click of a mouse, maybe we expect our airline reservationist to know our home state, vacation plans, seat preferences and the name of our parakeet, too. While there is an easy fix for those buying plane tickets, writers cannot afford to make this mistake.

            We have stories we are anxious to tell, and maybe we know them so well, we forget our reader (like my sister the reservationist) doesn’t have a third eye, sixth sense, spy camera or some other mind melding capability to divine details about our story that we don’t include.

            If we are going to transport our reader to another place and time, (which I’ve heard is one of the hallmarks of a best-selling book) we have to clue them in. I’m not suggesting we overload the poor reader with so much detail in the first page that they feel like they are reading a travel brochure, but that we find ways to bring them along until they find themselves feeling like they are right there experiencing it.

            This might be why our critique groups are helpful and letting select readers –ones we haven’t verbally debriefed on all our plot points—look at our writing. That’s how we find out where the holes are in our story, holes that might make a reader stop and say, “Where am I?”  We need this so we can be more like a skilled tour guide, not a clueless caller.

            So I’m curious what experience you’ve had with this? What books have you read that stand out in your mind as books that have succeeded at this, where you felt like you were transported, taken on a journey? 

Writing, The Culprit

Through college and high school, I kept a very detailed journal with thought-provoking entries regarding boys, family, friends, but mostly boys. In the last several years, my journal writing has waned. And I'm sorry for it because these are the years I know I'll never want to forget.

The thing is, I can't recall details of a memory easily. So when something AMAZING happens, something I NEVER want to forget (which is EVERY day since I'm the mother of young children) I think, "I should write that down."

And most of the time I don't.

Then ALL these amazing moments crowd my heart and I'm afraid of losing them forever. Because I'll forget. But usually when I go to write, I open my book instead of my journal. I spend an hour in my book, and then in the end I think, "If I'm choosing writing about my pretend-world over writing about my real-world, am I making the wrong choice?"

Then again before I started writing, my journaling was already on the decline. So if it wasn't writing, wouldn' t it be something else? (Reading, movie-watching, scrapbooking...?) (For the record, I'm the world's worst scrapbooker.)

Have you found the balance between journaling and writing?

(Do you ever blame writing for taking the place of something else...maybe something else that you can really do alongside writing?)

Brigham City Temple

It's amazing and humbling to be a part of Brigham City Temple's construction. A woven-green screen (chainlink privacy fence) surrounds the temple to maintain the city's beauty--construction sites are quite messy.

All we can see as we drive past on Main Street is the 4 towering cement walls. Whoa. They are working so hard on it, and the progress is stunning!

We are living in a time where scary, yet wonderful things happen.

As for our writing, I know I am doing what the Lord wants me to do. I pray, fast, and seek Priesthood blessings for the betterment of my writing career--though I haven't had a book published yet. I am like our Temple, in the making for something grand (my writing). 

As for my motherhood, I am helping our Father in Heaven to build his Kingdom through my example and teachings in the lives of my children, as well as those around me.

How are you like this Temple?

Saturday Stories, LDS Publisher

Okay, I nabbed the interview of the century! The ever infamous and always informative LDS Publisher agreed to an interview. Wow, I don't feel worthy.

Let's be honest here. Isn't everyone just a little bit curious as to the true identity of Miss LDSP? I know I am. So, I decided to play hard ball. Throw out some tough questions and see if I could flesh out the truth. Perhaps I went too far. Perhaps I shouldn't have treated LDSP as a hostile witness, but hey, it was worth a shot.

As you can see she's got her glasses on and she's ready for the interview.

Q--Let's not beat around the bush here, tell us who are you and what's behind your supposed "free" writing advice? Nothing's free. What's the catch?

You're right. Nothing is free—including knowledge of my alter ego. To discover my true identity, please leave $100,000 in small unmarked bills in a waterproof bag at the bottom of the reflection pool on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Upon receipt of the cash, I will e-mail my real name to you.

The catch behind my free advice? I dream of being a writer myself but am nowhere good enough to compete with those who visit my blog. So I give very complex, difficult and misleading advice to sink the competition. (bwa-ha-ha-ha)

Seriously? I got tired of wading through queries and submissions that were not well thought out, nor on topics or in genres of interest to me. So many beginning writers shoot themselves in the foot because they don't do much research on how to submit a manuscript. The blog was to help make my job—and the jobs of other LDS publishers and editors—a little easier.  

Q-- Is it true that you are a KGB agent who has been hired to infiltrate the LDS Writing world so that you can gather intelligence behind the green jello and carrot salad phenomenon? What is it you hope to uncover?

Drats! Foiled again! I've been searching for the one true and living green jell-o recipe for years. I've found many professing to be THE ONE but they've all been proven false. I've recently widened my search to include the one true and living recipe for Funeral Potatoes and New Baby Casserole Surprise.

Q--Spill it! Who are your accomplices? 

Torture me all you want. I'll never spill those beans! 

Q--Judging by your Avatar it is evident you are a master of disguise. Where did you learn to mask your identity so effectively?

How do you know that's not an accurate rendition of my true face? Hmmm? Just because CFI stole it for the cover of one of their books and claimed it was was clip art does not mean it's not spot-on what I see in the mirror each morning. Sigh! I'm a real looker, aren't I?

Q--Who is this Whitney you keep talking about and who is she that she thinks anyone would want one of her awards?

Whitney is my BFF and we concocted the Whitney awards together as a way to get FREE books. It's a total scam. Do not participate. Do not believe all the photos of people receiving awards, nor the hundreds of people who say they attend the yearly gala. It is all staged. Like men walking on the moon. I mean really, how gullible does the government think we are, anyway?

Q--Okay, let's get a little serious. In the last year I'm sure you've read a ton of books. Can you tell us your top three favorites?

Wow. Top three favorites! I'm assuming you want LDS authors. That is going to be really hard to narrow down—especially since I'm still reading some 2010 books that are Whitney Finalists. 

If I had to pick three right now, it would be Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card; Wolves, Boys and Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler; and Devil's Food Cake by Josi S. Kilpack. But keep in mind, I still have a lot from 2010 to read and might change my mind in a few weeks.

Q--If you could be a character in any book you've read, who would it be and why?

Tricky, tricky! I almost answered this in a way that would have let my real identity slip. Choosing from 2010 releases by LDS authors, I'd pick Evie from Paranormalcy because she can see through people's glamours.  

Q--If you could have any super power imaginable, what would it be and why?

You mean, other than the super powers required for editing and publishing? I'd like to be able to run really fast, like Superman fast. Because then exercising wouldn't take up so much time. And if I was running late, I could still get there on time.

Q--What's your favorite movie?

I recently saw Inception, that was pretty cool. I tend to like science fiction, fantasy type movies. 

Q--What is one piece of advice you wish writers would take seriously?

Do the research before submitting your book! Don't use the shotgun approach to submission. Find a publisher who is interested in the type of book you've written, read their submission guidelines carefully, and then follow those guidelines exactly. Over half the rejections I send out are because the author didn't bother to check our website to see if we publish their type of book. A little research will save everyone time, money and frustration!

Q--What is it you love best about working in the LDS Publishing industry?

I love that it's a small market that responds to good clean reads. I like that I rarely get a submission that makes me feel like I have to wash my eyes out with soap after reading the first few pages. And I like that most of the people I work with, including my "competition," are kind and reasonable people without a cut-throat attitude.

Q--What is it you least like about working in the LDS Publishing industry?

It's a very small market which means none of us are going to get rich. Also, we have a geographically widespread demographic that is difficult to reach if your book is not picked up for sale by Deseret Book. Reaching the consumer and letting them know a specific book exists can be costly.

Q--What is the best piece of advice you could share with aspiring writers?

I have two:

1. Put your behind in the chair and write the book! I know so many people who have great ideas but they never get them down on paper, or never get them finished. Write the book—write what interests you, and write it as well as you can. 

2. When you think your book is finished, send it out to readers before submitting it.  Get critical feedback from authors and others who read a lot in your genre, then rewrite. It is especially important that these readers NOT be related to you and not invested in you personally. You need kind but honest feedback to polish up that manuscript.

Q--Are you a dog or cat person? (If neither, what kind of animal do you like?)

I'm a giraffe type person. I've always admired their long elegant necks.

Q--Tell us, master of disguise, will you be at LDStorymaker's this year? What's your favorite part of the conference?

I absolutely will be there! I love the classes and the networking with good people who are supportive and kind and sincerely want everyone to succeed. I go to several conferences each year and this one is my favorite.

That was fun. I almost got her to slip up and reveal something juicy. Too bad she saw through my trap.

Seriously, LDS Publisher is a great resource for aspiring authors. Not only does she answer much asked questions but she holds contests. Check out her blog http://ldspublisher.blogspot.com/ for all her helpful insight and to keep in tune with what's going on in the world of LDS Publishing.

Thanks LDSP!

I'm still looking for more victims. Did you like the interview? Would you like to take the "stand" as a hostile witness? Maybe a friendly witness is more to your liking. Drop me a note in the comments section (specifying you want to be interviewed) and I'll send some questions your way.

Until next week....when I don't know what I'll post because I need more volunteers!

Wholesome Nourshiment

 "Does it ever seem impossible to find a source of entertainment that is both interesting and in line with your standards? Today TV networks, movie producers, and even book authors continue to push the edge of appropriateness to create more shocking material. Never before in history have violence, bad language, and pornography been so pervasive in our media. So what do we do? Do we avoid all forms of media and entertainment altogether?" - Christa Skousen 

We are like the grapes in vineyard, we take on the qualities of our nourishment.   However, unlike the grapes we have a choice of what we put into our minds.  However, it can be hard to find those beautiful morsels that are both interesting and wholesome.  

This fall I was running low on reading material (don't ask me how that happened now I have a never ending reading shelf)  so I bought two books out the YA section.  They were filled with bad language, fortification, violence and drug use.  One of them was by a best selling author.   This is what the world is putting out there for our youth.

Needless to say, I no longer buy books without first reading some reviews unless they are by authors I trust.  Since this experience I have read many great books that have met both standards of interesting and wholesome.  

The world is not keeping up with the standards that we want our children to maintain.  This is why I know that there is a call of good writers.  Those who have the desire, talent, and faith are being called to provide books.  It is a good cause worthy of being anxiously engaged in.  The more you rely on the Lord to guide you through this journey the better he will be able to use your talents to shape the world around you.

"The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Got any good books for me to add to my reading shelf?   

How soon until I see yours there?

Amber Lynae

An Awesome Conference and Book Reviews!

I had such a great time at the ANWA Conference this past weekend.  I got to meet so many people that I'd only known on cyberspace until this point.  One of those people was Angela Morrison.  Angela asked me to review a couple of her books awhile ago and I loved them!!  It was great to meet her in person and attend one of her classes at the conference.  She is such an energetic person, it was easy to see how she can write such great books by drawing on her own life experiences.  Which is what her class was about, "Writing what you know".  She talked about taking what you know and making it even better with your imagination.  It was a great class.  But her books are even better.  Her first YA book was published with Razorbill (a division of Penguin).  We're talking major publishing company here.  And the best part?  Her book, Taken by Storm,  has an LDS main character. She does an amazing job of writing an LDS teenage girl that feels ostracized because of her beliefs and also strengthened at the same time.  The introduction of a boy that tempts her with his love brings tumult into her life and her hormones.  Angela does a great job of showing the struggles LDS teenagers have in today's world and is able to make the story come to life.  I would recommend the book for girls 15 yrs and up...maybe 16.  Sexual attraction is being approached in many YA novels these days and usually not in ways that uphold LDS or Christian beliefs.  Angela brings a new perspective to this national market and I, for one, am very appreciative!  But don't take my word for it.  Watch her trailer, then buy her book!




Her next book in the series, Unbroken Connection, is touching and has left me holding my breath for the next one.  Unbroken Connection is self-published, as she didn't buckle under the pressure of her publishing company to take out something she felt was important to her book. She is truly an amazing person and storyteller.  I can't wait to read her other book as well, Sing Me to Sleep.

Thanks again to Angela for allowing me to review her books and for the wonderful class she gave at the conference!!

She Winds Up, and Here's the Pitch!

I was thrilled when circumstances arranged themselves so I could attend the ANWA conference this past weekend. It was fabulous and so much fun. I highly recommend it, as do the agents and editor we met. They all said in one form or another that attending conferences, getting to know the prospective authors, HEARING PITCHES of their works is why they go. They want to discover the next Stephenie Meyer or J.K. Rowling as much as we want to be discovered. So if you can, GO!

Like I said, there were pitches of novels and picture books and middle grades going on all over the place. But not by me. Though I hadn't attended a conferences for several years, I remembered from the last one that those professionals really want you to come in with finish manuscripts back at home, as polished as you can make them. And I didn't have anything ready. Not even close. I was going just to learn, not to look for anything beyond that.

So on Friday as I mingled and chatted and discussed, when the question arose, "Are you going to pitch?" my response was a laugh and a "No. I'm not anywhere close to being ready."

On Saturday I sat through classes and workshops without a care in the world while there was stress oozing out of all those poor suckers actually having to talk about their books to these industry heavyweights. Ha ha, I thought, at least I get to enjoy all of this without any worry about that an agent might say no to me.

As the morning classes ended, I went in search of my ANWA chapter cohorts. One of them had pitched to one editor first thing in the morning, while the other had the last slot before lunch. While we waited for her, the kind volunteer asked if I wanted to slip in right then, as the agent wanted to work through llunch. Again I laughed and said "Thanks but no thanks. I've nothing to pitch."

Here's where my plan fell apart. See, there were other writers at that conference. Other writers who were encouraging me to take the time slot, just go in and talk to her, to practice pitching, because even if my stuff wasn't finished, it would be done soon and I'd be pitching for real anyway, either by query or in person at another conference.

So caught up in the energy of it all, I heard myself blurt out "Sure, okay. Let's do it. Sign me up."
Luckily the agent was saved from me going in and rambling all over her because a wise member of the conference committee swooped in and made her eat lunch. That gave me time to actually sit down and WRITE the dang thing out. So over bites of Caesar salad, I took what I'd learned from the conference so far and whipped something out. I barely had time to run it past a few willing ears before it was my turn.

Only one butterfly had time to form before I went in. The agent was friendly and kind, complimenting my style and blouse. After about 30 seconds of chit chat, we got down to business. I told her it was YA urban fantasy, and even though I'd heard she wasn't really interested in fantasy, she said nothing about it and asked me to continue.

I apologized for reading my pitch (which you're not supposed to do), since I'd just written the dang thing. So here it is:

In REBORN, highschool seniors Iris Maat and Oscar Lightfeather are attracted by more than hormones: the reborn Egyptian dieties Isis and Osiris are caught in a web of love, jealosy, and murder as Set, the Lord of Chaos, hunts them down, determined to kill Osiris all over again. That he's Iris's boyfriend makes it all too easy.

I honestly didn't know what to expect. What I did not expect, however, was that she would ask me for a partial, or the first three chapters. I told her it was unfinished, and she said to send it after it was finished, but she still wanted to see it. (Just for the record this will undergo many more revisions. I'm just as surprised as you are that it got me a partial request.)


We talked about several things during the rest of my time, and she reiterated as I walked out that she wanted a partial. I left in a bit of a daze. What was I supposed to do now? Oh yeah. Finish the book.

Everyone else was so excited for me, but I could barely hear them over my voice screaming in my head "I have to finish it! I have to finish it! I have to finish it!"

So here I am, a few days removed, and I think the voices in my head have started to quiet down. As long as I'm writing, that is. If I write, they're quiet. Sooooooooo, I think I'll go write some more. Besides, I have to finish three books before this time next year. I know. Insanity. (Thanks tons, Jen.)