Write Your World.

How Do Writers Write?

2012-03-06T14:30:00.000-06:00

"How do you force yourself to sit down and write?"

My sister posed this question to me while trying to tackle her own writing projects. It made me laugh. It's the age old struggle for every writer. After all, if you don't actually write, you'll never be a writer, no matter how much you want it.

Three things help me write: Time, Space and People.

Time: I think everyone has a different approach, but this is what worked for me. First, I learned how to devote some time to writing every day through getting my master's degree in creative writing for children. An expensive way to learn how to write every day, but it taught me the discipline of setting aside time and not letting other activities infringe upon it.

You don't have to go through the rigors of a master's program to learn this, but I do suggest scheduling some time during your week to write. It doesn't have to be every day, contrary to what you've heard, as long as you have a regular schedule and stick to it. Put it on your calendar and then don't schedule anything over it. Be jealous for that time.

Space: Another huge step to writing regularly was finding my own space to devote to writing. Last week my critique group both debated and lamented the lack of space inside our homes. Sure it would be nice if everyone had their own office to write in. I'm lucky to have an upstairs bedroom that serves as my writing space. It's simple - just a desk, a calendar and a pin-board covered in index cards, but it's my own. It's away from the chores downstairs that steal away my writing time. When I climb upstairs and sit at this desk, I know I'm working.

If you don't have your own room, you can at least find some space at a desk or table, park it and say, "For the next hour, this is my office." I've had to do the same when guests are in town using the spare bedroom. It's not as easy, but if you're determined, it works. That said, if you have some extra space, I recommend turning it into your own writing place.

People: I've blogged about the value of critique groups or partners before. The truth is, if somebody else isn't reading your work on a regular basis, you'll feel little motivation to write your own material. Other writers, or at least readers, provide accountability. My critique partners check in with me. Every two weeks they encourage me to keep going on a story that's been a struggle to write. It's their enthusiasm that brings me back to this desk when I really don't feel like pushing through to the end of a difficult story.

No matter how many movies you've seen about the detached, lonely writer, we need other writers in our lives. If you don't have anyone to read your work, start looking for critique partners now. You can find them online, through a professional organization like the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators or even through notices at your local library. I've met some amazing writers and made great friends through my group.

Other than that, all I can say is writing is hard work, but if you're a writer, you already know that. Schedule your time, find your space, and ask people to hold you accountable to your work. Then write!

I want to be a writer, but I just don't feel like writing today.

2012-01-12T18:01:00.000-06:00

Winter is officially here with sub-freezing temperatures, a heady north wind and blustery clouds. No sun and the promise of an afternoon run to distract me from writing today. I have the house to myself. I'm tucked into my office upstairs with popcorn for sustenance. I can look out on the world (ok, my neighbors) from the window near my desk and feel cozy and smug that they have to work while I GET to write.

But I just Don't. Feel. Like. Writing.

Ever have these days? I do, far more often than I'd like to admit. The truth is, most of the time, I don't feel like writing. I like the idea of it. I love the idea of being a published author, of readers holding my book in their hands, of hitting the best seller list (hey, this is my daydream. Why not?) The only thing I don't like is actually sitting down and getting to the nitty gritty of writing this story inside my head.

And this is why most people feel exactly the way I do. They'd love to be a writer, but actually writing comes down to, well, actual writing. And it's not easy.

On days like today, when I've stalled for as long as I can, checked Twitter multiple times, and even been driven to daytime Facebooking, there's only one thing that helps. It's not more research. It's not reading someone else's story. It's sitting down in my chair and reading my own work.

Reading, not writing, you say? Yup. I've found the best cure for lackluster enthusiasm is reading the few chapters preceding that blank page. I'm propelled into the character's world again. I remember where I left her hanging in dire straits with no chance of rescue in sight. How dare I do that to her?

And finally, I remember why I liked this idea enough to sit down and start writing in the first place. By the time the words run out and I hit those "notes to self" at the end, I'm ready to go. It's not easy. It rarely is, but I'm excited about the work once again.

So if you're writing but struggling to find that desire to do the work, read over what you've written (if you're 100 pages in, just take in the last chapter or two). Ignore that voice in your head telling you it's no good. Recapture the thrill of the idea and then see where it takes you.

Before you know it, the sun will be down, the husband home and ready for dinner, and you'll have added at least a few words to that future best seller. A small victory, but one that if you win most days, will get you through the writing doldrums every time.

So why are you still reading this? Get back to your own story and write!

Clipart Copyright © Acclaim Images, LLC www.clipartguide.com

Christmas Eve Links to Make Your Holiday Merry and Bright.

2011-12-24T13:39:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas Eve! I know it's a busy day, but if you have just 5 minutes, why not check out a few of these Christmas links to help make your holiday merry and bright!

First, if you're still searching for that perfect addition to your Christmas Eve meal, check out Beth Stephen's post on Wassail on Arkansas Women Bloggers today. While you're at it, here's a creative idea to feed the birds for next Christmas or even for Winter 2012 called A Partridge in a Peartree.

As Santa is winging his way towards your house, you can watch his progress at Norad Santa Tracker .

Let's not forget what Santa's Christmas mission is all about. Here's one of my favorite readings of the Christmas story from A Charlie Brown Christmas

If you're curious about those Wise Men we only hear about this time of year, check out my posts on Frankincense and Myrrh and Wise Men from the East to learn more about these interesting but little known figures.

Finally, what Christmas Eve is complete without beautiful holiday music? Recently the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) performed their first Christmas Pops concert. I was lucky enough to be in attendance, but if you missed it, you can listen to each wonderful song here Local radio celeb Jim Bodine's reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas is especially good.

I hope this adds to your holiday fun and I wish everyone a VERY

Critique Groups: A Writer's Lifeline

2011-12-12T15:38:00.000-06:00

I'm about to dash out and meet my critique group, but before I do, I thought I'd list my top 5 reasons every writer should be part of a critique group. Ready?

1) Honesty

Here's the thing about being a writer. A lot of the time, we think what we write is pretty good. And we don't want anyone to tell us otherwise, so it's easier to keep your work, and your inflated opinion of it, to yourself. Or you're the other kind of writer, the one who thinks everything you write is terrible and you couldn't possibly show it to anyone. A group can give you real feedback and let you know what's good and frankly, what stinks, although they'll hopefully tell you in a nice, constructive way that keeps you coming back.

2) Accountability

My group meets every two weeks. As soon as we finish a meeting, I know I have just a week to get my next group submission polished up and send to the other members to allow them enough time to critique it. I know I have to write if someone is going to read my work and give me feedback every two weeks. My group helps move me to write. And every writer knows how tough that is!

3) Experience

I've gotten to do a lot of cool things in my life, from traveling around the world to getting my MFA in writing, but I certainly haven't done everything. Other writers bring their experience and wisdom to the table. One of my members spent many years on a ranch in Montana working as the wife and assistant to her veterinarian husband. Another has been a librarian for many years and has a real bead on the children's book market. When you have a critique group, you broaden your experience through the other group members.

4) Opinion

I can't tell you how many times my group has read scenes and disagreed on what they liked or didn't, which character is more developed, or even which word to use here. I listen to every opinion and carefully take it into consideration when I revise. Sometimes I agree with one member over others, and sometimes I don't agree at all, but they always force me to examine my own writing more deeply. Not every writer is the same, and certainly not every reader. Differing opinions matter and will make your writing better, too.

5) Community

A writer's life can be pretty lonely. We all need those hours shut away in your office, spare bedroom or wherever you write best, with just the characters in your head for company. But after awhile you start to feel disconnected, bored and well, lonely. Just knowing I'm going to meet with other writers energizes my own writing time. I look forward to our meetings every other week and I know others in the group do, too. We get to talk a little about our lives and a lot about our work to people who actually care about what we're writing. And that's a pretty rare thing.

So, I hope I've convinced you to join a writing group if you're even a little serious about writing. You'll be glad you did. Now it's time to meet with mine, so happy writing!

Traveler's Check: How Do You Respond to the Challenges of Traveling Abroad?

2011-11-11T15:27:00.000-06:00

Sanaa, Yemen

Soon I'll board a plane heading south for Mexico and spend a week in a place quite different from my own home here in Northwest Arkansas. It's been five years since I traveled abroad and I don't mind telling you I'm chomping at the bit for this trip. I love traveling and I spent time in this Mexican city as an undergrad one summer, honing my language skills and discovering a new world.

What is it about traveling to another country that is so exciting? There are so many hassles to potentially get in the way, from passport and visa troubles to security concerns and even down to anxiety about being unable to communicate with the locals. For me, these very real possibilities can't drown out what I know happens every time I step outside my own known world. Change.

You can't travel abroad without it changing you, whether you're traveling for business, vacation or study. Once you're outside your little region of the world, you discover not everyone lives the same way you do, and not everyone agrees with the way you live, either. It's challenging, sometimes shockingly so. And it's good for us.

Girl in Jibla, Yemen

Realizing not everyone is like me, or likes me, helps me begin to understand why our crazy world is the way it is. I'm not saying travel will help you understand everything, but it's a great jumping off point. Here's an example from my past.

In my first trip out of the country, I spent a summer studying abroad in France. I spent several nights in the French countryside, lodging with a friend of a friend who owned a picturesque country house. We ate dinner every night under the pergola in her garden, gazing over the green and golden landscape. It was amazing, but that wasn't the challenging part.

One night her neighbors joined us and immediately jumped into politics. Since I was an American and America was currently in the midst of the Clinton scandal, they asked my opinion. Naive 20-year-old that I was, I readily offered an unfavorable view of the president's behavior, confident the other dinner guests would agree. When I finished, I was met with an uncomfortable silence.

"Really?" one of the guests said. "Who cares what the man does in his private affairs, as long as he makes the right political decisions for the country. Why hold him to moral standards above everyone else because he's the president?"

I was as shocked by this view as my French counterparts seemed to be by my own. "Because he's the president," I choked out. "He should be a moral leader as well as a political one." When it was clear we couldn't agree, someone poured more wine and we moved on to safer territory, namely the scandalous behavior of the neighbor's dog.

The French dinner guests were still charming and kind to me and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Still, I've never forgotten their reactions that night and how they challenged me to look at the situation differently. I'm not saying they were right, but I certainly began to consider my views and opinions more carefully.

So when I'm preparing to travel, of course I'm thinking about the cool things I might be able to do in this city or that one. I check the travel guides like anyone else, but in the back of my mind, I'm also thinking, "I wonder what I'll learn from this trip." For me, these lessons stick in my memory far longer than the awe of any monument or ancient ruins.

So the next time you're traveling, whether abroad or just well outside your own comfort zone, ask yourself, "What's challenging me and what am I learning here?" and see if it doesn't change you, too.

Tibet

Halloween Special: Why we need Monsters and Magic in Children's Stories.

2011-10-31T14:41:00.003-05:00

"Scary Razorback"

I've had several friends ask if I celebrate Halloween. The answer is yes. As a child I started planning my costume in September, usually in conjunction with my twin sister. We enjoyed pairing our costumes to maximize the effect. Halloween was a magical night. My sisters and I roamed our vast neighborhood with flashlights, cocooned in the identity and personality of our chosen costumes, safe in the knowledge that Dad wasn't far behind.

It felt like anything could happen on Halloween night, that ghosts and monsters did exist and might be waiting in the shadows to scare you. In fact, it was usually a friend's father down the road who jumped out in a mask and caused us all to scream. But it didn't matter if the monsters were real or not, what mattered was the idea that spurred on my imagination.

Critics of Halloween argue children shouldn't be exposed to such frightening notions as vampires who suck your blood, werewolves who bite and zombies who eat your brains. I'm a firm advocate in parents deciding what's right for their children until the children are old enough to make informed decisions themselves, perhaps with guidance from the parents. As a writer, I think this approach is best for what books children read, but in this case, it works well for the celebration of a certain holiday.

The reason I celebrate Halloween, and feel as a writer it's essential to our culture, is it gives our children permission to be scared of monsters. When you're five, monsters, witches and fairies are real and there is true delight in inhabiting that magical world, even if the monsters in them are a little frightening.

In one of my favorite picture books, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, Max is sent to bed early, but instead he sails to the Land of Wild Things, a land of fierce monsters. Max doesn't cry out for Mom and Dad to protect him. Instead, he stares the monsters down, proving to himself is capable of overcoming those once scary creatures. The monsters make him king, celebrating and dancing until Max decides its time to return to the safety of his room.

In another "scary" favorite of mine, the notorious Harry Potter fights witches, wizards and monsters galore to save the world from Voldemort, an evil, power hungry wizard who wants to rule the world, both human and wizard. In the standoff of the century in children's books, Harry duels with Voldemort and wins, not on his own but through the power of friends and family, and the even more powerful concept of love.

Voldemort and the monsters in the Land of Wild Things are representations of the evil that exists in our world. In reality, there are power hungry dictators who repress entire nations, war lords who kill indiscriminately, and criminals who rob and cause harm. There are also much subtler forms of evil that creep into our lives, like disease and car accidents and war.

Max and Harry Potter get the chance to face their monsters, stare them down, and defeat them. Good triumphs over evil, and young readers experience that triumph as their own. They learn that monsters and wizards can be beaten and hope for a better world can exist, even in the midst of evil. That is a lesson essential to the growth of any child. If we don't learn how to conquer imaginary monsters as children, how will we ever face the true monsters in our world with the hope that good will triumph?

So tonight I will put on a costume and roam the streets with my sisters' children. We will face the monsters, witches, fairies and princesses, vampires and superheroes. We will stare them down like Max and Harry and we will win. Tomorrow we will eat candy, and in the years to come, we will laugh at the silliness of this night.

So to all those who celebrate, have a frightfully Happy Halloween!

"Scary" Silly Cat

From Knight Rider to the A-Team: Why Writers Need Other Writers

2011-10-27T17:14:00.000-05:00

One of my earliest television memories as a kid isn't from Sesame Street or Captain Kangaroo or Mister Roger's Neighborhood (and now I've really dated myself), but from Knight Rider. Yes, the show with the talking car. I loved watching Michael Knight drive around busting bad guys with just the help of his savvy, technologically advanced set of wheels.

In fact, being a writer can feel a lot like Knight Rider. You might not physically bust bad guys, but you can write about them. And that partner in technology Knight had in KITT? That's what a writer calls the internet, baby. Together you can cruise all day and night, following leads, solving crimes (or creating them) and finally bringing that book to a satisfying conclusion. You don't need anyone else, except the occasional call from headquarters to provide mission details, right?

Hmm. Luckily, the excess of excellent television series in the 80s presented me with a new and better show: the A-Team. Wow, what those guys couldn't accomplish together. Who didn't love how crazy Murdock was, or how Face could smooth talk a bum out of his last dime? Put them together with B.A.'s muscles and Hannibal's brains and you had a crack shot team that anyone would want to be a part of. At least, I did.

A writing friend from my MFA program asked me for a letter of recommendation today and it got me thinking about writing. It can feel like a lonely process. I spend most afternoons alone with my computer, trying to write down these stories in my head and ignore the siren call of the internet. It's insular and, after awhile, easy to lose perspective. That's where the A-Team comes in.

Your A-Team doesn't have to feature a cigar chomping colonel or a mohawk-sporting mechanic with a Bad Attitude, but you do need someone else besides your characters involved in your writing process. Look for other writers who are serious about improving their work and yours. Get past your fears of sharing your work. Meet regularly. Be kind but honest when critiquing others' work. Demand the same for yourself. Admit your weaknesses as a writer and find writers who are strong in those areas. Ask for help.

A mentor of mine once said, "All writers steal from each other." He didn't mean I should steal my critique partner's plot. He meant we all have to realize our stories aren't as original as we like to think, and that writing is a collaborative process.

I'm not meant to be a Knight Rider. I have a hard time staying up past eleven (okay, bad pun, but irresistible). I need someone like the colonel directing me when my work's gone astray, or the crazy ideas my critique group can come up with when they read my work. And sometimes what I need most is someone with a Bad Attitude to make me sit down and write.

I need a team. So do you.

And if you don't believe me, I'll leave you with the immortal words of B.A. Baracus himself: "I pity the fool."

Writing a Synopsis - aka what the heck is that and why should I do it?

2011-09-26T14:17:00.000-05:00

A friend challenged me last week to write a synopsis of my current work-in-progress (read novel for my non-writer friends). I immediately thought, "Man, I don't want to do that." But I didn't say it out loud. I just acknowledged her suggestion was a good one and, when pushed, promised I'd follow through and email it to her.

When I sat down to do it, I made sure to check my inbox first, then my other inbox. I checked Twitter, then Facebook. I even browsed Google+ (yeah, still trying to figure that one out). Finally, I decided I should quit procrastinating and start writing, so I promptly googled "How to Write a Synopsis." Guess what popped up? Another blog post on how to write a synopsis by none other than Nathan Bransford - former literary agent and middle grade author. I started laughing immediately. It seems I'm not the only one who puts off writing about synopses. Check out Nathan's humorous post "How to Write a Synopsis" here.

Since the basics of a synopsis is covered in that post, I want to talk more about why I dislike writing them, and why they're so helpful. It's the same reason. A synopsis covers your main characters and the major events of the story, including the ending. And that's it, really. No need to detail every minor character and sub-plot. But that's also means you must know those major points and even your ending ahead of time. And that takes...planning.

If you're thinking at this point, well of course it does, then I congratulate you. You're one of those writers able to plan out every detail before you sit down to write. It must be nice to know exactly where you're heading. I want to be that kind of writer - the kind who, when stuck in a certain scene, can look at her outline and say, "No problem, I'll just move on to the next one."

But I'm not. I'm usually half a step ahead of my characters and sometimes they even catch me by surprise. "Really, you're going to do that? That's not really the way I envisioned the story going but, um, ok." It makes writing exciting, but it can also be stressful. I often ask myself, "Where is this story going?"

Back to the challenge then. Last week I sat down and summarized what I'd already written and thought, that wasn't so bad. Then I realized I had half a book left to summarize in the synopsis and only vague ideas of how to get there. Uh-oh, soul searching time.

So I spent several hours thinking the story through. What would happen if she did that and this leads to that and then... and you know what? It worked. I got it all down on paper - the first time I've ever written a synopsis for a story that wasn't already completed! And it was helpful! Now I have more direction for my scenes. I have destinations for my characters. Their journey isn't plotted out in every detail, but there are major stops along the way. I even have an ending that took me by surprise, but now it won't catch my main character unawares.

So I've decided to become a fan of the synopsis, as challenging as it may be, because I know the challenge will force me to be a better writer. So I encourage you to do the same. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a story to write. There's even an ending waiting for me.

World Building and the Matrix Part III- Breaking the Rules

2011-09-17T12:03:00.006-05:00

Let's imagine we're playing a game. It's a new game. You invented it and invite me to play. It sounds like fun. You explain the rules and we're off. I play according to your rules, looking for a way to win. Suddenly, you declare the game over and yourself the winner.

I blink and review the rules, but I can't see how you could possibly have won, unless you're breaking your own rules. You can argue you didn't break the rules if you don't tell me all the rules of the game, but how am I going to feel afterwards? Will I understand that you simply refrained from telling me some rules, or that you were allowed to break them in certain circumstances? Or will I feel cheated and angry and unlikely to play with you again? Yeah, that's what I thought. That's how I felt watching the final movie in the Matrix series.

The truth is, we like rules for society but not for ourselves. Call it rebellion of man or a sinful nature or whatever you like, but there is something in all of us that doesn't like rules. When the rule of law breaks down, as in a riot, political uprising, etc, the rules go out the window. We've seen it on t.v., or perhaps even in our own lives, numerous times. But from those results, we know society functions better when a majority of people agree to follow the rules.

Stories echo life, and writers follow rules as they create stories. Plot, character, setting. Introduction, rising action, climax, denouement. You may not be consciously obeying these rules, but you're following through with the proven rules of writing. When you're world building, you're also laying down your own rules for the story, as I discussed in Part I and Part II.

However, even though you're following rules, you're also the author, the creator of your work. As the creator, you have all the power. You bring characters to life. You determine their fates. They live happily ever after or enter a death spiral because of you. This brings up the question,"Once a writer makes the rules, can't she, as the creator of the world, take artistic license and break them?

My answer is yes.

And no.

Let me clarify. As the author, you have the right to do whatever you want in your story, but that doesn't guarantee people will like it. If your attitude is, "I don't care what people think," then that's fine. But let's face it. Most authors do care.

This is why, when it comes to breaking your own rules, you must be careful. You've spent time laying out the rules of your world and helping your reader invest in them. You've helped them understand how to get from A to B. When you jump from B to Q or to an entirely different language, you haven't just confused your reader, you might have lost them altogether.

Let's get to the Matrix example. In the first movie, the world (the Matrix) and its rules are set. The second movie delves deeper into the real world, especially Zion. While it has a few distracting subplots, it does help us understand the world a little more. Then, in the final movie, the main character Neo spends most of the time outside of the worlds we've come to know, first trapped in a program in a subway station, then searching for a way to meet another program (The Architect) whose existence is never satisfactorily explained.

Neo also shouldn't be able to do what he does outside the Matrix. He takes down machines with his thoughts, something that follows the rules of being inside the Matrix, not out of it. He journeys to the Machine City and speaks with the ironically named Deus Ex Machina, a conglomeration of small machines made into one large face, and a character who was never mentioned in the previous movies (so check out the definition of deus ex machina here).

Contact with the machines has been minimal before this. We've only seen the battle between the Sentinels and Zion. Instead of using this opportunity to explore more in depth the machine world, which is also the real world, Neo is sent back into the Matrix to battle the out of control Smith program. He allows Smith to destroy him to reset the Matrix for the machines (although this was only clear to me after reading commentary.)

So why do I feel cheated? Because this character was allowed to break the established rules. I don't buy that as a Messiah figure he could do that. The encounter with the machine world turned out to be one of the most pivotal parts of the series, but so little time was devoted to revealing this new world, that I couldn't understand its rules. Hence, I couldn't understand how an alliance between the machines and Neo could work. This led to that feeling of walking out of the theater thinking, what just happened? How was that even possible?

If you read some of the internet commentary, there are varied explanations, most of them far reaching and a few plausible, but certainly not obvious at the end of the movie. So I ask you, is that how you want your reader to feel when they finish your story?

Do you want them reaching for explanations for how your character was able to defy all the previously laid rules to your world? Or do you want them to be amazed at how he maneuvered skillfully through the rules to ultimately win the game in the way only a true hero could?

That's what I thought, too.

World Building and the Matrix Part II - Aha Moments

2011-09-08T14:21:00.000-05:00

As promised, I'm returning to the theme of world-building in writing using The Matrix Trilogy as an example.

In my previous post, I discussed the importance of laying a foundation of rules your reader can follow to help acclimate your reader to your unfamiliar world. Once this is done, you can move more freely through your story. Your reader will begin to pick up the clues and think "Aha, this is why that is possible."

For example, in the Matrix, there's a scene where Neo attempts to jump from one tall building to another. He fails and falls to the street below from a dizzying height. When he wakes up in the real world, his lip is bleeding.

Neo: I thought it wasn't real.

Morpheus: Your mind makes it real.
Neo: If you're killed in the Matrix, you die here?

Morpheus: The body cannot live without the mind

Aha moment! We now know it's possible to die in the Matrix because the mind is projecting these experiences onto the physical body, even without the body being present in the Matrix. We don't question the validity of this point because the writers of the Matrix lay this as a foundational truth.

These Aha moments are an important part of writing. You want your reader to think for himself, catch those nuances and feel smug that he did. If your reader thinks he's figuring out your story, he'll keep reading to see if he's right. Because we all want to be right.
That opens up opportunities to both prove your reader right and totally turn the story on end and surprise him, as long as those surprises come within the framework of the rules you've already laid.

That begs the question, do writers always have to follow their own rules in world-building? Once a writer makes the rules, can't she, as the creator of the world, take artistic license and break them?

I'll answer that question in my final post on the Matrix Trilogy. I can't blog about a trilogy without making this into my own three part series, after all.

World Building and the Matrix - Do you know the rules of your own world?

2011-08-23T14:08:00.000-05:00

I re-watched the Matrix Trilogy this week with a distinct eye towards world building in post apocalyptic societies. Whoa. What does that mean? Just that I'm thinking of writing a story set in a post-war future and I wanted to review how others have presented it in both books and the big screen.

As I watched the first movie, I remembered all the things that drew me in before - the suspense of discovering what had happened to the world, what the Matrix was, how some characters could move in and out of it while others couldn't. In other words, I learned the rules.

We instinctively know the rules of our own world, whether we can consciously say them out loud or not. For example, I know when exiting a crowded parking lot after a football game, if a driver lets me into their lane, I should wave. I acknowledge their gesture with one of my own (hopefully polite). When you go to a movie, you turn your phone off or at least put it on silent, otherwise you're being rude to everyone else in the theater when your phone interrupts the movie. We know these things because we know our world.

When you travel to another country, one of the key reasons for culture shock is not knowing the rules of that culture. You do what's perfectly acceptable at home and unknowingly, and usually embarrassingly, offend twenty people at once. You didn't mean to (I hope), you just didn't know the cultural rule. You have to learn them, and once you do, you're able to understand that culture on a whole new level.

What does this have to do with writing? When creating a story, the author must know the rules for the world she's creating. I suppose if you're writing a contemporary novel in your home state, you might be off the hook. However, the further your setting is from your reader's norm, the more you have to lay out the rules of the world.

Why? Because your reader doesn't know your world. Right now, he's just an uncomfortable tourist trying to figure out cultural norms and not offend anyone. The more your reader learns and understands the world, the more he can enjoy the story you've created to fit within this new land. And hopefully, your reader will like your world so much they come back again.

That's how I felt when I first saw the Matrix. I loved the world. I couldn't wait for the sequels to find out the rest of the story. And then...maybe many of you know what's coming next. Oh, the disappointment. But why the next two movies failed is another blog entry (but here's a hint, it has to do with the rules!)

For now, just remember. Your world. Your rules. Don't neglect to lay this foundation or your reader will leave as disgruntled as an American in Paris, feeling vaguely like he's seen something great, but in such culture shock that he just can't wait to get home and forget those rude foreigners who think their world is so much better when it's clearly not. Or is it?

It all comes down to knowing those rules.

So you have an idea for a story. What now?

2011-07-18T15:16:00.001-05:00

The question most people often ask writers is "Where do you get your ideas for a story?" - a question I answered in a previous post. However, I think the better question isn't where do ideas come from, but what do you do with your idea once you have one?

Writer Gillian Cross says it best in her essay Up the Beanstalk: "Ideas are ten a penny...Simply getting the idea for a fictional world does not make it exist."

This thought immediately resonated with me. I bet right now you can think of at least 3 things you've either always imagined writing about, or would be interested in writing about even if you don't count yourself a writer. So you have an idea for a story? So what. What are you going to do about it?

Even though I often find myself writing about strange places and different times, I'd never considered the process of launching into an idea to shape the story, yet this is exactly how I write. I was relieved to read that Cross had attempted to elaborately outline her second novel and failed because she hadn't yet entered the world of her story. She didn't know it well enough. She had to launch into it to discover what the characters were going to do.

I find myself at this point now, toes on the tip of the diving board, looking at that clean, cold water from above and trying to decide if I have the guts to dive in and swim. The story I began this week isn't coming easily. I'm asking myself, "Is it always this hard at the beginning?" (I suspect it is). Luckily, I ran across Cross' article today and it's just what I needed to pull up this kernel of an idea again and launch myself into a world that only vaguely exists in my imagination.

I'll close with one final thought from Cross: "Every world that lives with us, after we first read about it, has been explored by someone who did not know what was there beforehand, who climbed like Jack not only in ignorance, but also without knowing, for sure, that there was anything at all above the clouds."

You can find Gillian Cross' article Up the Beanstalk in the book Origins of Story: On Writing for Children, edited by Barbara Harrison and Gregory Maguire, Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1999.

Freeze Frame

2011-06-15T17:32:00.000-05:00

I jump into the community park pool and shiver with delight at the water's coolness. It's a bright, hot June day, the way summer in Arkansas is supposed to be - muggy with a few clouds drifting overhead, not enough to give shade, just enough to know an isolated thunderstorm might pop up later. As I come up for air, I glimpse the dark green leaves on the trees around the park, the sparkle of the sun, even the call of a cicada before I plunge my head back underwater. The sun is warm on my back even through the water's chill. All I can think of is how much I love the little moments that make up summer.

As a writer, you can consciously freeze those moments in your mind and draw off them when you're creating your setting, trying so hard to get the atmosphere right. When I'm setting a scene in my story, my mind immediately goes to those frozen moments. For a summer scene, I might remember what the water felt like, how the trees burst with that deep green only the summer sun gives them, the ringing call of the cicada. From there it's easy to go back to other summer moments - how thick the air feels right before a summer storm, the sweet smell of rain afterwards, the scent of honeysuckle walking down a back road in my grandparent's small town. I close my eyes and draw on all of these moments when I write, until I find the one that makes the setting just right.

If you're conscious of these moments, it gets easier to recognize them as they happen. Time will seem to slow down. You'll think, I must remember this - the smells, sights, emotions- and as you take the time to make a mental road map back to that place, you will remember. Then, even writing in the midst of a winter snowstorm, you'll be able to conjure a summer day so believable you can almost hear the cicadas calling back across time.

And here you thought this would be a post on the J. Geils Band.

As American as Peanut Butter

2011-05-20T17:51:00.000-05:00

The world harbors many stereotypes about Americans. You know the ones. Americans are arrogant, loud, rude, ignorant of other countries, uncultured, uncouth, fat. Now stereotypes generally have a nugget of truth in them, though covered in layers of prejudice and insecurity, but there is one stereotype that literally sticks: Americans love peanut butter.

Before I left the states the first time, peanut butter was merely the sustenance of my childhood. Then I spent a summer in France and discovered the vile stuff masquerading as peanut butter in other places. No wonder the world doesn't understand us! I spent a small fortune on a tiny jar of imported Skippy and woefully spread a thin layer on my croissants, trying to save my coins for other small pleasures - Eiffel Tower and the like.

My next trip out of the country, I took my own jar. My Mexican host family laughed when I brought it out to eat on homemade tortillas. When a friend and I backpacked across much of Italy, we literally lived off peanut butter sandwiches as we crossed the boot and made a foray into Greece and back. We spread our precious peanut butter on fresh bread from every small town panetteria we visited. On this trip I realized the truth of the peanut butter stereotype.

My friend and I had just gotten off the all night ferry from Greece. We were determined to make a connecting train to Rome twenty minutes later and all the way across town. We ran, packs bouncing on our backs, somehow finding the right bus and sliding into a full train car at the last whistle. We sat on our packs in an aisle crammed with morning commuters, giddy with triumph. We'd navigated through another country, in another language, and made the train. The world was ours. We pulled out bread and peanut butter to celebrate. After I'd slathered several pieces of bread, I realized we had an audience. Several compartments full of Italians watched, open-mouthed.

I turned to one of our traveling companions, a German student, and asked, "What are they staring at?"

He shook his head and laughed. "You don't understand. It's like seeing America right before our eyes. You're making peanut butter sandwiches!"

I became a peanut butter connoisseur in Yemen. American peanut butter was available, if you were willing to pay double the price for such well known brands as "American Orchard" and "Mississippi Belle." I tried them all, testing for smoothness, creaminess and that right blend of salty and sweet. American friends sought my opinion. European friends laughed at my authority. One South African saw me eating straight from the jar one day and said "Now I know you're American." However, one of my great accomplishments during my stay was turning a German roommate into a peanut butter fanatic, too. Once she'd had American peanut butter, she was hooked. "Now I understand," she said.

And so did I. Those stereotypes used to bother me. Not anymore. Peanut butter isn't pretentious. It doesn't pretend to be something it's not. It's a staple, a stick to your ribs food, always there for you, versatile and reliable. When you've got nothing left, you reach into your cabinet, find that jar, and know it's going to be good.

That's not a stereotype, it's a reputation.

Put that in your pack and travel. Just don't forget to bring your own jar.

One Word Blurbs

2011-04-28T16:00:00.000-05:00

I'm in the 2nd draft of a novel and thinking a lot about how well I know my characters. Actually, that's not true. I'm thinking about how much I don't know about my characters. See, first drafts are all about plot. When you finish that first draft (yes!), you have the basic backbone of your story. What you don't have yet is a guarantee that your characters will really act the way you've forced them to in that first draft. Huh?

Okay, let me explain. In draft one, you're moving your characters from one event to the next as you check off headings on your outline (you don't work from an outline? Um, you might want to sketch that out right now!) You know where you're taking your characters, and since you're the driver on this road trip, your characters are along for the ride. They may get out of hand a few times, but you can turn up the tunes and ignore the fighting in the backseat because you've got a map, you know where you're going, and you're in a hurry to get there! Beginning, middle, end. Inciting incident, rising action, increasing conflict, resolution. Boom. Draft done. It's perfect.

Then you start revising because, well, you've heard you need to do at least one revision, right? And you start to see it. You made your main character too passive in one scene (or the whole story, yikes!). Or that supporting character has a great line, except it's something she would never say. Or that one character you really know nothing about shows up because you need someone in this book to be in trouble and you just can't quite put your main characters there. Who is that guy anyway?

This is where characterization comes into play for me. Other writers might argue character comes first. For me, action always drives the first draft. Then I go back to see how my characters would truly act. The more time I spend with these characters, the more I stop controlling them and begin to see who they are. Is it weird to think someone who only exists on paper can dictate what they would and wouldn't do? If your characters have never surprised you, if you've never reached a point where you've read a line and thought, "Wait a minute, he would never do that," then you don't know your characters well enough.

Now what? I do "One Word Blurbs". I list every character in my story and try to come up with one descriptive adjective for their best and worst quality - best because you want your readers to love your characters, and worst because everyone has flaws, so your characters must as well. I'm looking at the list on my bulletin board right now. Empathetic, discontent, ambitious, cagey, loyal, transparent, brutal, charismatic, and honorable to name a few. Incidentally, this will also help you see if you have characters who are too similar.

I admit one word isn't enough to truly know your characters but forcing yourself to think of one word descriptions will reveal how close, or far, you are to understanding the people you've put on the page. If I can't come up with a descriptive word for a character, I know I've got some thinking to do. And now so do you!

So get started. Get out the thesaurus. Go deep. Oh yeah, and have fun! You're writing, after all.

*If you're at a loss to delve deep into your characters, eclectics.com has a great character chart to get you started.

**One word blurbs has me thinking about how I would choose to describe myself in one word. How would others describe me? Would I be pleased with their blurbs? Or does my own character need some work? What about you? Can you describe your best and worst quality in one word? Are you brave enough to ask your friends?

What is the Heart of an MFA program?

2011-03-28T14:04:00.000-05:00

Since I blogged about MFA programs last time, I thought I'd post this article I wrote originally for the Children's Literature Network.

What Is the Heart of an MFA Program?

The Solstice Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Program of Pine Manor College

I enrolled in the Solstice MFA Program of Pine Manor College to sharpen my skills as a writer while earning my master’s degree. I didn’t realize I was stepping into a long lost circle of family, albeit a crazy one where we all inherited the same gene for writing. Community is the heart of the Solstice MFA Program.

The Solstice MFA Program fosters community in several different ways. The program opens its arms to writers from all walks of life. I immensely enjoyed meeting the other students and learning about their lives. Instead of encouraging competition, students value the relationships formed that result in lifetime friendships. When I’m having difficulty with my writing time, I know I can turn to those friends who journeyed through the program with me and rely on them to help me turn the page, or at least get words on it.

Cross genre collaboration is another way the Solstice MFA Program instills this sense of community. Students are encouraged to attend lectures outside of their own genre. I took full advantage of this and enjoyed many teaching sessions on creative non-fiction, adult fiction and yes, even poetry. These sessions stretched me, but I walked away a more complete writer. When I began my critical thesis, I reached out to faculty outside of the children and young adult genre to gain a fuller understanding of my subject. Without those prior relationships formed through cross genre community, I wouldn’t have had the courage to do so.

If community is the heart of the Solstice MFA Program, the student-mentor relationship is its soul. I worked with three very different mentors in my two years. As each semester drew to a close, I found it difficult to believe my next mentor could ever fill the shoes of my last, but each time the faculty more than exceeded my expectations. Each mentor challenged me in a different way, from paragraph syntax to focusing on my character’s motivations to making my sentences sing.

The student-mentor relationships are what I miss the most as a graduate of the Solstice MFA Program. Your mentor’s involvement in your life isn’t just about critiquing your work; they are teaching moments where great writers share their lives and hearts with you. Without the program’s emphasis on community, the depth of these relationships wouldn’t be possible.

As I reflect on my time in the Solstice MFA Program, I smile and feel a tug of sadness at the same time. Part of me would like to go back and spend another two years under the guidance of such amazing teachers and staff, but I know it is time to take all I learned and move forward in my life- a better writer, a deeper person- with an entire family of writers cheering alongside me.

You can learn more about the Solstice Low Residency MFA program here.

5 Reasons to Consider a Low-Residency MFA Program

2011-03-18T15:16:00.001-05:00

So if you're reading this post, you're probably considering getting an MFA in creative writing, but you find the idea of going back to school full time daunting, unfeasible or out of the realm of possibility for your busy life. Great news! Low-residency programs were created with you in mind and are well worth a look.

The basics first. If you're unfamiliar with the idea of a low-residency program, click here. Great! Now that you know, let's look at why these programs have become so popular in the last few years.

1)Length: Most only require 20 days on campus each year. In between, students work from home, sending writing assignments to mentors assigned during the 10 day residency (2 residencies = 20 days on campus). Most degree programs can be completed in two years.

2) Time: Working one on one with a mentor each semester means a flexible schedule. You can write whenever you want, as long as you get the work done.

3) Mentors: Low-residency programs thrive on the fact that students work one on one with successful writers throughout a semester. This means students receive personal instruction at least once a month, and sometimes more, on their work.

4) Cost: Though MFA programs aren't cheap (should a Master's Degree be?), they're often more feasible than their full-time counterparts. Students should factor in travel and housing expenses though.

5) Community: Low-residency programs have a camp-like feel to them during the residencies. You're far from home and family and united with other writers for a common purpose. For ten days twice a year, you eat, learn and laugh with your fellow students. This results in a deep sense of community that carries past graduation and links you to your fellow writers and mentors for life. That's not something found in a book or conference!

These are all reasons I chose a low residency MFA program. Now here's a few reasons NOT to go low-res.

*You think it will put you on the fast track to publishing. It won't. Everyone has to put time and hard work into getting published.

*You think publishers will only look at writers with MFA degrees. Most published writers probably don't have an MFA.

*Everyone else is doing it. You have to make the decision that's right for you. If you dread going back to school but want to be a better writer, there are other options out there, from conferences to online courses.

If you're still feeling excited about a low-residency MFA program, here's some further reading for you. Good luck, and I can tell you that if you decide to pursue it, a low-residency program is well worth your time!

The Solstice Low-Residency Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program of Pine Manor College
Writer's Digest - Low-Residency MFA Programs
2011 MFA Rankings for Low-Residency Programs

Launch into Discovery: How the space shuttle program made me a writer.

2011-02-24T15:13:00.000-06:00

Today is space shuttle Discovery's last launch day. It will be retired after returning to earth one more time after 27 years of service. As the fleet of shuttles retire this year (Endeavor will make its last trip in April and, if finances allow, Atlantis in June), I feel like the door is closing on an important part of my childhood, a revelation that leaves me sad and a little bereft.

Like many children across the U.S., I watched the launch live that cold day in January 1986 when the Challenger exploded. Our excitement at seeing a teacher launched into space was amplified by the fact that one of our own teachers at Liberty Elementary, Mr. Beltzner, had been a semi-finalist in the Teacher in Space Project. Though I was only in 2nd grade and Mr. Beltzner taught 5th grade, I remember seeing his tears as we all walked the halls, zombie-like, after the explosion.

Two and half years later, I was fortunate to be in Mr. B's class the day Discovery took to the skies again and re-launched the space program. Of all the kids watching the launch in my classroom that day, Mr. B was the most excited. My love of space was born out of disaster but fueled by the hope and passion of one educator who taught me you could reach for the stars, fail, and still keep reaching. Ronald Reagan said something similar three days after the Challenger accident:

"Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short. But we must pick ourselves up again and press on despite the pain."

In a weird way, my love for the space program as a child has been the driving force to be a writer for children. The space program taught me to dream big. My teacher, Mr. Beltzner, taught me that passion and hard work will carry you far and that education can be exciting. All of these lessons come into play when I sit down in front of my computer and work on a story I hope will impact children just a fraction of the way Mr. B and the space program have impacted me.

I know I will never be an astronaut or fly in one of the shuttles, but I will always carry the excitement and the risks of launch day inside to remind me that though I might fall short as a writer, I might fail from time to time, I can still pick myself up and reach for the stars.

T-10, 9, 8, 7....

If you want to watch the launch live, go to nasa.gov or click here.

Why Egypt Matters to Me

2011-02-10T16:15:00.000-06:00

I've held off writing about Egypt, waiting to see what would happen. I don't think anyone expected the protests to last so long. So I'm jumping in now with my thoughts on why Egypt matters to me and should to you, too.

In case you missed the news the last few weeks (where have you been?), here's a nice summary of events of Egypt's massive protests demanding President Hosni Mubarak step down. The majority of the protest has taken place in Cairo's Tahrir Square. To understand what this means, try to imagine protesters taking over Times Square in New York and holding it for 17 days. Wouldn't that capture the nation's attention? Indeed, that's what holding Tahrir Square has done for Egypt.

Cairo is one of the most amazing cities in the world. I'd met a few Egyptians students before traveling to Egypt and thought their habit of going out at 10 p.m. and staying out to the wee hours of the morning was due to their youth. Then I spent a month in Cairo and discovered everyone, at least in the city, lives this way. Hot afternoons are spent inside. When the sun dips towards the Nile and the last prayer call goes out, the city comes alive. I was stuck in the worst traffic jam I've ever seen at 1 a.m. Yes, one - in - the - morning!

Here's what I learned about Egyptians from my stay and my friends. They are overwhelmingly hospitable, like most Arab cultures. They know how to have fun. They are rightly proud of their history and nation. They are young, and they want what everyone wants; the freedom to live their lives, find jobs, pursue education and make the future better for their children. Now they are standing up for these things, demanding a government change, and shaking the Middle East and the world with their actions.

So what does this mean for Egypt? What does it mean for the rest of us? Here's a great quote from this week's edition of The Economist: "The popular rejection of Mr. Mubarak offers the Middle East's best chance for reform in decades. If the West cannot back Egypt's people in their quest to determine their own destiny, then its arguments for democracy and human rights elsewhere in the world stand for nothing."

Egypt's people are pursuing democracy and doing it in their own way, not forced by any nation, but by their own desire. As I write this, President Mubarak has denied again calls for his immediate departure. Whether he leaves now or in September after promised elections, I cannot begin to imagine the implications this might have for the rest of the Middle East. Will it spark more protests (as it already has in Yemen)? How will it affect the Middle East's relationship with Israel, with the United States, with the rest of the world? One thing is certain, it will affect us. Whether now, or a year or two down the road, what happens today in Egypt will change our lives, too. So, keep your eyes on Egypt. And saying a prayer for their people wouldn't hurt either.

Want more information on what is happening in Egypt? Check out Al-Jazeera English or the BBC for a fresh look at this conflict.

"Egypt Rises Up," The Economist, 2011, February 5-11.

Research Gems

2011-01-26T15:09:00.000-06:00

One of the great things about writing a book is the research. No, seriously. Were you one of the kids who hated doing research for those papers you had to write in school? I can't remember liking the process either, but as a writer, I'm discovering how enjoyable research can be. If I weren't writing about the middle east, I wouldn't have an excuse for finding out the following facts about camels:

1) Even though camels are associated with the the middle east, according to scientists, they originated in America, where their close cousin, the llama, still lives.
2) A camel's hump is not full of water but fat. The hump shrinks if the camel has too little to eat.
3)There are hundreds of Arabic words that refer to a camel, its various parts and activities.

See how fun that is? Let's do one more. One of my stories takes place in 1951 and the main character loves Roy Rogers. I ran across this gem while researching the King of the Cowboys. These are the official rules to the Roy Rogers Riders Club, open to any child and most popular during the 1940s and early 50s.

The Roy Rogers Riders Club Rules

Be neat and clean.
Be courteous and polite.
Always obey your parents.
Protect the weak and help them.
Be brave but never take chances.
Study hard and learn all you can.
Be kind to animals and take care of them.
Eat all your food and never waste any.
Love God and go to Sunday school regularly.
Always respect our flag and our country.

Not all of these facts make it into the stories, but they help me create believable characters and settings, which is what you, the reader, cares about the most. But isn't it fun to know a camel can fully close its nostrils to keep out sand?

So if you're a writer, happy researching, but don't get so caught up in what you're learning that you don't write that story. If you're a reader, enjoy the world the author created for you after hours of study and research. And for all of us, Happy Trails!

Roy Rogers Riders Club Rules from www.RoyRogersWorld.com

The Waiting Game...

2011-01-14T14:24:00.000-06:00

When I was growing up, I remember reading the 1979 Newbery winner The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. This post has nothing to do with the book, except that it reminds me of the place I now find myself in as a writer: the Waiting Game.

I really know of no other profession as ridiculous as writing. You spend months huddled in front of your computer, trying to find the discipline and determination to write the story in your head, and rewrite it and write it again. Finally, when the only revisions you find yourself making are deleting commas and adding them again, or debating on whether to use grey or gray, you send it off in hopes someone will like it as much as you and want to publish it.

Then you wait. And wait and wait and wait.

A word of caution to any who think they want to write: however patient you think you may be, the submission process will challenge you, throw you into despair, make you alternately love and hate writing and envious of other writers who already have that coveted book deal, and finally, force you back to your computer where you belong.

Because if you don't write, the Waiting Game will drive you insane. Perhaps that's why so many writers are eccentric. They didn't start that way. The Waiting Game drove them to it.

Now I have to get back to writing. And waiting. And writing.

Resolute

2011-01-07T14:35:00.004-06:00

Since the first week of 2011 is over, now is a good time to talk about resolutions, or the fact that I don't make them. I do, however, believe in being resolute. What's the difference? Since I'm a language nerd, I'm glad you asked.

A resolution is "a formal expression of opinion or intention" to which, I might add, is generally made around January 1 and broken before the month's end.

Now check out the definition for resolute: 1) firmly resolved or determined; set in purpose or opinion
2) characterized by firmness and determination, as the temper, spirit, actions, etc.

I especially love the second definition. I want to be characterized by firmness and determination in whatever I have purposed to do.

For 2011, I am resolute about my writing. I am resolute about my family. I am resolute about my God.

I am resolute.

Are you?

Wise Men from the East

2010-12-31T10:19:00.003-06:00

When they found King Herod in Jerusalem, they asked "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2).

I've always been fascinated with the Magi, the wise men from the East that came seeking Jesus. Who were these men and how did they know of Jesus?

Over the centuries, scholars have claimed the Magi were Babylonian (Iraq), Persian (Iran), Brahman (Indian) and even Yemeni (the last I find very interesting!) The Babylonians especially were renowned astronomers and mathematicians, and both sciences were an integral part of the Magi's knowledge of where and when Jesus was born. When they "followed the star," it is likely they used mathematical calculations based on the stars and planets' positioning to chart their course to Jerusalem.

Whether the Magi came from any of these places, the term Magi was a broad one for anyone who used natural phenomena (stars, dreams, etc.) to foretell the future. Magi is derived from the Greek word magos (from the Persian magus) and is the root for the English words magic and magician. Originally, the Magi were not viewed as sorcerers. That connotation developed in the middle ages. The actual Magi were scholars and advisors to the Persian king. The Magians also acted as priests for Ahura Mazda (the one wise God) and were associated with Zoroastrianism. They were most likely not kings themselves, but for centuries they participated in Persian politics and religion.

Though their origin is debated, what is clear is that these men saw something so unusual in their star charts and mathematical calculations that they journeyed far from their homes, bearing expensive gifts, for the glimpse of what their scholarly deductions foretold: the birth of a new king.

Interesting reading on the Magi:
The Star of Bethleham: The Legacy of the Magi
Journey of the Magi
Alphabet of Dreams A young adult novel chronicling the journey of the Magi through the eyes of a 14-year-old Persian girl.
Journey of the Magi - A poem by T.S. Eliot
The Gift of the Magi - O. Henry's short story

Gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

2010-12-14T14:34:00.001-06:00

And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11

It's December and a good time of year to discuss something you've always wondered about: Why did the Magi bring frankincense to Jesus and what in the world is that stuff anyway?

You're in luck. I've researched frankincense in depth for my first book. Why? It only grows in a few places. One of those just happens to be Yemen.

For thousands of years, Yemen ruled the Incense Trail, carrying frankincense from the southernmost part of the peninsula across the desert to markets in Gaza, Syria and beyond. Frankincense was used in many religious ceremonies, in Jewish, Egyptian and Roman temples. For this reason, the kingdoms in Yemen thrived and their land was known as Arabia Felix - Happy Arabia.

Incense is actually sap that bleeds from an incense tree when cuts are made in its bark. It hardens and is scraped from the bark to form small balls, usually yellow to milky white in color. Frankincense was so highly valued in the Middle East that it was traded like gold.

The Magi who brought frankincense to Jesus probably purchased it as they traveled on the trail to see the new king. Since frankincense is expensive and involved in religious ceremonies, it was considered a fitting gift for someone prophesied to be the king of a people defined by their religion.

So there you have it. The next time someone mentions the wisemen this season, you can jump in with your knowledge on frankincense and impress them. Now, if we only knew about myrrh...

Yemen: Demonization of a Nation

2010-11-24T12:27:00.002-06:00

When Yemen is in the news, it's never good. Check out today's headlines - Yemen Car Bomb Attack Kills 15. If you scan the other articles linked to this one, you'll see the following words: suicide bomb, blast, deaths, explosion, terror. It seems to step into Yemen is to face danger at every turn.

While studying International Relations, I remember running across the term demonization. It has nothing to do with witches, the devil or Halloween. It equates the subject with evil. One dictionary says "to represent as evil or diabolic." Serious words, right?

Let's return to Yemen. This country, the poorest in the middle east, is the heel of the Arabian Peninsula. Here's a map to help you. Don't worry, I didn't know where it was either before I lived there. If you only believed what you read in the news, you might think it was full of people bent on destabilizing the region and causing harm to western nations.

The truth is, most people want the same things we do, the freedom to get an education, find a job, support a family and enjoy life. While there may be a few within causing turmoil, most Yemenis I met were the most hospitable people in the world, eager to share tea and talk far more in depth about the issues in their country than we would imagine doing with good friends.

I'll try to post some interesting places and people in Yemen some other time. For now, think about how places like it are represented when you read the news and then dig a little deeper. As we kick off our holiday season, here's an article on a typical holiday in Yemen. Happy Thanksgiving!

Top 10 Things I Love about Northwest Arkansas - Part 2

2010-11-12T14:14:00.000-06:00

So my first 5 favorite things about NWA were all pretty general. These next 5 are more specific to my life here in NWA. See what you think.

6. Arsaga's - A great coffee shop in Fayetteville, cool atmosphere, everything a coffee shop should be, but even more than that, it's where I meet a great group of writers every other week to discuss each other's work. So, good coffee and and conversation make this a top 10.

7. The abundance of Mexican restaurants! You can't drive 5 minutes in any direction without hitting a Mexican restaurant and they're all good and cheap. What's even better are the little taquerias all over NWA that serve up comida mexicana autentica.

8. Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Dept. - These guys are awesome. They do everything from soccer leagues (my fave) to kickball, summer camps and of course, Wilson Park Pool. They make living in NWA tons of fun.

9.Operation Recreation and Stretch-N-Grow - These two companies are doing great things for the health of kids across Northwest Arkansas. They make fitness fun! (And I happen to work for them, which is also fun:)

10. Regeneration Church - This is where I connect with some of the most awesome people I know in NWA. You can too. Check it out.

Top 10 Things I Love about Northwest Arkansas - Part 1

2010-11-05T14:26:00.002-05:00

I was thinking of blogging about some countries I've visited, then realized I should start closer to home. Northwest Arkansas (NWA for locals) is hands down one of the coolest places to live in the U.S., but its virtues are little known outside the area. Hence, the following top ten on what I love about living in Northwest Arkansas.

1. The University of Arkansas -Woo Pig Sooie. The University is the state's leading educational institution boasting 214 degree programs and enrolled over 20,000 students for the first time for the Fall 2010 semester. I admit as a graduate I'm biased, but it's still an amazing school.

2. The Razorbacks - Wait, you say. Didn't you just talk about the University of Arkansas? Yes, but the Razorbacks deserve their own spot. Why? Because the Razorbacks play in one of the toughest conferences in the U.S. (Shout out to the SEC), they field consistently competitive teams, and there's nothing else like being a Razorback. Think the Hog Call sounds silly? I promise, you do it once with 75,000 other Razorbacks and you'll never think so again. Woo Pig Sooie, Razorbacks!

3. The Natural State - It's not the state nickname for nothing. There are several state parks near NWA, including Devil's Den and Hobbs State Parks, with hiking trails, cabins and other fun stuff to do. The scenery is great. After all, we are in the Ozark Mountains. The state park system across Arkansas is fantastic. Get out and check it out!

4. The Fayetteville Public Library - As a writer and a reader, I'm here a lot. The library is just off Fayetteville's downtown square and a couple blocks from rockin' Dickson Street. Where else would you go to find over 245,000 books, cds, dvds, etc?

5. Lake Fayetteville - If the weather's nice, and even if it's not, you can find me here most afternoons! The 5.5 mile trail around the lake is great for a run or bike ride. There's also a frisbee golf course, sand volleyball and plenty of play space, too.

Coming soon - Part 2 of what I love about living in Northwest Arkansas. Meanwhile, what do you love about where you live?

I Need A Hero.

2010-10-28T14:22:00.000-05:00

"I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night. He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight."

Bonnie Tyler's 80's hit keeps running through my mind these days. I've been contemplating the hero's journey lately after watching a string of adrenaline pumping episodes of 24, Prison Break and the like. What is it that keeps us coming back season after season? It's certainly NOT the cheesy, sometimes thread-like, storyline. No, there's only one thing driving hit shows like this: the Hero.

If you're unfamiliar with the idea of the Hero's Journey, here's a link to help you out.
Basically, the Hero is pulled out of his everyday, ordinary world by an inciting event which leads him down a spiraling staircase of conflicts until it seems he can't possibly survive. At his darkest moment, the Hero faces his greatest danger and confronts an ultimate truth. Through this new knowledge, he overcomes all obstacles to emerge victorious and then return to his original world forever changed.

It really is the classic story and anything that strays too far from this risks alienating your audience through boredom or aimless tangents. Here's a fun exercise (yes, it can be fun!): Pick your favorite show or book and think about the Hero. Where does his or her journey start? What's the incident that propels him out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary? What's the darkest moment? How does the Hero overcome it? What does he carry with him into the ordinary world?

Finally, just for fun, here's a list of my favorite heroes. Who are yours?

Luke Skywalker
Harry Potter
Jack Bauer
Sydney Bristow
Katniss Everdeen
Meg Murry

Learn a Language, Find a New Personality?

2010-10-12T15:55:00.001-05:00

I've always loved language, or more specifically, the way words roll off the tongue. Go ahead and say these words out loud. Caterpillar. Scintillating. Persimmon. Isn't that fun? Here's a few Spanish favorites - salchicha (sausage), enamorado (in love), or French - fromage (cheese), boulangerie (bakery).

Words are great, but what they enable us to do - communicate where previously no interaction and understanding could take place - is the real beauty of language. When I've traveled to other countries, knowing even a few words of the local language opened so many surprising doors, from invitations to eat lunch or finding the best seats at an Italian soccer game to friendships I still value and people I'll never forget.

Have I convinced you to learn a second (or third or fourth) language yet? If not, here's another intriguing reason. Speaking in another language somehow frees you to be a person you didn't know existed. What? Is it really possible a person who is shy when speaking English can be boisterous in Spanish? Absolutely. I've seen it, and I've experienced it myself.

Think about those stereotypes we all know about different cultures. The French are romantic, the Spanish are emotional, Germans are logical, Americans are arrogant. I could go on. I don't believe all stereotypes are true, but they exist for a reason, and I think language plays a part in those stereotypes. Do I feel more romantic when I speak French? You betcha! The word "love" just doesn't compare with "l'amour", "mouth" doesn't sound the same as "la bouche".

I hate to bargain for anything, but I've found I negotiate better in Spanish and Arabic than I ever will in English. Why? Some part of me comes alive when I speak those languages that just doesn't get expressed in English. Some of you will argue here that it's the culture, not the language, that allows you to act differently. I agree to a certain extent, but I also know I feel free to get in someone's face and haggle in guttural Arabic in a way I never would in English.

So what are you waiting for? New aspects of your personality are just waiting to be discovered. Now go pick a language and learn it!

Camels - Or, how much research is enough?

2010-10-04T15:48:00.001-05:00

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about camels. Really, what could be more natural?

Camels feature highly in my first book. After all, it does take place in the Arabian Desert. Before I lived in the Middle East, my only experience with camels was a brief ride at a zoo an undisclosed amount of years ago. Let's just say I was so young all I remember is how far away the ground seemed.

Fast forward twenty-five years or so. In Yemen, there are still a few street carts pulled by camels, even in the capital city of Sana'a. You can actually purchase a camel in the animal market. I got to meet one face to face and all I could think was, "Wow, you're tall. Maybe I shouldn't stand so close." And that pretty much sums up my experience with camels.

Now, for someone who's written a lot about them, that doesn't seem like much experience. Sure, I've read a lot. I have a book about camels on my desk right now. Today I piddled away some good writing time watching youtube videos on camel racing and called it research.

Which brings up the real point of this post: How much research can be head knowledge and how much should be experiential? Shouldn't I, as the writer of a book about a camel caravan, have at least experienced a camel ride somewhere along the line as part of my research? Or is it enough to thoroughly read about how the camel pitches its rider forward, then back, as it gets to its feet, or how it sways side to side like a ship at sea when it runs? I would love to witness a camel race in person, but the nearest I can find is in Nevada. So I'm left with head knowledge and my imagination.

What do you think writers? Is that enough? How do you research your books? Let me know!

Meanwhile, I'll be looking for a camel to ride...

Where do you get ideas for your stories?

2010-09-27T14:27:00.001-05:00

Many people ask me how I come up with ideas for my stories. The answer is both simple and complex. I just watched a stand-up comedian answer the same question for his act. He said he turns stories from his own life into comedy. He doesn't invent his material, but he elaborates and finds creative ways to make people laugh. Fiction writers do this too.

In school, creative writing teachers always tell you to write what you know. This isn't because they believe you don't have enough imagination to be the next great fantasy writer, but because they know that all stories, even the most fantastical, begin somewhere inside you.

In the previous post, I talked about how our corners of the world affect us. My first story came out of a time when I was experiencing a world unlike anything I had previously known. I was living in Yemen, learning a new language and trying to navigate through a society so foreign to me that I wasn't even sure how to greet people properly.

One day I traveled to a village and visited a tiny museum dedicated to Queen Sheba. A veiled ten-year-old girl was my impromptu guide. In broken English, she talked animatedly about the incense trade during Queen Sheba's reign and how great camel caravans used to journey across Arabia to take the incense to market.

My imagination sparked at that moment. I was completely fascinated with the idea of this dangerous 2,000 mile journey. By the time I returned to my flat, I knew I wanted to write a story about a boy traveling in a caravan across the desert.

I didn't know anything else, and it took me months, and then years to research, write and hone the story, but it all began with one moment in my own life in a dusty, deserted museum in a far distant corner of my world. Without that experience, this story would never have been born.

Madeleine L'Engle once said that ideas are everywhere, and she's right. All we have to do is pay attention and then let our pens (okay fingers) run wild!

Can a Round World Have Corners?

2010-09-20T15:00:00.025-05:00

Welcome to Write Your World!

Our world is made up of such an amazing array of peoples, cultures, places and lifestyles. Each time we visit a new place, meet someone from a different culture, or even learn the history of a people, it leaves an imprint on our hearts. We add a new corner to our world. Each person has a unique view of the world to offer. Here, I'll share mine and listen to yours.

I want to mesh many different threads on this blog -thoughts on writing and reading, traveling and culture, and even a few thoughts on health and fitness thrown in for good measure.

Why the random list? That's my world. Growing up in Oklahoma and Arkansas, I was a reader who dreamed of traveling, then a traveler who dreamed of writing, and now I'm a writer who dreams of traveling and having time to read again!

Some of the places close to my heart are Northwest Arkansas, where I currently live, home to my beloved Razorbacks, Yemen and the Middle East, where I had the privilege of living for a few years, Europe, my favorite travel destination, and Latin and South America. Each of these places has left its mark on my heart and challenged me to grow.

What about you? What are your corners of the world?