Writer's Tips from Jorlan Publishing

Writer's Tips Newsletter — October 2006

FROM THE EDITOR:

Interview with T.A. Barron. I have met many published authors at writing conferences over the last few years. And I have to say that one of the nicest, most sincere, and down-to-earth was also one of the most successful and well known: T.A. Barron, author of The Ancient One, The Lost Years of Merlin, and The Great Tree of Avalon, among many other titles. I am pleased to be featuring my interview with him in this issue of Writer's Tips.

Upcoming Interviews. Watch for interviews with more published authors and other industry professionals in future issues of Writer's Tips. Dave Wolverton, a.k.a., David Farland (Of Mice and Magic, The Runelords, Star Wars Missions); Mike Tunnell (Mailing May, Wishing Moon); Ann Cannon (I Know what You Do When I Go to School, Charlotte's Rose); Rick Walton (Bunny Christmas, Bullfrog Pops!); Jill Davis (editor for Bloomsbury Children's Books); and Edward Necarsulmer (literary agent at McIntosh and Otis), have all agreed to be interviewed.

Be sure to tell your writer friends! Subscribing to the Jorlan Publishing Writer's Tips Newsletter is free and easy: http://www.jorlanpublishing.com/WritersTips.htm

Have a fun and safe Halloween!

T.A. Barron

Interviewed by Lana Jordan

LJ: What events in your life helped to mold you into the writer you've become?

TB: I have done many things—built a mountain cabin, studied at Oxford, run a growing business, started a family—but I have always written.

When I was in fifth grade, I liked to tell stories so much that I started my own little magazine, called The Idiot's Odyssey. As an Eagle Scout, I won a scouting speech and essay competition that sent me to Washington to meet the President. Even when I was president of a business, I often found myself getting up at 4 a.m. to write, composing during meetings, or scribbling in the back of a taxi.

Finally I had to make a choice, to do what I love best, because life is too short not to follow your passions. So here I am, still telling stories. Writing is the hardest, and most joyous, labor I know.

LJ: How much research do you do before you start on a new book? Is research an integral element of your writing process?

TB: Extensive research is a must. If I as a writer am going to convince you as a reader to come with me to some fantastic place or time, I must first win your confidence. Your trust. The only two ways to do that are: first, to engage every one of your senses fully; and second, to do my research.

I spent almost a year reading texts about Merlin before I began to write The Lost Years of Merlin books. Starting with the ancient Welsh Mabinogian, I read the poems of Robert de Boron, the writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth, and as many Celtic ballads as possible. That's just the beginning. Then, of course, I read more modern treatments such as The Once and Future King by T. H. White. My attitude was, if I was going to be so bold as to try to fill in the gap in Merlin's lore about his youth, I had better know as much as possible about the rest of Merlin's lore. Also, this process filled me with the richness of Celtic language and imagery, as well as the music of the old names. In the end, I created Fincayra and all that came with it, but I hope that these new threads still fit into the greater tapestry of Merlin myth.

LJ: What is your plotting process—do you outline the book, the chapters, and the scenes?

TB: Normally I need some sort of aerial photograph of the terrain of a quest. So I know the approximate beginning, ending, and the dangerous marshes or inspiring peaks in between. This means writing an outline, which you could call my trail map. Then I intentionally lose the map, so I can find out what the terrain is like on the ground. Often my characters tell me to turn right when the map says turn left. In such cases, I always listen to my characters. Then I rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite, researching whatever is required. In the end, the journey has included several surprises and experiences I would not have predicted.

Interview continues, click here to read more.

November 2006 Online Writing Class

The Most Powerful Writing Technique Ever — Scene and Sequel

Class description from instructor Heather Horrocks: Scene and sequel is truly the most powerful technique I've learned in writing — and I've learned a lot of them. This technique will help you do a myriad of other things. You'll learn to show and not tell, bringing strength and immediacy to your scenes. You'll bring your readers closer to your character, making them care deeply about your character's wants and desires and disappointments and disasters. This is a difficult technique to master, but I feel I've come up with a way to illustrate it that helps students 'get' the concept quickly. By the end of the four weeks, you will have written five scene and sequel units.

Instructor: Heather Horrocks, author of Women Who Knew the Mortal Messiah and experienced writing mentor.

Cost: $20 for instructional emails only OR $40 for instruction plus feedback on your scene and sequel assignments and also on two scenes from your book.

Registration deadline: November 1, 2006.

Schedule: You will receive instructional emails every Tuesday and Thursday, November 2 – 30, 2006 (a total of 8 class days; no class on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 23, 2006).

Click here to register. Within 3 days after you've registered, you will be sent a confirmation email for participation in the class.

Testimonials: "Heather has a gift for instilling in other writers a sense of ‘I can do this.’ Her gentle guidance helps her students to grasp hold of enabling tools, thereby giving them all the resources they need to succeed. Heather's classes gave me sound principles upon which to discover and develop my own writing abilities." –Kristin Holt, author

"Heather's class was not only inspirational, but offered tons of useful techniques. An excellent teacher, she took us from story idea to completed manuscript. Her advice was easy to understand and to the point. After taking Heather's class I felt inspired and motivated. She has my sincerest thanks." –Diane Stoddard, author

Writing Tip of the Month

Editors and Agents are People, too!

by Heather Horrocks and Lana Jordan

Those first few editor/agent experiences can be rough. That's because agents and editors are like fairy godmothers — they hold the magic wand that can change us — POOF! — into a published author. And, because we perceive that magic wand that they hold, and the brightness thereof, we have a hard time seeing that they are people, just like us. All we can see is the glitter from that magic wand.

It happens to all of us. Really. I am sure that agents and editors are used to us writers stuttering and stammering our way through. They've talked with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of stuttering authors. That's why, when you can finally get beyond that glitter-blinded state, they respond very nicely.

So congratulate yourself on talking at all and taking that first scary step. Be glad that this first everyone-has-one experience is now behind you. The next time you meet with an editor or agent, you'll be more composed and able to communicate better, and by the third time you'll actually make sense! At least that was my experience. I did eventually get an agent, even though I have sounded like a doofus on many occasions. — Heather Horrocks

We know that we're supposed to have an "elevator speech" prepared when we talk to editors and agents at writing conferences. We know that we're supposed to be professional and sound confident. But somehow, when that big moment arrives, many of us choke. The pressure of trying to remember all the good advice and put it into action with a real, live editor or agent can be overwhelming.

I've met famous people before...in my younger years, I shook hands with the likes of Stephen Pearcy of Ratt, Adam Ant, and Simon leBon of Duran Duran (so now you know how old I am). Sure I was nervous, but I always came away with a feeling of mild surprise that they were only human after all. And I think the important thing for us to remember as writers is that editors and agents are people, too.

That lesson came home to me during the BYU Writing for Young Readers Conference this summer. Tracy Gates from Penguin and Jill Davis from Bloomsbury made me a lot more nervous than any rock star ever did. But then, Adam Ant and the rest of them never had the power that Tracy and Jill did...as Heather so eloquently put it, "the magic wand that can change us — POOF! — into a published author."
I wasn't interested in becoming a singer or a musician — I was only interested in meeting them. On the other hand, I've always wanted to be a writer, and Heather is absolutely right that to us as writers, "agents and editors are like fairy godmothers."

And so it happened that I was more nervous as a grown woman meeting New York editors than I had been as a young girl meeting superstar musicians. I kept observing Tracy and Jill and pondering this strange and maddening phenomenon throughout the week-long conference. And then one night my daughter and I went down to the hotel pool and found it empty except for two people: Tracy and Jill.
I saw them do handstands in the water and splash around and laugh...and it finally sank in that they're regular people, just like us.

And even if I forget that and get nervous again the next time I talk to a fairy godmother— I mean, an editor — it's okay. One thing in particular that Jill said at the conference has stuck with me: "I believe that what's good goes to the top, just like chicken fat!" So in the end, it doesn't matter if we're shaking in our shoes or stuttering or otherwise botching everything we say. Our writing will ultimately speak for us. — Lana Jordan

Writer's Tips Editor, Lana Jordan

Lana Jordan is the founder of Jorlan Publishing, for which she does consulting and editing. She is the author of two books, Journey to Motherhood (pregnancy and childbirth from a mother's perspective) and The Sleepytime Ponies Trick a Trickster (bedtime read-aloud for ages 4 and up featuring magical flying ponies; humorous Mouse Deer folk tales; and dreamy illustrations). Available from the Jorlan Bookstore and Amazon.com.

Got rabbits? Check out Lana's free rabbit care e-Book.

Journey to Motherhood is also available as a free e-Book! Click here.