Words From A. J. Menden

Today’s discussion is one that I think all writers probably suffer from at some point - writer’s block. What causes it? And what do you do to overcome it?

Oh yes, I suffer from writer’s block. I’ve noticed a pattern with me, though, I will write like a madwoman for months, until the book is finished, with rarely a break, and then when I’ve finished, I won’t write anything for months again. I don’t know if that’s exactly writer’s block or just how I operate.

But when I have had writer’s block, or these bouts of not writing, it is usually when I am either very busy or very stressed. Or both. Like right now, I’ve been stressed and busy, and though I’ve outlined the next book in my series and the first in a whole new series, I’m not ready to write yet. The last bit of writing I did was for a short story contest.

Another reason I’ve had writer’s block while I’m writing? It’s been because something in the story isn’t working. I think it’s my “spider-sense” LOL. I had this while I was writing Tekgrrl, I didn’t stop writing, but writing was like pulling teeth the first few chapters in. It took talking about the whole book with my husband, who pointed out a subplot that I was setting up without even realizing it, and bam! The story was changed, more like fixed, and suddenly writing was coming to my easy as pie.

What do I do to overcome writer’s block? Well, I don’t write. I read books and watch television and movies. And if I have an idea that I’m working on or like now, something plotted out that I’m just not ready to begin yet, I think about it a lot. I listen to music I think the characters would like. I think about the character’s history, how they would react to certain scenarios. I think about the plot, what’s going to happen, certain scenes that are stuck in my head. I don’t write until I feel ready to, if that makes any sense. But it’s been mentally building for a while.

Here is a link to my interview with Tez Miller, in which we talk about superheroes, comic books and Chef Ramsay!

http://tezmilleroz.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/interview-a-j-menden/

My old seventh-grade science teacher now the librarian at the high school, called me up. She’s heard about the book and wants to feature me on some new wall they’re doing at the high school about successful alumni, as in “These people graduated from here and look how well they’ve done for themselves. So can you!” LOL.

Got a lot of outlining work done today! The stars aligned, the muse dropped divine inspiration, I bounced ideas off my husband, and I now have a decent outline for the next book in the EHJ series (#3) and a very basic idea for books #4, #5, and #6. I’m wondering if I need a full synopses for 4-6 to present to my editor or is what I have suficient? 

I also have a decent outline for the first book in my unidentified YA project and again, a very basic idea of where the series would go in books #2 and #3. This series just seems like fun for me! 

So I guess the next step is to write at least three chapters each of EHJ #3 and Unidentified YA project #1 so I can present them to my agent to see where we go from there.

I’m excited, I got my first review of Phenomenal Girl 5 from the site, ParaNormalRomance.org. I’ve pulled out the best quotes for all of you, but you can read the whole thing here: http://www.paranormalromance.org/reviews/review.php?id=28853

“A phenomenal superhero romance, a brilliant debut!”

“The character-driven tale made me cry more than once, it felt so real. I read it in one sitting because I simply couldn’t put it down.”

“Ms. Menden’s characterizations are so brilliant that for the reader Megalopolis, the world, the EHJ, and even the fiendish plot come in a distant second to the relationship evolving between Lainey and the Reincarnist. The story forces the reader to invest their own emotions, ripping us apart and putting us back together again. All I can say is wow! Phenomenal Girl 5 is a stunning debut - a definite keeper - highly recommended!”

A member of my writing group suggested this topic  based on a post from Storytellers Unplugged, which talked about the one-sentence pitch, or elevator pitches, the thought being, you meet an agent or an editor in the elevator at a conference and they ask “So what’s your book about?” and you have to pitch your book before they get off on the wrong floor to get away from you, LOL. You have to be able to summarize your book in one sentence. That’s crazy, you say! Oh, but no. Should you make it to publication, your book will be summarized in one-sentence for booksellers to decide whether or not they want to order it and for reviewers to see if they want to hassle your publicist to try to get a copy to read it. I didn’t write this one and have no earthly clue who did, but here is mine for Phenomenal Girl Five: “An up-and-coming superhero finds love with the man assigned to train her and a plot that will push the couple to the extent of their powers.” These can also be helpful as the “hook” in your query letter, the sentence that tells what the book’s about and keeps the agent or editor reading. Here is my original one for Phenomenal  Girl Five: “When a young superhero meets her new partner, she learns that leaping tall buildings is easier than falling in love.” Pretty much saying the same thing as the one the publisher did, except for in more flowery terms, LOL. And I didn’t mention the apocalypse. Probably should have.

So it’s a good idea to have those at the ready, or at least in the back of your mind so if you’re at a conference, you can throw it out there. Or for a hook line for your query letters. Or for when someone asks you, “So what’s your book about?”

I’m surprised it’s happening all ready. It hasn’t been that long ago. But I can feel it beginning again. In the back of my mind. That restlessness. Just reading books isn’t cutting it anymore. In fact, I don’t WANT to read. Gasp! I’m starting to want to write. Short stories won’t cut it.

I’m starting to think about THEM. The characters. I’m starting to think about how they act, think, feel. I’m starting to look for their music.

It hasn’t hit in full effect yet. I’m still in the anticipation stage. But pretty soon, the itch will start getting to be overwhelming. And then I’ll start thinking of plot, of what they could be doing for a full 85,000 words. And writing it down.

I probably need to finish re-reading Tekgrrl first, though. But it’s there.

I want to write!

So how do you flesh out characters as a writer? Do they drop down from heaven, straight from the muse, fully-formed and ready to go? Do you use character worksheets? Interviews? 

On fff, today’s topic was about character quirks - why do authors give character’s random quirks they do, like chewing gum, hair twirling, etc.? Is it to make them more human or is there some other psychological reasoning behind it?

My hero in Phenomenal Girl 5, Robert, a.k.a. The Reincarnist, has some quirks and there was reasoning behind it. 

First, I wanted him to feel overly formal, so he doesn’t use contractions in his speech. He would have said does not in the above sentence. (; You don’t realize how many times you use contractions until you can no longer do so!

Second, as a way that he “fights” the attraction to the heroine, anytime he’s feeling emotionally close to her, I have him standing with his hands behind his back.  And in the reverse, I had another love interest make it a point to touch her a lot. Not grope, but he’s more forward with his emotions. Robert is more distant.