Guest Post: Marcia Yerman

Tomorrow, I will be reviewing Dancing at the Shame Prom and Marcia Yerman is one of the contributors to the book, so I am excited to share a guest post from this writer.

Without further ado . . . 

The Ramifications of Shame

Shame is a heavy burden. It falls particularly hard on the shoulders of girls and women. In countries all over the world it flourishes like an ivy vine, wrapping itself around female necks in the name of cultural values and norms.

In Dancing at the Shame Prom, I joined twenty-six women in writing about how shame had impacted my life. I had to bypass two histories of psychological shame that involved other people’s stuff. I felt it was a privacy issue. Needless to say, I had plenty of material left over.

That’s how it is with shame.

In addition to my essay for the anthology, I researched and wrote an article for the women’s health site EmpowHER. I needed to drill down on a clinical examination of the impact of shame on the budding psyches of young girls—which hangs over them and remains as they grow into women. Low self-esteem, a reduced sense of self-worth, and a repetitive tape of negative thoughts are elements that plague those carrying shame.

Women are extremely invested in relationships, and often bring a “less than” mentality from childhood shame into their grown-up connections. Self-perception and shame go hand in hand, becoming an internal monitor of how you think people perceive you. What results is a core value that keeps one feeling small, invisible, and afraid to take risks.

Each of the mental health experts I spoke with underscored the role of society in keeping girls and women tied up in knots due to shame. While striving to fit in, they struggle to bend themselves to the strictures of the dominant standards. Boys and men have shame as well—because the rules of class, economic status, race, and shared ideology affect us all. (Moreover, shame is a tool and a methodology for keeping group identities intact and inviolable.)

For girls and women who feel entrapped in meeting superficial standards of beauty, self-hate and shame can be dual constant companions. Body image shame can lead to a cycle of eating disorders, isolation, and depression. A history of sexual abuse and the self-recriminating, “I should have,” can result in adult dysfunction. Addiction shame can be a barrier to growth and recovery.

In Dancing at The Shame Prom, the narratives related encompass parental suicide, racial identity, alienation, hoarding, alcoholism, sexual trauma, and more. They serve as an acknowledgment of shame as a root problem. Most importantly, readers experience the reassurance that they are not alone, as they become witnesses to the expiation of specific individual shame.

It is important to remember that naming the shame is the first step to a path of release and healing. It can be quietly to oneself, out loud to a therapist, or privately on paper. (The Shame Prom has a Tumblr blog where anyone can post a shame narrative, either with a name or anonymously).

It is a journey. However, laying down the oppressive load is like opening a window…and letting the fresh air in.

Guest Post: Karen Wojcik Berner

Thank you to Karen Wojcik Berner for the two great Bibliophile books and the following guest post!

Musical Inspiration
By Karen Wojcik Berner


Thank you so much for having me here today.

People often ask writers where their ideas come from. The answer is pretty simple: everywhere. A news headline. A stroll around the neighborhood. Even a dream. Sometimes, the best ideas are inspired by other art forms, such as a painting or a sculpture, or, in my case, a song.

I come from a musical family. My father and I sang in choirs and neighborhood variety shows for most of my formative years, so music has always played a large role in my life. In fact, before becoming a writer, I briefly entertained the notion of trying my hand at it professionally. Of course, that was in junior high back, in 1978, when I thought I had a shot at making it as one of Barry Manilow’s back-up singers, then launching a solo career of my own.

Clearly, I was already creating fiction in my pre-teenage delusional head, so I definitely picked the right career.

Still to this day, one of my favorite things to do is jam my music, though, rest assured, I’ve come a long way from those Barry Manilow days. Turning up that volume is a great stress reliever. Yes, I am that woman you see driving a minivan with the windows down, blaring Florence + the Machine. And speaking of Florence, what a voice! Fantastic, right? But I digress.

This penchant for loud music stems from living in a third-floor apartment when I was growing up, a place where if I ever walked too loudly, my parents would hear about it from the downstairs neighbor. Consequently, there was a cap on how loud any music could be played, which did not bode well during the teenage years. Remember, this was back in the Stone Age before earbuds and iPods.

After my sons were born, my jammin’ time was relegated to when they were outside playing football in the backyard with the neighborhood kids. During one such afternoon, I turned on the Indigo Girls’ “Rites of Passage.” I had always like the song, “Galileo,” but for some reason that day, I stopped emptying the dishwasher and really paid attention to the words. The song talks about reincarnation and asks how many lifetimes does it take to finally get things right.

I could not get that concept out of my head. But instead of multiple lifetimes, I envisioned a young woman who kept messing things up despite her efforts to change, moving from place to place in search of her true self.

I had found Catherine Elbert.

I started writing immediately. I saw her in Portland, Maine, purchasing a ferry ticket to Peaks Island, trying to find an apartment, and shopping for incidentals at a little store. Since I was in the middle of writing my first novel, “A Whisper to a Scream (The Bibliophiles: Book One),” these scenes would have to be filed away for awhile, but at least I knew what project would be next.

I am happy to report “Until My Soul Gets It Right (The Bibliophiles” Book Two)” was released in June, and my kids are now much older, so I am back jammin’ on a regular basis. And judging by the musical noise level in our house, the boys definitely take after their old mom.

What songs cause you to turn up the volume?

Guest Post: Fleur Philips

Yesterday, I reviewed I am Lucky Bird by Fleur Philips and today I was given the opportunity to share a guest post by the author - enjoy!

Inspirational Moments

The other day, I had a conversation with a writer friend of mine about those inspirational moments when a memory or a thought or an event suddenly causes us to want to find the nearest coffee shop to set up camp and start writing. In one of my creative writing classes at the University of Montana, the professor assigned us the task of keeping a daily journal of these inspirational moments. We were to write down the event or thought or memory, but not find the coffee shop.

“Just keep a record,” he’d said. “That way, when you think you have nothing to write about, you’ll always have a list of ideas to turn to.”

I’ve been keeping that journal ever since. Many of the moments will never go further than the ink splotch in my journal, but a few of them have transformed into prose—a short story or poem, my first full-length novel (now collecting dust on my shelf). And one of them plays a significant role in my debut novel, I Am Lucky Bird.

On May 25, 2003 one of my oldest brother’s best friends, Travis Dolphin, died at the age of 34 from complications of a brain tumor. Mike and Travis became friends in 1983 as freshmen at Polson High School in Polson, Montana. After graduation, Mike went to UC Boulder and Travis ventured off to Eastern Oregon. But the distance didn’t interfere with their friendship. When they returned to Polson for holidays and summers, it was like they’d never been separated. Travis was not just my brother’s friend—he was a friend to our entire family. To me, he was a fourth brother.
Travis returned to Polson and eventually married and had two sons. My brother moved to Seattle to attend law school. He also married and has three children of his own. Again, the time and distance did not interfere with their friendship. They didn’t see each other as much, nor did they speak regularly, but Travis was, and always will be, one of Mike’s best friends. In 1996, it was discovered that Travis had a brain tumor. It was removed, and Travis was required bi-yearly and then yearly check-ups. It appeared he would be just fine. But seven years later, he was hanging onto his life.

And here comes my inspiration moment. Mike called me on a Thursday afternoon to ask me for my advice. Travis was dying. Mike hadn’t seen him in quite some time, and he was scared of going back to say goodbye. By the end of our conversation, I wasn’t sure what Mike was going to do. He knew he needed to see his friend, but he wasn’t sure he had the courage to do it. Early the following morning, Mike was awakened by the sound of a bird clumsily banging itself against the kitchen window. He went downstairs and watched this crazy robin fly back and forth against the glass, as though it was convinced if it kept doing it, the window might eventually magically open and let the bird in. This continued all day and into the night, and by Saturday morning, Mike couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to get out of the house. He jumped in his car and drove to Polson—an 8-hour drive to the east. When he arrived at Travis’s house, another best friend—Matt Moderai—greeted him at the door. In high school, Matt, Travis and Mike were inseparable. Travis lay in his bed, paralyzed, his breathing labored. Mike later told me that when Travis saw him, his eyes widened. He couldn’t physically smile, but Mike knew he was. Travis’s family was there—his parents and brother, his wife and kids. Mike said goodbye. The following morning, Travis passed away.

Within a few hours of Travis’s passing, Katy (Mike’s wife) called to tell him that the robin had finally stopped banging itself against the window. The bird had just…disappeared.

“When?” Mike asked.

“This morning,” Katy replied. “It just stopped, but when I went outside to see if it was still on the ground, it was gone.”

To this day, my brother is convinced that Travis sent that bird to bug the crap out of him until he’d have no choice but to get his butt into his car and drive the 8 hours to say goodbye to his friend. Forget courage.

I Am Lucky Bird is not about Travis or my brother. It’s not about a crazy robin banging itself against a kitchen window. But there is a bird, and this bird plays a significant role in Lucky’s turbulent life. Before her mother disappears, she tells Lucky that birds are responsible for bringing the souls of the dead to heaven to become angels.

Thanks, Travis, for this inspirational moment.

Guest Post - Ruby Preston

Thank you to the author of Showbiz that I reviewed yesterday, she sent me this great guest post, check it out!


How My Broadway Day Job Inspired SHOWBIZ
By Ruby Preston

To say that my personal experiences as a Broadway producer have inspired SHOWBIZ would be the understatement of the century. In fact, it was entirely thanks to my crazy experiences - and a few clever friends who suggested over drinks one night that I put my stories down in writing - that my heroine Scarlett Savoy and this whole novel came about!

If you want my juiciest stories, you’ll have to read SHOWBIZ. But let’s just say that show business is riddled with contrasts. From rehearsals in rat infested basements to red carpets and paparazzi. From meetings where the agenda items include discussing a $10 million dollar budget followed by what kind of “look” we want for a fairy godmother in Act 2. And keep in mind that most of these meetings are populated by men in ties discussing said fairy godmothers. Can you picture it?

In these meetings, each decision can feel like it’s make or break, risky, high stakes. And yet, when you take a step back, you can’t help but smile at the subject matter. It’s a crazy business.

Despite the myriad challenges I’ve faced as a young producer, there’s no arguing the fact that I feel lucky every day to work in a business where the shows I produce can have such a vital impact on people. Theater speaks to audiences deeply and can change lives.

Many of you reading this may have been personally affected by live theater. Maybe it was the first time you saw Les Miz or Phantom or Wicked. There’s no doubt that what happens on stage transcends our daily lives. But, as you’ll learn in Showbiz, A Novel that path to Broadway may not be what you think.

Guest Post: Dorothy James

Today I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post from Dorothy James, author of A Place to Die. You can grab her book here at Amazon.

Stashing Granny
Yesterday I read an article in the Huffington Post by Ann Brenoff with the provocative title: ”Stashing Granny in a Backyard Shed “  (http://tinyurl.com/7l5yr87).  Today there are already pages of comments. It is a catchy title and the pitch is humorous: “ . . . as much as you love Mom, you really don’t want her under the same roof . . .”   The “backyard shed” turns out to be a do-it-yourself  construction kit for a $60,000 largely pre-fabricated house, not the worst idea to save your mother from “the assisted living place with the awful medicinal smell.”  However the many comments, pro and contra, illustrate what a hot topic this is.

What caught my eye, and at first glance turned my stomach, was the phrase “stashing Granny.”  Consider yourself for a moment if you can, not as a  son or daughter with a parental or grandparental problem, but as a Granny or Grandpa.  Do you want to be stashed?

This question is close to my heart because I have written and published a murder mystery called “A Place to Die,” set in a retirement home in Vienna. I did this in the first instance because it occurred to me that a retirement home was an ideal setting for a murder mystery – a large country house, a set of characters who weren’t going anywhere, who because they were by definition old had long lives behind them full of stories and secrets, lives that stretched back to the Vienna of the Nazi and post-Nazi period, a fascinating time to explore. I gave myself a fictional entrée into this world through an American baby-boomer-age couple visiting the husband’s mother who has been “stashed” in the home.  I did not of course think of this word at the time, but it is true that the mother is not happy about being there and she is there because her family cannot cope any longer with her living alone.

The novel is not really about this quite common dilemma – it is a murder mystery and the plot centers on the detection of the crime.   But in writing the novel, where the suspects as well as the victim are all old, some older than 90, I found myself delving into their lives, thoughts and feelings, seeing them not as items in the lives of others, people to be “stashed” somewhere out of the way, but people of pride and passion, happiness and misery, pettiness and greatness.  People, in other words, just like the rest of us.

Guest Post and Giveaway: Elizabeth Ann West

Today, I have a treat to share - a guest post from Elizabeth Ann West, author of Cancelled which was reviewed here at Kritters Ramblings.

“I Don't Read”

By: Elizabeth Ann West

“I don't like to read.”

“I just don't have time to read.”

How many times do we readers hear this from our family and friends? Funny thing is we WANT them to read, so we have someone to talk about books with...in person! In my own life, I live with a self-professed non-reader. He's 11. But he'll “forget” his reading time requirement (20 minutes per day) when I hand him my Nook.

How should we handle people who assure us they just don't read? Easy. Become a reading ambassador. Chances are very strong the person in question was never even asked what kinds of books he or she wanted to read as kid or young adult. Reading was always assigned. To them, we are nerds still giving ourselves homework!

Instead of asking your friend why he or she doesn't read, try asking what they like to read. Still coming up empty? Ask about TV shows or movies they like to watch. Try to find a book version to suggest. For example, did you know the popular Showtime series Dexter is based on the series of books by Jeff Lindsay? Introduce them to the online sample on their computer. They don't even have to step foot in a book store to browse titles!

What many non-readers don't realize is how rich the experience of reading is outside of being assigned. It's an entertainment form that educates in a very subtle way. By finding entertainment in stories, the reader picks up new vocabulary and other information, even from fiction! Don't give up on your non-reader friends. Help them. Help them find the materials they can enjoy, whether it's a favorite TV series' fan fiction or classics their teacher failed to put on the syllabus.

Today's digital libraries offer the greatest versatility in reading genres, cross-overs, and story lengths. Thre is a niche for every reader! The short story and novella formats, great for readers short on time, are making a massive comeback on ereaders. This is due in no little part by the work of independent authors. There's no reason a friend reclaiming reading as a past time should feel daunted by hundreds and hundreds of pages.

And never be afraid to be the training wheels! Why not try reading your non-reading friend's choice...together! You find a great new book to share together right here on Kritter's Ramblings. Her reviews are unique because they focus on the fun of reading the stories she selects, not just typical literary analysis. Her blog is a perfect catalog of titles to “shop” from!

Please reach out to someone you know who “hates to read.” You never know what kind of reading monster you'll unleash! :) Share your experiences below in helping a friend or family member to enjoy the world of books below! We can all learn from each other how to help literacy spread like wildfire!

As a special thank you for inviting me once again to Kritter's Ramblings, I have a special gift for all of the other reading junkies out there: a free, signed copy of my debut novel's ebook, CANCELLED.

If you would like a signed copy, just sign up for my newsletter and the preferred ereader you list is the format I will send. I write a handwritten note for each reader and scan it into the file, so your ebook is 100% unique. My newsletter goes out only once per month on the 25th and covers my latest writing projects, books I've read and can personally recommend, and technology tips for our busy online lives.

I am also daring one name each week from the newsletter subscribers and that winner receives a free signed and annotated paperback copy of CANCELLED straight to their door! I will ship internationally.


To enter - comment on this post with your email address.  This giveaway ends January 20th.

Guest Post by Cat LaRose

What Color Says About You by Cat LaRose

Color is often used to describe changes in our physical and emotional well-being. A ruddy complexion means you might be burning up with fever but it could also mean you are flushed with excitement or anger. If your face goes white you could be about to pass out or experiencing an emotional shock or intense fear. You can be green with envy or just a bit queasy; yellow can mean jaundice or cowardness. Feeling “in the pink” is good while Holly Golightly’s “the mean reds” in Breakfast at Tiffany’s is bad!

Color can also change our physiological and emotional states and that’s the very reason that changing color in our wardrobe or our personal space can give us a much-needed lift, emotionally and physically. The blue induces a sense of calm and tranquility while orange encourages us to be more social. Need a dash of courage, try wearing red.  Teal is a universal color that looks on everyone.  And when we look good we feel good.

So what does color say about you? First, look in your closet. If you notice a preponderance of one color, what does that – let’s call it your color intuition – tell you about yourself? Which colors feel right when you put them on? Is there one color that has been languishing in your closet for months? That’s your color orphan. Give it away!

Next expand your vision to your personal space. How many of your favorite colors, or versions of, have migrated over and found their way into the most comfortable rooms of your home? This is another sign of color intuition at work.

Not sure you have a color preference or what you might be attracted to? Try this exercise. Visit the home furnishings department of your favorite retail store. Look at the kitchen and bath linens and accessories. These are usually grouped by color. Which color group are you drawn to? Which do you avoid?

Whether you’re a color maven or a newbie let’s take a quick look at what color says about you.


Red – is passionate, dangerous and sexy. It gives off one of two messages: Watch me! or Watch out!

Pink – is all sugar and spice and everything nice. It’s feminine and romantic.

Yellow – is the color of sunshine. Just as sunny days always lift our spirits, a dash of yellow induces cheerfulness and generates warmth and spontaneity.

Orange – is a color that combines the energy of red with the joy and sunny attitude of yellow. Frank Sinatra once called it the happiest color. When you wear orange you can say, “I did it my way.”

Green – is the most restful color for the human eye and is said to have a healing power. It symbolizes growth and freshness and creativity – it’s no wonder most traditional cures come from nature.

Blue – is associated with calm, tranquility and stability. Ever spent time contemplating the ocean or the sky and felt totally at peace? It also symbolizes trust, loyalty, faith and stability. And while it’s typically the favorite color of most men, women like it too. Light blue indicates softness while dark blue represents knowledge and dependability.

Purple – is a magical color. Leonard di Vinci posited that sitting in a purple light enhanced his meditative abilities ten-fold. I suppose that’s why we find a lot of purple in stained glass windows. It’s also a royal color full of wisdom and dignity. If you want to feel like “Queen for a Day” – array yourself in purple.

Brown –is a masculine color. It’s also a classic neutral, as dependable as your morning cuppa joe. Various shades of brown, from espresso to latte, will give you a sense of stability.

White –symbolizes purity, cleanliness and simplicity. If you’re into classics and perfection – or “nights in white satin” – white is your color.

Black – says style, grace and elegance (and also lops off a few pounds without any effort). It is the color of the quintessential must-have dress for every woman. Want to make an entrance? Wear black with a dash of red, and watch heads turn.

Thank you so much to Cat LaRose. I will be reviewing her book Any Color But Beige tomorrow on the blog! And check out tomorrow for a giveaway that is not worth missing!

Guest Post: Melissa Foster

Book Clubs, What’s the Buzz? by Melissa Foster

I LOVE book clubs! It’s that simple. Sure, you think I love them because I’m an author and readers will buy my books, but I spend more time with my book club members than I’ll ever make off of the books that they buy. What makes books clubs so fun for me is the camaraderie. I’ve found book clubs to be more clearly defined as a gathering of like-minded people, who happen to be getting together under the premise of reading and discussing books.

Here are a few things that I have discussed in recent book club chats:

1.     The weather

2.     Any particular member’s new blouse, skirt, jeans, shoes, purse, wallet, sweater, briefcase, etc.

3.     Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie followed by Jennifer Anniston and a collective sigh.

4.     Dessert

5.     Which wine to order

6.     Dessert

7.     Spouses, kids, parents

8.     Great vacation spots

9.     How long we could stay around the table instead of going home to deal with real life

Keeping a book club running smoothly and continuing to keep the members interested can be quite a challenge, not to mention choosing books that everyone will enjoy. I run an online book club on The Women’s Nest, and we usually have a handful of readers, but we’re always looking for new and exciting things to offer, such as author chats. Here are a few tips for running a fun and interesting book club:

1.     Have members offer suggestions each month for the following month and then run a poll for the members to vote on the book

2.     Establish one member to head up the discussion each month, and be sure to allow everyone a chance in the position

3.     Good food never hurts

4.     Mix up your discussions, for example, try something fun like an “in-character” discussion where one member plays the part of one of the characters and answers the questions in character.

5.     Invite an author every now and again. Many of us love to chat with book clubs.

6.     Every once and a while read a book that is connected to a movie and watch the movie with your book club members. What could be more fun than a group and some popcorn?!

7.     Wine never hurts.

Kudos to book club managers and to the members! Commitments are hard enough to keep in our busy lives, and making time for reading and sharing are areas of our lives to be valued. Good times, good friends, and good reads.

One of my favorite things to do is to chat with book clubs. If you read my books, invite me to your meeting! Skype, in-person, or online. We’ll have a good time!

Guest Post - Melissa Foster author of Chasing Amanda

Melissa Foster - author of both Megan's Way and Chasing Amanda and founder of The Women's Nest. A current resident of Maryland, with another book almost complete - Come Back to Me. She is back on the blog with a guest post for her blog tour for Chasing Amanda.

Without further ado - here is Melissa Foster.

How Reading Makes Me a Better Writer

Reading is fundamental - that's what teachers have been touting for years. I've never questions the prospect of reading being essential. I've been a reader since I was just a tyke. I've preached the importance of reading to all of my children, and can't imagine how many hours would be empty if reading was not a part of our lives. What I hadn't really thought about was how reading would make me a better writer.

I'm often asked who my favorite author is and what books I have enjoyed. My standard answer is that I have many favorite authors, and that I glean something from every book that I read. This is true, and I will explain why.

Even those books that may not have a storyline that I find compelling offer something that I can learn from. Whether I'm picking up on different ways to describe scenarios or characters, or learning which writing styles I might want to steer away from - it all helps to enhance my writing. Increased vocabulary is another benefit to reading. I always have my handy-dandy electronic dictionary nearby to look up words I may not have heard of before.

Another advantage of reading is to enjoy the escape. Believe it or not, even writes need an escape from writing, and time to rejuvenate our own thoughts.

The next time you hear that reading is fundamental, I hope you will smile and think to yourself, What can I learn from this book?

Interested in writing, or simply want to chat about books? Drop me an email: thinkhappygirl (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Thank you to Melissa for sharing her thoughts. I am a reader and a blogger and always love to hear about other's thoughts on reading and the impacts it can have throughout one's life.

Guest Post - Susan Schneider autho of The Wedding Writer

I would like to welcome Susan Schneider to Kritters Ramblings. We are lucky to have a exclusive guest post just for us, so here it goes . . .

Ambitious Women, Yay or Nay?

The main character in The Wedding Writer, Lucky burns bright with pure ambition. At first it seemed that this would be a problem with selling the book. My agent loved the writing, but she didn't love Lucky. "Gee, can't you make her just a little nicer?" she asked plaintively. So I did - but not enough for my editor at St Martins. "Nope," she said. "Lucky isn't sympathetic enough." I saw their point - Lucky is a tough cookie - but then I was in a dilemma. How could I make her more likable but keep true to the kind of character I knew she had to be?

I decided that I could deepen Lucky so that the reader could understand her if not want to invite her to brunch. I wanted readers to see where Lucky was coming from, how she got to be the person she was, and so I worked really hard on a section about her visit to her family in Christmas. I wanted the reader to think "Ah ha, now I get it!" Overall , I'm glad I rethought Lucky, because I myself ended up liking her (and understanding her) a lot more.

I admit she isn't the easiest character in the world to warm up to; however, after working for many years in women's magazines, of which bridal is a very big part, I know that you have to be tough, especially if you come to the industry without connections. Then you have to fight even harder, and you have to steel yourself to take disappointment on the chin. And this s truer more now that ever, when jobs are scarce and getting scarcer.

Having said this, I still think that people often have a problem with ambitious women - even in these post-feminist days. As a single mom, I've been plenty torn about it: how much did I give to my job and how much to my daughter? And hey, how about me?

I've been Lucky myself and I've been the opposite of Lucky. But I admire my girl's ambitions, if not all her methods. I see where she's coming from. Sometimes my heart really goes out to her - I hope that when she finally reaches the top, it won't be too lonely. More than that, I hope she has a second chapter filled with love.

Check out my review yesterday of The Wedding Writer here on the blog.

Guest Post: Bill Walker - A Note From an Old Acquaintance

Guest Post by Bill Walker, author of A Note From an Old Acquaintance

I hear a lot about authors who outline their novels before they start writing, outlines that can often be quite extensive. I’m not one of them, at least not with the books I’ve written thus far. For me, if I had to sit down and ponderously map out every little move my characters make and every twist and turn of the plot, I would more than likely lose interest in taking it any further. To then sit down and write the book would be like repeating myself. At worst, it would be excruciating. At best–anti-climactic. And I need that catharsis that comes with discovery. More about that in a minute.

The method that works for me is to first have an idea so compelling that it seizes my imagination and won’t let go. Call it an obsession if you like, because I won’t deny that it has the feeling of one, and for me I need that unrepentant passion to carry me through the months of work to get to a first draft. The next requirement is discipline, having the will to sit and type at least three pages per day. If I want to do more, fine, but that doesn’t get me off the hook for the next day.

Because I’m a film school graduate, I have always tended to see my stories as movies on a big screen in my mind. And that is the way I write, in a sort of cinematic trance. While I have a firm grip on where the story is going, the characters will often assert themselves and take the story in a different direction. Sometimes I have to rein them in and, at other times, I’m delightfully surprised to find them taking me in a fresh direction I’d never previously considered. These are the moments for which all writers live, and an outline will kill it. Not because those moments will elude you if you’ve outlined your book, but because you’ve put so much work into that outline, you won’t want to deviate from it to go somewhere else with the characters and the story.

My advice, then, is to take that basic idea and just start writing it. Once you get the first draft down, THAT will be your outline. You will then be able to see what needs to be changed with a much clearer vision and you will not have hampered your creativity at the outset by creating a rigid roadmap.

______________________________________________________________________

Bill Walker is a graphic designer specializing in book and dust jacket design, and has worked on projects by Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. Between his design work and his writing, he spends his spare time reading voraciously and playing very loud guitar, much to the chagrin of his lovely wife and two sons. Bill makes his home in Los Angeles and can be reached through his web site: http://www.billwalkerdesigns.com/.