Business Travel Doesn't Alway Suck

Actually, that's not true. I change my mind. Business travel does suck.

But sometimes... just sometimes... something unexpected makes it all worthwhile.

My Tweeps (Tweeps = Tweeter Peeps (Peeps = My Peoples (Peoples = you know... people... a lot of 'em))) got a handful of tweets from me when I was on my latest trip in San Diego.

I shared a picture of the marina from my room... If you haven't been to San Diego, find an excuse. It's one of those places that gets a hold of you and does not let go.

The trip itself was good. Conferences, coffee, workshops, coffee, one-on-ones with experts, coffee, meet new people, coffee, strategy sessions, and... let's see... did I mention coffee?

From 7 AM until approximately 6:30 PM I was busy with this stuff. And typically, my brain is fried when I go to these things. So much information, limited capacity left in my brain, and that typically results in no more juice left to be creative.

This time, it was a bit different.

Maybe it was the weather.

Maybe it was this statue that just spoke to me.

Maybe it was the coffee.

Or maybe it was the fact that I was still on a high from the James Scott Bell seminar that kickstarted the revisions of Rocky Peak.

Whatever it was, I had a phenomenal three nights of writing. From Sunday evening (when I arrived) to Wednesday afternoon (when I left), I had accomplished two things:

(1) I had added all the new scenes that I had identified ~ 12k words in 3 days
(2) I had completed the manuscript

And boy am I proud of how things have come together with this story. I am now doing a final read-through before I send off a copy to my mentor Michael Levin and my wife.

So I thought I'd share a couple of additional pictures. My "Hotel Room Office" and the elements that I use to get things done.

This is what's on my desk.

And when I look over my right shoulder, this is what I see.

It may be hard to figure out, but what I have on my window is a bunch of stickies.

Throughout the day, I jot down ideas.

It may be a new scene...

An inconsistency...

A good line...

A question...

or a reminder to further peel the onion layers of the plot challenges...

These are the things that bring everything together. The little accents that make the pieces flow with texture.

When I was revising, as I addressed a sticky, I would move it off of my "To Do Window" and set it aside in my "Done" pile. This is a very effective method that I've used for more than just writing. It comes from a project management methodology called SCRUM. Maybe I'll tell you guys about this rapid and agile process for getting things done in a future post.

Finally, Here's a blow up of my desk with some explanation

Research Material: 

• My iPad with all the Evernote research in front of me.
• My Revision plan -- A few sheets that includes the plot summary

The Avatar:

• That's my now infamous Moleskin notebook and pen that are my avatar on Tweeter

Music:

• Self-explanatory. In this case, I was listening to Evanescence

The JSB Flashcards:

• Read my post on James Scott Bell's seminar and some of the amazing tools I learned to use

Scrivener in Action:

• Read my post on why I love Scrivener so much here and here

Coffee:

• Really? You need me to explain this?

Fight the good fight!

Who You Callin' a Rookie?

Webster's Dictionary has the following definition: 

Definition of ROOKIE

1

: recruit; also : novice

2

: a first-year participant in a major professional sport

With all due respect to the Webster clan, I define rookie as hungry, willing to work harder than anyone else just to get on the play-field, talented, maybe raw, but driven. The rookie wants to outdo himself and improve -- the rookie wants the chance to shine. But in my eyes, it's not a destination, it's a journey. You are never done, until the day you die.

So let's get something straight, a Rookie is not an Amateur. A Rookie is not "less than." It's a state of mind, it's an attitude, it's an approach to life and the challenges that comes our way.

My blog is named "Rookie Scrivener." If both fortune and grace are on my side, and one day I am a published novelist, I hope I never lose sight of the importance of being, and remaining, a rookie.

I like to believe that if Rookie wasn't defined by "time" but by the "attitude" then we could apply that definition to people like Michael Jordan until the day he retired. Or Stephen King. Or JK Rowling.

What do I mean? With each progressive book these masters have gotten better, or at a minimum maintained their level of genius. It's not an easy task. In fact, it's nearly impossible. Statistically speaking, the probability of recreating this level of genius is not much better than zero. This is why these people are outliers. They don't belong in the normal distribution of humans. In short, Rookie's can be one-hit wonders. But not those that never take their life or craft for granted.

Let's look at the Beatles. With each album they broke new ground. They continued to redefine the landscape of music, creating new sounds and variations. Music was never the same again after the Beatles. Then they broke up. The individual members of the Beatles were still amazing... and they created some fantastic music. But... (there's always a but)... would Paul McCartney get a record deal today?

Okay before you send me hate letters, hear me out. Listen to some of his music after the Beatles and Wings. I mean, come on! Was this the same guy that wrote Yesterday? His popularity today is not because of the great new material he writes now, but due to his past genius. We give him a pass. He is no longer a rookie. He has lost that mojo, that something that made him a living legend.

I suppose it will happen to all of us. We will lose that edge one day. I for one hope to always be a rookie. Go ahead call me a rookie. You've never said anything more complimentary.

Whatever may be your passion, I hope you never give up, you never assume you know it all, you never claim you've figured it out, you never think you're too old to learn new things, you never look back with regret.

Fight the good fight.

Is your book better than it sounds?

I've quoted this man many times before. I will quote him again. From Seth Godin's blog:

Better than it sounds

Mark Twain said that Wagner wrote music that was better than it sounds.

It's an interesting way to think about marketing. Is your product better than it sounds, or does it sound better than it is? We call the first a discovery, something worthy of word of mouth. The second? Hype.

I often feel that way about the great things I've come across. When I get excited about something -- be it a book, a movie, a lecture, whatever -- I try to explain it. My words collide into each other, meaning is lost, and the barrage of adverbs and adjectives must be nauseating. But in my excitement, the person listening wants to find out why Ara is so flippin' excited about this 'whatever it is.'

This is a typical issue of mine. Which is why I have been struggling with my query letter--never quite happy with it. Just to be clear, this is an internal struggle. I am never happy with what I do--not completely. I am certain I can do better. I push and push until I'm proud of the work. As for the query letter or synopsis, it doesn't seem to capture the excitement I have for the story. I feel that I don't do my main characters and the story they go through justice. One person who has read my manuscript and provided feedback on my query letter said the following, "You are totally underplaying the story, the characters and the connection they have."

This issue is greater than just about the query letter. It's an all encompassing phenomena. It's about how we talk about our craft and our work with others.

"What's your book about?"
                      "What do you write about?"
                                               "Where do you get your ideas?"

Back to Seth--this is not about being a better marketer or a salesman. Because obvious marketing comes across cheap, planned, with lack of honesty behind it. This is about releasing any and all judgement you have about yourself, your work, and your passion. It's about trusting your work and letting it sing. Maybe even generate music that last the test of time. Sort of like Mark Twain, Wagner, and Seth Godin.

Remember this, it is YOUR responsibility to make your book's pitch consistent with what it is. No one will sell the 'hook, book and cook' for you, better than you. You may chalk this off as, "I'm not the business man, I'm the creative one." Selling is not a bad thing. It's the way we clarify the value to someone else, so that they also get the benefit. It is using words to convey the story we're trying to tell. Who better to do that, than writers?

Fight the good fight!

Two sides of the same coin: Rejection & Adoration

Rejection...

"I don't like it," she said.

I just looked at her. My heart sank. 

"It does nothing for me," she continued.

"Ok," I uttered.

"I forced myself to read past the first page."

What was that sensation? Oh, yes. It was the knife that my wife was churning in my sensitive heart. She held chapter 1 of a new concept that I was playing with like she would be insulted to use to line our trashcan. 

"I don't even think you like it," she said. "You're writing it because you think it's time to write. This is NOT the idea that deserves to be the followup to Aces.

There it was. 

When I wrote those 2,500 words I was writing -- the mechanics were there: my fingers moved on the keyboard, and words were displayed in my Scrivener app. 

But my heart was not in it. Unlike Aces, this one did not have heat or passion. 

Aces is in the query process. I've started to contact agents to query their interest. Everyone told me the same thing: when you start to query, that's the time to start your next novel. So I followed instructions. 

But, that's what I was doing -- following instructions. The magic of writing is only magic when you, the writer, is also transported to that world.

So I got a bit depressed. Got a cup of coffee (soy latte with illy coffee -- if you were wondering) and returned to my office. 

Noise canceling headphones? Check

Emotionally wrenching music? Check

Note book? Check

Idea? um, no check

Adoration...

I wrote random ideas, drew things, and my mind wondered to the Lunar Eclipse and Winter Solstice. 

In about one hour, if the clouds parted, the moon would look red, ominous, and awesome. Click! An idea came. Very fast and furious.

I wrote eight pages of notes in my journal. Before I knew it I was on the computer writing the opening scene. At 1 AM I was done. I missed the eclipse. Thankfully, according to my neighbor I didn't miss anything. The only eclipse I would have seen was provided by the clouds.

When she woke in the morning, I followed her around like a lost puppy. She knew what I wanted. 

She turned to me and smiled. "Make me a cup of coffee and I'll read it," she declared. 

Coffee in hand she read it. I watched her facial reactions wanting to see her laugh at the funny lines. Nothing! She instead had that serious face on. She's a high school teacher (a damned good one!) so she can't help looking serious. 

She was on the last page. She was done. She turned the last page and turned to me. A smile cracked her face.

"I like it. A lot. I want to read the rest of it."

I smiled. Probably looked goofy and silly. But I didn't care. I got her adoration.

"Get started. This is it!"

And of all things, I'm writing a YA novel. I've read so many lately that it was only a matter of time. 

My wife's done this to me in the past. I had written my Great American Novel some time ago. After I was done, I let her read chapter 1. She didn't care for it. She said "So what?"

Those words led me to work on the craft, learn, study, read, and do all I can to impress her -- my first reader. Fast forward one year and Aces went to her -- from rejection came adoration. I've already written her reaction in previous posts.

It is hard to get rejected. But it is necessary, absolutely critical, to take the rejection and improve from there. For anyone that has learned to play an instrument, the concept of rejection is built into the system. Your instrument of choice -- guitar, piano, etc. -- will immediately tell you when you strike the wrong note. Yes, that is rejection. It's a form of direct communication -- "not that note, try again." We don't take it personally. We make adjustments and move on. 

If you have trusted people around you, they should be that first filter. Later, it will be your agent. The agent will want changes, that's a good thing. It means that a professional reader is telling you when you've hit the wrong notes. Then the editor will do the same. It's all part of what it takes to create beautiful music with words.

Rejection has taken on a very negative connotation in our society. Do you have a good story where rejection led to something extraordinary. Share it! It's cathartic to share!

I am convinced that it is the blood line to creation. 

Music Makes Pictures

"When I heard the music, it made pictures in my head. These are the pictures." ~Walt Disney

The role of music in my work cannot be ignored.

I've been following the blog and tweets (@JMTohline) of JM Tohline. He had two posts on the topic of music, and the playlists we create to accompany the literary work we do (here's one... and the other).

Ara's Tangents: His twitter short stories are fantastic. Here's one: The debutante scratched her butt. The end. Here's another: She put on a Bill Clinton mask and came out of the bathroom. She had never looked better. The end. You owe it to yourself to follow him. His first novel, The Great Leonore, will be released Summer of 2011. I'm looking forward to it.

I wanted to share my madness with you. I'm a picture-driven type of person. If I can't see it (biological eyes or mind's eye), I can't create an effective scene. Music, like actual images, creates very real images for me. It is not an underestimation to say that some musicians have forever altered me--I am haunted by their words and their melodies.

When the seed for my story, Aces, was planted, I was in Paris on a business trip. I immediately took out my iPad and found some music that seemed complimentary to the type of story that was growing in my head [for those wondering, it's a love story]. As soon as I had the music going, I started mind-mapping the opening scene.

The music was from Colbie Caillat's Break Through and Coco CDs (Break Through, Oxygen, The Little Things, Realize and Bubbly). As I listened to those songs over and over (and over... 11 hour flight-- give me some slack here!), the personalities, the conflicts, the possibility all rushed at me. I was not able to write and draw fast enough. Needless to say, that as soon as I was back in LA, I bought everything Colbie I could find on iTunes (54 songs if you're keeping track).
 

With that, my play list started. I added about three dozen Chris Issak songs. About 80 Beatles songs, and then a bunch of one offs that felt right to me. If I heard something at the beach while hanging out, or at the market, I bought the song then added it to my playlist. My playlist includes songs from P!nk, Billy Joel, Kelly Clarkson, Sarah McLachlin, Sting... and more.

Ara's Tangents: If anyone knows Ms. Caillat and Mr. Isaak, can you ask them to collaborate on an album for me? Thanks. I owe you one!

My story starts in Paris, then travels to Malibu, then to London and finally ends in Barcelona. When I reached the Barcelona scenes, I had to tap into memories of my youth when we lived there. I found songs from Julio Iglesias and Peppino Galiardi that at the time were very popular. The music brought back memories, scents, faces.

Ara's Tangents: Peppino Galiardi? Who dat? The first person who can name that tune from Peppino that was popular in 1978 will get an autographed copy of a blank piece of paper... if I had something more valuable I would sign that.

A couple of people told me that my novel reads like a movie script (undoubtedly under the influence of expensive vodka). They can see the places, the faces and the storyline. If the Book Gods smile on my novel and it gets published, and if said book became a movie, I would ask the Director to remember the music that brought it all together. Since dreaming is free, I might as well dream big!