The Frasier

I’m taking a break from my normal “book-club” blog posts to talk about a wonderful fiction contest called the Frasier. You can find details here: http://www.mybooktherapy.com/index2.php/the-frasier-contest/

I entered last year for the critiques. I wanted to test the waters—is my stuff any good?

While preparing my entry, I was shocked to learn they expected me to write a synopsis of my beloved novel in less than 500 words. Dismay, surprise, and a little depression rocked my personal “book-esteem” at the idea they didn’t want to read an exhaustive treatise on the creative work of my dreams. I mean, the entire novel was written on my heart, how could I possibly leave anything out?

Needless to say, I did. The guidelines for the contest forced me to “write-tight.” This pre-requisite proved invaluable. It taught me to filter my own words and boil them down to only the essential. Accepting that not everyone in the world wants to read my words ad nauseam before I get to the point humbled me.

The word count for the opening scene (1500 words) also proved a challenge, but I found myself evaluating every word. My previous philosophy may have been something like this: if you throw enough words at any given scenario, eventually you’ll come to a decent point. After crafting my Frasier entry, I can see that fewer words pack greater potency.

All this is to say, if you write fiction, enter the Frasier! The pithy comments from the judges are worth the entry fee. And while the guidelines force you to trim words, I hope you’ll learn what I did: tight writing is golden.

I’m off to start my second novel this week.

P.S. In case you didn’t notice, this post is less than 300 words. J

Are you a Cry-er?

Do you tend to cry in movies or when you read a great book? I have to admit, I’m not much of a cry-er. Sometimes I’m really in the mood for it, I choose a tear-jerker to watch or read, and my eyes stay dry the whole way through.

Do you judge a story by whether it made you cry or not? I actually cheer when a friend reads something I've written and tells me they cried. Success! I must tell you about the book I stumbled upon earlier this month. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah blew me away.

I can’t say the beginning overwhelmed me, but it was very good. I can’t say that half-way through the story it became my favorite book, though I enjoyed it very much. But when I reached the final one hundred pages, the culmination of the whole story packed such an enormous wallop, I was shocked by the sheer enormity of emotion I felt for her characters. I cried constantly for the last 50 pages. I don’t know if I’ve ever done that before. Luckily, I was reading it at the beach, wearing huge sunglasses.

The story is beautiful. And she built it so gradually, I didn’t even notice how enormous the implications of every detail had become. So of course, as an author, I analyzed her plot. I followed some advice from my favorite book on writing craft and picked apart the entire novel. And when I came to the last 50 pages, yup! I cried again. Sheesh!

So now I want to write something like that. Something that will take my readers on a journey they will feel themselves, instead of just watching from the sidelines. Read Firefly Lane if you want to feel a story deeply, or if you find yourself in need of a good cry.

Fair warning: adult language and themes throughout.

What was the last book you read that made you cry?

What do you want?

What do you want from a book? I'm talking about those books that you cannot put down and you will not forget when you've finished them.

Do you just want to escape to another place? Or are there certain things you expect from a novel?

When I close a great book after reading the last page, I always take my time and I usually sit there, holding the book, remembering. It’s almost like waving goodbye to friends and watching the car drive away until I cannot see it anymore.

One book stands out to me in this regard. Taking Liberties by Diana Norman really stuck with me. I actually missed the main characters after I put the book down. I want a book that leaves me wanting more, like when I eat a cookie that was delicious but too small.

Another must-have take away for me is something that grabs my mind. If I find either a surprise, or an interesting philosophical question or an idea that’s new to me, I will remember the book forever.

Lastly, it must be gripping. I must need to keep reading.

What elements do you look for in a great read?