Forming Opinions on Books We Disagree With

    
     Have you ever loved a book, but also disagreed with it on some level? You were hooked, but...something about it grated on your spirit. Your soul felt raw and charged after reading it because your beliefs were under attack.
     How do we deal with such bothersome books? We must figure it out for our own personal sanity. Some of us, like teachers, parents, librarians, book-reviewers and members of book-clubs must also decide how to review and whether to recommend books. The only thing to do is to form a careful opinion.

Settling it in Your Spirit

     "We need to be really bothered once in a while." Montag said this in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. He was referring to books; books should bother us. I couldn't agree with him more. Sometimes books affirm our 

beliefs, and other times they test our beliefs; they even give us new ones! When considering a tough book, think about what exactly the author is saying. Don't just ban the book: pick it apart and mull over it. Wrestle with the points it makes. Think critically--you'll be glad for the effort. Study the subjects, and write down your thoughts. If you're a Christian, pray about it and study the biblical stance.

      It's okay to like a book, even if you disagree with it. It's the same way with people: you'll never agree with them on everything, but you can still appreciate and like them. Books are peoples' thoughts on a page. Powerful, popular authors have something to say, and they say it hard. You're expected to disagree with at least some of it. 

     The Recommendation Question

     So how do we review books that bother us? Should we recommend them? Recently I read a book called Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore that gave me this problem. I struggled with rating it.
     Bitterblue was fabulously written, from a craft standpoint. It's everything I like in a book--a strong heroine, multidimensional characters, grand adventure, high stakes, plot twists, political intrigue, magic, fantasy, love, visible imagery, fully-developed setting, and compelling mystery.
     My problem lay with two of the author's agendas. They can be summed up with the phrase "sexual sins." As a Christian, I have very strong opinions about sex. It bummed me out that the author (whom I greatly respect) so forcefully pushed my boundaries. I won't go very deep into it, because that's not the purpose of this blog, but I'll briefly explain my problem. Cashore pressed her readers to accept two ideas: that it's just fine to have sex before marriage, and that homosexuality is normal and right. I can't just ignore what the Bible says on these topics. If you'd like to know why I believe what I believe, please email me, and I'd be glad to explain. More than glad--thrilled.
     So how am I supposed to review this book?
     Recently I asked a dear friend about how to review books that give me this problem, and this was her advice: Be honest.
      And I will be. Bitterblue was a beautiful book about a young queen trying to help her country heal from it's terrible past. It grated on a few of my moral sensibilities, but I enjoyed it very much despite that. Books are written to make us think. I gave the  presented issues some thought. Eventually I decided Bitterblue deserved four stars, rather than five, simply because I think the author is wrong about one of her minor subplot-agendas.
     As far as recommending it to people, I will tell them the same thing as I did in my review. Fantsay-lovers will probably like this book.
     If you would like to read my review of Bitterblue, click on the book on my bookshelf to the right of the page.
    
     Tip: Reviewing books is generally easier if you can separate the reviews into sections: 1) writing craft, 2) how you liked it, and 3) its message. Or something like that. That way, you can give it the full respect it deserves!
     Scribblers and Book Bandits: do you ever struggle with books in this way?

Inpiration and Writer's Block

Inspiration Lake by Bala Sivakumar

     Scribblers, I know the pressure to create can be incredible, so let's take a certain weight off our shoulders. What weight is that?
     That of being "inspired."
     At times, inspiration comes in waves, but other times, it seems the dams have drawn up. This is often refered to as "Writer's Block." How do we kick it?
     I've identified two kinds of writer's block. (1) Have you ever found yourself staring at a completely blank page, knowing you need to write a story (or whatever), and having no idea where to begin? We just need...something...to write. I've found is the eaiser kind to cure.
     What is our job, as writers? Writers find a truth, and make it accessible to the reading population. Sometimes if we're good enough, we can do it in an entertaining fashion. That's the point: getting our points across. Stories and non-fiction alike are all about conveying truth.
     But where do we find these truths? By looking around, and thinking. Just by doing these two things, writing material comes to us. The material is already there; we just have to notice it, and write it down. For the most part, we don't "create": we capture.
     Two weeks ago, I wrote about the writing process. We talked about the 5 stages: Observing, Researching, Recording, Organizing, and Touching Up.
     The first kind of inspiration has mostly two do with the first three stages. For some people, the third stage is made up primarily of this first kind of inspiration. Others have already planned out what will happen during the third stage of writing, and they only access this first kind of inspiration once in awhile, for spontaneity.
     Of course, I'm making it sound so deliberate. Nothing is quite so neat when you are in the midst of the process. Some people just plan more before writing than other. This dichotomy is encapsulated in the debate between "outlines and pantsers," which I'll talk about some other time.
     So, when you are searching for something to begin writing about, think about what has interested you lately. If you're lucky, you'll have been writing down interesting things in your notebook (I find this incredibly helpful) from which you can draw. I recommend tossing around several ideas, because not every idea is big or interesting enough to hold the weight of a novel or story. To make an interesting premise out of a couple ideas, ask yourself "What if?" You like crime shows? You're upset about NASA closing? What if you wrote a crime-mystery...on the moon? And, if you are just looking for what comes next in the first draft of your story, let it wander in tangents that interest you. It'll turn out differently than you expected.
     (2) And now, let's talk about the second, more frustrating kind of writer's block, the one that takes place in the fourth and fifth stages of writing: when we can't make things connect together, can't organize them right, and are out of ideas to try. This is when people give up. They figure they weren't cut out to be novelists, if they get stuck like this; it's too hard to think of something worth writing (or reading).
     I'm working on this part, myself. What I've found that seems to help is to just keep writing. I take a notebook that isn't the actual draft, and I brainstorm. I make lists of my alternatives, even the ones I know I won't use. I get it all out on paper. It looks messy, but it helps. Just keep writing; don't get "bogged down," even if it takes you days.
     If lists are helping, I take a break--not to give up, but to get some distance. I read books. I go through my notebook. I let it sit on the back burner. Sometimes, I'll write character bios or plot  outlines. I keep working on anything, even if it's not the problem.
     The key is not to give up. Maybe you need distance from the problem area, but you don't need to stop writing altogether. Something will come to you if you're patient.
     I hope this helps all the scribblers out there, because we all run into this problem from time to time. Happy writing!

CSI Teen Library Event

    
     Book Bandits, it's your day.
     Actually, if you're a teen BB, yesterday was your day. The library hosted a Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) program for teens. Two employees of the Sheriff's department (a Detective and a Tech with a very complicated official-sounding title) came and showed us what REALLY happens at a crime scene, and how crimes are solved.
     Below, we see some of the teens who attended:

They look bored because we haven't started yet...and because I hassled them
by taking pictures :)

     First, the sheriffs gave a fascinating lecture on the point of CSIs, and passed around several examples of finger print lifts. We got to see real evidence from real cases!  Next, the CSIs set up a "crime scene" for the teens to work in.

This was the entrance to the "crime scene." Notice the yellow sign on the
window. What a clever detective! He told us he's given several classes before.
No wonder they did such a great job!

  

Notice the small paper scraps on the bottom left. That's the
"broken window glass." Here, the teens are solving the
crime.

     Next, we all filed into the "lab" and lifted fingerprints off of several bottles and cans. We actually got to use real equipment!

I felt very lucky to be allowed to join the fingerprinting action, even though I'm not a teen anymore. It looks like I'm picking my nose, but really I'm being told that my face mask is upside down...so it's just as embarrassing! ;)

     These are the two awesome CSIs who showed us all the goods!

                        

     We owe them a huuuuuuuge thank you for coming to the library and teaching some basic nabbing techniques.

     If this looks awesome to you, know that it was just one of many teen events going on this summer. You can always come for the next event, which will be July 28th from 2PM-4PM. We'll be learning how to make solar ovens, and cooking s'mores! This is a handy tool for camping trips. Come have fun and learn with us!

     We're also hosting a photo contest. The winner will recieve a digital camera, and every participant gets their photos displayed at our fancy wrap-up party! Sound cool? For more information about other Teen events going on this summer, check out this post, or stop by the library any time and pick up an info packet. It's not too late to join!

     Hope your summer is going great, Book Bandits!

The Writing Process in 5 Stages

     Hi, Scribblers!
     The concept of writing or "creating" can be intimidating for the beginning writer, (more on that next week) so let's break it down. There are 5 smaller, more manageable stages in the writing process: Observing, Gathering, Recording, Organizing, and Touching Up. Some of these stages have "professional" names, which I'll use later, but the names I've used here describe what the writer actually does during each stage.
     This process may sound less romantic and flowery than what novelists like to say: if you write stories, you add in imaginative elements to your information; you may rephrase your words into story arcs and metaphors to make the message more accessible. However, it is the same essential process.
     The first stage, Observation, is fun and inspiring. It doesn't feel like work. Rather, it makes a writer feel...well, writerly! You carry around a notebook, and people wonder why you are always pulling it out and scribbling something down. You may not even be thinking about writing: you may have just been walking around town, or reading a book or hanging out with a friend. Little and big truths come to us in the form of observations like, "A strong wind blows, but only one of the many trees dances in it." From there, you can go a thousand directions. What kind of tree is it? Why does only that one dance? I strongly suggest writing your observations down in a notebook; it's been one of the most useful tools for me. Observations don't all get used--in fact, most won't--but they're a great jumping-off point. The great children's author Lois Lowry said in this fabulous interview that a writer who has lived in a small town for 50 years can get as much great content as they need, as long as they are observant. I have to firmly believe that, because as far as I know, I'll be living in Lake County for a loooong time! :)
     The second stage, Gathering, a.k.a. Researching, often stems from a writer's Observation. You take it a step further. First you see, hear or even smell something that interests you--a news cast, the strange new style of dress these days, the strong smell of curry from that restaurant across the street--and you may want to research it a little. You pursue what you've observed.  You buy a fashion magazine and laugh at the outrageous getups; you go ask the owner of the restaurant where he moved from, and pick up a menu; you check internet articles or read books. Often, more interesting tidbits will show up. Last week's post discussed how research helps engage reader interest through specific details. This is a great time to find specific details. This second stage of the writing process is ongoing--even while you record (Stage 3), organize (Stage 4), and touch-up (Stage 5), you might still be snooping around for more interesting tidbits to liven up your story.
     The third stage is Recording, a.k.a. First-Drafting. Really, you begin recording in the observation stage, but once you begin writing the first draft, you've stepped into the third stage officially. For NaNoWriMo writers, this begins strictly on November first.* Although there is some organization (Stage 4) involved in this stage, mostly you are throwing your research and ideas and truths and metaphors onto a page. You are making characters out of one-liners and internet images. There are many different methods to this stage: some writers take months or years, organizing as they go, and others do it extremely quickly. I prefer the quicker version, because the first draft nearly always morphs dramatically during the next stage. Lately, however, I've been leaning towards taking more time on the first-draft. Your preferences will change the more you write.
     For me, Stage 4, Organizing, a.k.a Revision, is the biggest, scariest of the all the processes. The biggest difference between this stage and stage four is the pace of the writing. Stage 4 takes up the most time out of all three processes. It consists of making decisions about content: keep this, toss it, or save it for later? What else needs to happen? Organization is overhauling the mad dash of Stage 3, and figuring out what unanticipated-but-lovely metaphors and themes showed up. Here, you have to shove all the parts of your story into a story arc. You plot. Let nothing go untouched or unquestioned in this stage--yes, question everything, even your inspiration. Deepen your characters--here, they should become more real. They should make decisions, like real people, and change your plot in unexpected ways. You can create a setting using details you've researched, and from your imagination. During this stage, it's important to remember that nothing is permanent. You can change or rewrite ANYTHING. Don't get too attached! Your specific details and research (which is still ongoing and getting deeper) might stick, but most of your first draft from Stage 3 will be revised away. Don't start "touching up" (Stage 5) yet. If you want some other great articles on revision, check out these two written by published authors: Mary Kole on Revision, and Nathan Bransford's Editing Strategies.
     Stage 5 is Touching Up, or Editing. This is my favorite part! Fun, fun, fun. Here, we play with the small picture, and make the words prettier. Grammar, sentence structure, specific images, snappy dialogue, etc. This is the part where you make the story beautiful--not just presentable, or even just passionate, but gleaming and sharp and delicate and strong. I recommend staying away from editing and touching up before your manuscript is in stage 5, because if you spend days on a passage, you won't want to let it be revised away...even if it really needs to be.
     Every writer goes through these stages a little differently. The best way to figure it out is to try it! Good luck, friends.

*Revised on 3/14/13: I've discovered that some writer prefer to outline using chapter summaries and scene lists instead of writing out their whole first draft. They do this because it saves them from writing out so many unusable scenes. For more information on this process, see the book Outlining Your Novel by K. M. Weiland. The Kindle version is only $4 books, and it's totally worth it to see examples of outlining.

Research for Results

     Hey Scribblers! This post is for you.
     This may sound obvious to you, but to me it's a fairly recent revelation: One of the best ways to interest a reader in your story is to tell them something interesting--better yet, to help them experience something new themselves. That makes sense: we don't want to read old news. Authors that write beyond the midlist write using the kinds of details we wouldn't have heard before. Details that interest us. I call these "specific details."
     And how to we find such specific details?
     RESEARCH!
     Research makes a good story better. It can even make a prize-winning and/or bestselling story out of a good one. But many of us shudder at the picture of research that sits firmly engrained into our memories: us as students, sucking down coffee at our desks while our backs scream at us for hours of abuse.
     Believe me, I know the feeling.
     But! Research yields specific detail. And specific detail yields interest.
     What would The Help be like without all the period detail? What if Kathryn Stockett had gotten the prejudice wrong? What if what she'd written applied more to a decade later?
     A personal example: Right now, I'm reading a book for research, called The Beautiful Days of My Youth by Ana Novac, which is the diary of a 15 year old Jewish girl who lived through several concentration/death camps. She paints awful pictures of what he life was like by using specific incidents full of shocking specific details. One in particular will probably stay with me for a long time. She and her friend found pebbles in their rationed bread, and afterward spent hours trying to throw them back up. That kind of detail is very specific. Imagine eating pebbles in your bread. How would that feel? That detail puts the reader in her shoes. The writer experienced it herself, which is the most sure way to gain specific details; however, this is not something I would want to experience. Hence, research! It may or may not make it into the story I'm researching to write, but it is the pefect example for our topic, today.
     But research can be fun, not just grueling. How?
     One cool thing about writing, is that you get to write whatever you want. You can pick what interests you, and throw out the rest. That means the research you do will probably be about things that interest you. Right now, I'm reading about the Amish, Tribes of California, and Nazi officials.
     And it truly is interesting! Sometimes, I'd rather read "candy" than "spinach" (novels rather than thick memoirs, "Pretties" rather than "The Nuremberg Interviews"), but I'm always glad I've read up, after I've done the work.
     And there are lots of ways to go about researching, besides reading. Recently we went camping, which was a very fun sort of research (involving friends and s'mores!). Take trips, visit places, and try new things.
     A little about my method, in case you're interested: I get several books from the library, and pick whichever sections pertain to my studies. I then take notes, and turn them back in. Some, I don't end up using. Others, I read completely. I also request DVDs from the library, and take notes on those. Internet searches cover other bases. During the reading and watching, I take notes in a notebook section entitled "research" (5 subject notebook from K-Mart). Then, I let it sit for a month, and stew in my mind. It needs to air out. Later, maybe a month, maybe more, I go through the research bit by bit, picking out what I want to use. You won't use all of it, but the prescious little details you've found add incredible depth to whatever you're writing. Sometimes, visiting a place for research is out of the question, but other times, it's easier and cheaper than you might think. Research that, too!
     Don't be afraid to take some time for research. It could take a little perusal, or a long time of submersion. Dive right in!
     Good luck with your writing, everyone!

Website Review: Figment.com

    

     There are lots of great online critique groups and writing communities out there for fiction writers. Figment.com is more of a "community" than a "critique group," which means it's more about staying creative and having writerly fun than it is about serious business. It is especially geared toward lovers of YA fiction & popular nerdy culture, e.g. Cumberbatch's Sherlock or the newest "books to movies," and toward literary teen girls.

Figment PROS:

• It constantly offers new writing contests with prizes ranging from exposure, advice or prizes from featured authors.  
• It also offers regular giveaways (usually books), free writing prompts,  and a helpful, informative newsletter that includes updates on contests, giveaways and upcoming events.
• It provides opportunities to interact with publishing insiders- popular authors (often YA authors), editors and other literary guests in moderated online events. The guests answer members' questions live. 
• Members get to read sneak peeks of new, popular books.
• The site is easily navigable, free to join and continually growing.
• Stories can be written or copy/pasted into the writer's profile (as opposed to uploaded in a file), which "feels" aesthetically creative.
• The community is eager, young & encouraging. Members are often looking for new writer friends with whom to exchange critiques.
• The site offers writing classes.

CONS:

• The services to serious writers are limited. If you are looking for serious critiques from equally serious authors, this is not the best place to hang out. The authors are usually beginners, and very, very few offer fabulous feedback. A few do, but there are better place to look for experienced writers and critiques. (I would recommend Critiquecircle.com.)
• The writing classes are not free (although everything else I mentioned is).
• Although a few contests are judged entirely by editors, many are based at least partially on the popularity of the writer or her story. Usually, the contestants are thinned out by popularity and the winners are chosen by editors. Obviously, this favors popularity more than skill, a downside for skilled authors who just don't have time to read through tons of other peer writings, and won't "heart" others just to get more hearts for themselves. The system is designed, of course, to be addictive and to promote activity. Luckily, it's easy to discover the judging criteria--just read the guidelines. 

     Overall, this is a terrific site for young, eager writers, especially teenagers over 13. I say "over 13" because most of the contests require that age level of the participants. The site provided motivation for me as a new, young writer, with its constant inspiration and contests; I still occasionally read the updates and enter giveaways or contests.

Death of the Author

Hey Scribblers!
As promised, guest blogger Teresa Loesch will now share on an important topic for writers: Death of the Author. *applause*

To my fellow writers: have you ever met an Explainer?

If you have, you certainly remember the experience. You read the Explainer’s work, you made notes, you formed opinions. You worked so hard to give them the most helpful critique ever. You cared.

Then you got to class, and some variation of the following conversation took place: (rendered in play format, since Christy mentioned I write them)

[Scene: a creative writing classroom, in the middle of a workshop critique of someone’s work.]

You: On page seven, when your protagonist was backing away from the campfire, it didn’t really make any impression on me. It could have been shorter.

Explainer: Well, that’s actually very important. The protagonist actually has a petrifying fear of open flame. 

You: Oh? That’s not mentioned.

Explainer: It was implied with the shifting shadows in their aunt’s house.

You: Oh, see, that wasn’t very clear to me.

Explainer: Well, alright. If you couldn’t see it…  

You: It could have been clearer.

Explainer: You missed it.

You: …

Explainer: *blah blah blah you read the story wrong and I’m a snob and it’s the way it is because I said so a long speech about the story goes here*

You: …

Explainer: *blah blah blah tons and tons of details and facts and things that weren’t even in the story why are they telling me oh for the love of all things good this is so boring I wonder what’s for lunch later*

You: … Okay, so why didn’t you put any of that into the actual story?

Teacher: Well, time’s up! Next person…

 [End Scene]

The Explainer already knows everything about their story, and if you didn’t get the exact impression that they intended to write, that’s YOUR fault. You’re a bad reader, and you should feel badly about it!

 I am officially making this farce academic with the introduction of today’s theme: death of the author. Not a literal death, but dead to the reading audience. Meaning, the author can’t explain everything away.

Basically, “death of the author” says that anything you want to impart, whether it be theme or detail, important or not, needs to be said in your written work. If you think a story should be sad, it’s your job to get in there and break the reader’s heart. If people who read it aren’t sad, then it’s your fault. I’m going to say that again:

 If the reader doesn’t ‘get’ your story, it is YOUR FAULT.

You should write your story with such clarity that the things you mean to say can’t be avoided without supernatural powers of obliviousness.

To put it another way, if I were talking to you and mumbled in a whisper, whose fault would it be if you couldn’t hear me?

That’s right, it would be my, the speaker’s, fault. If I want people to understand me I should speak clearly and loudly. If I choose not to do that, it’s no one’s fault but mine when no one listens.

If you are feeling guilty at this point… you should. I’m here to tell you that no one likes that behavior, and you could be running off people who honestly want to help you. However, just like any behavior, you can change it starting IMMEDIATELY!

How to Not Be An Explainer:

If you’re being critiqued…

1. Keep your mouth shut. Even if you have an answer for a critique or suggestion, now is not the time to mention it. When it’s actually in the story, perhaps in a direct quote, you can mention it. Otherwise the only words that should pass your lips should be variations on “thank you for your insight” and asking people to clarify their statements. Do your talking in the printed word.

2. Remember that everyone has valid input. People probably aren’t lying to you, so this is insight how to someone other than yourself feels about your work. Accept it, especially when it’s not what you’re hoping to hear. It can hurt to learn something you worked hard on isn’t working, but think how much more it would hurt if no one told you and it just went on being horrible and everyone thought so but YOU NEVER KNEW.

3. Even if something is in the text and you think the person honestly did miss it… make it harder to miss in the next draft, and let it slide this time.

4. If someone is harping on a point that you think you addressed, perhaps not clearly enough, try to politely let them know you got the message and will increase its visibility in the next draft.

5. Whenever the urge takes me to become an Explainer, I remember the irritation they produce in me, and that kills any urge I have to be like them.

6. Any time you spend talking in your critique is time someone could have spent giving advice or, better yet, heaping you with delicious praise. I’d much rather hear someone else praising my work than me justifying myself to the stony silence of irritated fellows.

So, my fellow writers, if you want to keep friends and actually get something of value out of critiques, please, please, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL GOOD THINGS… don’t be an Explainer.

For more information about Teresa, see my last blog post, where I introduced her and her blog (at the bottom).