Learning Curves

Filed Under Book Reviews | 3 Comments

Good books can be an inspiration for your own writing; bad books can teach you what not to do.

The Once Upon a Time series, where various authors re-tell fairy tales, is a good idea. But it falls flat in execution. I read several of these books a few years ago, and wasn’t impressed. But I decided to try it again.

No offense to Cameron Dokey, but her writing was not my cup of tea. Below are some of the lessons I learned from reading two of her books.

Belle

  • Don’t spend more than half the book leading up to the main plot. The main plot is Beauty and the Beast, but the Beast doesn’t show up until about 2/3 of the way through.
  • Don’t hammer the theme into the readers. We got it the first time Ms. Dokey. Stop filling up pages with the same two ideas.
  • Don’t squash all of the character development at the end of the book. Belle freaks out, runs home, suddenly realizes she’s in love with the Beast, runs back. Her realization should not be so cramped.
  • Don’t squander a good premise. Belle says she’s not pretty, that her name is a contradiction. Keep it that way, see how it changes everything! Don’t go back on it and make her pretty anyway.

Wild Orchid

  • Don’t make your main character awesome at everything. I could not name one flaw Mulan has, unless you count her unwillingness to follow traditional gender roles. That may be a flaw in her society, but not in the story; here it’s a strength.
  • Don’t make your characters centuries ahead of their time. The prince was way too forward-thinking. It shot me right out of the story (not a good thing).
  • Don’t make it too easy for your main character. The tension from Mulan comes from her disguise as a man and the fear she might be caught. When every other person knows she’s a girl (her nurse, her best friend, a general), and helps her get through the day, you lose all of that.

I never finished Wild Orchid. I love Mulan and her story, but this was too difficult to get through and enjoy.

What have you learned from bad writing?

Life Imitating Art

Filed Under Books vs. Movies, Tales from the Author's Desk | 3 Comments

I bought The Jane Austen Book Club for my mom for Mother’s Day. If you haven’t seen it (or read the book it’s based on), it follows five women whose lives parallel those of Jane Austen’s characters.

That got me thinking:

Does my life parallel any fictional character’s?

I’m not sure.

I was talking with my mom, and we agreed that Anna and Camron – the newlyweds I gave a shout-out to on Friday, who went on to have a gorgeous wedding – are Jane and Mr. Bingley. To quote a certain father:

“I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.”

We’re as close as sisters, so mom insists that makes me Lizzy. I believe this means I should start looking for guys who insult me!

But if I’m to resemble a Jane Austen character, right now I feel more like Emma:

“I have no idea that she has yet ever seen a man she cared for…there is nobody hereabouts to attach her.”

I definitely have to think about this some more.

In the meantime, do you think your life resembles a fictional character’s? Whose?

Wedding Genres

Filed Under Tales from the Author's Desk | 2 Comments

Back in high school, my English teacher said that comedies end with weddings, and tragedies begin with them.

Obviously, he hadn’t met my best friend.

She’s getting married tomorrow. Since this wedding is not going to be the end of life as we know it, I can’t call it the end to the comedy that was their previous separate lives. And it certainly isn’t going to be a tragedy.

So the thinking is definitely flawed.

The wedding isn’t a beginning or an ending. It’s a middle. So their lives have to belong to those fun comedies where the wedding comes in the middle somewhere. (Not depressing modern literature where crap happens and everyone dies.)

Anyway…

Congrats Anna & Camron!!!

<3

Why My Dog is Crazy

Filed Under Characters, Tales from the Author's Desk | Leave a Comment

This is Daisy. She’s a cocker spanish girl.

She’s also a little bit insane.

We’re not sure why, but seeing as she’s a rescue dog, she probably had a traumatic past. She attacks her brothers (other rescue dogs) for no reason, but sometimes it involves a toy.

Now there is scientific proof that cocker spaniels view property differently from humans. I have listed them below for your benefit:

Cocker Spaniel Property Laws

1. If I like it, it’s mine.

2. If it’s in my mouth, it’s mine.

3. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine.

4. If I can take it from you, it’s mine.

5. If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours.

6. If it just looks like mine, it’s mine.

7. If I saw it first, it’s mine.

8. If it’s edible, it’s mine.

9. If you have something and put it down, it’s mine.

10. If I chew something up, all the pieces are mine.

11. If I get tired of it, it’s yours.

12. If I want it back, it’s mine.

Note: these laws can also be applied to writers and books.

For Love of a Corkboard

Filed Under Tools of the Trade | 4 Comments

A few weeks ago, I went out and bought a giant corkboard to help with storyboarding.

I love it!!

The only problem I’ve encountered so far is that there’s no where to put it next to my writing seat for easy reference. But whatever, I can deal.

I’m applying the Index Card Method, as encouraged by Alexandra Sokoloff on her blog. She uses a three act structure to organize her stories, and since it worked so well with Too Many Princesses, I thought I’d give it a shot for my other work.

I’m currently using the board to revise my NaNo novel (which, thanks to my new site organization, can be found under “completed” in the navigation bar). It’s a snap to move scenes, and helps me keep the pace up in the story.

As you can see from the picture, the last column’s pretty blank. That’s because I’m totally throwing out what I had (not even modifying it, like I’m doing with the middle) and I’m not sure what to put yet. The story’s going in a completely different direction. I might just see what happens when I write.

After all, planning can only take you so far!

On to May

Filed Under Updates | 2 Comments


I can officially call April a productive writing month. Here’s what I have accomplished:

  • Wrote 100 pages of script for a stage play
  • Got on the right track for my NaNo revision
  • Have actually revised about a quarter of my NaNo novel
  • Already dove in to my next project!

In May, I want to at least:

  • Finish my NaNo revision
  • Send that sucker out to beta readers
  • Send my script out to beta readers
  • Get a good chunk (half?) of my next project done

Is it a lot? Yes. But I think I can manage because April taught me that I rock!

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  • Welcome

    new haircut

    Hi, I'm Jenn, new grad student and old YA fantasy writer. I've long dreamed of being a novelist, and I bet you have too. I hope you find my blog helpful, inspiring, and maybe just a little bit fun. (But not too much fun. Writing is serious business, you know.)

    You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or email me at:
    jennifer.a.johnson7 at gmail dot com

  • Official Progress


    4/21 segments

    A narrator hijacks a cliche fantasy story, much to the chagrin of its characters.

    Status: Second revision



    1,639/70,000 words
    A young noblewoman with strange powers must choose: her king or her soul.

    Status: First draft



    1,087/70,000 words
    When a girl's heart is stolen, she's plunged into a world of magic and shadows - but can she get her heart back before she loses it completely?

    Status: First draft





  • All writing, unless otherwise specified, is the property of
    Jennifer Johnson © 2010