Where Do I Start?

     I am working on my first novel. As with most works, finding the correct starting place can be difficult. Have I started the story too early? Is my audience going to be bored and put the book down? Have I started too late? Does my audience need more information to care about the main charactor before they find out the conflict of the story?
     These are questions all authors, novice or professional, must answer. I read an interview in which an editor asked why she should care why the protagonist had a conflict if she didn't care about the protagonist as a charactor first.
     With this in mind, I am trying to create a balance between hooking my reader before they lose interest and making them care about my charactors. One of the problems I am running into is making my antagonists too horrid and my protagonist too angelic. If all of my characters are  going to be believable, they all need to have both good and bad qualities. No person is all good or bad. Making realistic characters can make or break a novel, no matter how good the plot.
     Where do I start my novel? On page one, of course.

    

Procrastination Addict

     Hello. My name is Kara and I am addicted to procrastinating. There, I admitted I have a problem, so what's the next step?
     I am one of those people that can find anything to do, so I don't have to do what I am supposed to do. Laundry needs to get done; ok, I'll do it after I find a movie for the kids. The kitchen needs to be cleaned; ok, I'll do it when I finish this paragraph, page, chapter, book.
    My latest distraction is Bejeweled Blitz 2. I can't stop. I keep telling myself to stop after the next level and go work on my novel, or a character profile, or a short story. What happens is that when I reach the next level, I decide to do just one more, and then just one more, and again, just one more. The next thing I know, it's four in the morning and I've wasted all my writing time playing games. Not to mention what it does to my sleep schedule.
     I need a twelve step program to stop procrastinating. Any advice on how to get on task and stay there?

Possessed by Phoebe McFadden

     Have you ever met someone that just wouldn't stop talking about themselves? I have. Her name is Phoebe McFadden and she's the main character in my novel.
         I have never had a main character write me a letter of intruduction before, and let me tell you, it's an unnerving experience. I woke up a little after midnight a few weeks ago with the thoughts of this person banging around in my head searching for a way out. I knew I wasn't going to be able to get any sleep until I got all this information about Phoebe out of my head.
     I sat down at my computer all set to do a traditional character profile, but what I started typing was something completely different. I was barely conscious of my fingers flying over the keys. I was more of a spectator reading the words appearing before me. Phoebe started talking and didn't stop until I had typed three pages. The only reason I was able to stop was because I was falling asleep at the keyboard!
     At first, I thought I was going  crazy or something, but then I thought, "What the heck, if it works, go with it." I can't wait to write her story.
    

Fear of rejection or fear of success?

     Rejection is a part of life. It starts when you're a child when the other kids on the playground don't want to play with you. When you're a teenager you may be rejected by your peers for being different, or that person you had a crush on wouldn't speak to you. As an adult, you can be rejected while dating, or even be rejected by an employer. It doesn't matter when it happens, it always hurts. I fear rejection as many people do. I think that's why it's so hard for me to work up the courage to submit my writing to a magazine or publisher. I am afraid they will say I have no talent and should not waste any more time pursuing my passion.
     But is it rejection I'm afraid of or is it the fear of success? I've heard of people sabotaging themselves when they've become successful, thereby taking themselves out of the spotlight. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't let that happen. I would be elated to be a successful author. I would love to be able to say I have x number of books that have been on the best seller list. Or, that a book I have written is being made into a movie. The only part of success I fear is not having my privacy. I wouldn't like to be hounded by paparazzi or crazed fans.
     I don't fear becoming successful, just the rejection that comes with it.

It's about time!

I finally did it, I set up a blog. It's about time, don't you think?

I struggled with the decision to start a blog, but in the end, my love of talking to anyone who will listen won; so here we are. My blog is still under construction so bear with me for a few days until I get everything sorted out.

For now, thank you for stopping by. Check back soon...