Category: general

general

the chicken or the plot?

abby mumford

i was in the middle of doing some mundane work at work when a thought struck me down. it’s a question that’s been asked repeatedly and over and over and repeatedly again, but this time, i sat there and really pondered it. and then i posted that thought on twitter. because that’s how i roll.

mumfusa: WRITERS — do you come up with plot or character first? if character, do you just start writing scenes? how do you figure out his/her story?

linda_grimes: @mumfusa Characters, definitely. Then I just wait and see what they do to entertain me.

PattyBlount: @mumfusa ooo, good question. Plot or character. Almost like chicken or the egg? May be a blog post in here somewhere.

when i first read linda’s comment, i thought, “LUCKY. i wish i worked like that.” and then i came across patty’s comment, and i thought, “yeah but, i only have one MSS. i’m no expert. i have no evidence to write about.”

but then i thought some more. about both ladies’ words. and a chord struck within me. i may be tone deaf, but i can tell when something important hums across my wrinkled brain. like now, when all of a sudden i’m thinking about how i wrote my current MSS. and, in fact, i did start with the character. and moved forward from there.

and oh what a bumpy ride. i tried to push her in one direction, but my grad school mentors and workshop partners (oh how i miss them all) told me to simplify. too much was afoot. too much was amuck. and so i did. and, actually, i can’t even believe i’m about to write this because i can’t tell you how many times i’ve objected to hearing these words from other authors, but you could say i turned into a writer when i stopped to listen to her story. to hear what she had to say.

i guess it’s my quasi type A personality (i don’t mind letting others lead as long as i can maintain control over what i do), i was trying to maintain control of this situation. of the characters. and i think i still am. i’m having a hard time listening to the characters because i think I know best. but really, how do i know what’s best for someone else? i don’t. and i most likely never will. which is why i should trust the process.

but, wait, hold on. i don’t understand how to “follow my characters” because i’m the one writing the words. how do you lead and follow simultaneously?

what do YOU do? do you hang out with your character(s) and get to know them first? OR do you plop your character(s) into a scene and let them work their way through it? out of it? around it? and then let them hold the flashlight as they guide the way out of your brain and onto the page? OR do you start with the plot and only include those characters that can handle the twists and turns?

what’s a newbie to do?

general

fathers and daughters

abby mumford

i have a father who is very patient. i mean, he waited through the terrible teenage years. he endured the raging hormones. he waded through the arguments about math. he bore the whims, whispers, and wisecracks of his third borne. he understood our brains worked on different levels but he never thought i wouldn’t succeed. he didn’t take it personally when i signed up with a tutor. when i decided to go to college far away from home.

sometimes, the best thing a father can do is let his daughter go.

he welcomed the lack of raised voices and tears and tension. he embraced the solitude. because he knew he had taught me how to be independent. while living under their roof. while away at college. he knew he’d be able to fund my reality. my dreams. he knew how to fuel my appetite for life. he knew he gave me what i needed to fly.

sometimes, the best thing a daughter can do is return home.

with gratitude, grace, acceptance, and clear eyes to see the value he brings to her life.

thank you, dad.

general

membership accepted

abby mumford

even though i’m on the fringes of it, here are some reasons why i love the writing community.

@Trishryan Writing today feels an awful lot like wrestling, only without the benefit of calories burned.

and then we have @SaundraMitchell, author of SHADOWED SUMMER. i just discovered that she’s a full service author. she’s offered to buff her hands so they’re nice and soft for when i need a hand to hold while reading a book that is sure to freak me out. how do i know it’s scary? it’s got GHOSTS. which are creepy and transparent and always up to no good. and i’m a wimp.

we also have Kiersten White and Natalie Whipple. Kiersten (while on vacation, no less) has given us impatient fans a description from her upcoming novel, PARANORMALCY. and then, her friend (in life, talent, and writing) Natalie has drawn up a sexy photo from that description. don’t you love it when two talented people merge? and don’t you love it even more when cartoons are hot? (don’t lie, the dude from ANASTASIA is completely crush worthy.)

there’s hannah moskowitz telling it like it is.

veronica roth sponsored the most clever contest in which the winner won a copy of the highly coveted ARC of ally condie’s upcoming title MATCHED.

there’s THIS for a reality check/encouragement.

this girl is living by SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE’s “rules” and “regulations” for a month. it’s an honest and hilarious look at a 17yo’s reality and how ridiculous most of the mag’s suggestions are. though she’s not afraid to admit it when they got something right, even if it is 1 out of every 100 times. it’s good fodder for learning about what today’s adolescents think, feel, and have to deal with on a daily basis.

and the interwebs is host to this post by lauren miller. which i originally read on june 4 and haven’t stopped thinking about since.

today, YA Highway takes the time to explain the difference between dystopian and post-apocalyptic societies. cause it’s confusing. and many people didn’t fully understand the difference. including me. and it was apparent in a conversation i had with adriana yesterday about a book she’s reading (yay for her reading more YA) that was lent to her by a friend, miss lisa, who’s also in the publishing biz. i love how that came full circle. (that’s what she said.)

my words won’t do this justice. just click, read, and weep (with laughter).

and, of course, the queen of social media, maureen johnson, is always willing to share her opinions on what makes for proper social networking. it’s all about the conversation.

which is why, even though i am on the edge, i still feel included. writers (published or not) (26 books in or working on their 1st) (busy or busier) always welcome me to the conversation.

thanks y’all!

general

excerpt mania

abby mumford

“Babel Fish is a free language translation software. It’s also the reason why REAL translators will never lose their jobs.” So says Stephanie Perkins as she ran her an excerpt of her manuscript through the translator before posting it on her site. Hilarity ensues.

I decided to do the same. No, there aren’t legions of fans clamoring for a copy of my book.  There aren’t even editors or agents who are doing that (yet, I hope). But I am finalizing and polishing and getting excited about where my WIP is, so I wanted to share it. Although, I rarely talk about my book in anything other than the most vague terms, so what’s a girl to do that wants to thank her readers and share a bit of her writing at the same time? Run it through Babel Fish.

Without further ado, here is a snippet as translated from English to Portuguese and back again.

The heart of Riley jumps a stroke or four. The eyes expand and its drops of the mouth. It has a girl that she seats two feet far from it approximately; more it is spread well of what sitting down. Its members are spread wide with each foot and hand indic, making its look as one starfish.

Riley swallows an shout and the blinks ràpida to certify itself of are waked up and that this is real.

Its heart is compensating now for the time where it lost a moment has – it is beating so fast, it knows certainly that it is waked up and this is real. Of “where you lode? Who you are”

The blond hair of the girl is torsional and tangling as its main turns, looking at ambo same it and its arredors. Its blue eyes are taking above by the half of its face, but of the Riley certain if that one it is not its normal appearance or if that one is what its face makes on behalf of shock and of the surprise. It has something strange on the way that the girl looks at, but Riley cannot completely appear it for is. It decides that it must be the shock of a so uncommon arrival that is making its doubt its eyesight of 20/20.

“Who you are” Riley opens and closes its mouth to certify itself that it is working. “Where fêz you come of” It tries to say and high each word clearly, but its fear is not accurately conducive to the appropriate exposition.

The girl ignores Riley and continues to study itself.

The adrenalin of Riley delays a bit. It controls a deep breath. Another time makes same the two questions. E another time. Riley is starting to suspect that hallucinating, but on the other hand the girl slowly murmurs some words on clouds, cars, would mercearia and it. Crab walked some stages stops backwards, it carries through that começ cannot dsi far same and as soon as stop to turn yield, and twists its arm to look at its shoulder. It pricks its foot, it raises its knee, and wiggles its foot. That começ breathes more noisily and more quickly as alcanga until the sensation its hair, touches in its face, and pulls it in its ear. To look at perplexed more than and what a bit rightened, it turns for Riley. “I am I glue of Angela. I think that I am inoperative.”

Side falls on the o.

general

manic monday indeed

abby mumford

i’ve had many adventures on my bike. i had another one yesterday. the day shone bright, clear, and cool. i was running a little late, so i decided to bike to work. i slung on my backpack, clicked my helmet into place and walked down a flight of stairs to my waiting bike. i picked up my bike with a morning energy that was somehow surging through my veins. (this is not normal.) i walked down 5 steps.

i fell down the rest.

yes, i was holding my bike. yes, my elbows were drumming down every step. yes, my butt was colliding hard with every step as well. the only reason i stopped falling was that there were no more steps.

self check: i’m not seriously damaged (well, physically anyways.) just bruises and scrapes. the shock wore off. my bike appeared to be in tact, except the chain had slipped off the gear. i spent the next 15 minutes trying to put it back on but the only successful thing i did was get grease all over my hands. i know putting the chain on is supposed to be easy, but easy and i don’t often walk hand in hand. i gave up and trudged back up the stairs. i went to put my backpack on the chair but it fell to the ground due to a broken strap. what IS IT with today?

i washed the majority of the grease off my hands, but failed in fixing the strap to my backpack with safety pins. i switched bags and went for one more try with the bike chain because well, i was late in the first place which is why i decided to ride my bike and now i’m really late, so the same reason still applies. SUCCESS. bike chain on. i think. i hope.

i got to work 6 minutes late. (ok, fine, so my “i’m running late” is different than the average person’s). i realized that despite all my bumps and bruises or maybe because of them, i’ve pushed past the stereotype of a manic monday. and it has become a normal work day. you know, the one where i’m in charge of the entire department because my boss and my only direct coworker are out on vacation.

what stereotype will you break through today?