Story Sensei

It seems like this happens for every single book I write. I’m in the first quarter of the book, struggling to get the words down. It feels like slogging through New England clam chowder. Then I suddenly remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just write crap. Edit later. Somehow I always forget this. It has happened at some point in every single manuscript I’ve completed. I have to remind myself to just get the words down, no matter how awful they are. The first couple thousand words really ARE crap, but then after that, my right brain creative side takes over and suddenly I’m writing words that are actually rather good. Or at least, words I wouldn’t shudder to read aloud to my mother, the English teacher. :) So if you’re in the first quarter or third of your book--or no matter where you are in it--just remind yourself to get the words down, no matter how execrable they are. Just power through it, don’t cringe at the triteness of your phrases and the cliches popping up like we...

Hey guys, If you've bought and used my worksheets and want to write an endorsement for me, please email me at storysensei {at] gmail [dot} com. I'll post your endorsement on my Endorsements page and also include your name and website if you want, just let me know. Thanks! Camy

I recently had a question on Facebook about passive voice, and Heather let me answer the question on my blog. Thanks Heather! Mrs. Tang, can you recommend resources for overcoming passive voice. PV keeps sneaking it's way into my story! I didn't see a entry about PV on your Story Sensei blog. Any advice? Camy: When a writer mentions “passive voice,” there are actually two different things they could mean. (Or sometimes, they mean both!) 1) passive sentences, meaning sentences with passive verbs instead of active verbs Or 2) a passive writer’s voice, meaning the writing itself is rather stale rather than active and vibrant PASSIVE SENTENCES: Passive verbs like “was” and “were” are small and almost unnoticeable, but they tend to distance the reader from the story. By replacing passive verbs with strong action verbs, you can improve the prose dramatically. For passive sentences, I have a quick and dirty solution that I use all the time. First, I write the manusc...

I got the below message from Michael, who graciously agreed to let me answer his questions on the blog in case some of his questions are those some of you are curious about, too. Hi Camy, Do you have any tutorials, suggestions, tips on how to ‘hear’ a character’s voice? It is a problem that continually vexes me. I have some evil dudes and their voice, the sound of their voice, is not something I’ve been able to hear in my head. I’ve searched on you tube for evil voices, experimented with voice altering software and tried to imagine it. And sometimes, when I imagine the voice, I can hear how I want it to sound, but I can’t retain the memory of so lose it for the future. To hear the character’s voice, or at least a close approximation, would do so much for writing their dialog. What do you do? Do you have that problem? Any solutions out there for aspiring writers? Camy: That's a good question! I often have to resort to different measures to be able to write different ch...

Hey guys! I have a new worksheet available for download! I have had a lot of requests for my Deep Point of View online workshop, but I haven't been able to hold it because of time and because I've been trying to cut back on my Story Sensei stuff due to my sore wrists. So instead of holding my Deep Point of View workshop, I've made my notes and workshop into a .pdf worksheet that you can download for less than the cost of the online workshop. Those of you who have been hoping to take my Deep POV class can now download the worksheet and get all my tips and tricks. Deep Point of View Worksheet $15 Want to rivet your reader to the page? Want to make your writing richer emotionally? Want your characters to be more vivid? Learn ways to draw the reader into the mind, body, and soul of your characters through deep point of view techniques. By the end of the worksheet you’ll have: 1) Ways to strengthen the emotional writing and draw the reader deeper into the character’s ...

Thanks to suggestions from Meredith Efken and Randy Ingermanson , I now have a new blog design for the Story Sensei blog! How do you like?

I feel extremely proud of myself because I figured out how to insert a PayPal button for anyone wanting to purchase my Synopsis worksheet or Characterization worksheet ! The process to buy one of my worksheets should be extremely streamlined now. You can pay via PayPal and immediately be taken to a page where you can download the worksheet. If anyone buys my worksheet and it doesn't work, please email me immediately at storysensei {at} gmail {dot} com.

Seekerville: My Self-Publishing Experience : "Camy here! I just recently self-published the fourth novel in my Sushi Series, Weddings and Wasabi , and it came out a few weeks ago in bot..."

Hi guys, My telephone mentoring schedule is free right now, but because of a limit on the time I can spend typing at the computer, I'm afraid I have cancelled all my critiques and one-on-one synopsis or characterization coaching for the rest of the year to try to help my wrists heal. If you'd like recommendations of other freelance editors who can critique your work, I can suggest: Mary DeMuth ( http://www.thewritingspa.com/ ) Cheryl Wyatt ( http://www.cherylwyatt.com/ ) Fiction Fix-It Shop ( http://www.fictionfixitshop.com/ ) Sharon Hinck ( http://www.sharonhinck.com/ ) Just email them through their websites and let them know that Camy suggested you contact them about critiquing.

Hi guys, As I mentioned last year in November, I'm raising my prices this month. You can check them out here . Also, my telephone mentoring schedule is free right now, but because of a limit on the time I can spend typing at the computer, I'm afraid my critiquing schedule and one-on-one synopsis or characterization coaching schedules are booked until July 2011. If you'd like me to put you on my schedule then, please email me. If you'd like recommendations of other freelance editors who can critique your work sooner than I can, click the link above for suggestions.

I got the below message from Savannah, who graciously agreed to let me answer her questions on the blog in case some of her questions are those some of you are curious about, too Hey Camy! I just started reading your story sensei blog, which is great! I have a few questions about your last post! Shoot! I am starting my first novel! I want to write & even though the chances for success are small you gotta chase your dreams right?! Yes! I took a short writing course & only have basic knowledge & decided go jump in. After about 4, 0000 words I'm stumped. Like your last reader am wondering if the story is to big for me or idea is no goos BUT you say you need no special powers! When you talk about fleshing it out does that mean I may need to study the craft more before I attempt a book? You don't need any special powers. Yes, you might need to study the craft a bit more in order to feel confident enough to continue. Or you might need to just set aside your i...

I got the below message from Tonya, who graciously agreed to let me answer her questions on the blog in case some of her questions are those some of you are curious about, too. Hey Camy! I just found your story sensei blog & think it's fabulous :) I have a few writing questions for you though I obviously want to be a novelist. I took the CHristian Writers Guild Apprenticeship & decided to start working on my first novel. I've gotten to a point where I'm simply stuck. I feel like I have an idea of what the book is in my mind but what I'm writing isn't conveying it. It makes me wonder if my idea is above my skills levels when it comes to conflict & dialogue etc. Camy: No. A writer doesn't need some sort of advanced skill or superpower to write out the idea in her head. It could be just that you need to think it through more, mull it over, or learn some plot skills in order to fully flesh it out. So I'm seriously considering setting i...

Hi everybody, I got several requests for another worksheet like my Synopsis worksheet, so I have put together a .pdf worksheet that combines all the lessons from my Characterization class. If you've already taken my Characterization class, this worksheet is exactly the same as the lessons you got, just without any feedback from me on your homework, naturally. :) This 35-page worksheet will help you develop your story characters. By the end of this worksheet, you will have: 1) a solid grasp of who your character is—and I’m not talking just favorite ice cream flavor 2) your character’s flaws and heroic qualities to make him/her truly sympathetic to the reader 3) the character’s unique qualities to make him/her stand out from all the other characters on the Barnes and Noble shelves. 4) your character’s desire and external goal (you’d be amazed at how this can change from your original ideas about your character as you dig deeper and discover who your character is!) 5) ...

Sorry I've been AWOL, but I've been on deadline for several books, which takes up my blogging time! In honor of NaNoWriMo , I thought I'd post a few quick tips for writing while on NaNoWriMo that can help you achieve your goal of 50,000 words written on your novel this month. This is one of the best weapons in my arsenal: Tactile Stimulation This might not work for everyone, but of all the people who have tried it so far, it has worked for them all, so chances are, it'll work for you, too. Basically, when you stimulate your hands (or your body, really) with tactile, kinesthetic stimulation, it enables you to think creatively and focus on thinking creatively. When you're trying to write a novel in a month, you don't have time to sit and stare at the blinking cursor. Trust me, I've done that for HOURS. Hours of wasted time. I discovered that if I have something in my hands that doesn't require too much brain-power, I can suddenly focus on my...

This is a compilation of a series of blog posts I wrote on picking an agent. Picking an agent #1—FINISH THE MANUSCRIPT Yes, I’m shouting. Before I go into some tips on how to pick an agent (and possibly receive an offer of representation), I want to point out this very important part of the submission process. For some people, this is a no-brainer, but I’m always amazed at people who’ve never heard this piece of advice. Before you query that agent (or editor, for that matter), finish the manuscript. There are TONS of writers who never finish that first manuscript, and agents know this. Therefore, if they are interested in your story, they are going to want to see the full, completed manuscript. For one, they want to know you finished it. For two, they want to know if you can sustain your brilliance in the first chapter throughout the rest of the book. Many novels sag in the middle because the writer loses steam. If that’s the case with your manuscript, it’s not ready to s...

Barbara Scott is Exclusive acquisitions editor for Abingdon Press fiction and she has just started a new blog! Check it out! The Roving Editor Exclusive acquisitions editor for Abingdon Press fiction. More than 30 years experience in newspaper, magazine, and book publishing. Mentor, teacher, editor, author, speaker. Lover of God, family, and friends.

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.08.2010 The highlight of my year is always the ACFW conference in September. It’s my favorite conference for so many reasons, some of which are: 1) the friends I get to see there 2) the industry professionals I get to meet 3) the workshops 4) the nice hotel (I am SO not a “roughing it” girl. I need room service.) I’m terrible at forgetting what to bring every year, so this year I figured I’d make a list. And I also thought it might be a useful list for other people who might be going to conference, too (not just the ACFW conference, but any writer’s conference). So here goes, in no particular order: 1) business cards and/or bookmarks . For me, bookmarks are usually easier. 2) A one-sheet of my latest proposal. Dineen Miller did a great blog series on One-Sheets: http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=137 , http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=170 , http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=203 , http://www.acfw.com/blog/?p=248 , and examples here: http://www.dineenmiller....

We're doing one-sentence hooks at Seekerville today! Come learn how to write a one-sentence hook and get feedback on your own! Camy here! Today I thought I’d do a more interactive post and have you guys create a one-sentence hook for your story. This is actually a lesson from my Synopsis online class that I teach through my Story Sensei critique service, so forgive me if you’ve taken my class and this sounds vaguely familiar. :) An agent might use this one-sentence hook when she presents your story to an editor, or you can use this hook in your proposal, and an editor might use it when she presents it to the pub board. Actually, I would strongly suggest you have a one-sentence hook in your proposal, because even if your editor doesn’t use it in pub board, you may be asked to submit a one-sentence hook later, after the book is contracted, to give to the Marketing and Sales team. Click here to read the rest!

Today, Wednesday, May 5 , www.seekerville.blogspot.com   is hosting a special guest -- Steeple Hill Executive Editor JOAN MARLOW GOLAN .  We'll be posting an interview with her, plus she's agreed to pop in several times that day to answer questions.    Hope you can join us!  

After I posted about my Synopsis writing class, I got a few questions about how my online class works. The below is for my Synopsis class, and for my other online classes, the format is essentially the same although I might post lessons a different number of days per week depending on the class. The class is entirely on my StorySenseiClass YahooGroups email loop. I email the lessons to the YahooGroup, and you have 1-3 days to do the homework in the lessons. You can turn in the lessons at any time during the class and I'll still give feedback on it, so no penalty for late homework! :) There is no set time the class meets--you work entirely on your own time, at your own pace during the time period of the class. The only thing is that once the class ends, I won't be able to give feedback on any homework since all the YahooGroup members are purged from the group to make way for the next class. I always try to give targeted, comprehensive feedback on your homework to help ...