The Art and Economics of Ghostwriting

Originally appeared on AOL Daily Finance and AOL homepage Nov 2010.

Among this week's nonfiction bestsellers, you'll see a former U.S. president, a Rolling Stone, an actress with food issues, two political pundits and someone known as "Baba Booey." What you won't see is at least six ghostwriters who make their living actually writing the books "authored" by celebrities and politicos. If you're wondering, George W. Bush's Decision Points was coauthored by his loyal aide and speechwriter Christopher Michel. Life, the Keith Richards memoir, was written by James Fox, a British journalist who devoted five years to the project.

Writing someone else's book is actually a good way for a writer to earn a living these days. You may have heard the saying "everyone has a book in them." I say everyone has a spleen in them, too. In both cases, it takes a particular skill set to get it out.

Obviously, baseline writing talent and solid knowledge of the craft are required for this job, but a good ghostwriter is also a good listener, meticulous researcher and all-purpose book nanny, with the ability to keep the client's secrets, build a bridge between the client and publisher, and completely set ego aside. Ghostwriting is a personality type as much as it is a skill set. Natural nurturers are in like Flynn; control freaks need not apply.

With the rise in self-publishing and the popularity of celebrity books, demand for ghostwriters has increased dramatically. And with the downturn in the publishing industry, many talented, experienced writers are turning to ghostwriting to make ends meet. Truth is, there's risk and reward on both sides of a collaboration. Here's a primer on the ghostwriting gig:

What does a ghostwriter do?

Ewan McGregor summed it up quite succinctly in the movie Ghostwriter: "I interview you and turn your answers into prose." Every gig is different, but they all begin with a long conversation about what the client wants to say.

When I worked with Rue McClanahan on her memoir, My First Five Husbands, she was very hands-on. She presented me with 600 pages of material she'd written, and I helped her figure out what to keep, how to structure it and what was missing. I wrote some additional material, wove that in and we worked through revisions together.

At the other end of the spectrum, I had a client who had a great story but no writing ability or interest. I spent time getting to know her so I could capture her voice on paper, then went home to write. Three months later, I came back and read the entire book to her while she floated on a chaise in her swimming pool. I'm comfortable being co-pilot or chauffeur. Most gigs fall somewhere between.

How do the client and ghostwriter find each other?

My first ghostwriting gig came out of the blue. My memoir, Bald in the Land of Big Hair, tells the story of how I wrote my first two novels and got them published while going through chemotherapy for lymphoma. A celebrity with a connection to the cancer community read it and asked my agent if I'd help her do a book about her life. I initially said no. I didn't know how to go about it, and candidly, a lot of people in the writing world look down on ghostwriting as a whorish way to use one's talents.

But I had lunch with the client, and we clicked. She had a great story to tell, and I'm a storyteller. I discovered I loved the collaborative process. And as for what others think -- well, that's up to them. Artistic integrity isn't something a project gives you -- you bring artistic integrity to the project.

If you're looking to hire a ghostwriter, survey books similar to the one you want to do. If a co-author isn't credited on the cover, check the acknowledgments to see if anyone is thanked "for helping me bring this story to life," or something like that. If you're looking to be a ghostwriter, do the same. Find the name of the writer's agent with the "Who Represents" feature on www.PublishersMarketplace.com.

How much does a ghostwriter get paid?

This is always the big question, and there's no simple answer. It varies widely and depends on a variety of factors: How much experience does the ghostwriter have? What's the length of the manuscript? Is there a publisher in place or will a proposal be needed? How much research is involved? Will the ghostwriter have cover credit, be listed in the acknowledgments or remain completely invisible?

I'm frequently asked to do proposals "on spec" -- which really means "free" -- with the expectation of getting paid when (or if) the book is picked up by a publisher. The answer is NO. I strongly discourage any aspiring ghostwriter from doing proposals, sample chapters or anything else without being paid.

Every deal is different, but there are basically two models: a flat fee "work for hire" agreement or a contingency arrangement splitting the proceeds from the book.

Early in my career, I did a book for a noncelebrity client with a compelling story. My agent asked $10K for the proposal and a flat fee of $60K for writing the book. The client's husband was a corporate type who played hardball: He offered a modest proposal fee and 40% of the book's proceeds. I was just getting started, so I took the deal.

The exec should have had more faith in his wife. The proposal resulted in a solid six-figure advance, and the movie rights sold for even more, which made my cut about five times the flat fee we'd asked for. (Gotta watch those hardballs. Sometimes they bounce.)

Reaping benefits beyond the paycheck

I'm fairly certain I took home more than my client did on the recent New York Times bestseller Promise Me: How a Sister's Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer by Nancy G. Brinker, founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Nancy gave the lion's share of her book proceeds (as she's given most of her life) to the foundation that carries the name of her sister Suzy, who died of breast cancer in 1980.

I was blown away by the integrity, humor and style of this fabulous woman. Nancy's personal story is beyond compelling, and woven between the chapters about her life is the strange and fascinating history of breast cancer going all the way back to ancient Egypt.

The paycheck is the least valuable thing I gained from working with Nancy Brinker. I came away from the project educated and inspired with a dear friend for life.

The need to build in "bus stops"

Occasionally, a publisher hires me to do a book, but usually, it's the client who hires and pays the ghostwriter. Ideally, it's a love match, and the collaborators are able to see the journey through to publication together. But it's not unheard of for a client to work with two or three ghostwriters over the course of a project. The collaboration agreement should protect both the ghostwriter and the client by building in bus stops where the two can amicably part company if things aren't working out.

Once (only once!) I accepted a gig where I was the fifth writer on board. Predictably, I was the fifth writer fired, and the client's book was subsequently canceled by the publisher. Fortunately, my agent had structured a deal where I was paid a nonrefundable amount on signing and another payment when I delivered the first three chapters. I was able to keep that money, but not entitled to any further compensation for additional chapters I'd written.

Bottom line: I love my job with all its frustrations and joys. I work incredibly hard and go many extra miles to accommodate my clients, but I also get to hang out with extraordinary people and immerse myself in fascinating research. And I make a better-than-good living. Best of all, I don't have to participate in my least favorite part of the process. When it's time for the book tour, I'm happy to do what ghosts do best: disappear.

Buy This Book: The Volunteer by Barbara Taylor Sissel

Barbara Taylor Sissel released her second (of many, I hope) book on Kindle and Nook this week. The Volunteer is a compelling novel about a psychologist who's been sought out by the family of a death row inmate after he declares his wish to be voluntarily executed. Playing out alongside the heartrending plight of his wife and children is the search for the ancient Mayan artifact for which this guy was apparently willing to commit murder and the dark private history of the psychologist herself.

The author does an amazing job of first making us care about these people, pinging curiosity just enough with the mystery surrounding the codex, then pretty much tearing our hearts out with the beautifully written final chapters. She weaves the story from fine, unexpected threads. Characters are complex and thoughtful. Places are fragrant and real. Conversations ring true and meaningful. Plots unfold with startling but graceful turns. She's a terrific author I want everyone to discover -- especially readers who love issues-oriented, character driven fiction by authors like Jodi Picoult and Anita Shreve.

THE VOLUNTEER is a satisfying read, and that's enough in itself, but I think book clubs will find a whole additional dimension for discussion. Beyond the big questions that gray the core topic of capital punishment, there's the complicated realm of family relationships, the definition of "the honorable thing" and whether or not it's even possible to redeem oneself by living or dying for a private cause.

This is the kind of indie fiction I'm thrilled to see: a beautifully crafted book by a creative, accomplished author. I've known Barbara for a long time and been inspired by her artistic integrity and uncompromising dedication to her craft. She's taken on the indie adventure with a profoundly healthy energy, and other indie authors would do well to follow her example.

Buy the book from B&N

Buy the book from Amazon

Read "The Volunteer" (Barbara Taylor Sissel is an indie author who's doing it right)

Barbara Taylor Sissel released her second (of many, I hope) book on Kindle and Nook this week. The Volunteer is a compelling novel about a psychologist who's been sought out by the family of a death row inmate after he declares his wish to be voluntarily executed. Playing out alongside the heartrending plight of his wife and children is the search for the ancient Mayan artifact for which this guy was apparently willing to commit murder and the dark private history of the psychologist herself.

The author does an amazing job of first making us care about these people, pinging curiosity just enough with the mystery surrounding the codex, then pretty much tearing our hearts out with the beautifully written final chapters. She weaves the story from fine, unexpected threads. Characters are complex and thoughtful. Places are fragrant and real. Conversations ring true and meaningful. Plots unfold with startling but graceful turns. She's a terrific author I want everyone to discover -- especially readers who love issues-oriented, character driven fiction by authors like Jodi Picoult and Anita Shreve.

THE VOLUNTEER is a satisfying read, and that's enough in itself, but I think book clubs will find a whole additional dimension for discussion. Beyond the big questions that gray the core topic of capital punishment, there's the complicated realm of family relationships, the definition of "the honorable thing" and whether or not it's even possible to redeem oneself by living or dying for a private cause.

This is the kind of indie fiction I'm thrilled to see: a beautifully crafted book by a creative, accomplished author. Accessible literary fiction of quiet depth -- that's a tough sell in the present market. Midlist authors are always in the first wave of casualties when the publishing industry gets into economic funk, which is why midlist fiction -- from the readers' standpoint -- is such a Gobi desert right now. Indie ebooks by established midlist authors are a treasure trove for intelligent readers who aren't interested in the Real Housewives of Devil Wore Snooki Vampire.

I'm sad to say I don't love this cover -- I fear it won't appeal to male readers and doesn't capture the intense, clock-ticking quality of the book -- but it does fit well stylistically with other books on her web shelf. I have a lot of admiration for the decision-making process that went into it. No short cuts were taken here. BTS worked hand in hand with an artist who created a painting of a crystalized moment from the book.

This is the sort of subjective issues indie authors have to take by the horns. I've known Barbara for a long time and been inspired by her artistic integrity and uncompromising dedication to her craft. She's taken on the indie adventure with a profoundly healthy energy, and other indie authors would do well to follow her example.

Buy the book from B&N

The Girl With the Shakespeare Tattoo (finally launching my solo blog)

Finally got it together to launch the solo blog I've been working on. I'll still be blogging here at BoxOcto, but I've got a lot of stuff coming up and didn't want to be a blog hog about it.

The Girl With the Shakespeare Tattoo will feature some of the same stuff I post here -- books I love as a reader, thoughts on writing -- but more about my growing indie publishing endeavor and non sequitur artsy this and that.

The backstory on my Shakespeare tatt

As my kids were growing up, I subjected them repeatedly to the great Hamlet monologue, in which Polonius basically does a parenting core dump on his son Laertes. I know that feeling. The kid is on his way out the door. Whatever you feel wobbly about, get it in there now! Truly, it covers everything from doing your laundry on a regular basis to avoiding pre-approved credit cards.

Over the years, my son Malachi and daughter Jerusha got used to the shorthand version: "Be true." That's what I said to them as they went out to the yard to play, over to the pool on bikes, off to college in cars, onward to live their lives.

When Jerusha was eighteen, she had the entire upper third of her back bedazzled with a tattoo of a mechanical bird and an elaborately enscripted "To thine ownself be true." Not exactly where I thought we were going with the sentiment, but it's part of her now, therefore I love it.

When Jerusha left home that fall, I was working on a particularly fractious ghostwriting gig and really struggling with the choice between writing fiction for starving artist wages or ghostwriting for big bucks. She challenged me to do both. We had a long talk about the fact that artistic integrity is not something a project confers upon you, but something you must bring to every project, because it's part of you, as an artist.

She also challenges me to declare my credo in ink, as she had done, so that I could never leave it behind, but the bard would always have my back. I went for significantly smaller acreage and a less familiar image as a template. Frankly, it's not the greatest tattoo art I've ever seen, but I love the primitive Sailor Jerry style, and the artist did a nice job incorporating a small scar and birthmarks. I acknowledge that mother/daughter tatts -- well, it just doesn't get any more trailer-park-fabulous than that, but it's part of me now, as is my imperfect parenting and my inconvenient art, therefore the people who love me love it.

A quick refresher on Polonius' speech to Laertes:

Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame!
The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,
And you are stay'd for. There; my blessing with thee!
And these few precepts in thy memory
See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unproportioned thought his act.
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware
Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,
Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;
Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are of a most select and generous chief in that.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!

The girl with the Shakespeare tattoo

As my kids were growing up, I subjected them repeatedly to the great Hamlet monologue, in which Polonius basically does a parenting core dump on his son Laertes. I know that feeling. The kid is on his way out the door. Whatever you feel wobbly about, get it in there now! Truly, it covers everything from doing your laundry on a regular basis to avoiding pre-approved credit cards.

Over the years, my son Malachi and daughter Jerusha got used to the shorthand version: "Be true." That's what I said to them as they went out to the yard to play, over to the pool on bikes, off to college in cars, onward to live their lives.

When Jerusha was eighteen, she had the entire upper third of her back bedazzled with a tattoo of a mechanical bird and an elaborately enscripted "To thine ownself be true." Not exactly where I thought we were going with the sentiment, but it's part of her now, therefore I love it.

When Jerusha left home that fall, I was working on a particularly fractious ghostwriting gig and really struggling with the choice between writing fiction for starving artist wages or ghostwriting for big bucks. She challenged me to do both. We had a long talk about the fact that artistic integrity is not something a project confers upon you, but something you must bring to every project, because it's part of you, as an artist.

She also challenged me to declare my credo in ink, as she had done, so the bard would always have my back. I went for significantly smaller acreage and a less familiar image as a template. I love the primitive Sailor Jerry style, and the artist did a nice job incorporating a small scar and birthmarks. I acknowledge that mother/daughter tatts -- well, it just doesn't get any more trailer-park-fabulous than that, but it's part of me now, as is my imperfect parenting and my inconvenient art, so the people who love me love it.

A quick refresher on Polonius' speech to Laertes:

Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame!
The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,
And you are stay'd for. There; my blessing with thee!
And these few precepts in thy memory
See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unproportioned thought his act.
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware
Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,
Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;
Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are of a most select and generous chief in that.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!

Note from Font de Gaume (a 16,000 year old lesson in publishing technology)

Cleaning out my office this week, I came upon a travel journal from a trip Gary and I made in 2004 to see cave paintings in southern France. I made a lot of notes the day we visited Font de Gaume, a remarkable cave filled with Magdalenian engravings and paintings from around 14 000 BC. Chisels, flints, scrapers, blades, and other items found in the cave indicate occupation since the age of the Neanderthals.

The young woman who guided the cave tour capably  chatted with the small group in French, English and German. She was incredibly knowledgeable about every inch of the cave, pointing out the transition over the centuries from crudely etched line figures and symbols to fully fleshed scenes which had been essentially airbrushed with blowpipes. Eventually there was perspective, shading, character and movement.

The tour guide said something amazingly profound, which I wrote down word for word and have never forgotten: "When Picasso comes to Font de Gaume, he is to say, 'I never did invented Cubism!' In art, there is no change in ability. Only in technology. In art, there is no evolution. Only choices."

I scrawled this down in an Oxford graph-lined notebook. Now I have a notebook computer that's roughly the same size. The tools of our trade have radically changed in the last ten years, but my reasons for writing are the same. I'm trying to make the best use of all the gadgetry without letting it distract me from the cave artist within.

Author Sherry Jones reads from her forthcoming novel "Four Sisters, All Queens"

Story time! Below, the fabulous Sherry Jones reads from her forthcoming novel, Four Sisters, All Queens, which promises to be another well told, impeccably researched story.

From the flap:

From the award-winning author of the controversial international bestseller The Jewel of Medina, a historical novel that chronicles the lives of four sisters, all daughters of Beatrice of Provence — all of whom became queens in medieval Europe. When Beatrice of Savoy, countess of Provence, sends her four beautiful, accomplished daughters to become queens, she admonishes them: Family comes first. As a result, the daughters — Marguerite, queen of France; Eleanor, queen of England; Sanchia, queen of Germany; and Beatrice, queen of Sicily — work not only to expand their husbands’ empires and broker peace between nations, but also to bring the House of Savoy to greater power and influence than before. Their father’s death, however, tears the sisters apart, pitting them against one another for the legacy each believes rightfully hers — Provence itself.

Told from alternating points of view of all four queens, and set in the tumultuous thirteenth century, this is a tale of greed, lust, ambition, and sibling rivalry on a royal scale, exploring the meaning of true power and bringing to life four of the most celebrated women of their time—each of whom had an impact on the history of Europe.

Is it time for writers to rethink attitudes about agents? (And, dare I suggest, agents rethink writers?)

I laughed a lot when I saw this photo from last week's Frankfurt Book Fair. With 7,300 exhibitors and almost 300K attendees at more than 3,000 events, I understand the need for organization, and I don't know if there was a special segregated potty for writers... but I doubt it. In any case (without even addressing the fact that the agent is assumed to be a man) the sign makes a pretty potent icon for the industry dynamic that's arisen in the last few decades.

When the advent of the home computer made the physical process of writing a book infinitely more achievable, a tsunami of aspiring writers started pursuing literary representation, which cast authors as beggars and agents as choosers, bringing about a massive shift in the power balance. I think indie publishing is now shifting power back toward authors - if authors are willing to grow a pair and do their own dirty work.

True or False?

Agents should champion books based on literary quality, not income potential.
True, in that perfect world where lions lie down with lambs and ice cream is an excellent source of calcium. I mean, yeah, but reality check that. Agents are supporting their families, just as writers are. And overall commercial success makes it possible for them to devote time to occasional windmill-tilting.

False, when it gets to the point that easy-selling crap completely trumps literary quality and gluts the market to the exclusion of the low to moderate (read "midlist") moneymakers, and that is the direction a lot of agents are going as the industry sphincter continues to tighten.

Agents are the best gatekeepers/tastemakers.
True, in that agents are (for the most part) educated, intelligent, bookish folk who do have insight into what readers want and what publishers will pay for.

False, in that marketability has become the primary (if not sole) criterion, not only for taking on new authors, but for strongly influencing the revision of manuscripts, and too many supplicant authors are willing to turn their backs on their own artistic vision in a desperate attempt to win that agency contract. ("What doth a man profit," Jesus asked, "if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul?") In a biz as capricious as publishing, you need intelligent guidance, but shared craft values and a common vision for the author's work are imperative.

Agents know more than authors about how to write books.
True, when the author is an amateur, in which case the author does not need an agent, the author needs a good critique group.

False, the rest of the time. A terrific agent excels in the art and craft of sales. A terrific author excels in the art and craft of writing. In that perfect lion-lays-down-with-ice-cream world, the two come together with mutual respect in an equal partnership that is peaceful and prosperous for all concerned.

Must end with my favorite Mitchell and Webb bit, which should be required viewing for any author before s/he rewrites based on agent input. (I know I've shown you this before, but it bears repeating. Or don't! Yeah?)

Can Stories Heal Us?

One of the things I have enjoyed about working with novelist Barry Burnett is the way in which his novel, HOW TO LIVE FOREVER, makes me think about all different kinds of things. For instance, in an earlier post, I discussed Barry's thoughts on editors and editing, and there was some compelling discussion about the editor's role in shaping a book.

Recently I was pondering the concept of how books help us to connect with one another and better understand one another. I was also pondering my long held belief that laughter heals, and wondering why I think so. So I asked Barry, who in addition to being a writer is a family practice doctor. I wanted to know what a physician felt about whether books help us connect, and yes, whether laughter heals. Here is Barry's take on those subjects.

1. Do you think stories have healing effects or properties, as in “stories help us connect,” etc.?

Of course, as a doc and a writer I’d want to believe that, but I actually do. Where I start is with the notion that fiction helps us live, however briefly, alternate lives, and live them in a purposefully imaginary way that is usually not psychologically destabilizing. I figure that helps the reader understand ‘alternate people’ — that is, everyone else — which could certainly lay the groundwork for connection. Is that related to that Forster advice to “Only connect”? I think so: writer to book to reader, reader to book to life.

On a flakier level, I also believe that the music of language is primal and can motivate us in wonderful and not-so-wonderful ways. I’ve certainly had the experience of being trapped, like Fforde’s Tuesday Next, in a bummer of a book, and I’m taken by, say, Cormac McCarthy’s skill and obsession down a road I would not choose and so struggle to escape. Does that mean writers have the responsibility to write positive, healing stories? No way — too close control will destroy the magic, and then there’s the value of fantasy, of any kind of release. But as an optimist with a health message it can be a struggle, first to write something that fits the moment of the scene, then to twist it, just a bit, to your own external and non-dramatic agenda.

2. This book is a comedy. Was that planned? Is comedy hard to write?

I wanted to write a lighter book, and a few non-Boulder friends, on hearing I was trying to put together a Boulder serial, pitched for something satiric and harsh, a total take-down on cults, affluence, and pretensions. I encouraged them to fire up Scrivener and go for it, but felt I lacked a set of knives that sharp. Or rather knew that that sort of carving, no matter what evil fun, would preclude the attachment (there’s ‘connection’ again) I can’t help feeling for even the worst of my characters.

Still… I did have some slightly-evil fun. And most of the comedy just happened; I can sometimes snap off a good line, but usually watch jokes grow slowly. A few years ago I heard Nelson DeMille mention how readers are surprised he isn’t a brilliant come-back artist like his heroes, explaining that he’s got all afternoon to work on an ‘instant’ reply. Finally, the characters in How To Live Forever sort of frame the comedy, and luckily they’re funny folks.

3. Do you believe laughter heals?

Yes. To egregiously misquote, it knits up the wounds of all those slings and arrows, and that’s got to be good. Excluding, possibly, the harshest sarcasm, humor seems the very nature of lightness and resilience, a few of the ‘good-attitude’ qualities that seem to keep people going through all sorts of shit, medical and otherwise. Now, is there something in addition, like psychoneuroimmuniology, in which a state of mind creates a state of body (more resistant, with better bad-cell screening and internal defenses) by a known and identified pathway? Sounds good to me, but that pathway remains debatable. It would be nice to have a firm rationale to shore up the impressions, but regardless, my impression is that laughter improves life in manifold ways, and duration may be one of them.

4. Why write a novel that also offers a healthy living philosophy instead of writing a guide or self-help title?

I’m a reader as well as a writer, and when I lay back to read at the end of the day, self-help books can make my eyes simply glaze over. Not that they don’t work, but for me they’ve only worked in a sit-up, pencil-in-your-teeth, underlining kind of way. That is, when they really ARE work.

Now, that was harsh, and from the supposedly non-harsh guy. Let me try again. I think we learn better by observing — best, by participating, as in connecting — than by being told. Fiction totally fits the bill. At least for fiction types like me. For example, I live in the West, where water rights matter, and I never would have tracked that ongoing debate if I hadn’t been grounded in the information that so sneakily seeped out of Jose Mondragon’s flooded fields and into my brain while reading The Milagro Beanfield War.

5. Is writing really therapeutic and what makes it so?

Writing can definitely be a comfort, and one that takes unexpected turns, and those turns, with a few exceptions, won’t land you in jail. Comfortable, lively, not too dangerous — like a great journey in itself. Going places, spiritual places, places of the heart and mind. There’s also the pleasure (and pain) of polishing, and the joy of discovering new things about yourself and, thank you Wikipedia, the world. No wonder I’m hooked.

Weekly Goals: They're Not Just for NaNoWriMo

With my deadline looming, it's time to put the hammer down on an ambitious goal: finish the draft before next Monday.

I've always been a big proponent of breaking down huge, overwhelming tasks into manageable chunks with monthly, weekly, and at times daily goals. These goals needn't be back-breakers--indeed, if you want writing to be a sustainable lifestyle and no just an annual National Novel Writing Month binge that leaves you with bleeding eyeballs, carpal tunnel, and an aversion to writing for the remainder of the year, you'll need to come up with a plan that you can live with longterm.

Once I've finished the early, exploratory work on a book and am getting down to completion mode, I try to tack on just a little bit more than the lazy side of my brain thinks it can do for my goal-setting. Then I write down the projected page or word count goals (Since my current publisher uses computer word counts rather than page counts, I've recently switched over to daily word count goals to keep myself from "cheating" with a lot of chapter breaks and other white space) on my handy-dandy, low-tech calendar. In ink. (Gasp!)

Blowing a daily goal bugs me, but it's bound to happen sometimes. Blowing a weekly goal calls for a serious course correction (i.e. giving up evening relaxation time or weekends) when I'm on a tight deadline. When the deadline's not quite so daunting, it's the monthly goals that I adhere to most closely.

I know other writers who procrastinate 'til the last possible moment, then blaze through the draft in a period of weeks (or even days.) This is the only way that works for them. Goal-setting is the only way that works for me.

So what's your goal for this week? And do you use goal-setting as a regular strategy?

Storms, science, and breathing life into the written man

Back in 2006, when I started researching Hurricane Katrina media coverage for The Hurricane Lover, hurricane specialist Dr. Jack Beven started showing up a lot. A calm, knowledgeable voice in the storm of hurricane hype. I searched out his home page, was intrigued, and whipped him an email. He graciously agreed to spend time on the phone with me, reality checking my science, educating me on the lingo and logistics, and bolstering my portrayal of my protagonist, a meteorologist whose specialty is storm behavior.

Of course, my character is what you’d expect a fictional character to be: brilliant, kind, good-humored, and slightly too sexy to be a geek — all of which Dr. Beven seems to be, but in real guy terms, which means he's educated, well-spoken, basically cool, and way too busy for the sort of adventures my character gets drawn into. Dr. Beven is also a Dr. Who enthusiast, which made me laugh out loud, because in the book, the meteorologist's lover collects Dr. Who memorabilia.

I kept trying to gently goad him off topic, just so I could hear him talk. I was listening for jargon, cadence, motivation; looking for the psychology of the storm. But Dr. Jack Beven was not easily goaded off topic. He remained imperturbably focused on one thing: the science of the storm. If I knew if I made that singular focus foundational to my character’s character, he would be invested with the one thing that makes a written man breathe, the quality that makes Dr. Beven such a compelling and charming character himself: authenticity.

Like that George Burns zinger: “The secret of acting is sincerity. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”

"You Must Be SO Disciplined"

I get this comment all the time from people whose fantasy is working in their sparkling, perfectly-organized home on their own schedule. They love to imagine a life with no boss to crack the whip, no rude, annoying, or distracting co-workers, lunch out with friends whenever they feel like it, and the chance to take the day off when the mood strikes.

But they have a lot more trouble imagining the part where you actually put your patootie in the chair and write for hours on end. Day after day, with nobody there to tell you when you have to. So they build me up to be some paragon of self-discipline.

Which is really pretty funny, since I'm definitely not. I'm frequently disorganized (you should see my office), always behind on housework, and have very little willpower when it comes to exercise or ice cream. Because having the neatest house, the most uncluttered junk drawer, and the most toned body out there don't matter so much to me.

But other things do. A lot. And among that small constellation (which includes family, friends, my animals, and reading) is writing. Crafting the best stories I can, with the most memorable characters. Emotionally connecting with my readers on some level. Meeting my deadlines (because when I give my word, that matters, too) and being able to honestly tell my editor, my fans, and especially myself at the end of the day, "I really loved this story."

It's not discipline (though I'll be working through the weekend again, and I've been putting in some long hours). It's a choice. And just saying that it's your choice will never be enough.

Instead, you have to prove it with your time and sweat and sacrifice. You have to act, not just dream.

But that's not really discipline; it's love.