by Charlee Vale
Writer's Block. There's a whole host of people who claim Writer's Block doesn't exist, others who swear there's a magical block keeping the words from pouring out onto the paper like Shakespeare. But no matter which school of Writer's Block you ascribe to, I don't think there's anyone that can deny that sometimes you're just stuck.
And being stuck? SUCKS.
I'll be perfectly honest, this has been me quite a lot lately. I can come up with a million different reasons for why my writing feels like wallowing in quicksand--and they'd all be right to some degree. I have a difficult job that sometimes saps any creativity I have before I get home. I'm writing a book that goes against my normal writing process. The book is far more complicated than anything I've ever tried. Sometimes I'm tired. Sometimes I just don't feel like it.
But in the end? None of those explanations and excuses matter. What matters is putting in the time. When I sit down and open the document--even the times when I don't write a lot of words--it's still progress. Who knows what kind of future breakthrough that time spent thinking unlocked. Who knows what kind of genius is brewing under the surface while you stew? And sometimes I manage to sit down and get into the groove. Before you know it you've got a couple new chapters under your belt and the world seems bright again.
My point to all this is to say that if you're feeling stuck or blocked or drained or defeated, push past it. This is a wall that can seem higher than we can reach, but we can make it through it when we are determined. I know it's hard, but few things that are good come easily.
Do whatever you need to do. Make a playlist, a Pinterest board, draw a sketch of a character, or write some backstory. But whatever you do, put in the time. The time is the only thing that puts cracks in the wall. Enough cracks and it will come crumbling down.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, agency intern, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and chipping away at cracks in her wall.
Showing posts with label Charlee Vale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charlee Vale. Show all posts
Monday, June 29, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Writing Rituals (Dangers and Benefits)
By Charlee Vale
The question comes up everywhere for writers: in interviews, at events, one-on-one. It can take different and varying forms. 'Do you have something you need to have while writing?' 'What does your daily process look like?' 'Do you listen to music while you write?'
These questions, while they have slightly different answers, are trying to get to a root question: Do you have an writing rituals?
We're fascinated by rituals. We want to know what works for other so that maybe we'll pick up a spark of genius that might work for us. We want to wonder and marvel at the peculiarities and the simplicities of the way others work. Perhaps we want validation for our own set of unique rituals. There's an entire book dedicated to the rituals and practices of famous writers and artists. (It's actually very cool) You can find it here.
But what drives writing rituals, and do they help us or harm us? I don't have a definitive answer. I only have my own experience to draw from, in which the answer was: both.
During the Summer of 2013, I had a book that poured out of me like no book I had written before. I was writing anywhere from 2-5,000 words a day. For me, that's crazy.
Now, I tend towards the disorganized in my personal space. 'A place for everything' has never been, and never will be my motto. However, as I've gotten older I've noticed that I focused and am far more productive when I do a several things: Sit upright at a desk or table, have a clean work environment, and have noise canceling headphones on with my music. I also love tea to no end, so I would always make tea when I wrote.
I don't know if it was a conscious or subconscious thing, but those things quickly arranged themselves into a ritual. I would go to the kitchen and put on water for tea. Then I would go back to my writing space/room and make the bed. Then I would clean up anything that happened to be on the floor, and then the desk. When that was finished I would go and make the tea, and then sit down to write.
By itself that seems pretty harmless. However, it quickly became clear to me that I was associating my productivity and creativity with this ritual. I had to do it. If I didn't, how would I write? How would I be able to continue putting out this amazing level of words if I didn't keep doing things the way I had been doing them?
That right there is the danger of ritual. When we rely on an outside source to make sure we have our creativity, it becomes a problem. I stopped doing those things in that order, and spoiler alert, I'm just fine. So is my writing.
That's not to say that I didn't learn anything. I now know that the act of making tea helps me clear my mind after a difficult day. I know that having a clean workspace helps me, and that motivates me to keep it clean all the time instead of rushing to do it before my productive hours. Those things are a healthy boost to my creativity, though my creativity doesn't depend on them.
Let me know in the comments if you have any rituals, and what things you think really help you!
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, on Novel Thoughts, on Twitter, resisting the urge to make her bed obsessively.
The question comes up everywhere for writers: in interviews, at events, one-on-one. It can take different and varying forms. 'Do you have something you need to have while writing?' 'What does your daily process look like?' 'Do you listen to music while you write?'
These questions, while they have slightly different answers, are trying to get to a root question: Do you have an writing rituals?
We're fascinated by rituals. We want to know what works for other so that maybe we'll pick up a spark of genius that might work for us. We want to wonder and marvel at the peculiarities and the simplicities of the way others work. Perhaps we want validation for our own set of unique rituals. There's an entire book dedicated to the rituals and practices of famous writers and artists. (It's actually very cool) You can find it here.
But what drives writing rituals, and do they help us or harm us? I don't have a definitive answer. I only have my own experience to draw from, in which the answer was: both.
During the Summer of 2013, I had a book that poured out of me like no book I had written before. I was writing anywhere from 2-5,000 words a day. For me, that's crazy.
Now, I tend towards the disorganized in my personal space. 'A place for everything' has never been, and never will be my motto. However, as I've gotten older I've noticed that I focused and am far more productive when I do a several things: Sit upright at a desk or table, have a clean work environment, and have noise canceling headphones on with my music. I also love tea to no end, so I would always make tea when I wrote.
I don't know if it was a conscious or subconscious thing, but those things quickly arranged themselves into a ritual. I would go to the kitchen and put on water for tea. Then I would go back to my writing space/room and make the bed. Then I would clean up anything that happened to be on the floor, and then the desk. When that was finished I would go and make the tea, and then sit down to write.
By itself that seems pretty harmless. However, it quickly became clear to me that I was associating my productivity and creativity with this ritual. I had to do it. If I didn't, how would I write? How would I be able to continue putting out this amazing level of words if I didn't keep doing things the way I had been doing them?
That right there is the danger of ritual. When we rely on an outside source to make sure we have our creativity, it becomes a problem. I stopped doing those things in that order, and spoiler alert, I'm just fine. So is my writing.
That's not to say that I didn't learn anything. I now know that the act of making tea helps me clear my mind after a difficult day. I know that having a clean workspace helps me, and that motivates me to keep it clean all the time instead of rushing to do it before my productive hours. Those things are a healthy boost to my creativity, though my creativity doesn't depend on them.
Let me know in the comments if you have any rituals, and what things you think really help you!
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, on Novel Thoughts, on Twitter, resisting the urge to make her bed obsessively.
Monday, January 19, 2015
The Right Yes
by Charlee Vale
"You only need one yes."
I can't tell you how many times I've heard this. It's one of those platitudes that gets splattered all over querying writers, or writers thinking about querying, or anyone who has even even thought about trying to get published. In the face of the vast enormity of trying to find an agent, and then an editor, this phrase does us the favor of shrinking down something daunting to a manageable size.
Back in 2011, when I was querying for the very first time, this was my mantra. I did everything I was supposed to do--I compiled a list of agents, worked on my query, started querying in batches. I was waiting, I was ready. After all, I only needed one yes, right?
Through a quirky situation (and a miracle) I got a full request on my very first query. Naturally, I did what every brand new writer does on a full request an fantasized about getting and offer of representation. Which was when I discovered something troubling: I wasn't necessarily excited about the thought of accepting that offer. I was nervous, and frankly kind of queasy.
I spoke to an author friend about my imaginary offer, and she said something to me so simple that I felt stupid for not realizing it sooner. 'Why would you query someone you wouldn't want to work with?'
I had made a list of every person I could possibly find that repped YA, and they were all on my list to query. Because in my mind, each of those agents was a potential yes. A potential chance at representation and the road to publication. However, I hadn't even considered that quantity in querying isn't necessarily the same as quality. It's true that you do only need one yes, but that's not the important part. You need the right yes.
So do your research. Find the agents you think you would want to work with, using whatever qualifications you're looking for, and make a list. Do you want an agent who is very editorial? Someone who is a newer agent trying to build their list? Someone who's a veteran and seen everything that can possible happen?
That final list may be twenty agents, five, or fifty. But every agent should be one you want to work with. After all, if they aren't, then why would you put yourself through that?
Keep trying to get that one yes, but just make sure it's the right one.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, on Novel Thoughts, on Twitter, and doing research for her next round of queries.
"You only need one yes."
I can't tell you how many times I've heard this. It's one of those platitudes that gets splattered all over querying writers, or writers thinking about querying, or anyone who has even even thought about trying to get published. In the face of the vast enormity of trying to find an agent, and then an editor, this phrase does us the favor of shrinking down something daunting to a manageable size.
Back in 2011, when I was querying for the very first time, this was my mantra. I did everything I was supposed to do--I compiled a list of agents, worked on my query, started querying in batches. I was waiting, I was ready. After all, I only needed one yes, right?
Through a quirky situation (and a miracle) I got a full request on my very first query. Naturally, I did what every brand new writer does on a full request an fantasized about getting and offer of representation. Which was when I discovered something troubling: I wasn't necessarily excited about the thought of accepting that offer. I was nervous, and frankly kind of queasy.
I spoke to an author friend about my imaginary offer, and she said something to me so simple that I felt stupid for not realizing it sooner. 'Why would you query someone you wouldn't want to work with?'
I had made a list of every person I could possibly find that repped YA, and they were all on my list to query. Because in my mind, each of those agents was a potential yes. A potential chance at representation and the road to publication. However, I hadn't even considered that quantity in querying isn't necessarily the same as quality. It's true that you do only need one yes, but that's not the important part. You need the right yes.
So do your research. Find the agents you think you would want to work with, using whatever qualifications you're looking for, and make a list. Do you want an agent who is very editorial? Someone who is a newer agent trying to build their list? Someone who's a veteran and seen everything that can possible happen?
That final list may be twenty agents, five, or fifty. But every agent should be one you want to work with. After all, if they aren't, then why would you put yourself through that?
Keep trying to get that one yes, but just make sure it's the right one.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, on Novel Thoughts, on Twitter, and doing research for her next round of queries.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Book Serendipity
by Charlee Vale
Allow me to tell you a story.
One July evening in 2008, my family is participating in one of our favorite pastimes: hanging out at the bookstore. We are separate, but together. My mother is perusing craft and art magazines in the comfy chairs in the cafe, my father is in the music section with his head buried in a book about classical guitar technique, and I float. I drift from fiction to children's to teen and back again. I swing by science fiction and end up in drama.
Now, this was back when Border's was Border's, and at this local store I knew the sales people, the layout, even the music they would play. Some families had Sunday dinner, we had Sunday bookstore time. And Monday, and Tuesday, and whatever day of the week we felt like going and diving into what seemed like endless stacks of books.
After getting my father to but me a chai tea latte from Border's Cafe (which, to this day, is still the best chai I've ever had), I found myself perusing the stage plays. I had just completed my freshman year as a theatre major and wanted to consume as much theatrical literature as possible. I suddenly stop in my tracks as I see the cover of a play. A black and white photo of a woman. Just a woman, staring out at the camera with immeasurable sadness. I picked it up and turned it over and read these words:
"This happened on December 30, 2003.
That may seem a while ago but it won't when it happens to you..."
Chills ran over my entire body.
I immediately took the play back over to the cafe and began reading. I read a good 30 pages before we left that night. I purchased it, and finished it that night, dumbstruck. That play was the one woman show The Year of Magical Thinking, adapted from Joan Didion's memoir of the same name.
Three years later, I performed that show as my capstone. My Senior Theatre Project. I went on an amazing journey with this play, and it's still something I am so proud of. But what would have happened if I hadn't been at Border's that one night in July?
Looking around, many people get their book recommendations from the internet, social media, friends, as they should. But my life has been so affected by books that I just stumbled upon, possibly more than the books I sought out, that I can't help but try to get other people to try it.
I discovered my all time favorite book--The Scent of Magic by Andre Norton--by running my fingers across the spines in a library. I tripped over Watermark by Joseph Brodsky in that same Border's, and he is now one of my favorite writers.
This will sound cheesy, but books have power. The ones that are meant to change your life will find you if you let them. So why not give it a try? Go to a bookstore, turn off your phone, and just look. Go to a section you normally don't visit. Maybe it will be something in the cover, maybe the first sentence will make you gasp, maybe there's nothing but a feeling, but it's worth a try.
So that's my story. I believe in book serendipity. Do you?
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and randomly picking up books of of shelves.
Allow me to tell you a story.
One July evening in 2008, my family is participating in one of our favorite pastimes: hanging out at the bookstore. We are separate, but together. My mother is perusing craft and art magazines in the comfy chairs in the cafe, my father is in the music section with his head buried in a book about classical guitar technique, and I float. I drift from fiction to children's to teen and back again. I swing by science fiction and end up in drama.
Now, this was back when Border's was Border's, and at this local store I knew the sales people, the layout, even the music they would play. Some families had Sunday dinner, we had Sunday bookstore time. And Monday, and Tuesday, and whatever day of the week we felt like going and diving into what seemed like endless stacks of books.
After getting my father to but me a chai tea latte from Border's Cafe (which, to this day, is still the best chai I've ever had), I found myself perusing the stage plays. I had just completed my freshman year as a theatre major and wanted to consume as much theatrical literature as possible. I suddenly stop in my tracks as I see the cover of a play. A black and white photo of a woman. Just a woman, staring out at the camera with immeasurable sadness. I picked it up and turned it over and read these words:
"This happened on December 30, 2003.
That may seem a while ago but it won't when it happens to you..."
Chills ran over my entire body.
I immediately took the play back over to the cafe and began reading. I read a good 30 pages before we left that night. I purchased it, and finished it that night, dumbstruck. That play was the one woman show The Year of Magical Thinking, adapted from Joan Didion's memoir of the same name.
Three years later, I performed that show as my capstone. My Senior Theatre Project. I went on an amazing journey with this play, and it's still something I am so proud of. But what would have happened if I hadn't been at Border's that one night in July?
Looking around, many people get their book recommendations from the internet, social media, friends, as they should. But my life has been so affected by books that I just stumbled upon, possibly more than the books I sought out, that I can't help but try to get other people to try it.
I discovered my all time favorite book--The Scent of Magic by Andre Norton--by running my fingers across the spines in a library. I tripped over Watermark by Joseph Brodsky in that same Border's, and he is now one of my favorite writers.
This will sound cheesy, but books have power. The ones that are meant to change your life will find you if you let them. So why not give it a try? Go to a bookstore, turn off your phone, and just look. Go to a section you normally don't visit. Maybe it will be something in the cover, maybe the first sentence will make you gasp, maybe there's nothing but a feeling, but it's worth a try.
So that's my story. I believe in book serendipity. Do you?
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and randomly picking up books of of shelves.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Realistic vs. Logic
by Charlee Vale
"That's not realistic."
Have you ever heard this said about a book? I have. Honestly, it's one of those things people say that drive me crazy, in all it's many variations. "That wouldn't happen." "People don't talk like that." "That's not the way things work."
The reason this makes me go a little batty is that the last time I checked, I didn't go into a novel looking for reality.
When I go into a novel I go looking for a story. I want it to engage me and sweep me up and make me believe in fantastic things and feelings; shock me with unspeakable horrors and make me shiver. No matter what genre you apply this to it is the same. Books aren't reality, so why they should be bound by the same set of rules?
But sometimes when I hear these things, I know they're not saying what they mean. They say 'that's not realistic,' and what they mean is 'this doesn't make sense.' And when something doesn't make sense, that's a problem.
Even though fiction isn't bound by the rules of reality, it's bound by it's own set of rules: the ones you create. In the realms of your writing you always must construct how things work--a structure for the audience to rely on. If you don't create a strong enough framework, or break the rules of the world you created, your audience will become confused and disconnected.
A perfect example of this is Shakespeare. Shakespeare's plays cannot be considered 'realistic' by today's standards; after all, the people wear funny clothes, say funny words, and do funny things. But do the they make sense? Yes. Each Shakespearean play has an internal logic and structure that allows us to understand, follow, and empathize with the characters. We don't care that it's not realistic.
If you make sure your world works, no one will notice it's not real.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, agency intern, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and trying to make sense of her worlds on paper.
"That's not realistic."
Have you ever heard this said about a book? I have. Honestly, it's one of those things people say that drive me crazy, in all it's many variations. "That wouldn't happen." "People don't talk like that." "That's not the way things work."
The reason this makes me go a little batty is that the last time I checked, I didn't go into a novel looking for reality.
When I go into a novel I go looking for a story. I want it to engage me and sweep me up and make me believe in fantastic things and feelings; shock me with unspeakable horrors and make me shiver. No matter what genre you apply this to it is the same. Books aren't reality, so why they should be bound by the same set of rules?
But sometimes when I hear these things, I know they're not saying what they mean. They say 'that's not realistic,' and what they mean is 'this doesn't make sense.' And when something doesn't make sense, that's a problem.
Even though fiction isn't bound by the rules of reality, it's bound by it's own set of rules: the ones you create. In the realms of your writing you always must construct how things work--a structure for the audience to rely on. If you don't create a strong enough framework, or break the rules of the world you created, your audience will become confused and disconnected.
A perfect example of this is Shakespeare. Shakespeare's plays cannot be considered 'realistic' by today's standards; after all, the people wear funny clothes, say funny words, and do funny things. But do the they make sense? Yes. Each Shakespearean play has an internal logic and structure that allows us to understand, follow, and empathize with the characters. We don't care that it's not realistic.
If you make sure your world works, no one will notice it's not real.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, agency intern, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and trying to make sense of her worlds on paper.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Bossy Bossy Books
by Charlee Vale
You'll hear it time and time again from authors: Every book is different, every one has to be written differently. But what does that mean exactly?
In general there are two schools of thought: 'Planners' and 'Pantsers.'
The Planners have a structure in place ready to tackle the story in their head, wrestle it into the ground and make it see reason. They outline, they build worlds, they do character sketches, they draw themselves a very detailed map to the story so that they don't get lost.
The Pantsers follow the story as it comes to them. They discover the world they are creating as the character leads them along. Sometimes they have to backtrack from a dead-end, and sometimes they have to fast forward. Everything is very fluid. Where the wind blows, they follow.
However, most people fall somewhere in the middle on the scale between Planner and Pantser, and create their own style when it comes to tackling stories.
But what if we're thinking about it wrong? What if instead of analyzing how we approach a book, we need to think about how the book approaches us. In looking at the projects I've worked on over the last two years, I can see that each one has hit me in a very different way, which led to a different process.
One project hit almost in it's entirety on a road trip. I wrote a synopsis when I got home that dictated the entire story. (The closest I've ever come to outlining) Another came in the form of the book sequel, a book I had to write in order to get to my original idea, and the drafting was a binging surge of words over 4 weeks. The latest has come to me in snippets. Demanding to be written by and in journals and on scraps of paper and diner napkins. All by hand.
Sadly, these stories didn't care if I was a Planner or a Pantser, they were just demanding to be written the way they wanted to be written. In a way, it can be a very freeing sensation letting the story dictate the method.
If you've got an idea up your sleeve, or are starting a new draft try listening to the way the story wants you to tell it. It may be more different than you think.
Have you ever had a vastly different experience writing between projects? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, agency intern, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and being bossed around by her current manuscript.
You'll hear it time and time again from authors: Every book is different, every one has to be written differently. But what does that mean exactly?
In general there are two schools of thought: 'Planners' and 'Pantsers.'
The Planners have a structure in place ready to tackle the story in their head, wrestle it into the ground and make it see reason. They outline, they build worlds, they do character sketches, they draw themselves a very detailed map to the story so that they don't get lost.
The Pantsers follow the story as it comes to them. They discover the world they are creating as the character leads them along. Sometimes they have to backtrack from a dead-end, and sometimes they have to fast forward. Everything is very fluid. Where the wind blows, they follow.
However, most people fall somewhere in the middle on the scale between Planner and Pantser, and create their own style when it comes to tackling stories.
But what if we're thinking about it wrong? What if instead of analyzing how we approach a book, we need to think about how the book approaches us. In looking at the projects I've worked on over the last two years, I can see that each one has hit me in a very different way, which led to a different process.
One project hit almost in it's entirety on a road trip. I wrote a synopsis when I got home that dictated the entire story. (The closest I've ever come to outlining) Another came in the form of the book sequel, a book I had to write in order to get to my original idea, and the drafting was a binging surge of words over 4 weeks. The latest has come to me in snippets. Demanding to be written by and in journals and on scraps of paper and diner napkins. All by hand.
Sadly, these stories didn't care if I was a Planner or a Pantser, they were just demanding to be written the way they wanted to be written. In a way, it can be a very freeing sensation letting the story dictate the method.
If you've got an idea up your sleeve, or are starting a new draft try listening to the way the story wants you to tell it. It may be more different than you think.
Have you ever had a vastly different experience writing between projects? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, bookseller, agency intern, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and being bossed around by her current manuscript.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
The Curious Case of the Whys
by Charlee Vale
The holidays are over and it's a brand new year. So it's time to admit something: I am having a creative existential crisis. Every time I sit down to work on an idea I ask myself what the point of the whole thing is. Why am I doing it? So I stop and do something else. I've been reading and other creative things.
Sometimes I get the itch to paint. Just splash stuff around on some acrylic paper and see what happens. So I dig through my art drawer, pull out the supplies and start playing. I call it 'therapy painting.' (I highly recommend it.)
I was painting on the floor of my bedroom the other night, binging on Netflix when a thought hit me--I never ask myself why I paint. I never need to. It's fun, it relaxes me, I get to create, it's hurting no one. And that is totally and completely okay.
So why is it that when I write I always ask myself 'why'?
I've heard a hundred stories about writers afraid to say they write because they're afraid of being judged. I've heard stories of people who ask writers when they're going to get real jobs. I've heard stories of writers stopping because they're afraid they're not good enough, strong enough, anything enough. There are stories of every color and shade, from writers and non-writers all pointing to the fact that we expect a 'why' from writing.
But people don't ask you that when you paint. Or when you play music. Or scrapbook. Almost any other creative hobby. You don't need a reason to do it, because it makes you happy.
Now I honestly don't know why we (and others) feel the need to justify why we write. That's not a mystery I can solve. But I am here to encourage you that as a writer, you don't need a why. Whether you're writing with a goal of publication, or journaling the stories that appear in your head, your hobby doesn't need a justification.
So in this new year, if you are down with a case of the whys, silence the endless question marks in your head and in other peoples words. Write for you, and only you. That first, is the most important.
Happy new year!
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, agency intern, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and painting, when the situation requires.
The holidays are over and it's a brand new year. So it's time to admit something: I am having a creative existential crisis. Every time I sit down to work on an idea I ask myself what the point of the whole thing is. Why am I doing it? So I stop and do something else. I've been reading and other creative things.
Sometimes I get the itch to paint. Just splash stuff around on some acrylic paper and see what happens. So I dig through my art drawer, pull out the supplies and start playing. I call it 'therapy painting.' (I highly recommend it.)
I was painting on the floor of my bedroom the other night, binging on Netflix when a thought hit me--I never ask myself why I paint. I never need to. It's fun, it relaxes me, I get to create, it's hurting no one. And that is totally and completely okay.
So why is it that when I write I always ask myself 'why'?
I've heard a hundred stories about writers afraid to say they write because they're afraid of being judged. I've heard stories of people who ask writers when they're going to get real jobs. I've heard stories of writers stopping because they're afraid they're not good enough, strong enough, anything enough. There are stories of every color and shade, from writers and non-writers all pointing to the fact that we expect a 'why' from writing.
But people don't ask you that when you paint. Or when you play music. Or scrapbook. Almost any other creative hobby. You don't need a reason to do it, because it makes you happy.
Now I honestly don't know why we (and others) feel the need to justify why we write. That's not a mystery I can solve. But I am here to encourage you that as a writer, you don't need a why. Whether you're writing with a goal of publication, or journaling the stories that appear in your head, your hobby doesn't need a justification.
So in this new year, if you are down with a case of the whys, silence the endless question marks in your head and in other peoples words. Write for you, and only you. That first, is the most important.
Happy new year!
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, agency intern, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and painting, when the situation requires.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Cruelty in Critique
by Charlee Vale
In September of 2012 I turned in the first draft of the play that would become my master's thesis in to my advisor, and I also gave copies to my two thesis partners so that they could read and have an idea how my part of the project was coming along.
The first words out of my advisor's mouth in that meeting was forbidding my partners to say anything about the play to me. It didn't matter if they loved it, hated it, or had constructive criticism. Not one. Single. Word.
In retrospect, this is the best thing he ever could have done for me. When someone says something about your work—especially in it's infancy—it can creep inside you like a little time bomb, and you'll never feel the same.
Recently I wrote a post called 'More Than Words,' which discusses the innate power that words have. Along the same line, this is a little discussion of that same topic, but in regards to critique.
I wanted to write this post because recently I've noticed a trend on public critique websites which I frequent. That trend is people using cruelty in their critique. People being mean-spirited and rude and disguising it in 'I just want to help! An agent is going to do the same thing!'
Well, no. First of all, the odds of an agent being cruel of rude to you regarding your work is minimal. They want your work to be good. So why would they go out of their way to be mean about it, when the writing can be fixed with practice and experience? They won't. Agents are busy people, they have better things to do.
Secondly, Being rude to someone in a critique is not constructive. It is DEstructive. We writers are putting ourselves out there when we ask for critique. You're baring a little piece of your soul, and because of that cruel words have a tendency to cut us deeper than we'll let on.
Imagine you put your query up for critique, and the first feedback you get is: "I can't believe you started with this. That is SO cliche. I basically stopped reading here, and I bet an agent is going to do the same thing."* —I'm guessing that not only would you shut down from hearing good advice, but also not want to put up anything for critique ever again, and possibly want to stop writing.
Keeping with the example, if someone does start with a cliche, maybe try a different approach. "Hey, I've heard that agents get a lot of these openings. Is there maybe somewhere else you can start your story so you stand out more?" —A response like this not only preserves the writer's dignity, but allows them to approach the solution with an open mind because you're allowing them to come up with it.
I'm not saying that you should sugar coat things, or not tell people what they need to hear, but phrasing can make a world of difference, and could be the difference between a learning moment and a meltdown.
So critique on, and use the golden rule: Don't say anything to anyone you wouldn't want someone to say to you.
*Example Hypothetical
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, agency intern, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and using the golden rule.
In September of 2012 I turned in the first draft of the play that would become my master's thesis in to my advisor, and I also gave copies to my two thesis partners so that they could read and have an idea how my part of the project was coming along.
The first words out of my advisor's mouth in that meeting was forbidding my partners to say anything about the play to me. It didn't matter if they loved it, hated it, or had constructive criticism. Not one. Single. Word.
In retrospect, this is the best thing he ever could have done for me. When someone says something about your work—especially in it's infancy—it can creep inside you like a little time bomb, and you'll never feel the same.
Recently I wrote a post called 'More Than Words,' which discusses the innate power that words have. Along the same line, this is a little discussion of that same topic, but in regards to critique.
I wanted to write this post because recently I've noticed a trend on public critique websites which I frequent. That trend is people using cruelty in their critique. People being mean-spirited and rude and disguising it in 'I just want to help! An agent is going to do the same thing!'
Well, no. First of all, the odds of an agent being cruel of rude to you regarding your work is minimal. They want your work to be good. So why would they go out of their way to be mean about it, when the writing can be fixed with practice and experience? They won't. Agents are busy people, they have better things to do.
Secondly, Being rude to someone in a critique is not constructive. It is DEstructive. We writers are putting ourselves out there when we ask for critique. You're baring a little piece of your soul, and because of that cruel words have a tendency to cut us deeper than we'll let on.
Imagine you put your query up for critique, and the first feedback you get is: "I can't believe you started with this. That is SO cliche. I basically stopped reading here, and I bet an agent is going to do the same thing."* —I'm guessing that not only would you shut down from hearing good advice, but also not want to put up anything for critique ever again, and possibly want to stop writing.
Keeping with the example, if someone does start with a cliche, maybe try a different approach. "Hey, I've heard that agents get a lot of these openings. Is there maybe somewhere else you can start your story so you stand out more?" —A response like this not only preserves the writer's dignity, but allows them to approach the solution with an open mind because you're allowing them to come up with it.
I'm not saying that you should sugar coat things, or not tell people what they need to hear, but phrasing can make a world of difference, and could be the difference between a learning moment and a meltdown.
So critique on, and use the golden rule: Don't say anything to anyone you wouldn't want someone to say to you.
*Example Hypothetical
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, agency intern, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and using the golden rule.
Monday, September 9, 2013
More Than Words
by Charlee Vale
Words have power.
That seems like such a simple phrase, but I think that it's something that we as writers tend to forget. We use words all the time--we write them, speak them, bleed them, love them. All the while we can ignore the simple and bone deep effect of words.
I had a friend in college, and one time in a moment of frustration she told me something—"All you do is talk about yourself, can't you give someone else a chance?" Those words, said in anger, have affected my entire life. I now will avoid talking about myself to a fault, and feel uncomfortable when anyone asks me questions about my life--even if they're out of genuine curiosity. I suffer from the immense fear that by talking about myself I will appear self-centered or completely unaware and insensitive to those around me.
I've confessed this to my family, and some of my friends who have assured me that what she said isn't true. It was never true. Regardless, it doesn't matter. That single sentence, said to me a single time will haunt me forever.
This isn't a post meant to garner pity, but words have a certain kind of echoing immortality. All it took was fourteen words to change an entire aspect of my life. Imagine the power you have in your hands when you use a few hundred to write a review, or eighty thousand to write a book.
Now, in this digital age where words can be poured out without a second thought, I think that the immense power they hold isn't something we can afford to forget. It can take as little as a single word to change the course of someone's life, for better or worse. That's an awful lot of power to have, and every single person has it.
So when you're at your computer, writing away on the stories you hope will one day be told for your lifetime and beyond, remember that words have power, and the things that they create are more than words. More than stories. Choose carefully, and choose bravely.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and endeavoring to choose beautiful words.
Words have power.
That seems like such a simple phrase, but I think that it's something that we as writers tend to forget. We use words all the time--we write them, speak them, bleed them, love them. All the while we can ignore the simple and bone deep effect of words.
I had a friend in college, and one time in a moment of frustration she told me something—"All you do is talk about yourself, can't you give someone else a chance?" Those words, said in anger, have affected my entire life. I now will avoid talking about myself to a fault, and feel uncomfortable when anyone asks me questions about my life--even if they're out of genuine curiosity. I suffer from the immense fear that by talking about myself I will appear self-centered or completely unaware and insensitive to those around me.
I've confessed this to my family, and some of my friends who have assured me that what she said isn't true. It was never true. Regardless, it doesn't matter. That single sentence, said to me a single time will haunt me forever.
This isn't a post meant to garner pity, but words have a certain kind of echoing immortality. All it took was fourteen words to change an entire aspect of my life. Imagine the power you have in your hands when you use a few hundred to write a review, or eighty thousand to write a book.
Now, in this digital age where words can be poured out without a second thought, I think that the immense power they hold isn't something we can afford to forget. It can take as little as a single word to change the course of someone's life, for better or worse. That's an awful lot of power to have, and every single person has it.
So when you're at your computer, writing away on the stories you hope will one day be told for your lifetime and beyond, remember that words have power, and the things that they create are more than words. More than stories. Choose carefully, and choose bravely.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and endeavoring to choose beautiful words.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Can't We All Just Get Along? (Books vs. Movies)
By Charlee Vale
It seems to me that lately, there have been an influx of book based movies hitting the theatre. As both a writer and an actress, this makes me immensely happy! But I know that others aren't as happy, especially when they see their favorite books 'ruined' by it being made into a movie.
As an example, I'll tell you about my experience seeing The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, this past week.
I went to a tiny theater near my house. It was a late showing, and there were only a few people waiting for the movie with me. Of these people, there was a group of teens, completely decked out in costume. They had every major character covered, we're talking dedication. I gathered from not-so-subtle eavesdropping and a little conversation, that they were overjoyed to be seeing the movie for the first time, some of them fans of the book since it first came out in 2007.
So we went in and watched the movie. (For the record, I really enjoyed it--and I recommend everyone see it) As soon as the credits rolled I looked over at the costumed group to gauge their reaction. They all seemed overwhelmingly confused and saddened. Not understanding 'what had just happened.' (This despite us talking about how books and movies have to be different before entering the theater)
While thinking about this, it occurred to me that in fact, many times I've known people who are 'okay with it being different from the book,' and then walk out of the movie furious for that same reason. This makes me sad, because hollywood is finally paying attention to books! Their making book movies! But if everyone keeps hating them, they'll stop.
As a person who crosses the book/movie world, I thought I'd talk about a couple of the reasons books and movies can't be the same, and why that's okay.
1. Length
The book you read was most likely in between 200-300 pages, maybe more. The standard rule of thumb in the movie industry for screenplays is 'a minute per page.' If movies literally took the book you read and put it on the screen, even the shortest books would be almost three hours long. (The City of Bones hardcover is 485 pages--an 8 hour movie!)
2. Investment vs. Payoff
Because the aforementioned problem with length, movie producers have to look at the story and what's going to be the best way to deliver the required information, and still keep the tone of the story. A good example of this is the Hunger Games movie.
For those of you who have both read the book and seen the movie, you know that the person who gives Katniss the Mockingjay pin is different. A lot of people were upset that in the movie 'Madge' was cut out as a character. However, the time the movie would have spent developing that character would have been wasted. Why? Because Madge does nothing else. In fact she has little presence through the entire series. So spending ten precious minutes of film time on a character that doesn't affect the audience, is silly. The payoff wasn't worth the investment.
3. Different Mediums
This should be fairly straight-forward, but I find it's always good to remind people that books and movies are different. And that's okay.
In books, we have the time to describe something, to let the mind piece together an image as it goes along. Movies, as a visual medium, have to give us things that our minds can both interpret immediately, keep us engaged, and keep the story moving.
This is why I find I enjoy book-to-movie adaptations much more the second time I watch them. The second time, I already know what's different from the book--there are no surprises. That way, I can relax and enjoy the movie for what it is. Unfortunately, I know a lot of people don't get that far because they're upset.
As a final note, I hope that you will go and support book movies. Even if the particular book isn't your thing. I would hate for Hollywood to think we're giving them a message to stop making these movies. There are so many wonderful book stories that can be told with film. Let's keep making it happen!
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and at the movies, absorbing all the stories.
It seems to me that lately, there have been an influx of book based movies hitting the theatre. As both a writer and an actress, this makes me immensely happy! But I know that others aren't as happy, especially when they see their favorite books 'ruined' by it being made into a movie.
As an example, I'll tell you about my experience seeing The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, this past week.
I went to a tiny theater near my house. It was a late showing, and there were only a few people waiting for the movie with me. Of these people, there was a group of teens, completely decked out in costume. They had every major character covered, we're talking dedication. I gathered from not-so-subtle eavesdropping and a little conversation, that they were overjoyed to be seeing the movie for the first time, some of them fans of the book since it first came out in 2007.
So we went in and watched the movie. (For the record, I really enjoyed it--and I recommend everyone see it) As soon as the credits rolled I looked over at the costumed group to gauge their reaction. They all seemed overwhelmingly confused and saddened. Not understanding 'what had just happened.' (This despite us talking about how books and movies have to be different before entering the theater)
While thinking about this, it occurred to me that in fact, many times I've known people who are 'okay with it being different from the book,' and then walk out of the movie furious for that same reason. This makes me sad, because hollywood is finally paying attention to books! Their making book movies! But if everyone keeps hating them, they'll stop.
As a person who crosses the book/movie world, I thought I'd talk about a couple of the reasons books and movies can't be the same, and why that's okay.
1. Length
The book you read was most likely in between 200-300 pages, maybe more. The standard rule of thumb in the movie industry for screenplays is 'a minute per page.' If movies literally took the book you read and put it on the screen, even the shortest books would be almost three hours long. (The City of Bones hardcover is 485 pages--an 8 hour movie!)
2. Investment vs. Payoff
Because the aforementioned problem with length, movie producers have to look at the story and what's going to be the best way to deliver the required information, and still keep the tone of the story. A good example of this is the Hunger Games movie.
For those of you who have both read the book and seen the movie, you know that the person who gives Katniss the Mockingjay pin is different. A lot of people were upset that in the movie 'Madge' was cut out as a character. However, the time the movie would have spent developing that character would have been wasted. Why? Because Madge does nothing else. In fact she has little presence through the entire series. So spending ten precious minutes of film time on a character that doesn't affect the audience, is silly. The payoff wasn't worth the investment.
3. Different Mediums
This should be fairly straight-forward, but I find it's always good to remind people that books and movies are different. And that's okay.
In books, we have the time to describe something, to let the mind piece together an image as it goes along. Movies, as a visual medium, have to give us things that our minds can both interpret immediately, keep us engaged, and keep the story moving.
This is why I find I enjoy book-to-movie adaptations much more the second time I watch them. The second time, I already know what's different from the book--there are no surprises. That way, I can relax and enjoy the movie for what it is. Unfortunately, I know a lot of people don't get that far because they're upset.
As a final note, I hope that you will go and support book movies. Even if the particular book isn't your thing. I would hate for Hollywood to think we're giving them a message to stop making these movies. There are so many wonderful book stories that can be told with film. Let's keep making it happen!
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and at the movies, absorbing all the stories.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Know Your Genre (PLEASE)
by Charlee Vale
I'm going to say something that will sound incredibly obvious, but based on my recent observations needs to be said.
If you are going to be writing books, you need to be reading books.
Seems fairly simple, right? I mean, when we want to study something, we generally read books on the subject. Math, science, painting, knitting, music, cooking, basket-weaving—WHATEVER. If you're serious about a subject, odds are you'll have either bought a book about it, gotten one from the library, borrowed one, or at least attempted to read one in the bookstore while you're waiting for a table at the cafe.
So why is it that people think they can write without reading?
I know this is a very large generalization. I apologize, because I know there a lot of people who don't do this. However, in the past month online, I have seen a huge influx of questions by writers—questions that would have painfully obvious answers if they were reading in their genre.
I see most of this happening with YA. People pop up with questions along the lines of 'Is it all right if my characters drink/smoke/do drugs/have sex in YA?' or 'I know I'm targeting this at young people, what exactly is acceptable here?'
At this point, those of us who write YA, and have read more books than we can count in the category, give each other exasperated looks. Because if you have read any number of YA books (even 10, even 5), you would most likely know that these things are okay.
This is the case with any genre. If you want to write it, you should read it. It's like doing research on your next basket-weaving project; you need to do research so that you know what you're doing when you set out to accomplish your task. I recommend reading 50-100 books in the genre you write, at least. This will teach you the rules for what's acceptable, what's expected, what is good form and what is bad. (Plus, if you find out you don't enjoy the genre that you're reading, then why are you writing it?)
Read, read, read. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble, a lot of mistakes, and a lot of headaches.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and most likely with her nose in a book.
I'm going to say something that will sound incredibly obvious, but based on my recent observations needs to be said.
If you are going to be writing books, you need to be reading books.
Seems fairly simple, right? I mean, when we want to study something, we generally read books on the subject. Math, science, painting, knitting, music, cooking, basket-weaving—WHATEVER. If you're serious about a subject, odds are you'll have either bought a book about it, gotten one from the library, borrowed one, or at least attempted to read one in the bookstore while you're waiting for a table at the cafe.
So why is it that people think they can write without reading?
I know this is a very large generalization. I apologize, because I know there a lot of people who don't do this. However, in the past month online, I have seen a huge influx of questions by writers—questions that would have painfully obvious answers if they were reading in their genre.
I see most of this happening with YA. People pop up with questions along the lines of 'Is it all right if my characters drink/smoke/do drugs/have sex in YA?' or 'I know I'm targeting this at young people, what exactly is acceptable here?'
At this point, those of us who write YA, and have read more books than we can count in the category, give each other exasperated looks. Because if you have read any number of YA books (even 10, even 5), you would most likely know that these things are okay.
This is the case with any genre. If you want to write it, you should read it. It's like doing research on your next basket-weaving project; you need to do research so that you know what you're doing when you set out to accomplish your task. I recommend reading 50-100 books in the genre you write, at least. This will teach you the rules for what's acceptable, what's expected, what is good form and what is bad. (Plus, if you find out you don't enjoy the genre that you're reading, then why are you writing it?)
Read, read, read. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble, a lot of mistakes, and a lot of headaches.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and most likely with her nose in a book.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Writing for the Senses
by Charlee Vale
Everything in our life is interpreted by our senses. Sight, sound, taste, touch, smell. Sense of time. Sense of distance. I would even argue that our emotions are a kind of sense—interpreting to us our state of being. How else could we perceive them?
The magical and wonderful tool that is our brain integrates all of these senses so seamlessly that we barely even notice the differences between one and another sometimes. It's just a part of being.
I don't know about you, but when I'm going along in my daily life, I don't, generally, narrate to myself what I'm feeling with my senses—I say generally, because there are some times when we do do this. We'll say, "Man it's hot!" or "I smell popcorn,"—but for the most part we don't.
There have been many times I have found while reading books, (and definitely in my own work, I am equally guilty) that most of the time things are described fairly intellectually. The character notes what they see, how they feel, what they are thinking. It's like reading a transcript of someone's experience rather than experiencing it with them.
This post came about while I was chatting with a friend about writing an action scene. She expressed concern that she felt she was using words/phrases like 'suddenly' and 'without warning' too much to indicate the pace and flurry of the scene. I told her she needed to focus on writing for the senses, but she didn't know what I meant.
Here's what I mean, and to illustrate, we have a little quiz!
If someone unexpectedly shoots a gun near you do you:
A. Think "That was a gunshot."
B. Duck.
If you stub your toe in the middle of the night do you:
A. Think about the fact that you stubbed your toe, acknowledge how much it hurts, and then hobble off for ice.
B. Grab your foot while shouting obscenities because it feels like you just broke your toe. Geeze, what did I hit with my foot?
If a person you are not attracted to tries to kiss you do you:
A. Analyze their approach and how repellent they are until they're so close you can barely avoid the kiss.
B. Push them away/step away immediately.
If you answered B to every single question, congratulations, you are CORRECT! (And the other good news is you are not a robot. Good for you.)
So if in real life, all of us would react with option B, then why do so many of our characters react like option A?
I find this very prevalent in action scenes, characters analyzing and absorbing far more of the scene around them than is physically possible. To a degree that's fine, we are after all telling a story. But part of telling a story is to make sure your audience is there.
I don't have any easy solutions for this other than awareness.
Remember Newton's Law—Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So let them react!
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and quite possibly trying to revise a new and crazy story.
Everything in our life is interpreted by our senses. Sight, sound, taste, touch, smell. Sense of time. Sense of distance. I would even argue that our emotions are a kind of sense—interpreting to us our state of being. How else could we perceive them?
The magical and wonderful tool that is our brain integrates all of these senses so seamlessly that we barely even notice the differences between one and another sometimes. It's just a part of being.
I don't know about you, but when I'm going along in my daily life, I don't, generally, narrate to myself what I'm feeling with my senses—I say generally, because there are some times when we do do this. We'll say, "Man it's hot!" or "I smell popcorn,"—but for the most part we don't.
There have been many times I have found while reading books, (and definitely in my own work, I am equally guilty) that most of the time things are described fairly intellectually. The character notes what they see, how they feel, what they are thinking. It's like reading a transcript of someone's experience rather than experiencing it with them.
This post came about while I was chatting with a friend about writing an action scene. She expressed concern that she felt she was using words/phrases like 'suddenly' and 'without warning' too much to indicate the pace and flurry of the scene. I told her she needed to focus on writing for the senses, but she didn't know what I meant.
Here's what I mean, and to illustrate, we have a little quiz!
If someone unexpectedly shoots a gun near you do you:
A. Think "That was a gunshot."
B. Duck.
If you stub your toe in the middle of the night do you:
A. Think about the fact that you stubbed your toe, acknowledge how much it hurts, and then hobble off for ice.
B. Grab your foot while shouting obscenities because it feels like you just broke your toe. Geeze, what did I hit with my foot?
If a person you are not attracted to tries to kiss you do you:
A. Analyze their approach and how repellent they are until they're so close you can barely avoid the kiss.
B. Push them away/step away immediately.
If you answered B to every single question, congratulations, you are CORRECT! (And the other good news is you are not a robot. Good for you.)
So if in real life, all of us would react with option B, then why do so many of our characters react like option A?
I find this very prevalent in action scenes, characters analyzing and absorbing far more of the scene around them than is physically possible. To a degree that's fine, we are after all telling a story. But part of telling a story is to make sure your audience is there.
I don't have any easy solutions for this other than awareness.
- When you read, look for both good and bad examples, and see how you can either emulate or avoid those passages.
- When you write, be aware of how your character is moving through the world, and how their senses are reacting. Is your character hot? Then don't say they're hot—say they're sweating. Are they sleepy? Look for how sleepiness affects the body and implement that.
- Trust your audience. The people who are reading your books are human. They have senses. Odds are they know the signs you're describing. Trust that you don't have to dictate cognitive thoughts for every sensation. Don't worry—we'll get it.
Remember Newton's Law—Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So let them react!
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and quite possibly trying to revise a new and crazy story.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Be Like Nike—Just Do It
By Charlee Vale
It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to write about today, and on the suggestion of our own R.C. Lewis, I'm writing about what's most on my mind about the writing process at the moment. I hope you'll find these wandering thoughts helpful.
If you're one of my Critique Partners, you've probably heard the title of this post from me. Probably more than once. It's a favorite phrase of mine when trying to get people past their fears to doing actual writing.
I'm here to talk about a slippery thing today, and something I'm currently struggling with: motivation.
The reason it's slippery is because it always seems to pop up at the most inconvenient times. When you have time to write isn't the time you'll want to. No, the time you'll want to is when you're the busiest and won't be able to. Isn't that the way of Murphy's law?
But what about when you do have the time? When you have those precious hours of free time and you can write. But there's also a new episode of Game of Thrones calling your name, or possibly new music, maybe a TV movie (Like the ever popular SyFy hit SHARKNADO).
Here's the truth: Writing books is hard.
Of course it is, Charlee. We already knew that!—I know you did, but let me say it again. Writing books is damn hard. Finishing books is hard. Sometimes just sitting down to the computer or picking up your notebook will be the hardest thing you'll ever do. But if you want to write, you've still got to do it.
Whatever you need to do for motivation, do it. Find a way that works for you. If you need to make sure you have a dessert-like treat after a set word count, make sure you stock up on cupcakes or candy.
If you're a visual person like me, you may need to find a way to chart your progress so that you can see your novel grow as you write.
Give yourself a time limit to write certain amounts of words, do writing sprints with friends. Be strict about it and make sure that you can both stretch yourself and accomplish your goal. Don't cave just because it's hard.
The number one thing I can tell you about writing, is the AIC factor. That is Ass-In-Chair. Putting in the time to write your book is the only thing that will get it done. It won't write itself. Don't wait for a magical bolt of inspiration to come to you to write, just write. If you do it long enough, something will come.
Whatever stage of the process you're in—drafting, revisions, polishing, querying. Nothing substitues for cold hard time. That may take some sacrifices, it may not, but don't wait for something to happen without you. Make the choice to sit in the chair every day. It's all any of can ever do.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and sitting in her incredibly comfy office chair...drafting.
It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to write about today, and on the suggestion of our own R.C. Lewis, I'm writing about what's most on my mind about the writing process at the moment. I hope you'll find these wandering thoughts helpful.
If you're one of my Critique Partners, you've probably heard the title of this post from me. Probably more than once. It's a favorite phrase of mine when trying to get people past their fears to doing actual writing.
I'm here to talk about a slippery thing today, and something I'm currently struggling with: motivation.
The reason it's slippery is because it always seems to pop up at the most inconvenient times. When you have time to write isn't the time you'll want to. No, the time you'll want to is when you're the busiest and won't be able to. Isn't that the way of Murphy's law?
But what about when you do have the time? When you have those precious hours of free time and you can write. But there's also a new episode of Game of Thrones calling your name, or possibly new music, maybe a TV movie (Like the ever popular SyFy hit SHARKNADO).
Here's the truth: Writing books is hard.
Of course it is, Charlee. We already knew that!—I know you did, but let me say it again. Writing books is damn hard. Finishing books is hard. Sometimes just sitting down to the computer or picking up your notebook will be the hardest thing you'll ever do. But if you want to write, you've still got to do it.
Whatever you need to do for motivation, do it. Find a way that works for you. If you need to make sure you have a dessert-like treat after a set word count, make sure you stock up on cupcakes or candy.
If you're a visual person like me, you may need to find a way to chart your progress so that you can see your novel grow as you write.
Give yourself a time limit to write certain amounts of words, do writing sprints with friends. Be strict about it and make sure that you can both stretch yourself and accomplish your goal. Don't cave just because it's hard.
The number one thing I can tell you about writing, is the AIC factor. That is Ass-In-Chair. Putting in the time to write your book is the only thing that will get it done. It won't write itself. Don't wait for a magical bolt of inspiration to come to you to write, just write. If you do it long enough, something will come.
Whatever stage of the process you're in—drafting, revisions, polishing, querying. Nothing substitues for cold hard time. That may take some sacrifices, it may not, but don't wait for something to happen without you. Make the choice to sit in the chair every day. It's all any of can ever do.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter, and sitting in her incredibly comfy office chair...drafting.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
De-Deifying Agents
by Charlee Vale
Anyone who has done even the most basic research about getting traditionally published will come across the term literary agent. An agent will most likely help you get your book into the best shape it can possibly be. Having one of these is a really good step toward getting a book deal with a legitimate publisher. They are a commodity, something that is highly sought after and notoriously hard to procure.
Notice anything about that last paragraph? The language I intentionally used in the above paragraph about agents, is language that could be used about anything. Not once did I refer to them as people—or even human—and this is pretty much our normal perception of them.
In the internet community of aspiring writers, you'll often hear agents described as something: gatekeepers, the way to fame, elusive, or any number of positive and negative things that dehumanize them and make us treat them like the mythical creatures of the publishing industry.
The language we use to describe literary agents inherently has problems in it. When we stop referring to people as people, they become objects. And when someone becomes an object, not only can they be acted on without their consent, but a whole host of behavior is opened up that would be otherwise unnacceptable.
I've heard more than a few horror stories—writers tracking down agents' home addresses to send them material, showing up in person at a non-business location, screaming at agents at conferences for not accepting their pitch, following them. Would we ever consider doing these things to a random stranger? No, probably not. So why is it okay to do it for someone with the title literary agent? It's not, and it's the image that agents are somehow not human that is to blame.
Literary Agents are people just like us. They have families, birthdays, apartments, and houses. They cook, clean, get dressed, and go to the bathroom. They are people, they have names—more than that, identities. Being a literary agent is their job, and despite most of them loving what they do, it isn't who they are.
When interacting with agents on the internet and in person, get to know them. They're really fun people. I encourage you to talk to them looking to hear their thoughts and opinions rather than looking for an opportunity to pitch to them. Listen to their interests in order to get good book recommendations instead of trying to seek out the next trend. Try to see them as a person with hopes and dreams similar to the ones you have, not just a potential business opportunity.
Don't make literary agents gods—that image puts just as much pressure on them as it does on you, probably more.
"What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person." —Paper Towns (John Green)
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.
Anyone who has done even the most basic research about getting traditionally published will come across the term literary agent. An agent will most likely help you get your book into the best shape it can possibly be. Having one of these is a really good step toward getting a book deal with a legitimate publisher. They are a commodity, something that is highly sought after and notoriously hard to procure.
Notice anything about that last paragraph? The language I intentionally used in the above paragraph about agents, is language that could be used about anything. Not once did I refer to them as people—or even human—and this is pretty much our normal perception of them.
In the internet community of aspiring writers, you'll often hear agents described as something: gatekeepers, the way to fame, elusive, or any number of positive and negative things that dehumanize them and make us treat them like the mythical creatures of the publishing industry.
The language we use to describe literary agents inherently has problems in it. When we stop referring to people as people, they become objects. And when someone becomes an object, not only can they be acted on without their consent, but a whole host of behavior is opened up that would be otherwise unnacceptable.
I've heard more than a few horror stories—writers tracking down agents' home addresses to send them material, showing up in person at a non-business location, screaming at agents at conferences for not accepting their pitch, following them. Would we ever consider doing these things to a random stranger? No, probably not. So why is it okay to do it for someone with the title literary agent? It's not, and it's the image that agents are somehow not human that is to blame.
Literary Agents are people just like us. They have families, birthdays, apartments, and houses. They cook, clean, get dressed, and go to the bathroom. They are people, they have names—more than that, identities. Being a literary agent is their job, and despite most of them loving what they do, it isn't who they are.
When interacting with agents on the internet and in person, get to know them. They're really fun people. I encourage you to talk to them looking to hear their thoughts and opinions rather than looking for an opportunity to pitch to them. Listen to their interests in order to get good book recommendations instead of trying to seek out the next trend. Try to see them as a person with hopes and dreams similar to the ones you have, not just a potential business opportunity.
Don't make literary agents gods—that image puts just as much pressure on them as it does on you, probably more.
"What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person." —Paper Towns (John Green)
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.
Monday, May 13, 2013
The Value of Taking Your Time
by Charlee Vale
This post will be short and sweet.
With the age of the internet and the increasing popularity of self-publishing, I often see young or new writers obsessed with speed and 'wanting to get their book out there.' Believe me, I understand the sentiment—but I think a lot of the time, especially in recent months, writers have forgotten about the advantage of being unpublished.
Right now you're probably thinking 'There's an advantage to being unpublished? Is she crazy?' But I'm not crazy; right now, you have all the time in the world. You don't have an agent waiting to see a revision. You don't have an editor waiting for you on deadline. You don't have a date that your agent would like to go on submission by. So why not take the time and freedom you have to get it right?
Whether you choose self-pub or traditional, the time before your words hit the world is the time you have to learn and grow at your own pace. Once you enter into the realm of publishing, you don't hold the reins anymore, so take your time! Take classes, write terrible books, write multiple books, and don't be afraid to mess up—because this is the time when you can.
You have the time right now, to write the best book you possibly can on your terms. Don't waste it. John Green's The Fault in Our Stars essentially took him ten years to write—and I'm so glad that he took his time.
CV
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, tea lover, and now a Master's Graduate living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.
This post will be short and sweet.
With the age of the internet and the increasing popularity of self-publishing, I often see young or new writers obsessed with speed and 'wanting to get their book out there.' Believe me, I understand the sentiment—but I think a lot of the time, especially in recent months, writers have forgotten about the advantage of being unpublished.
Right now you're probably thinking 'There's an advantage to being unpublished? Is she crazy?' But I'm not crazy; right now, you have all the time in the world. You don't have an agent waiting to see a revision. You don't have an editor waiting for you on deadline. You don't have a date that your agent would like to go on submission by. So why not take the time and freedom you have to get it right?
Whether you choose self-pub or traditional, the time before your words hit the world is the time you have to learn and grow at your own pace. Once you enter into the realm of publishing, you don't hold the reins anymore, so take your time! Take classes, write terrible books, write multiple books, and don't be afraid to mess up—because this is the time when you can.
You have the time right now, to write the best book you possibly can on your terms. Don't waste it. John Green's The Fault in Our Stars essentially took him ten years to write—and I'm so glad that he took his time.
CV
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, tea lover, and now a Master's Graduate living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Letting Go of Your Vision
by Charlee Vale
Today, I'm going to talk about something a little different. (More because I can't stop thinking about it than anything else)
This past weekend, the play that I wrote for my Master's Thesis opened. It's called Always and it's been in rehearsal for a little over two months. I have a beautiful cast, and I'm so happy with how everything turned out. We opened to a sold-out audience!
Here are some pictures because I'm so proud!
Here's the catch—I'm not the director.
My thesis partner was the director of the show. And she's been with me since the very first version of the script. She's been honest about what she thought, and how it could change and improve. (And BOY did it change!)
I think this experience is in some ways similar to both: a writer working with an editor, and a writer seeing their work turned into a film.
As a means of making your work better, you have to let go of the image you had when you wrote it. I'm not saying you should compromise your ideas in any way! There were certainly things I stuck to my guns about, but instead, letting your mind be open to possibilities bigger than what you had imagined.
Yes, I loved the story I had written. But without outside vision, it never would have turned into the beautiful production that it was.
So don't be afraid to consider other things. Don't be afraid to completely tear your story apart and build it back up in a different way. Don't be afraid of things outside of your 'vision.' Because maybe what's out there, is JUST what your story needs!
CV
Charlee Vale is a Playwright, Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.
Today, I'm going to talk about something a little different. (More because I can't stop thinking about it than anything else)
This past weekend, the play that I wrote for my Master's Thesis opened. It's called Always and it's been in rehearsal for a little over two months. I have a beautiful cast, and I'm so happy with how everything turned out. We opened to a sold-out audience!
Here are some pictures because I'm so proud!
Here's the catch—I'm not the director.
My thesis partner was the director of the show. And she's been with me since the very first version of the script. She's been honest about what she thought, and how it could change and improve. (And BOY did it change!)
I think this experience is in some ways similar to both: a writer working with an editor, and a writer seeing their work turned into a film.
As a means of making your work better, you have to let go of the image you had when you wrote it. I'm not saying you should compromise your ideas in any way! There were certainly things I stuck to my guns about, but instead, letting your mind be open to possibilities bigger than what you had imagined.
Yes, I loved the story I had written. But without outside vision, it never would have turned into the beautiful production that it was.
So don't be afraid to consider other things. Don't be afraid to completely tear your story apart and build it back up in a different way. Don't be afraid of things outside of your 'vision.' Because maybe what's out there, is JUST what your story needs!
CV
Charlee Vale is a Playwright, Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Paper Plates—A Letter from the Trenches
by Charlee Vale
Dear Readers,
On Valentine's Day, I participated in the Pitch-a-Partner Festival, hosted by FTWA's very own Mindy McGinnis, MarcyKate Connelly, and R.C. Lewis.
I had a really good day, and I decided that since my query letter was good enough for that, I'd send out some queries. I did. Now what ...
Being in limbo is something a lot of writers go through, and at every stage of the process. In limbo waiting for queries, in limbo waiting for request responses, in limbo waiting on submission, in limbo waiting for your editorial letter. For most of you reading this post, I imagine it's the first one, just like me.
Every writer has their own way of coping with the limbo. Some people, like me, flounder because we haven't quite found our coping mechanism yet. And while I was thinking about how to deal with this, I was reminded of a story my college choir director told me.
I'd like to share it with you:
A classical pianist went into a studio to record an album. As the day went on he became more and more frustrated, as he didn't feel the tracks were good enough—He made mistakes, and had to repeat the songs over and over. Finally he became so frustrated he stormed out of the studio, needing air.
While he was wandering the halls, he passed a studio where an R&B artist was recording. He stopped to watch for a moment and what he saw amazed him. The man recording was having fun—not only that, but there seemed to be joy pouring out of the recording studio. When the man finished his take the pianist went inside and introduced himself, expressed his troubles and asked how it was that the man seemed to have such joy in the recording process. To which the man replied: "You treat your music like fine china, I treat mine like paper plates."
Art doesn't have to be rigid. We can always change it, and there will always be more. We don't have to worry about dropping it or breaking it. If we don't like something, we can discard it and start again.
I know that the query trenches are hard, and sometimes they even feel impossible. I know that when you're in the middle of it, it feels like if something doesn't happen it will be the end of the world—that if this book, this story doesn't reach the world we'll die, but we won't.
We shouldn't stop our lives for it. Keep on living, keep on creating, keep on writing. Know that whatever you need to do to get yourself through the query trenches, you WILL make it, even if making it means a painful parting.
So to all of you in the query trenches, I'm there with you. Carry on.
Charlee
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.
Dear Readers,
On Valentine's Day, I participated in the Pitch-a-Partner Festival, hosted by FTWA's very own Mindy McGinnis, MarcyKate Connelly, and R.C. Lewis.
I had a really good day, and I decided that since my query letter was good enough for that, I'd send out some queries. I did. Now what ...
Being in limbo is something a lot of writers go through, and at every stage of the process. In limbo waiting for queries, in limbo waiting for request responses, in limbo waiting on submission, in limbo waiting for your editorial letter. For most of you reading this post, I imagine it's the first one, just like me.
Every writer has their own way of coping with the limbo. Some people, like me, flounder because we haven't quite found our coping mechanism yet. And while I was thinking about how to deal with this, I was reminded of a story my college choir director told me.
I'd like to share it with you:
A classical pianist went into a studio to record an album. As the day went on he became more and more frustrated, as he didn't feel the tracks were good enough—He made mistakes, and had to repeat the songs over and over. Finally he became so frustrated he stormed out of the studio, needing air.
While he was wandering the halls, he passed a studio where an R&B artist was recording. He stopped to watch for a moment and what he saw amazed him. The man recording was having fun—not only that, but there seemed to be joy pouring out of the recording studio. When the man finished his take the pianist went inside and introduced himself, expressed his troubles and asked how it was that the man seemed to have such joy in the recording process. To which the man replied: "You treat your music like fine china, I treat mine like paper plates."
-----
Art doesn't have to be rigid. We can always change it, and there will always be more. We don't have to worry about dropping it or breaking it. If we don't like something, we can discard it and start again.
I know that the query trenches are hard, and sometimes they even feel impossible. I know that when you're in the middle of it, it feels like if something doesn't happen it will be the end of the world—that if this book, this story doesn't reach the world we'll die, but we won't.
We shouldn't stop our lives for it. Keep on living, keep on creating, keep on writing. Know that whatever you need to do to get yourself through the query trenches, you WILL make it, even if making it means a painful parting.
So to all of you in the query trenches, I'm there with you. Carry on.
Charlee
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Author Photos Step-By-Step:The Comprehensive Guide
by Charlee Vale
Warning, this is going to be a long post. But hopefully at the end, you'll be informed and ready when it comes to taking author photos.
As writers, a lot of us are camera shy, and with the new age of Internet we almost never have to see anyone face to face anymore. But there will come a time when that publisher, that blogger, that publicist will ask for a photo of you, and you’ll be left scrambling to find a good one, or trying to take one yourself. Don’t scramble, think ahead! When the time comes and your book sells, and that lovely advance check comes in (or if you are self-publishing, set aside some marketing money), save some of the advance to get professional photos taken.
There’s a trend that I see happening a lot lately, and as a photographer it makes me want to cringe. There are a lot of people now who think that having a nice camera equals being a photographer. That isn’t the case. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for people having nice cameras—heck, I’ll nerd out about cameras with you all day!—but having one doesn’t substitute the time, practice, and skill it takes to be a professional photographer.
A lot of people think getting photos is simple, quick, and easy. But there are many factors to think about, and you really should consider all of them if you want good photos. That's why I'm here.
WHAT YOU WANT
A photographer who is skilled in taking individual portraits. Is fair, reasonable, and friendly. Has a working knowledge of professional editing software. Who hasn't been doing this for two days. If you see A.) Bad lighting B.) Bad composition C.) No editing D.) Bad reviews based on solid evidence, then that's probably not someone you want to hire.
BEFORE THE SHOOT
I know that photography is expensive, but I promise you it is worth it. As an author, your author picture is your introduction to the world. It goes on every book, every interview, every brochure. This single picture is how the world will know your face. No pressure, right? So do yourself a favor, and start with step 1.
1. Research.
Don’t have your friend’s mom take your photos because she’ll do it for free. Do your research. Any photographer worth their salt will have a website that displays their work, and many of them have great photo packages you can take advantage of. Plus, I bet there are more photographers in your area than you are aware of! (And I'm not talking about Sears and Wal-mart.)
2. Hair
It’s a general rule that you don’t want to get your hair cut or drastically colored the day before a photo shoot. Allow 1-2 weeks if you’re making a drastic change so that A.) You are comfortable with in B.) the harsh newness of cut/color fades a little.
3. Skin
The same rule applies to skin that applies to hair. Don’t start a drastically new skin regimen to ‘clean up your face’ a couple days before you go shooting. You don’t know how your skin will react, and you may end up making your skin look worse. If you are really concerned about your skin in photos, talk to your photographer about specifically retouching your skin. (And yes, they can do that.)
4. Clothes
You know when you wear an outfit that makes you look stunning and everybody complements it? That is, of course, how you want to look in your photo. So I have a quick list of rules to help when selecting your photo-shoot clothing. (Keep in mind that there are exceptions to every rule, but do try to stick to the rules.)
5. Make-Up
When getting ready for your shoot, most people do their own make-up. (There are some photographers who collaborate with make-up artists, or do make-up themselves.) This is very important. DO NOT use any more make-up than you would use on a normal day. Many people think that MORE = BETTER when it comes to photos. I am of the opposite opinion. I think that a portrait should show who you are, not a face you paint on. And a truly skilled portrait photographer can make you look good no matter how much make-up you have on.
6. Jewelry
Jewelry is fun, but keep it tasteful and to a minimum. You don't want your bling outshining you and drawing focus.
Just a little while ago, I did a photo shoot with FTWA's very own R.C. Lewis. She's given me permission to debut one of her new author shots as a good example of what one should be! Isn't she pretty? (Also notice that it follows ALL the rules.)
DAY OF SHOOT
Every profession has its own set of spoken and unspoken rules. So I’m going to let you in on a few things etiquette-wise that will make your shoot a much better experience. (AKA, you won’t become a client from hell.)
1. Bring friends! But ask first.
I know that it’s a lot of fun to bring friends along on a photo shoot. Sometimes it’s for comfort’s sake, and sometimes it’s just for fun. But ask the photographer first. If your photographer owns a small studio space, then he might say no based on the face that it gets crowded quickly. But if you’re shooting in Central Park, it could be no problem. So if you’re planning on bringing an entourage, just run it by them. (NOTE: This does not apply to instances when the person being photographed is under 18, in which case a parent or legal guardian should ALWAYS be present.)
2. Camera talk–not as sexy as pillow talk
If you want to ask about the photographer’s camera out of curiosity, go for it. But please (and I am begging you here) don't say anything along the lines of ‘Wow. Nice camera. No wonder you take good photos!’ ‘I think I have the same camera.’ Or ‘If I had a camera like that, could I charge as much as you do?’ Comments like this bug photographers because the tools of the trade don’t define talent. Think of it as complimenting a chef on what kind of stove they used to cook the meal.
3. Trust your photographer!
The reason you hired the photographer is so they can do what they do best—make you look good. Remember, they do this for a living. This may be your first photo shoot. If you have a couple of specific ideas you want to try, FIRE AWAY, seriously, we love collaborating. But dictating every pose exactly the way you want it is pretty much a guaranteed disaster. If you have doubt about how the photos are looking, ask to see some of them on the camera. This goes for your entourage as well—too many cooks in the kitchen make for bad pie.
AFTER THE SHOOT
Phew! Your photos are taken! But the work isn’t over yet!
1. The Release
The photographer is going to have you sign a photography release. This is necessary because of copyright law, and the weirdness of it. GET READY: You own your likeness, but the photographer owns the images. So he can’t use the photos of you without permission, and you can’t use or print the photos of you without permission. So a release is necessary. Basically—a release is a legal document stating what you and the photographer are each allowed to do with the photos. READ IT CAREFULLY, and if you are not happy with it, request that it be changed. But you MUST sign it. It isn’t hard to tell a professional photograph, and you won’t be allowed to print the pictures at any independent location without a signed release. If you have any questions about whether or not what you want to do with the photos is okay, contact the photographer! PLEASE BE CAREFUL. THIS IS WHERE LAWSUITS HAPPEN.
2. The Editing
Every photographer is different, but most include a specific number of edited photos with whichever package you choose, and then have a fee for editing more than that. This isn’t because we are money-grabbing. Editing WELL really does take a lot of time and meticulousness. If we were to do that with every photo we took of you, we’d be old and gray and only be making ten cents per hour. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ask the photographer ‘Can you just send me the pictures? You don’t even have to edit them!’ You think you’re doing us a favor, but you’re not. If you use photos that are unedited by us, (and by extension not approved by us) then there’s the potential our business could look bad and we’ll lose clientele. Trust me, we’d rather edit them.
3. Picking your photos
I know that looking at 200 copies of yourself can be daunting. But you must do it. This is where friends and the photographer can help you in choosing your final photos. Try to be objective. Just because you’re squeamish about looking at yourself doesn’t mean all the photos are bad. Buck up, get over it.
4. Deadlines
Some photographers have stated on their website how long it will take for them to get either proofs or finals back to you, others base it on your needs or their schedule. Both of these things are great, but once you set a date for getting the photos back, don’t expect to change it unless there is an ABSOLUTE emergency. I just recently had a client who told me she needed her photos a MONTH AFTER she actually needed them, and then proceeded to text and call me several times per day until I sent them. This is the fastest way to make a photographer hate you. We’ll honor our deadlines; just make sure the deadline is accurate beforehand.
I just threw a LOT of information at you. I understand that it's probably overwhelming. If you have any other questions, feel free to shoot them at me in the comments, and I'll be happy to answer.
Now a funny video that is too close to reality for its own good. Hopefully after reading this post it will make you laugh too.
Charlee Vale is a Young Adult writer, photographer, and tea lover living in New York City. You can also find her at her website, and on Twitter.
Warning, this is going to be a long post. But hopefully at the end, you'll be informed and ready when it comes to taking author photos.
As writers, a lot of us are camera shy, and with the new age of Internet we almost never have to see anyone face to face anymore. But there will come a time when that publisher, that blogger, that publicist will ask for a photo of you, and you’ll be left scrambling to find a good one, or trying to take one yourself. Don’t scramble, think ahead! When the time comes and your book sells, and that lovely advance check comes in (or if you are self-publishing, set aside some marketing money), save some of the advance to get professional photos taken.
There’s a trend that I see happening a lot lately, and as a photographer it makes me want to cringe. There are a lot of people now who think that having a nice camera equals being a photographer. That isn’t the case. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for people having nice cameras—heck, I’ll nerd out about cameras with you all day!—but having one doesn’t substitute the time, practice, and skill it takes to be a professional photographer.
A lot of people think getting photos is simple, quick, and easy. But there are many factors to think about, and you really should consider all of them if you want good photos. That's why I'm here.
WHAT YOU WANT
A photographer who is skilled in taking individual portraits. Is fair, reasonable, and friendly. Has a working knowledge of professional editing software. Who hasn't been doing this for two days. If you see A.) Bad lighting B.) Bad composition C.) No editing D.) Bad reviews based on solid evidence, then that's probably not someone you want to hire.
BEFORE THE SHOOT
I know that photography is expensive, but I promise you it is worth it. As an author, your author picture is your introduction to the world. It goes on every book, every interview, every brochure. This single picture is how the world will know your face. No pressure, right? So do yourself a favor, and start with step 1.
1. Research.
Don’t have your friend’s mom take your photos because she’ll do it for free. Do your research. Any photographer worth their salt will have a website that displays their work, and many of them have great photo packages you can take advantage of. Plus, I bet there are more photographers in your area than you are aware of! (And I'm not talking about Sears and Wal-mart.)
2. Hair
It’s a general rule that you don’t want to get your hair cut or drastically colored the day before a photo shoot. Allow 1-2 weeks if you’re making a drastic change so that A.) You are comfortable with in B.) the harsh newness of cut/color fades a little.
3. Skin
The same rule applies to skin that applies to hair. Don’t start a drastically new skin regimen to ‘clean up your face’ a couple days before you go shooting. You don’t know how your skin will react, and you may end up making your skin look worse. If you are really concerned about your skin in photos, talk to your photographer about specifically retouching your skin. (And yes, they can do that.)
4. Clothes
You know when you wear an outfit that makes you look stunning and everybody complements it? That is, of course, how you want to look in your photo. So I have a quick list of rules to help when selecting your photo-shoot clothing. (Keep in mind that there are exceptions to every rule, but do try to stick to the rules.)
- NO All-black clothing. Yes, black can be slimming, but wearing all black in a photo also has the tendency to make you look like a floating bobble-head.
- NO All-white clothing. Wearing completely white is generally a bad idea as it washes out skin tone. (On some people pastel colors have the same effect.)
- Keep the patterns to a minimum. Wearing a lot of very loud, very busy prints and patterns confuses the picture and draws the eye away from the face. We want people to look at YOU!
- Color! Color is good! Stick to the color families that make you look good, but when wearing color, don’t be afraid to go bright and bold!
- Shape. Most author-shots are head or bust shots. You probably won’t see more of the author than their head and chest. So pick clothing that has interesting details and necklines to create some visual interest and shape in the picture.
- Everything in moderation. Of course you can break these rules a little, For example, some people look great in white! These are things I’ve learned based personal experience shooting portraits.
5. Make-Up
When getting ready for your shoot, most people do their own make-up. (There are some photographers who collaborate with make-up artists, or do make-up themselves.) This is very important. DO NOT use any more make-up than you would use on a normal day. Many people think that MORE = BETTER when it comes to photos. I am of the opposite opinion. I think that a portrait should show who you are, not a face you paint on. And a truly skilled portrait photographer can make you look good no matter how much make-up you have on.
6. Jewelry
Jewelry is fun, but keep it tasteful and to a minimum. You don't want your bling outshining you and drawing focus.
Just a little while ago, I did a photo shoot with FTWA's very own R.C. Lewis. She's given me permission to debut one of her new author shots as a good example of what one should be! Isn't she pretty? (Also notice that it follows ALL the rules.)
DAY OF SHOOT
Every profession has its own set of spoken and unspoken rules. So I’m going to let you in on a few things etiquette-wise that will make your shoot a much better experience. (AKA, you won’t become a client from hell.)
1. Bring friends! But ask first.
I know that it’s a lot of fun to bring friends along on a photo shoot. Sometimes it’s for comfort’s sake, and sometimes it’s just for fun. But ask the photographer first. If your photographer owns a small studio space, then he might say no based on the face that it gets crowded quickly. But if you’re shooting in Central Park, it could be no problem. So if you’re planning on bringing an entourage, just run it by them. (NOTE: This does not apply to instances when the person being photographed is under 18, in which case a parent or legal guardian should ALWAYS be present.)
2. Camera talk–not as sexy as pillow talk
If you want to ask about the photographer’s camera out of curiosity, go for it. But please (and I am begging you here) don't say anything along the lines of ‘Wow. Nice camera. No wonder you take good photos!’ ‘I think I have the same camera.’ Or ‘If I had a camera like that, could I charge as much as you do?’ Comments like this bug photographers because the tools of the trade don’t define talent. Think of it as complimenting a chef on what kind of stove they used to cook the meal.
3. Trust your photographer!
The reason you hired the photographer is so they can do what they do best—make you look good. Remember, they do this for a living. This may be your first photo shoot. If you have a couple of specific ideas you want to try, FIRE AWAY, seriously, we love collaborating. But dictating every pose exactly the way you want it is pretty much a guaranteed disaster. If you have doubt about how the photos are looking, ask to see some of them on the camera. This goes for your entourage as well—too many cooks in the kitchen make for bad pie.
AFTER THE SHOOT
Phew! Your photos are taken! But the work isn’t over yet!
1. The Release
The photographer is going to have you sign a photography release. This is necessary because of copyright law, and the weirdness of it. GET READY: You own your likeness, but the photographer owns the images. So he can’t use the photos of you without permission, and you can’t use or print the photos of you without permission. So a release is necessary. Basically—a release is a legal document stating what you and the photographer are each allowed to do with the photos. READ IT CAREFULLY, and if you are not happy with it, request that it be changed. But you MUST sign it. It isn’t hard to tell a professional photograph, and you won’t be allowed to print the pictures at any independent location without a signed release. If you have any questions about whether or not what you want to do with the photos is okay, contact the photographer! PLEASE BE CAREFUL. THIS IS WHERE LAWSUITS HAPPEN.
2. The Editing
Every photographer is different, but most include a specific number of edited photos with whichever package you choose, and then have a fee for editing more than that. This isn’t because we are money-grabbing. Editing WELL really does take a lot of time and meticulousness. If we were to do that with every photo we took of you, we’d be old and gray and only be making ten cents per hour. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ask the photographer ‘Can you just send me the pictures? You don’t even have to edit them!’ You think you’re doing us a favor, but you’re not. If you use photos that are unedited by us, (and by extension not approved by us) then there’s the potential our business could look bad and we’ll lose clientele. Trust me, we’d rather edit them.
3. Picking your photos
I know that looking at 200 copies of yourself can be daunting. But you must do it. This is where friends and the photographer can help you in choosing your final photos. Try to be objective. Just because you’re squeamish about looking at yourself doesn’t mean all the photos are bad. Buck up, get over it.
4. Deadlines
Some photographers have stated on their website how long it will take for them to get either proofs or finals back to you, others base it on your needs or their schedule. Both of these things are great, but once you set a date for getting the photos back, don’t expect to change it unless there is an ABSOLUTE emergency. I just recently had a client who told me she needed her photos a MONTH AFTER she actually needed them, and then proceeded to text and call me several times per day until I sent them. This is the fastest way to make a photographer hate you. We’ll honor our deadlines; just make sure the deadline is accurate beforehand.
I just threw a LOT of information at you. I understand that it's probably overwhelming. If you have any other questions, feel free to shoot them at me in the comments, and I'll be happy to answer.
Now a funny video that is too close to reality for its own good. Hopefully after reading this post it will make you laugh too.
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