Writers Can Learn From American Idol

Last year I got hooked, more like sucked in, to American Idol. I happened to catch one of the first audition shows and it was hopeless after that. I watched every episode, rooted for my favorites and was on the edge of my seat watching the finale when it came down to David Cook or David Archuleta.

Of course, I am already hooked on this season. Lately, I have been thinking about the similarities between Idol and writing fiction and about how much we as writers can actually learn by watching the show.

Character
Idol is character driven. Right from the beginning they start highlighting different singers, getting you to care about them; the 20-year-old single mom who wants to provide a good home for her daughter, the oil-rig worker who has always dreamed of being a singer or the 16-year-old who has high hopes and big dreams.

Just like Idol, it is important in your novel to introduce your main characters quickly and get the reader to care about them. Whether it is to hook up with a dream guy, solve a murder, sort through emotional baggage or climb to the top of Mount Everest, it is imperative that your readers buy in to your characters cause or quest early in your story so they will stay for the whole ride.

Plot
Believe it or not, Idol does seem to have a plot. Once the top twelve are picked, someone goes home each week and their dreams are shattered. The tension builds as the stakes get higher, the numbers of singers dwindles and the dream of being the next American Idol nears. Viewers have already bought into the characters and want to see what happens to them. They want to see their hero/heroine face their foe (the judges) each week, fight to stay in, make it to the end "alive," and live happily ever after.

At the end of last season, I became obsessed with Idol. I could hardly contain myself during the finale. I felt like I was going to burst-I had to know how it was going to end. Does your novel have that effect on people? Have you carefully constructed your plot so that it builds and builds and by the end, the reader can't put it down because they have to find out what happens?

Voice
Each week the contestants have to sing a song and then face the judges comments. A common complaint from them is that a singer didn't pick the right song; it was too pop, too country, too old, too young... by telling them this, the judges try to guide the contestants to find their true voice; the voice that identifies them and makes them unique. As a viewer it is interesting to watch this process, because some never seem to quite find their voice, but when you see someone who does, it is an amazing thing to watch.

Voice is so important in writing. It is what distinguishes Stephen King from Ann Rice or Michael Crichton. It is what readers are drawn to and what keeps them coming back for more. And like the American Idol singers, sometimes we have to play around with different "songs" or styles to finally find our one true voice. It is hard to explain how it finally happens, but when it does, you seem to know--it just feels right.

Writing, like singing, takes a little bit of talent, but mostly it takes hard work and perseverance. The past American Idol winners and any of best-selling authors, didn't get where they are from sitting around wishing they could be a singer or published author, they took action and pursued their dream. I hope you will do the same.

Happy Writing!
~Kerrie

p.s. Idol fans-tell me who your favorites are so far.

A New Take on Slumdog Millionaire

Northern Colorado Writer member and award winning writer, Laura Bridgwater, takes a humorous and poignant look at the Oscar-nominated film, Slumdog Millionaire, in her latest radio commentary.

Listen to it once, to enjoy it and soak it in. Then listen to it again as a writer. Pay attention to the story components. Was there a good hook? Did it flow? Was there a strong writing voice? Was the theme clear? Let me know what you think.

Listen Here.

Kerrie

Being a Successful Writer

Success doesn’t always equal money and notoriety. The truth is, the definition of success for each writer is personal. It is not something that should be determined by outside forces, but it should be determined by looking deep within.

Every writer has to think about what it is he/she wants. For some writers, success means being able to make a living at writing. For others it might be to raise awareness about a certain cause, or to get stories published in a literary journal. Whatever it is, you need to decide. How you define success might change over time, but you should always be striving to reach your definition of success.

Once you decide what success looks like to you, then your action steps must support that.

If you are a magazine writer and success means making a living at writing, then you must pay attention to where you are submitting your queries and articles. If you constantly send to small, low-paying markets then you are going to disappoint yourself, because you will be working hard, but you will not be able to make a living at it. You must raise the bar for yourself and only submit to those markets that are going to pay you well for your time.

Or, let’s say you have defined success as having five of your short stories published in literary journals. Your time should be spent immersing yourself in that genre and becoming an expert in not only how to write short stories, but on what journals are out there. Then examining the process of getting your work published in them.

Don’t get caught up in the fallacy that the only successful writers are the one’s on the best-seller list, raking in the big bucks. It is not the case. Decide what kind of writer you want to be and be proud of your writing.

Passive-vs-Active Verbs

At a recent Northern Colorado Writers coffee, a new writer was asking about passive verbs. He had heard people talk about making his writing more active, but wasn't really sure what that meant. This is a topic that comes up all the time with new and even experienced writers.

Here are some examples that might help you. The first sentence in each group is written with a passive voice, with the passive section in italics and the second sentence shows how to make it more active.

Sheila was the winner of the race.
Sheila won the race.

The computer was destroyed by a lightning bolt.
A lightning bolt destroyed the computer.

The entire book was read by only two students in the class.
Only two students in the class read the entire book.

The boy was scratched by the cat.
The cat scratched the boy.

My essay was graded by Dr. Black.
Dr. Black graded my essay.

Action on the proposal is being considered by Dr. Dennis.
Dr. Dennis is considering action on the proposal.

The door was slammed by my roommate.
My roommate slammed the door.

Announcements of Brown Bag Lunch topics will be published in the McKendree Review each week.
The McKendree Review publishes announcements of the Brown Bag Lunch topics each week.

You may not be able to get rid of every passive verb in your writing and still have it flow. But the more you can change you writing to active voice, the better your writing will be.

Can Headlines Help Us?

Today's headlines rang out with sadness, Plane Crash Kill 50, Children Killed in Afghan Fight and Female Bomber Kills 39. My heart goes out to all those families affected by these tragedies and deaths.

As a writer I am always fascinated by human behavior and I am constantly wondering what is going on in a person's mind, like the female suicide bomber. What made her so committed and passionate about her cause, that she was willing to take her own life and the life of those around her? What was she thinking about before she committed this horrific act against humanity? What did she do that morning? Did she have a family? Did she cook them breakfast like it was a normal day? Was she an angry person?

These are the type of events that make me realize that many times, fact can be far stranger and more awful then fiction. But it is these events that we can draw upon as writers. We can imagine digging deep into the psyche of real life heroes and martyrs and begin to form believable characters and intriguing story lines.

Using this headline, you could create a story about a young Iraqi girl who grew up constantly seeking her father's approval; becoming passionate about his causes and trying all she could to show him that she was worthy of his love. This would lead to her final attempt and ultimately, her death.

Are there any of today's headlines that you could incorporate into your novel or use as the basis of a short story or essay?

Rising up Above the Masses

(This is something I wrote a few years ago, that I came across while recently perusing my files).

I stare at my underwater screen saver. Colorful fish swim around, just like the thoughts in my brain. I keep tilting my head, hoping the stuff in there will either fall out or magically organize itself so I can think clearly again. It’s no use though; the only thing I seem to be accomplishing is a stiff neck.

One month ago, life seemed good. I sent out query after query and as I pressed send for each email, I knew no editor could refuse my brilliant ideas; after all, I had done my homework by feverishly perusing the Writer's Market, I had attended writers conferences, I had been published in Better Homes and Gardens (only once, but it was a great moment). I was no amateur writer!

Now I feel as if my life is on a downward spiral. I talk to myself each time I open my email.

“Today is the day! I am going to find a contract in my inbox and an assignment for three more stories.” Then I start playing games in my head.
“Get real. There won’t be anything except more rejections.”
“ No, today will be different!!”
“Oh please, get a grip.”
“No, really. I... I know it will be different today.”
“Yeah, right!”

I pause before opening my email. I seem to be moving in slow motion as I click on my mailbox. I close my eyes quickly; then slowly open one. There in the middle of my inbox is a response from an editor. With a trembling hand I click on it thinking maybe this is the one!

“Dear Writer, (this is never a good sign). Thank you for submitting your article idea BUT....”

With a big sigh I close down my email. Why do I keep doing this to my self? Why don’t I just give up?

All writers at one time or another have hit a moment like this, one where nothing seems to be going right. We feel like we must be horrible writers because no one seems to want our articles, books, short stories, plays…nothing is selling.

It is in these moments that true writers emerge and (using the well know cliché) the women are separated from the girls and the men from the boys. The die-hard writers are the one’s that push through these moments when others fall away. They are the one’s that sit back down at their computer and start writing again. They are the one’s that published.

So, what kind of writer are you going to be? Are you going to dwell among the masses who give up and never reached their full potential or are you going to rise above that and keep writing--even when it feels impossible.

There's A New Agent in Town

There are not a lot of agents in my home-state of Colorado. The three I know of currently are Kristin Nelson, Kate Schafer Testerman, and Rachelle Gardner . So when I hear about a new agent in town, I get excited. Sara Megibow is now with the Nelson Literary Agency and has joined this great group of Colorado agents.

You can read more about Sara and what she is currently looking to represent by reading her blog post at Pubrants.

Kerrie

You Know You Are a Writer When...

This is something I wrote a couple of years ago that was originally published on Absolute Write. I thought it would be fun to share again. Enjoy.

You know you are a writer when...

It is impossible for you to read a book without a red pen in hand, so you can edit the already published and edited book.

You go to set the table and you find ideas you had jotted down on a napkin—a cloth napkin.

You dread facing the blank computer screen so much that you you’d rather pick the grime out of your stove with a toothpick, then sit down and start writing.

You get a SASE in the mailbox and you either rip it open right then and there to get the good/bad news or you let it sit on your desk for a week because you are afraid to see what is inside.

You find yourself saying, “Gee Beth, I’m sorry your dog died...but can I write a story about it?”

You move your bed into the dining room and your computer into your bedroom, so you can claim your bedroom as a home office on your taxes.

You eagerly anticipate the release of the new Writer's Market and then when you do get it, you reverently place it next to the family bible.

You become so engrossed in your writing that you constantly embarrass your children because you’re still in your pajamas when you pick them up from school.

Your fictional characters become so real that you start adding them to your prayer list.

You walk into your bedroom at night and your spouse has set the mood-candles, music- for a romantic evening and you say, “Not tonight honey, I’ve got to keep writing.”