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Tanara McCauley

~ Love Knows Color

Tanara McCauley

Tag Archives: writing

Deleted Scenes

20 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by tanaramccauley in Writing and Pursuing Publication

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

achievement, amediting, amwriting, animation, deleted scenes, draft, editing, final draft, first draft, movies, netflix, perseverance, perspective, quit quitting, writer, writing

200401076-001Ever watch the deleted scenes of a movie? Better yet, ever watch the deleted scenes of an animated movie? If you’d asked me that question ten years and three kids ago, my response might’ve been an incredulous, “What on earth for?”

Nowadays, however, it’s an all-wise sounding, “But of course.”

In the world of writing (an ever incredible, tortuous, rewarding, baffling, coffee-chugging existence) deleted scenes are a constant.

Watching them in movie form provides a much needed perspective change.

While standard movies are typically cut because of length issues, animators delete for reasons we writers can easily relate to:

  1. The plot has taken a different direction and the scene doesn’t fit.
  2. The character behaves in that particular scene contrary to the character as represented throughout the film.
  3. The scene is just…garbage.

But the creators of the script didn’t let a weird spot halt their progress. They pushed ahead, scene by scene, drawing by drawing, until the work was completed.

Then they cut out the bad, cheesy, gag-me portions, leaving excellence worthy of a blockbuster.

That’s a lesson all writers can use.

Every story hits a rough spot. A dreaded “this sucks” epiphany. And it’s there we’re tempted to sulk away from the laptop and drown our sorrows in fresh-baked cookies over a Netflix marathon.

But we need to press on.

Even if our imagination is so strapped that the best we can manage in the heat of a lover’s quarrel mid-chapter is, “Please! I beg of you! Oh, please don’t leave me!” Sow that cornfield, sister! Lay out that cheese, brother! (As I’m doing this very moment.)

It’s all fixable, if we’ll lay out the broken pieces.

Let those awkward scenes serve their purpose in getting us to The End.

Then let’s keep a few tucked away. Not to remind us of our shortcomings, but our ability to overcome.

Your turn: What’s your favorite animated movie, and have you watched the deleted scenes?

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The Phoenix Rattler

27 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by tanaramccauley in Writing and Pursuing Publication

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Tags

ACFW affiliate, amwriting, arizona, author, books, Christian fiction, christian writers of the west, contemporary novel, CWOW, desert, historical, mystery, Phoenix Rattler, prizes, rattlesnake, romance, science fiction, writer, writing, writing contest, young adult

rattlesnake

A rattlesnake is a fascinating (albeit formidable) creature. A mixture of strength, mystery, beauty and stealth, this unpredictable reptile has earned the awe with which humans regard it. For when least expected, it strikes. And its effects on the subject are not soon forgotten.

The Christian Writers of the West (CWOW) are in search of entries for our Phoenix Rattler contest. Stories that live up to the legacy of the rattlesnake. Tales that strike the heart of the reader and leave indelible impressions on the mind.

Are you an unpublished* novelist with such a story? One characterized by strength, mystery, history, or love? Maybe even danger and suspense?

You are invited to enter the first fifteen pages of your unpublished novel in The Phoenix Rattler. rattler

The contest opens for entries on August 1, 2014. For more information, please click here. Finalists in the contest will have their entries judged by prominent editors and agents in the Christian publishing industry. The grand prize winner will receive a Kindle Fire HD or a gift certificate of like value.

Send in your entry, and discover if your story has bite!

*Unpublished fiction writers, or those who have not published in the last five years. See site for more details.

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With Eyes Set Ahead

26 Thursday Jun 2014

Posted by tanaramccauley in and Other Topics, Faith, Relationships, Writing and Pursuing Publication

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amwriting, author, beth moore quote, faith, inspiration, motivation, obedience, perseverance, quit quitting, temptation, writer, writing

Writing is…well…hard.

The temptation to quit lurks at the crosswalk of every failure, around the corner of any rejection, and along the alleys of each hard-to-write story.

It’s not when the temptation confronts me, but when I actually entertain it, that I’m given a way out of the temptation with a message that speaks exactly to what I’m wrestling with.

See the thing through. Every road worth taking offers a mid-point to get bored, scared or distracted. Quit quitting. It's meant to be hard.

— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) June 25, 2014

God gives me just enough to take my eyes off the corners and alleys of life, and to set them ahead on the path I’ve been called to walk.

Maybe you’re tempted to quit too. And maybe, like me, knowing that it’s meant to be hard is the motivation you need to keep at it.

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Blog Hop – My Writing Life

04 Wednesday Jun 2014

Posted by tanaramccauley in Writing and Pursuing Publication

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

American Christian Fiction Writers, amwriting, authors, blog hop, blogging, c. joy allen, Christian fiction, christian writers of the west, contemporary fiction, contemporary romance, editing, novel, pantser, plotter, robin w. pearson, ruth a. douthitt, series, writers, writing, young adult

laptop

I’ve been asked to participate in a blog hop. The assignment is to answer four questions about my writing, then select three other authors to answer the same questions on their blogs within the next couple of weeks. Be sure to see the links to their blogs at the end of this post and find out more about these wonderful writers. A huge thanks to Dana McNeely, president of Christian Writers of the West, for inviting me to participate! You can find her answers to these same questions on the Christian Writers of the West blog.

What are you working on?

I am finishing up my second novel, which is actually the third book in the series I am working on. It’s a contemporary romance about a Major League baseball player who’s managed to maintain a low key lifestyle, until now. Of all the recent changes in his life, three women prove the most complicating–a sports reporter, a sports agent, and the near-dead woman found in his home.

I’m also a third of the way through the second novel in this series, which follows the baseball player’s twin brother to Guatemala, where cartels are terrorizing the countryside for control of the drug trade. He meets and falls in love with a woman who does everything she can to avoid him. He’s determined to find out why, not knowing that the answer will cost him.

How does your work differ from others in its genre?

My motto is “Fiction might not be real, that doesn’t mean it has to be unrealistic. There’s no room for perfect people in my stories.” Add to that sentiment “perfect lives, perfect situations, perfect outcomes”…you get the picture. Only God is perfect, so I’m not afraid to put my characters in real life, messy situations that they need a perfect God to help resolve. I’m also not afraid to diversify. My characters come from mixed backgrounds, races, classes, etc. You won’t find many novels with a main couple of two different races, where their racial difference is not the topic of the book. You’ll find such a thing in my writing. I try to stay true to each story put on my heart, choosing characters, setting, and backdrop that strengthen, not distract from, the plot. My main concern is honoring God by writing it to the best of my ability. I worry less about making it “fit.”

How does your writing process work?

Okay, real life again. I’m a stay-at-home mom. I have two 9-year-olds and a four-year-old empress. So…you can’t set a watch by my writing schedule. Sometimes I sit in the corner of a karate dojo with a laptop propped on my knees, other times I’m tapping in the notes section of my phone from the passenger seat of my truck while my husband drives to Costco. Being a night owl helps. Typically I write after I’ve put the kids to bed, spent time with my husband, and cleaned the house. (A nighttime clean is the most rewarding; it lasts more than five minutes.) So it’s not unusual for me to be typing and backspacing away from about 1 to 3 (or 5) in the morning. Every now and then I’ll pop into a Starbucks at opening time on a Saturday and stay until I’ve reached a word count goal. Ultimately I have to make time to write around my family’s schedule. Depending on what’s realistic any given day, I’ll set a time goal or a word count goal.

I’m also a pantser. I have a general idea of what’s going to happen in a story, and I make notes and loose (very loose) outlines. But for the most part the story unfolds as I’m writing it.

Why do you write what you do?

The stories I write originate in different ways: people watching, past experiences, “what if” scenarios, etc. Only the ones that continue to resurface–those that produce this sort of burning in my chest–actually make it on the list to become a full length novel. Writing is not just hard, it can be downright torture sometimes. But to quit would be to waste a gift I’ve been given and to choose not to honor God with it. That’s a choice I’ll never make. Plus, I have a suspicion that if I give up before that (ever-growing) list has been completed, I’d be subjected for a lifetime to small, relentless voices whispering “write me, write me, write me.” So I write.

Tag, you’re It!

Robin W. Pearson is a gifted writer who is also a stay-at-home mom and homeschooler. Her debut novel A Long Time Comin’ (formerly titled Women & Children First) was a 2012 semi-finalist in the Christian Writers Guild’s Operation First Novel contest. She has done editing and article writing, and currently blogs about faith, parenting, and writing. She lives with Eddie, her husband of almost 20 years, and their seven children. Within the next week or so you can find her answers to these questions on her blog Mommy, Concentrated, where you’ll also find relatable stories about parenting with a focus on Jesus.

C. Joy Allen is a recent finalist in Clash of the Titles’ Olympia writing contest. She writes contemporary fiction and romance. She completed her first novel in January 2013, and has plans for another. When she’s not writing, she’s enjoying her marriage of fifteen years and counting, and homeschooling her four children. She also loves volunteering for American Christian Fiction Writers where she is a member. Within the next couple of weeks you can find her answers to these questions on her blog To See Joy, where you’ll also find other enjoyable blog posts about faith, writing, and life in general.

Ruth Douthitt – In 2004, author Ruth A. Douthitt completed The Dragon Forest, which was picked up by OakTara Publishing in 2008 and released in April 2011. Ruth currently teaches Writing/Language Arts at an elementary school. She enjoys running, gardening, and drawing in addition to writing. She lives in Arizona with her husband. Within the next couple of weeks you can find her answers to these questions on her blog The Writer’s Pen, where you’ll also see some of her amazing artwork and find access to her books.

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Dare to Live the Dream

28 Friday Feb 2014

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics, Writing and Pursuing Publication

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

amreading, amwriting, author, books, childhood classics, Christian fiction, dreams, inspiration, life, living the dream, passion, perseverance, purpose, reading, sing down the moon, success, where the red fern grows, writing

red fernsing down

Every dream has a starting point. My love of reading, and the eventual desire to write, began in the pages of two childhood classics.

Where the Red Fern Grows is the first book to ever make me weep. Not cry. Weep. Hysterically. As if my house had just gone up in flames and every family member, friend, acquaintance, and celebrity crush perished inside.

Sing Down the Moon sobered me to the cruel realities of human nature, yet inspired hope. And it stayed with me, dug a sort of niche in my heart where I knew I’d always carry these people who never existed.

That niche grew and grew, and over time I began making up my own people to put in there. That they’re climbing out and into their own stories is a kindness of God I don’t have the words to describe. By His grace, my dreams are stirring to life.

The process is slow and the work is hard, but dreams are worth the effort. Otherwise they stay lofty notions in the head and passing flutters of the heart.

Your turn: What’s your dream and what inspired it?

 

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The Research Pill

16 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Writing and Pursuing Publication

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

amwriting, author, Christian fiction, crime, culture, drugs, facts, fiction, Guatemala, history, international, nonfiction, novel, realistic, research, romantic suspense, statistics, writer, writing, writing process

photo

A novel starts off with an idea. If the idea is a good one, it takes root, causes a sort of anxious excitement that makes my fingers itch and stirs up feelings for these yet-to-be-developed characters.

I can spit out the first chapter in no time. Maybe even plot out the whole story in a very rough, quite pedestrian version of what will be the synopsis one day.

But the characters, at least in their earliest stages, are mere mock-ups of whom they will become. The setting is vague and undefined. The plot a loosened version of the overall journey. Because before anything of value can take shape, I’ve got to do the research.

And research, depending on the type, is not always my friend.

Get a person talking about their field of expertise (if, of course, that field is not uh…less than entertaining), watch their eyes light up, hear them tell jokes appropriate to their line of work. I love that kind of thing.

And being a story groupie, if I can get my hands on a novel that deals with my topic, I’m good to go.

Hands-on experiences? Sign me up.

Nonfiction litanies, statistics, histories, political climates, psychological analyses of personality profiles, numbers, dates, etc., etc.,…

The second hand on my watch gongs like a grandfather clock: when…will…this…be…over………………then it’s, “Good night and God bless.”

Don’t get me wrong. A lot of what I learn is fascinating, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing about it. It’s just hard for my brain to focus long when I’m reading something that’s not telling a story. Even with nonfiction books I latch on to the parts of personal testimony and anecdotes. The rest I read in doses.

Despite the weakening effect research has on my enthusiasm, I press on, searching out the details to make each story as realistic, entertaining, and impactful as possible.

I just drink lots (really…LOTS) of coffee in the meantime.

Your turn: What one thing poses an obstacle to your progress? How have you overcome it?

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Authors and Agents and Editors…Oh My!

19 Thursday Sep 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Writing and Pursuing Publication

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

ACFW, agents, American Christian Fiction Writers, amwriting, author, Christ, editors, fiction, genres, james scott bell, non-fiction, praise, publishing, purpose, reading, thankfulness, trends, worship, writing

I’m going to keep this short. Because I’m supposed to be spending this week just enjoying my family, resting up, and

readingabook2.

The girl in the picture has the view I’m missing, but at least I keep a steaming hot cup of luxury on my reading table. So I’m good.

Now back to the update on ACFW, one of the biggest writers conferences in the country and, if I base it on the experience I had, one of the best.

The worship was BEYOND amazing. Not just in the general sessions, but the entire time. God was so present my spirit just kept talking to Him and basking in Him throughout the day each day. It was rich and precious.

I didn’t meet a writer friend. I met many! A small cluster of us in different stages of our writing careers formed a critique group (super excited about that) and three special ladies–Caryl, Susie, and Ms. Susan–won my heart.

SusienTanara

I had two appointments. In the first I got wonderful feedback, direction, and insight. I left encouraged. The second was not the best experience, but a breakthrough came from it, so I can only be grateful.

There is a temptation among all writers–whether fleeting or something they struggle with throughout their careers–to write to the trends or what is most likely to sell or become a bestseller, etc.

I encountered that temptation. And in the same day God crushed it. May it stay forever crushed.

I took a writing class taught by Mr. James Scott Bell. The man is gifted. And funny. Now I’ve got all these crazy ideas about how I can challenge myself, improve my writing, make the lives of my messy characters even messier, and complex plots deep and unpredictable.

I might try some of it out on you all. Maybe another short story series like last year’s Truth or Fiction Tuesdays. Except this one can be a genre series where I sharpen my skills by writing in genres I’ve never done. We’ll see. The biggest challenge in a series like that would be the speculative/sci-fi/fantasy genre. Love to read the stuff; I’m amazed by the worlds those authors create.

Dreaming up a whole new world myself, in a short story less than 1,500 words…I’m…getting……nothing. Except unicorns. Oh, and scorpions. Yeah. We might wanna leave that alone.

But I digress.

In conclusion. ACFW was great. Your prayers were heard. God blessed me with more than I could’ve hoped for, confirmed the call He’s placed on my life, renewed my passion and my obedience, then brought me home to the most amazing man and precious little people in my world.

I’m grateful. I praise Him. And I’m ready to tell some stories.

To view pictures of my time in Indianapolis visit my Facebook page or Instagram :-).

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Ready…or Not: An Author’s Pre-Conference Petition (and Parody)

08 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics, Writing and Pursuing Publication

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

ACFW, agent, American Christian Fiction Writers, amwriting, author, Bible, Christ, comedy, editor appointments, elevator pitch, faith, fears, humor, introversion, introvert, onesheet, parody, personality traits, prayer, relationships, spiritual warfare, spirituality, synopsis, thorn in the flesh, weakness, worship, writer conference, writers, writing

In less than a week, I will kiss my husband and kids goodbye, board a plane, hoist my carry-on in the overhead compartment, and fly to Indianapolis for the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Conference.

I’ve worked on my proposal and one-sheets (all that’s great about your novel on one page), practiced my elevator pitch, become acquainted with other first-timers via a group thread, and have been praying for God’s will, whatever it is, to be done.

I’m ready…almost.

The idea of being among hundreds of other authors–all Christians, all with the goal of using the craft of writing to glorify the Lord and touch lives while doing it–is astounding. And I’m amped to worship with these folks.

I’m praying to walk away with a new writing buddy. Not just a “trade likes on Facebook” type of buddy (though I’ll take those too :-)), but a special sister I can connect with on that deeper level to take this journey with.

The worship and the buddy connection I’m anticipating are enough to have me so excited I burn calories just thinking about them.

But then I think about the appointments–those two fifteen minute slots I’ll have with an editor or agent (I won’t know who/which til I get there)–and I ask, “What on earth have I gotten myself into?”

It’s silly really, I know. Tell that to my beating heart. Tell it that those fears of showing up to my appointments and not remembering my own name (let alone the summary of my story in thirty words) is unrealistic. As is the notion that I’ll open my folder to pull out a one-sheet only to find it empty, or open my mouth and start selling my story…in Chinese.

This past week the nerves have put me in a very “productive in every area but conference preparation” sort of mode.

Instead of fixing the formatting issues on my one-sheet, I’ll look at my 3-year-old and think, “I haven’t updated her baby book in a while.” I’ve trimmed my plants, organized closets, categorized photos for goodness sake…anything to avoid thinking about that whopping thirty minutes of the conference weekend.

According to all that’s sane and scriptural, it’s ridiculous. The worst thing that can happen is I pitch my book and they’re not interested. Rejection is nothing new in the world we writers live in. So, being at peace with that potential outcome, why can’t I shake these “interview” jitters?

I don’t have a concrete answer. Some on my first-timers loop (my new peeps) have suggested spiritual warfare, which they’re experiencing in various ways. And it makes sense, since introversion walks a fine line between personality trait and personality flaw, and it’s definitely an area where I’m susceptible.

It could also be the weakness I have that Christ uses to tell me “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

And like I told my peeps, “Though I’d love to be that person who’s so confident and carefree their only worries are what places of interest to visit during free time, I have to say that my insecurities have made me cling to God and bury my face in His robe like a child stuck to the leg of a parting parent. So I’ll take it.”

Regardless of the why, however, the what is not an option. I will, for lack of a better epithet, “get er done.” I will polish my proposal, put some more practice on these pitches, fix this annoying alignment issue on my one-sheet, and, oh yeah, pack.

And I will ask for your prayers.

Pray for me that I will finish strong in my preparations, and that I will go to this conference trusting God. Pray also that He will help me to just be myself, to be open to and serving of others, to be confident in Him and joyful. Pray that His will be done.

And pray for my family that He watches over and guards them while I am away, and that He brings me home to them safely. And if you are willing, pray the same for the hundreds of others rowing the same boat that I’m in. We all need it.

Thank you, and God bless you.

Now I’m ready.

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The Elevator Pitch

26 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Writing and Pursuing Publication

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

amwriting, author, Christian fiction, criticism, elevator pitch, keyboard, publishing, query, rejection, synopsis, thick skin, writer, writer conference, writing

I wrote this almost a year ago. Now that my story is finally ready for the pitching stage, I thought it appropriate to share again :-).

elevator

The elevator pitch. In the writing world, it’s a short summary of your book that can be told to a prospective agent/editor/publisher in the time it takes to get from one floor to the next on an elevator. For a wordy introvert like myself (I’ve been known to counter my shyness with excessive talking) it’s an enticement to take the stairs.

An elevator pitch is just one of many tools a new writer must have in her belt. And I’m not talking about a cute belt. I’m talking a manly, well-stocked, durable belt that’s multi-pocketed and ready for the long haul.

When stepping out of the dream of one day becoming a writer and landing into the hard reality of pursuing publication, you quickly learn terms like elevator pitch, query letter, synopsis, and – somebody fan me – rejection letters. You start stocking the pockets of your belt with resources to enhance your ability, hammers to keep you pounding away on the keyboard, measuring tapes to keep you persevering, and salves to thicken your skin. And you don a hard-hat to keep you from getting discouraged when you learn that even with the best of tools many don’t make it in this business. And soon enough comes your moment of truth.

I’ve never been fond of rejection. And though I can take criticism, I’d prefer it gently if at all possible. As for putting myself out there (pitching, sharing my fears and failures, digging in and doing the writing) to think nothing may ever come of it…well, that’s altogether a very frightening prospect. As I learned about the odds and stared down my own inhibitions, I had to really ask myself: Am I up for this?

Answer? I am.

Though the publishing world is like a well established building – with bestselling authors and timeless books dressing it in grand arches, majestic steeples, and ancient friezes  – there’s always room for a new wing on the latest floor. And whether that wing be expansive, or cozy and closet-like, I think I can make good use of it. I have stories to tell and a world to tell them to.

So while the solitude of the stairs is a comfortable choice – and physically healthy in a literal sense 🙂 – this writer is training her introvert to come out of her shell, sticking her nervous Chatty Cathy in the timeout corner, sucking in a deep breath, saying a prayer (and another, then another)…and taking the elevator.

Image courtesy of Gregory Szarkiewicz / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Paper or Plastic?

08 Thursday Aug 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Writing and Pursuing Publication

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

amwriting, books, computers, fiction, ideas, inspiration, media, notepads, old school, smartphones, style of writing, technology, writing

Aside from your regularly scheduled writing time (you do have that don’t you????) how do you write when spontaneous inspiration hits? Do you grab a notepad and scribble away?

stk321101rkn

Or do you drum your fingers while waiting for the computer to boot up (or your tablet to charge, or your kid to pause Angry Birds on your smartphone :-))?

laptop

Though I used to be ever so proud of my fancy handwriting back in my high school days, it has since become chicken scratch, and I can’t stand to write longhand unless I absolutely have to. I already write my name like I’ve signed a million autographs. I can’t imagine trying to decipher notes scrawled in the dead of night while half asleep.

Yet some still relish the novelty of pen against pad.

Which do you prefer?

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