If at first ...

Do you ever feel like the universe is trying to tell you something? This quote from Beckett has been appearing everywhere, and last night I opened an old favourite 'How Writers Write' to find this engraving in there. So:

'Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.'

There are plenty of talented people out there, but at the end of the day if you don't keep working if you don't 'fall down seven times, stand up eight' you aren't going to succeed. You have to be willing to fail - and learn from your mistakes in life and work, and do better next time. It's the way we learn as children - no one can walk, let alone write a symphony or paint a masterpiece at first go. Maybe as adults we have our eye on the goal so firmly we forget how much joy and learning there is in the journey to get there.

Well, I've learnt a lot editing the new book this time. An old friend used to regularly quote a phrase she picked up living in Rome: 'pazienza e coraggio'. It seems appropriate.

One day at a time ... and coming up are two child-free days, and the goal is transcribing 20,000 new handwritten words (knew all those months getting my Pitmans would come in handy). Do you reckon I can do it, 10,000 words a day? Can only try ... (flexes fingers). Perhaps those of you also typing like crazy in the closing stages of NaNo are feeling more like this other comment from Beckett:

'I can't go on. I'll go on.'

You're in the home strait - you can do it :)

TODAY'S PROMPT: We could all do with some motivation around about now - NaNoers are powering on through the last few days, some of us are attempting to set the land speed typing record ... What are the great quotes you turn to? your favourite sayings by other writers? Why not put them in the comments box and we can cheer each other on to the finish line?

It's in the stars ...

Do you read horoscopes? When I was at school I remember someone had a well-thumbed copy of Russel Grant's 'Love Stars' - we spent hours poring through it, seeing how compatible we all were with the boys we fancied. These days I read the stars each week in the Times, but when I was thinking about this post, I had to laugh when I read Leo's prediction for 2009 this morning: 'Get real. Stay real. Then get ready for one of your best years ever.' Um, no. To put a positive spin on it, this year has been 'challenging' shall we say. In the UK Jonathan Cainer's predictions are entertaining and thought provoking, but do you think horoscopes can tell you anything about a person, let alone what the future holds?

If you take a look at Cainer's site you can see how your zodiac sign should define you. For me, Leo's have 'a head full of application and dedication plus a heart full of loyalty and generosity'. Or if you prefer Chinese astrology, you can check your sign here. Apparently I'm one of those honorable generous Pigs (no jokes please) who have 'hearts of gold and love their family'. So who are you, according to your horoscopes?

I read the other day about a writer who uses the Enneagram system to build her characters, and decided to buy one of the Institute's books to give it a try. The premise is that there are nine basic personality types. When I took the test I came out as a 3 (The Achiever: Success-Oriented, Pragmatic Type:Adaptable, Excelling, Driven, and Image-Conscious), which really surprised a friend who works with the Enneagram professionally advising corporations. (It could have been the 'image-conscious' part - I'd just walked the hound and was covered in mud ...) The interesting thing about the Enneagram is it allows for outward factors - so for example, under stress a 3 can act more like a 9 (The Easygoing, Self-Effacing Type:Receptive, Reassuring Agreeable, and Complacent). If you're developing your characters at the moment, why not take a look at their site - it's certainly a good way to build emotionally complex individuals.

TODAY'S PROMPT: If you're currently battling with developing resonant characters (as I am), why not check out their horoscopes, or Enneagram personality - it may just give you what's missing? JK Rowling (another Leo), famously gave Harry Potter her own zodiac sign - if it worked for her who are we to argue? For those of you who prefer something more practical in terms of character development, have you thought about making a one-page questionnaire for each of your characters? I do this for every character, no matter how minor they are, and find it really helpful especially in the early days of writing a novel when you're still getting to know them. It's probably best if you come up with your own questions, but to get you started here are some of the questions I 'ask' my characters:

• Name
• Nickname
• Age
• Belief set in the beginning
• Belief set at the end
• Extraordinary skills
• How are they related to the hero/ine
• Character deficiency
• Favourite thing
• What do they like to do best
• Dislikes
• Physical attributes
• Mode of speech
• Hopes and dreams
• What makes them laugh
• What makes them cry

... and so on. Once you've come up with your own questionnaire you can save it as a template and use it again and again. So today, why not get to know your characters a little better and see what's in their stars?

Love, Hope, Dreams

"We dream the dream, and we want it to be easy. But it’s not that simple. It’s not always easy. It’s hard work, it’s perseverance, it’s making sure you’ve got the goods when the opportunity comes along.

So, when do you quit?

You quit when you want something else, more. You quit when you have another dream that means more to you.

I kept writing. There were days when the economy here was so bad, there was very little work, and we dug the change out of the sofa to get enough money to put enough gas in the truck for my husband to get to work, and he had to get paid before he left, or he wouldn’t have had enough gas to make it home. I understand hardships and heartbreak, depression and frustration. But “no” is not an option. It is only an obstacle."

- Toni McGee Causey

Does this speak to anyone? I read Toni's post on the Novel Racers site - she could be writing about my life (you have no idea of the pilot's fascination with Jerry cans - it's like Mad Max around here). A lot of us are up against it right now - perhaps more than ever. So when the world is falling down around your ears, how do you keep going?

You write because you love it. Because you can't imagine doing anything else. You write because you hope that love, that passion for your story will come through loud and clear to a publisher, an agent, an editor - and most of all to your readers. You write because you hope things are going to change.

When I was looking for a video clip of 'Accentuate the Positive' for today's post, I came across this ad for an Australian insurance company. Apparently it was such a successful pitch for the brand they released a CD of swing music. What does that tell you?

Brand is it. If I've learnt anything in the last few weeks, it is that writing your heart out isn't good enough. As a new author, you have to be relevant to your readers - you have to build a brand that people will follow because somehow they feel you 'get' them and they 'get' you. I've gone back to the drawing board in the last couple of days, and dug out all my old marketing files from when I built the brand that was my art company. I figured maybe these tools could be applied to a person and their creative work as well as a business. I think it can.

I'm rewriting, and Stephen King's advice has been ringing in my ears: in the first draft you are figuring out what the story is. In the second you are making it clearer. He also said something along the lines of characters can be as much of a surprise to their authors as they can be to their readers. So true - I had Evie down as Ava Gardner, but re-reading she's definitely a Vivien Leigh. And frankly my dear, I do give a damn. Everything else may have fallen apart but Evie's story is going to be my best yet.

I've done my brainstorming this week, and I'm clear - whatever else is going on in life, I want my work to be original, romantic, uplifting. I believe in all this, (just watching some of the Remembrance services this weekend I saw what I've been writing about echoed - 'old fashioned' values like bravery, sacrifice, hope, decency). I've always had this reader in mind, someone who is going through a tough time, hustling on the tube or bus to work, and she's reading my book. What you want is for her to miss her stop because she's so carried away (and then not to mind walking an extra block back to work). As Mr King said: 'make your reader welcome and tell a story. Make him or her forget. Writing is seduction'.

Writing is also about enriching lives - yours, your readers, everyone who comes in to contact with your book. 'It's about getting up, getting well, getting over, getting happy' (King). So, who's with me? To love, hope and dreams ...

TODAY'S PROMPT: One of the single most useful exercises I went through building the company was working out a 'brand pyramid'. I've adapted it to writing (I hope this works as I converted the text to html but if it doesn't and you want a copy, email me!):

BRAND PYRAMID FOR AUTHORS

www.katelordbrown.com

Personality

↑ ↑ ↑

Values: what does the reader value (1)

Values: what does the reader value (2)

Values: what does the reader value (3)

↑ ↑ ↑

Emotions: what does the reader feel (1)

Emotions: what does the reader feel (2)

Emotions: what does the reader feel (3)

↑ ↑ ↑

Benefits: to the reader (1)

Benefits: to the reader (2)

Benefits: to the reader (3)

↑ ↑ ↑

Attributes: what are the unique features of your writing (1)

Attributes: what are the unique features of your writing (2)

Attributes: what are the unique features of your writing (3)

NB In a traditional brand pyramid the ‘reader’ is the ‘customer’. ‘Personality’ is the person or character who embodies and exemplifies the spirit of the brand – in terms of writing it could be you, your main character, or someone inspiring.

The idea is you start at the bottom - what's your USP? Then you figure out what that gives your readers, what does it make them feel, what do they value about it? Then finally you say who embodies all that? Is it you? Is it your protagonist? Is it a person (famous or un-famous) you admire? Sometimes it really helps to set things down in black and white - you know why your work is unique, but until you get your message clear, maybe other people won't see that.

PS - yes, turns out the pyramid doesn't fit Blogger. If you'd like to drop me an email I'd be happy to mail you a copy :)