What’s your Golden Wheelhouse?

 

In accordance with the guidelines of the Insecure Writers Support Group, where writers share their insecurities and thoughts, I’m writing my post to coincide with the first Wednesday of the month. My topic for this post is the Golden Wheelhouse.

 

These little sounds and symbols are often triggers that set off emotional bombs. But what matters are the meanings of words and the truths they express, not the symbols themselves. ~ Paul Rosenberg.

 

All writers are in the business of these little sounds and symbols called words. But apparently, when we’re writing in our ‘golden wheelhouse’, our words become more heavily freighted with meaning and significance. I rather like this newly coined term which I’ve read in various articles and blogs on the interweb of late. I believe the term means when a person writes about the subjects and characters that hold the most meaning to them, the resulting book becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

 

 

 

 

How do we find what we should be writing?

I've always heard that you know you’ve found the zone which works for you when the subject matter and genre excite you, when the hours vanish and time has no meaning. I’m drawn to write about the big questions and ‘high concept’ fiction for children. Then, further, I'm the most interested in the fantasy genre and mythology. Those places are where the words flow for me, where it feels as if the prose comes from my heart and soul, so those things must comprise my ‘golden wheelhouse’.

 

Decide what’s important to you.

I’ve realized you can tell when a writer is working in their golden wheelhouse–that depth of feeling and experience comes across in every word. There’s an accompanying sense of the effortless in a story written this way as well. It has an uplift effect, and more importantly, the story has a beating heart. It’s alive.

 

A few years ago, I read a manuscript for someone, in which they had deviated totally from their golden wheelhouse to a new genre and the story came across as sterile and unappealing. It didn’t come across as authentic. The story had lost the usual soul and resounding impact.

 

Our task as writers is to engage our readers from go to whoa. In order to do this, it seems to me to be paramount that each writer decides what is the most important to them. Not what they think will be popular or will sell books, but what moves them to their core? What do they need to say? That's the key.

 

 

How about you? What’s your golden wheelhouse? Have you discovered it yet? I'd love to know!

 

See ya' in the funny papers!

Till next time,

Yvette K. Carol

 

"The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do well, and doing well whatever you do without thought of fame. If it comes at all it will come because it is deserved, not because it is sought after." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Not So Accidental Blog Tourist Hop

Hi guys,

Thanks to Catherine Johnson for tagging me in the Not-so-accidental blog tourist hop started by Crystal Collier

Catherine Johnson is the author/illustrator of two poetry books for children, Weirdo Zoo and The Everglades. Zompoemz coming soon.

So these are the questions:

1.     What am I currently working on?

I’m working on the first book in my ‘tween series, the Records of Aden, called, Aden Weaver & the Or’in of Tane Mahuta.

What drives some people to greatness?
An ordinary boy has a score to settle against those who killed his parents, and a vicious warlord wants the boy dead. No matter what you do, Aden Weaver, don't lose your head.

2.     How does my work differ from others of its genre?

My books will fit in under the Amazon category ‘Shape-shifters and werewolves’ although there are no werewolves in the story! It's also called 'Alternative Universe Fantasy'. That’s where the work is similar.

 

Where it differs is that the shape-shifters switch between insects and humans with the residual features of their insect selves. So the dragonflies retain smaller, shorter wings in their human form. In human form they can still fly but for shorter distances.

 

A lot of people have said as they’ve edited my books, ‘Why insects?’ but to me, it’s a whole new world that is seldom explored. Why not insects? We get to see the world (in this case, the Planet Chiron) from their perspective, that of the small critters. Most scenes take place inside caves and trees and flowers, places within nature and underground. It holds an endless fascination for me, one that hopefully creates a magical and unique reading experience.        

 

3.     Why do I write/create what I do?

 

I tried writing for adults and it was boring! I’d far rather write to the unfettered imagination of young people.

 

As Nathaniel Hawthorne put it so eloquently in 1853, Children are now the only representatives of the men and women of that happy era (the golden age) and therefore it is that we must raise the intellect and fancy to the level of childhood, in order to recreate the original myths. 

 

4.     How does your writing/creating process work?

It’s a bit of a mix of the practical and metaphysical. When I’m in the ‘genesis’ stage of a book, I stick to a routine established from doing writing workshops with the wonderful New Zealand writer and lecturer, Kate de Goldi, who insisted on ‘non-stop writing’ for a prescribed time every day.

Then, I pay close attention to my dreams. I sleep with a pad and a pen by my bed because once I’m writing a book, the muse will strike at all hours. And I find that my best ideas and flashes of inspiration blow in through my dreams. They also will often hit when I’m out walking or running. Then I have to hang on to the words and race home to get them down onto paper before they blow away on the ether!

 

~~

Now, I have a confession to make. I admit that while I've managed the questions and the acknowledgement side of this blog hop, I have managed to fail wholesale on the 'hop' part. Of the ten or so bloggers I invited to take part, not a single person said yes. Folks are busy these days, that's all. Sorry, Catherine, I did try, but my part of the hop trail ends here. It was cool getting to answer the questions though!

 

 

 

See ya' in the funny papers!

 

Let me know, what do you think? Why do you create/write what you do?

 

Yvette K. Carol

 

 

http://www.yvettecarol.com

How do you protect your unique voice in the critique group experience?

In accordance with the guidelines of the Insecure Writers Support Group, where writers share their insecurities and thoughts, I’m writing my post to coincide with the first Wednesday of the month. My topic for this post is critique groups.
I remember many years ago when I joined kiwiwrite4kids, the organizer, Maria Gill, advised me to join a critique group.

Myself and Maria Gill at last year's Storylines Children's Literature Festival.

 

As Anne R. Allen said,‘Joining a writing group is one of the easiest ways to learn your craft. And it's way cheaper than hiring an editor.’

 

It’s taken me a long time to find the right critique group. Along the way to finding the group that really works best for me, I went through a disastrous experience with a writing partner who slowly undercut my confidence and reduced me to questioning whether I even wanted to be a writer. I’ve been in groups where it was all ‘take’ and no ‘give’ and groups where I was the only experienced writer on board.

 

As Anne R. Allen said in her recent blog post, when you’re in a group you’re not sure is right for you, ask yourself, ‘Do their suggestions give you an "ah-ha" moment, or make you want to toss the baked brie in the critiquer's face?’ 

 

And if the latter is the case, and these people appear to be more vicious than helpful, realize, ‘People like this are operating from a place of envy and fear. Nothing they say can help you, because they're only half-listening to your piece. They're too busy rehearsing their bitter bon mots. The fix: Run! Get out while you still have the will to live.’ 

 

Thankfully, I have finally found a group this year that fits my needs and my lifestyle and is peopled with others who give and take in equal measure.

The issue for me now is how do I utilize all their great suggestions while still retaining my style and protecting my voice? And this is an issue I’ve been discussing lately with other writers. It’s a real conundrum.

With one piece recently, I followed every single person’s suggestions to the letter, and the resulting story was neat as a pin. Only problem was it didn’t sound or feel like me anymore.

After a similar experience, my dear friend, the author, Maria Cisneros-Toth said, ‘I began to read aloud starting at chapter one. Horrified, I stopped. My character's voice was gone. I panicked, jumped up and went straight to my computer and began dropping in those parts that I had been told to delete. They were still fresh in my mind, thank goodness. And from there I fleshed out the story. I remembered my counselor's words and I still live by them even in my writing...sift and choose your information.’

My friends over on Writing for Children and I are about to critique one another’s stories for an anthology we’re putting together. I decided to address this issue with them, so I wrote this letter:

 

'This is what I want to say about critique, which I've just been learning recently, these are purely my thoughts, you don't have to take them on if they don't resonate with you. We're all different. Maria & I have been discussing this lately. It's just that if we take every single critique, even when we don't agree with it, then we may end up with a piece that's not authentic to us. Only take on board that which in your gut feels right. So feel free to use or discard my comments. It's up to you.'

Do you agree? What critique group experiences have you had?

See ya in the funny papers!

Till next time,

Yvette K. Carol