On the Journey: Back on the Trail

Current Word Count: 40,436
Working on Chapter 21

I'm finally back to making some progress! The short story of it is that I moved my writing time to be first thing in the morning, rather than letting it get pushed further and further into the day... or into the next day... and on into oblivion. There were too many days when I'd look at my to-do list and say, "Well, I got everything done today except my writing!" That's no good.

So I am almost finished rewriting the portion of my manuscript that I'd completed in third person past tense, and by the end of the week, I'll be plunging into the murk of the unknown. I will no longer have my old third person version to refer back to. It'll be sailing by the stars from here on out.

Which is okay. I'm nervous, since I've only completed two manuscripts before, and quite frankly the end was terrible on both occasions. I've learned a TON since then (I completed my first project at 14), so hopefully this attempt will go much more smoothly. And, I have my beloved Cannot Stop Writers to slap me upside the head (with love) and help me smooth out the rough places.

If I can pen an ending HALF as brilliant as Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country, I will be one hundred percent satisfied. Speaking of fabulous stories--

I promised a list of the five works of Young Adult Fiction that I have found to be most influential and most sincerely desire to write like. They are:

1. The Outsiders by S E Hinton. If you're not moved by Ponyboy Curtis, you're not human. This story was revolutionary in that it captured the voice of the generation in a way that had not been done before. That voice still stands. I can read it cover to cover, flip it over and start all over again-- and I have. (Remember how the ending is the same as the beginning because he starts writing the paper for school?)

2. The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Referred to in news and journals as "Luminous," "without a wasted word" and "showing all the rapture and rage of growing up in a modern world." 'Nuff said. The descriptions alone absolutely slay me. They're breathtaking.

3. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. This is more of a coming-of-age story, but that's really more my heart than straight up YA. I love the poem Swede composes and how it parallels the story. Beautifully told. Unforgettable.

4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Again, a coming-of-age story. By far the best example of showing the reader the whole spectrum of the world, but through a child's eyes. Read the scene where Scout goes to talk to her father while he guards his client at the jail. The men of the town come to try to lynch Tom. Atticus will try to stop them. Into the middle of this mayhem walks Scout, who clearly doesn't understand what's happening. But by her innocent comments to the men present, she reminds them of all that Atticus has done for them and diffuses the whole situation-- and it is completely believable! Amazing! Incredible. A story of tremendous weight told by a narrator who only understands a small portion of all that's going on. Yet the reader sees the whole picture.

5. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Yes, yes... I come at you with another coming-of-age tale. And a sad one, too. These are characters you fall for, and you fall deep and hard. You ache for them. You experience the hardship of life and the pain of growing up and the loss of childhood innocence.

So those are my picks. Those are the tales that I would choose to let mold and shape me as a writer. Some biggies. Very biggies. Reach for the stars, right?

On Writing: Characters You Can't Get Enough of Part 2

What makes a character worth writing about? What makes us keep turning those pages to find out more? Here's another key ingredient on my list:

Sympathetic.

With a sympathetic character, something in the character strikes a chord in us as readers. They remind us of ourselves in some way.

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, you might identify with Scout's childhood innocence or her closeness with her father (can you tell I'm a Daddy's Girl?). Maybe you remember being in the "out" group like Ponyboy in S E Hinton's The Outsiders.

Next week... my last thoughts on what makes a character worth writing about...

Review: Tex by S E Hinton

Tex and his older brother Mason are on their own, waiting the return of their father from a rodeo. With his best friend Johnny, Tex usually finds his way into trouble, but it's beginning to take it's toll on Mason. Tex believes that everything will be fine once their father returns. After another prank at school, Mason reveals the real reason for the long absences of their father. A move that may shatter their small family.

I've always loved S E Hinton, but this is the first time I've read this story. She is a fabulous storyteller. Tex's character is easygoing and young, very believably fourteen. Even the side characters are compelling.

One thing I am totally curious about is the escaped convict Tex and Mason encounter named Mark. Is this the same Mark from Hinton's That Was Then, This Is Now? I plan to email her (via her website) and see if I can find out! Watch for updates!