Think Bigger

Okay, so dude, I went to see Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol a week or so ago. And not only was it a fast-paced thriller (just what I like to see), but it taught me a thing or two about writing.

Or at least the kind of writing I want to do.

I need to think bigger--and I'm not talking like Imax bigger, though I did see the movie in Imax.

No, I'm talking THINKING BIGGER. More outside the box. More impossible.

As an author who has a book out and one on the way and hopefully the third the year after that, searching for and finding that next idea (that next series) is stressful and difficult. There are all kinds of worries and variables.

Everything feels too small.

And now that I've seen Mission Impossible, I know why.

I need to think bigger.

Have you seen MI? Or another movie that shifted how you look at your writing? Which one?

Best of 2011: Movies

Okay, so I'll admit that I don't see a lot of movies. Well, maybe I do, I don't know. But I've decided to do a "best of" series for the end of the year, beginning with movies.

Best Movie of 2011: The Help. Seriously, if you haven't seen it, drop everything and see it. It's fabulous.

Best Children's Movie of 2011: The Muppets. I love this kind of stuff, especially the "Am I Muppet or a Man?" song. Genius.

Movies I Still Love Even if They Didn't Come out in 2011: Despicable Me. I will never tire of this movie. Watch it. Love it.

Most Anticipated Movie of 2011: Harry Potter 7.2. It was well worth the wait, and I loved every minute of it.

Movie I Thought I'd Hate, but Loved: Thor. It just doesn't sound like my "thing." But it was. Oh, it was.

Most Anticipated Move of 2012: The Hunger Games. I simply can not wait to see that! The trailer was awesome, and I have no doubt the feature-length film will deliver.

What movie did you love this year? What are you looking forward to next year?

Why I Wish Writing Were More Like Movies

Okay, so it's no secret that I'm a lover of movies, and relating things I see in movies to writing, and yeah. Well, strap yourselves in for another comparison. I guess this might be more of a complaint, actually.

So think of your favorite movie. It could also be an hour-long drama/comedy on TV. Got it in your head?

Think of the beginning. Then think about half-way through. There are two things that I really, really, REALLY wish I could do in my writing.

1. The voice-over beginning. I'd love to simply voice over the first five pages of my MS to fill in the readers on exactly how my world came to be, and the hierarchy that exists, and who the good guy is, and who the bad guy is.

Think of how many words you could save! In fact, it would be great if a recording began as soon as a reader opened the book, sort of like those greeting cards that play music when you open them.

2. The musical montage. About halfway through every good movie comes the musical montage. You know. The part where a catchy song plays and time is advanced, and the two MC's fall in love, and everything is hunky dory and la-la-la.

In Baywatch, this is where all the running on the beach happens. Ha!

I would basically kill to be able to skip these middle chapters where my MC's spend all this time together getting to know each other and falling in love, and winter becomes spring and spring becomes summer and then bam! The next bad thing can happen.

Maybe in books, when the reader gets to page 250, there can be a CD or something. The reader can listen to it before turning to the next page and continuing the story.

Yeah, I definitely need a voice-over beginning and a musical montage middle.

What aspect of movies would you like to implant into your novel? (And it can't be an actor. Ha!)

Why Movies Help Me Write

Dude, it's no secret that I like my movies. I'm forever talking about them on twitter and stuff. I think I've started watching movies in a new way since reading the best book ever, SAVE THE CAT.

STC really helped me with my writing, and it's because that book took something abstract and put it into visuals--a movie. Something I can watch and analyze in just a few hours.

But that post is here.

Today's post is about movies and how they help me in my writing. I'm going to use a short illustration. I've been taking my kids to a movie every Thursday this summer. A couple of weeks ago, the movie was Bedtime Stories.

Great flick.

I liked it. But there was something that really stuck out to me. (I don't want to bash the movie, nor do I want to analyze all the things wrong with movies.) I thought there was a glaring inconsistency in the movie.

See, there's these kids, and their mom is all hopped up on wheat grass this, and whole grain that. The kids don't have a TV and they don't watch TV or movies. So their Uncle Skeeter has to watch the kids for a while and he lets them do all kinds of "wild" things.

One of which is play with shaving cream in the bathroom. And the little girl has cream all over and says, "I'm Princess Leia."

Which made no sense to me. Why? Because she hasn't watched TV or movies. Her mom didn't let her do that.

It was inconsistent to me.

And it taught me to make sure that my characters don't reference things which they have no experience with. This is especially hard for me in my futuristic society, using words and references from right now.

Man, my brain hurts just thinking about it.

But it's a good lesson.

What do you think? Did I just miss the boat while watching Bedtime Stories? Have movies helped you make connections in writing? How?

Getting to Know You...

Getting to know all about you. Yeah, cue the music, people. (And name that movie/play, if you can.)

Okay, I don't know how many of you are actual subscribers and how many of you slipped and accidentally hit that subscribe button and now you don't know how to undo it. But I'm glad you're here! I love blogging, and I love comments.

So today is "Getting to Know You" day. I want to know who you are! I can see my followers (and I always try to click on you and follow you back. Yes, I have the sheep syndrome from time to time.) and it's fun to see your tiny heads on the side. But I don’t really know you.

So here's the deal. Leave me a comment with who you are. Who you hope wins Survivor or American Idol. What you do for a living. Your favorite food. Whatev. A short little blurb about yourself.

If it were me, I might say something like this: "I write YA fiction, adore reality TV, drive way too fast, and wish bacon alone could sustain life." It doesn't have to be like, your entire life history or anything. But just a little something to get to know you.

And I'm gonna bribe you to do it. Food usually works with teenagers and husbands, but since I can't send you my infamous chocolate pie through cyberspace, I'm going to offer up a copy of TANTALIZE by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Hey, the book is about a girl who runs a restaurant and that's totally food-related, so it's all good. So get introducing yourselves!

**Winners will be chosen by random number. No Sprite-spewage on this. Although bonus points will be awarded for that. ;)

A Love-Hate Relationship

I love the Christmas holiday. The lights and snow. Well, maybe not the snow, but definitely the lights. And presents. And decorating and watching my kids get excited. That's all good.

It's the movies that have me on the hate side of the fence. Don't get me wrong, I love holiday movies, but I wish, wish, wish I wasn't such a baby. Here's the run-down of tear-jerkers this holiday season. You've been warned.

Home Alone. I despise this movie, yet there I was, watching it. Mostly so I could be doing something with my family. And guess what? I started bawling. Gah. When the mom comes in and hugs the boy and they're reunited...choking up. Embarrassed. Because I hate this movie, and yet I'm touched. There is no justice in the world.

Elf. I wish, wish, wish I were kidding. I mean, come on. Elf? Have you seen the movie? It's not exactly a touching rendition of Christmas. So I'm sitting on the couch watching the stupid human-who-thinks-he's-an-elf help Santa with his sleigh and his dad who hates the human elf is helping. Tears well up. Then they start singing...and the dad sings... *sniff* I need prozac or something.

Fred Claus. This is the worst one I think. I refused to watch it last year because I don't like the guy who plays Fred. My husband watched it late at night and insisted that I would like it. I was thinking it must have been really late at night and there was no way I was going to like it. Well, I did. A lot. And then I started bawling. When Santa gives that guy the Superman cape? Holy kryptonite, Batman. I realize that's the wrong superhero, but neither one of them can stop my bawl babyitis, so it doesn't really matter. I'm not ashamed. I cried during Fred Claus.

So I've developed a love-hate relationship with the Christmas season. I don't like feeling like a bawl baby, and yet I can't stop the tears that seem to come more abundantly during December. At least it hasn't snowed yet. That is just a hate-hate relationship because all that white stuff cost me $700 in new tires last year. But that is another post for another day.

This is Exactly How I Feel About Twilight

Seriously, people. I didn't like the movie.

This is the funniest thing you'll ever see. Watch it. Laugh. I did, right out loud at many, many things. I could tell you my favorite lines, but I think it would ruin it for you. Holy Forks, Santa. You've got to watch it. Now.

And this was pretty funny too. And totally spot on.

**Sorry to all those of you who liked the movie. Books = awesomeness. Movie = suckage.**

Thanks to Jen for the first video. She made my year. She needs chocolate. Or maybe socks.
And to Moonrat for the link to the best screenplay ev-er.

Which Character Are You?

Status of my Life: Trying to even out my real life with my virtual life. It's a challenge. Busy working on my novel, Placeholders. Still waiting on submissions and queries. Life is fun when it's busy!


One of my friends, Kristal Shaff, had this quiz on her blog about which Austen heroine I might be. So I took it. And I'm:

Take the Quiz here!

Like I know what that means. But it was kind of fun! This is what the results said: "You are practical, circumspect, and discreet. Though you are tremendously sensible and allow your head to rule, you have a deep, emotional side that few people often see."

I guess. All right, it's totally dead on. Gosh! (Imagine the Napoleon Dynamite version of that word. :))

Reading: TREASURED LIES by Michelle McLean