In this Year of Writing Dangerously, I am challenging
myself. Last week I wrote about Challenge One for 2018—writing a
thriller. I have a couple of ideas I’m trying out in my head.
Scenario one involves a current hot topic in the news. What
happens when ex-partners disagree about who owns/what ought to happen to frozen
embryos they created while still together. And what is some nefarious group
sets out to “collect” (steal) the one million frozen embryos stored for some,
of course, nefarious purpose?
In scenario two, during a presidential election cycle, a
candidate is shot. He is elected post-mortem. Who is prez when he dies before
taking oath of office? Do they vote again? Is it the Veep? Or is it the other
candidate, a third party dark horse who finished second?
And there are many more possibilities for me to select
among. But this post is about my second challenge, and it is one I for sure
will complete in 2018.
The second challenge actually belongs to another of my writing
personae, Caroline Adams, who writes historical fiction for adults and
biography for middle grades students. Caroline/I is/am enamored of Intrepid Women,
and this series of bios is about some of them.
In 2017, I actually did complete most of a middle grade bio of
Elizabeth Jennings Graham, all but the last few pages. My writing group, in effect
said, “Not even a good try. Start again.”
Well, that wasn’t what I wanted to hear. But it was exactly
what I feared they would tell me. And, worse, I knew they were correct.
So, why the epic fail? I rarely been so far off between my
vision and my implementation. Is it something about writing biographies?
Something about writing for that age group? Something about how little I know
of my subject? Maybe all three of these?
I am taking steps to rectify each. There is very little
available on how to write biographies. For such popular subgenre, I was
astounded at how little info there is on the how-to’s and the elements of an
effective biography in book form. While there is more available on-line, I
wouldn’t characterize it as a plethora. I discuss this more in a post this
Thursday on www.carolineadamswriter.blogspot.com.
We all know, don’t we, that writing for children may be the
most difficult kind of writing? Those guys are more vicious critics than the
professionals. Their critiques happen in homes across America each night. The
good, the bad, and the ugly. One must know the psyche of the age group you’re
writing for. Understand their interests and concerns. Know the language
attributes they use and understand. Find the intersection of what they already
know and what they want/need to know. I thought I had this one nailed because
of my education background. But no. The crit group pointed out how stilted and
artificial I sounded. Sigh. Try again. It’s been a long time since I worked
daily with children but it is essential I get the right tone for middle
graders.
As to the third possible reason, am I bluffing my way
through this since there is so little available about this woman. And much of
what is there is contradictory, even to birth dates! So am I covering (or
trying to cover) up my ignorance with fill about the era, the issues, the
culture so as to disguise the lack of substantive content? How do biographers
cover people like Lizzie when so little information exists? I am in contact
with a man who has written an adult biography of Lizzie. He is pointing me to
some of his resources since he is in New York City and has contacts with the
history folk there.
These two challenges, writing a thriller and producing a
good middle grade biography should be enough to occupy any free time I find I
have. I’ll save other challenges for next year and beyond. There’s always
something new to be learned, done or tried. Right?
Please share this post with others. Thank you!
Facebook:
Writers, do you challenge yourself to try new genres, formats? Sharon Arthur
Moore has set two challenges for herself for 2018. What are you working on in
The Year of Writing Dangerously? http://bit.ly/2Dg1eTF
Twitter:
#Writers, to keep learning we need to try new challenges. What are you trying
in The Year of Writing Dangerously? Read here what @Good2Tweat is trying. http://bit.ly/2Dg1eTF
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