I know it’s spring when I can’t sit for more than three minutes in front of the computer, I pace, stopping at the window to stare at the daffodils, the poppies, and the wild plums all pink with flowers. Color is everywhere out there, and I’m itching to enjoy it up close. However, business first, so here’s my First Wednesday post for April and a great spring hello to everyone.
And I’ve started spring off with an INTERVIEW. The BOOK SAGE, a reviewer, asked me make an appearance on his blog. Of course, I said YES! Please stop by and say hello.
The awesome co-hosts for the April 3 posting of the IWSG are some of my favorite people! Please go say hi to them and thank them for hosting.
J.H. Moncrieff, Natalie Aguirre, Patsy Collins, and Chemist Ken!
Remember, the question is optional!
If you could use a wish to help you write just ONE scene/chapter of your book, which one would it be? (examples: fight scene / first kiss scene / death scene / chase scene / first chapter / middle chapter / end chapter, etc.)
I’d wish for a solid and non-saggy middle chapter–maybe I’d push my luck and ask for a few of those. For me the middle of the book is a challenge. I’ve set up the story and I usually know how I’m going to end it. It’s that long bridge between that I do battle with to keep the pace up and the characters at their charismatic best. My greatest worry is the middle chapters will be as sad as an old mattress. Of course, wishing won’t prevent saggy-ness from happening; only long hours of weary fingers on the keyboard and longer ones deleting and rewriting with those same weary fingers will do that.
This month on my Email Connect, I’m begging for people to STEAL MY BOOKS. I’ll let you know if I have any takers. My featured author is Alex Cavanaugh. Surprise! And I’m linking to the WEP winner for the February challenge.
And speaking of the WEP…here’s the April theme. Better jump in now with your contribution. Sign up HERE.
From my Review: When Mara’s father is abducted by an evil queen, she ignores all of her father’s wishes for her to hide and stay safe to go in search of him. Set in a distant future and a fictional galaxy, Rescuing Mara’s Father is a fast-paced science fiction adventure with unexpected twists up to the very end. You’ll enjoy the read.
As usual there are things happening here at #IWSG. Our latest excitement is our affiliation with DIY MFA so we can bring you great programs for writers. This is actually my excuse for not visiting blogs early this month. I’m in a training session today. But I’ll be around to say hi and catch up soon.
Here’s a podcast that you should sample. It’s with David Morrell who is just brilliant. Then there’s one with David Corbett that’s very like a master class on writing characters based on historical figures. There are many more, so don’t touch that dial. There’s going to be something for everybody.
And another IWSG Anthology Contest is on the horizon. We’ll announce the theme next month, but start thinking about Middle Grade Adventure/Fantasy stories you’d like to write. You’ll have from May 1-September 4 to enter.
Quote of the Month: “Wishing as a strategy is the very worst.” Andrew Young, Clergyman
Beth Camp says
Your April IWSG begins with such a lovely photo of you and spring — and such a positive tone throughout, despite those ‘saggy middle’ concerns. I also map out where the stories going, but along the way (and through that first major revision), oh, there are doubts and hard work. Your commitment to writing and to IWSG shines through. Have a good month, and thank you!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Hi Beth,
Thank you so much for your thoughtfully considered comment. I’m always heartened to hear other writers tell me they have doubts and do the hard work. It’s comforting to know I’m not alone. Community is a wonderful support. Hope to see you again, and I’ll drop by your place to say hello.
RR says
Wow! Beautiful picture!
H.R.Sinclair says
I think my comment may have gone to the spam zone.
Cherie Reich says
Oh, wow! What a beautiful picture! A few things are blooming in the valley, but in the mountains, it’s still pretty much winter-ish, except no snow.
Beverly Stowe McCclure says
Lovely picture, lee. The flowers brighten the world. So happy spring is arriving. And yes, the middle of a story is important too. All sections have their purpose. If only wishes came true. But you can do it. You’ve proven it. Happy Writing.
H.R.Sinclair says
That’s first photo is beautiful — and the poppies make the hill blaze with color. I would find them quite distracting myself.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Lancaster, CA is ablaze after a good rainy season. And this picture doesn’t capture all of the color in those hills. You just want to sit and stare.
Loni Townsend says
I could go for a non-saggy middle, for both my story and my body!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Well, the body is a whole other issue. I’ll tackle that later.
Christine Rains says
Oh yes, a non-saggy middle. It’s tough to get the word mattress number just right for it. Beautiful blooms!
C. Lee McKenzie says
LOL “Word mattress number”!!!!
Mary Aalgaard says
Great post. Spring is distracting! The next anthology genre looks enticing. Curious about the theme. And, thanks for the links to the podcasts. I’ll need to remember to check back here while I’m eating lunch and have a listen.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I still have a couple I want to listen to. Each one has some gems.
Hilary says
Hi Lee – wonderful photo of you out with the poppies – they are gorgeous aren’t they … ours start off with drifts of snowdrops, then the colours start to appear … daffodils and narcissi, celandines, early blossom of varying hues and then the sharp blue of the grape hyancinths and blue bells … let alone the polyanthus, the japonica and camellias … and then summer will be here!
Saggy middles – yes I have one … but sadly the writing is taking an age of decades to get done … but I like Alex’s idea … so much going on in the IWSG arena, let alone WEP – which I will do, and the A-Z that I’d like to do … but am doing –
Enjoy the beauty of your lands … cheers Hilary
C. Lee McKenzie says
You are always such a busy lady! Nothing saggy about your life! I’m catching up with my blog visits slowly but surely. This month seemed to happen all on the first Wednesday. Cheers back at you.
Botanist says
Spring is kinda making a shy appearance here. The best time for me is when we clean up the deck and bring out the furniture, and practically live out there for the next few months.
Don’t suffer too much from the saggy middle – not in writing, anyway – but I always find it hard to bring things to a satisfying conclusion.
Denise Covey says
Gorgeous pic…and the flowers aren’t half bad either, LOL. We’re just thankful for autumn Down Under as we’ve just had the hottest summer in history. 6 months of it. No such thing as climate change, eh?
I think saggy middles are the most common problem by what I read. As a natural-born pantser, I’ve abandoned many a ms in the middle! Hopefully, I’m moving along…
Lee Lowery says
What a gorgeous photo! And the mattress image perfectly sums up the muddled middle. Lumpy, saggy, boring striped ticking. But wishing doesn’t get our butts in the chair and hands on the keyboard, and that’s what it takes to get through the muddle.
Erika Beebe says
I love the picture. I can almost smell the wind and the perfume flowers. Middles are hard for me too. I have to make sure I’m always ramping up the challenge to the next level and not keeping the flow the same 🙂 Happy IWSG Day.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I hear that. I’m always thinking, “Is this book becoming episodic?” Then “Why did I think I could write this book?”
Mason Canyon says
I know what you mean about spring. We’ve had a few warm days with sunshine and I feel like a little kid again wanting to be outside.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Spring does bring out our “kidness.” It’s kind of like starting fresh.
Lynda R Young says
Spring is definitely a time to be outdoors.
I’m currently working on a saggy middle… rawr! 😉
C. Lee McKenzie says
I’ll be thinking of you, Lynda. Hope that middle doesn’t sag and that you’ll shortly see a brilliant ending!
Sarah Foster says
Lovely picture!
I’ve seen a lot of wishes for first chapters and middles, but I just want the end of my book done!
C. Lee McKenzie says
It does feel good to finally type those words, doesn’t it?
Liz A. says
Ah yes, the muddle in the middle. That is tough. Pretty flowers. Are those poppies?
C. Lee McKenzie says
You seem to know what I mean about middles. And yes, those are California poppies.
Sandra Cox says
I noticed that a saggy middle was a concern for many of us.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Well, that middle is a large chunk of the story, so maybe we have a right to be concerned.
Olga Godim says
I don’t like spring, never had. My favorite season is the early fall, when the beautiful leaves are blazing, and the rains haven’t come yet.
Writing-wise, I don’t struggle with the middles. I struggle with the endings.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Interesting about the season. We obviously live in different parts of the world. 🙂 Hope whatever ending your working on or toward turns out well.
Susan Gourley says
I love the spring too. We’ve only had a few nice days but some of my daffodils are up. The middle is the slowest part of the book to write for me because I’m always worried I’m letting it sag.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Our daffodils have mostly bloomed and gone. They are so lovely that I’d like to keep them around longer. Glad we share that “middle” angst.
Tonja Drecker says
What a beautiful picture! Middles can tend to sag, can’t they? If only we could wave a wand and the entire book would spruce up from beginning to end…kind of like the gorgeous Spring flowers!
C. Lee McKenzie says
A very lovely comparison! Yes, that would be nice to have those stories spring into shape by merely wishing them so.
Juneta Key says
Lee you are so beautiful. I love that picture of you. I think I am gonna have to read that book sounds like my kind of SF. That is some interesting advice Alex gave. I have never heard that before. I need to give that some thought. Happy IWSG.
C. Lee McKenzie says
The poppies are beautiful. I just smile a lot. I enjoyed Diane’s book. It has a good story and it doesn’t sag in the middle!
Diane Burton says
Wow! You packed a lot in this post. Love the picture at the top. Such a lovely pic of you and the colors are fabulous. We don’t have color yet here along Lake Michigan. Still too cold. But the daffs and tulips are poking out of the cold ground.
Thanks for the great review of Rescuing Mara’s Father. I do appreciate it. Let me know when I can return the favor.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I’m glad you liked the review, and you can see why I had to cut back on including some information, right? Today’s post was jammed with stuff.
You can send me pictures of your daffs and tulips when they pop. Ours are at the end.
Tyrean Martinson says
I struggle with saggy middles, too, but I really want my first few chapters to shine so I can hook more readers. 🙂
C. Lee McKenzie says
Isn’t it interesting that all of us are so different in this endeavor called writing? I love writing the beginning, and although I obviously have to rewrite, they seem easy by comparison to the middle.
Michelle Wallace says
I’ve read four of your books, and am now trying to figure out where in the world is your saggy-middle-section?
Love the photo… really beautiful.
Happy IWSG Day!
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thank you for being a reader as well as a writer, Michelle! You are truly appreciated.
Michelle Wallace says
My pleasure, Lee! 😍
Elephants Child says
Trust me, there is nothing/nada/zip sad and soggy about your middle chapters. They are so taut they twang.
C. Lee McKenzie says
You are one sweet reader. Thank you for that.
Natalie Aguirre says
What a beautiful picture of you. I’m just starting to go out to work in my yard the last few days and I’m walking my dog regularly. Off to read your interview.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Lucky dog! That’s one thing about being a dog owner, the walking keeps you in shape. Happy spring gardening.
Carol Kilgore says
All kinds of great things happening with IWSG this spring! My choice is first chapter. Love the image of you above 🙂
C. Lee McKenzie says
We are cookin’ that’s for sure. I didn’t think I’d ever stop writing this post; the announcements kept coming and coming.
T. Powell Coltrin says
Ha ha. I just thought of something. This particular time in spring reminds me of a saggy middle in a book. I know I have to do something to get nature under control, but what?
Teresa
C. Lee McKenzie says
Laughing out here. Once you get nature lassoed, give me call and we can work on the saggy middles together.
Jennifer Lee Hawes says
You said it, girl! The sad, soggy middle. Mine needs a dozen wishes to keep it afloat. I love crafting the beginning and the end. The middle, not so much.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Glad to be in the same fear of the middle boat! I’m sure there are strategies to overcome this, but I’m still not sure what they are.
Elizabeth Seckman says
What a great picture. You have the most beautiful smile.
I’ve read your stories. They’re hardly soggy in the middle!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I hug my readers if I get a chance. Here’s my cyber hug. Thanks for your comment.
Shah Wharton says
Wow! No wonder you’re drawn to look outside. How wonderful (if distracting) to be greeted by such beauty.
Saggy middles were a problem when I was writing longer stories, but I tend to keep it short(ish) these days. For now. 🙂 I hate beginnings and endings!
Love the quote, btw! Lol.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I like your way of dealing with saggy middles. I may give it a shot.
Anna says
I’m sure your wish will come true, because I doubt you’d settle for anything less. Enjoy your garden. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thanks, Anna. Here’s to getting all of our wishes and gardens to enjoy.
Carrie-Anne says
I love those orange flowers! It’s such a strong, vibrant color. I’m indefinitely stuck in an area without a real winter (other than some cold days and rare snow), so it feels very wrong and unnatural to not have lots of snow and ice for a good five months and then see the Earth bursting back to life. As much as I hated snow and ice, it just feels right for there to be four distinct seasons.
C. Lee McKenzie says
We don’t have those seasons. Well, we have them, but the weather isn’t that distinct. This orange flowers are California poppies, our state flower. They are gorgeous this time of year.
Jacqui Murray says
I know what you mean about a soggy middle. Luckily, I haven’t suffered that but my problems with beginning and ending well make up for it.
And–I understand the three-minute rule. My home office overlooks my gorgeous backyard and I am always wondering what’s going on back there!
C. Lee McKenzie says
That’s the problem with gorgeous yard we look out on. They beckon when the weather’s good, even when it’s not, but the pull is really strong when the sun’s out and everything’s in bloom.
L. Diane Wolfe says
I’m worrying about middles, too.
You can tell it’s spring here. There is yellow-green pine tree pollen on EVERYTHING.
C. Lee McKenzie says
That pollen causes me all kinds of problems, but can’t escape it when you live in a forest. Here’s to our middles holding together.
Bish Denham says
The wild flowers are finally starting to bloom here! diy MFA looks like it packed full of good stuff! Onward through the fog.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I’ll let you know what happens after the training today. I have no idea what I’m doing, but since that’s fairly common for me these days, I’ll just plunge ahead and see what happens.
Tamara Ann Narayan says
I thought I was ready for spring last Saturday, taking a jog in a t-shirt and shorts. Then on Sunday, I took the same route, wearing boots, coat, gloves, and earmuffs as it was snowing like crazy and even left 5 inches on the ground the next morning. It’s melted now, but I’m not so sure it will be the last of the white stuff this year. Not that I mind. Snow is so beautiful.
C. Lee McKenzie says
This weather is an on and off, hot and cold, snow and sun proposition these days. We fluctuate between rain and sunshine almost daily. I love fresh snow, too. It is beautiful.
Thomas Anderson says
Hi, Cheryl -Lee!
That is a fabulous picture of you in the foreground and the hills alive with colorful flowers. It is indeed a delightful time of year in your part of the country. I enjoyed and learned from your interview at Book Sage. I appreciate how much of a struggle it can be to produce the middle chapters of a book to hold the reader’s interest and carry him or her through to the end.
You have many exciting things going on in your life at present. Knowing that makes me happy. Take care, dear friend Cheryl-Lee. Enjoy the rest of the month and come over and see me at Shady’s Place when you get the chance.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Hi Shady! Thank you for visiting The Book Sage. He’s a really good reviewer. I value his insights.
I may have too many things going on right now. I’m beginning to feel the crunch. I’ll be by to say hello at your place soon.
Jemi Fraser says
Love the picture. We still have snow melting everywhere so it’ll be a while before we see that!
Saggy middles are tough!!!
Rescuing Mara’s Father sound great 🙂
C. Lee McKenzie says
After heavy rains in California, the wild flowers pop up all over the place. I enjoyed Diane’s book, and I think others will, too.
J.H. Moncrieff says
Wow, what a gorgeous photo, Lee. The snow is slowly melting here, but it’s not full-blown spring like that yet.
Congrats on the interview. I hope you are doing well.
C. Lee McKenzie says
We have a ton of snow this year, but it’s all up in the mountains. We have to drive to see it. Here’s to spring reaching you soon.
Diane Wickles says
I am also itching to get to my yard work! Happy Spring!
Yes, the fear of saggy middles threatens me too.
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
We do have a lot happening.
Glad someone is experiencing spring.
I remember someone saying write a great beginning and a great ending and then put them as close together as possible. That lessens middle issues.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I could try that strategy and see if I wind up with a novel or a very short story! 🙂