What One Book . . .

At a book signing not long ago, a store employee posed the following question:

If you could pick one book to read over and over again for the rest of your life, what would it be?

She said it was her tricky way of finding out people's favorite books.

I disagreed. For me, at least, the answer to that question didn't necessarily point to my favorite book. Because of the way it's phrased, the question alone eliminates several contenders.

Here's why:

Some of my all-time favorite books aren't quick, fun, happy reads. They aren't something I'd necessarily want to have at my fingertips, every day for the rest of my life even though they blew me away or I love them dearly for whatever reason.

Some of them are hard reads. Or slow reads. Some are filled with musical language or voice or character as big as plot. Some make me weep. Others make me think. Hard.

So if I could have just one book to read every day for the rest of my life, it almost certainly wouldn't be one of those favorites, as brilliant and amazing as they are.

A few titles on the list of favorites that would not make the list of books to read forever include:

• The Poisonwood Bible
• The Great Divorce
• Dombey and Son
• East of Eden
• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
• The Source

Books I adore that I also might be able to stand rereading for years on end (although I'd get sick of anything eventually, I'm sure):

• Rilla of Ingleside
• The Blue Castle
• Pride and Prejudice
• Sense and Sensibility
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• The Hero and the Crown
• Ender's Game and/or Ender's Shadow
• Harry Potter (the entire series, or forget it)

Then again, if I could have just one book, I might opt for something wildly informational so I could learn something. (Does an encyclopedia, with all its volumes, count as one book?)

What books would be on your I-love-it-but-can't-read-it-every-day list?

And which books make it onto your awesome-and-fun-but-not-too-deep-so-I-can-read-it-almost-forever list?

Or am I the only weird one who has two lists?

Top 5 Ways to Stay Sane as a Writer

Top 5 posts HERE.

Writing is a lifestyle where it feels as if you sit on the brink of sanity. Sometimes that's because you hear voices and see "movies" in your head. Other times it's the see-saw of emotions that goes from "Yay! I can really write!" to "I'm the lamest person to ever string two words together. Wah!" and back again.

And that's not counting the crazy stuff involved in getting or staying published.

When I'm losing my mind, here are my top 5 ways of staying SANE:

1. Read.

I always have a book (or two or three or four or . . .) that I'm reading, but I tend to read piecemeal. When I'm in the crazy zone, I find that sitting back and actually reading for an afternoon or an evening is a great way to de-pressurize and get back into the literary groove.

2. Take a Walk.

I walk as long as it takes for my mind to "unkink." No iPod or anything else. Just me and the sidewalk. The first several blocks, my brain chatters about this and that and the other. Eventually, the even pace of my steps and being outside calms the chatter, and my mind relaxes. I've found story ideas and plot solutions when I'm not even trying . . . but when I'm walking.

3. Have an Artist's Date

You know, ala Julia Cameron and The Artist's Way. For me, it can mean walking through the library, taking a jaunt through a thrift store, checking out a local museum, or even the dollar store. Just getting OUT. Sometimes this can be taking my writing with me and writing in a different location, like the picnic table at a park. I have a dream of going to a movie alone some afternoon. Haven't done it yet, but I will.

4. Knit.

Another way to unkink my brain. Provided I'm not doing a pattern that requires a lot of thinking, I can knit, still creating but in a different way. It always provides me with relaxation as well as a way for my mind to drift.

5. Each chocolate.

I don't think this needs much commentary. My downfall is often Mrs. Callender's French Silk Pie with the cookie crumb crust (because when I'm in the crazy, I'm in no mood to make my own chocolate, even though I have plenty of chocolate recipes!).

Top 5 Things Every Aspiring Writer Should Know

All Top 5 posts HERE.

This one's tricky. Looking back, I wish I'd known a lot of things about writing and publishing.

But then I second-guess myself and think, No, I'm glad I didn't know this or that back then . . . it might have made me give up.

Here are five things that I think would have helped, many of which I learned the hard way:

1. You will have an apprenticeship.

That means not to plan on success out of the gate. Sure, you may be one of the lucky ones who hits a home run on their first try, but the chances of that are less than the chance of getting struck by lightning.

Most of those overnight successes you hear about took years to actually happen. Like a concert pianist who spent years on their craft, writers must spend time (and lots of it) learning their craft. Writing well isn't easy.

Case in point: Uber-famous and successful Brandon Sanderson has exploded onto the fantasy scene. But it took writing something like THIRTEEN books, religiously honing his craft for YEARS, before his "overnight" success arrived.

2. You Will Be Rejected.

I don't know a single author who hasn't faced rejection at some point. Not even those lucky enough to get their first book accepted. Eventually everyone gets rejected in some way. Many times. The way to success is often paved with the stones of how you cope with that rejection.

Do you wallow and weep and tear your hair out and quit?

Do you whine and complain that someone's an idiot and that no one recognizes your brilliance?

Do you allow yourself a few tears but then come back and think, Hmm. Is there any truth to what they said? How can I take this and grow?

(Note #1: There are some big life lessons there. This doesn't apply to writing alone.)

(Note #2: Large quantities of French Silk Pie have been known to speed along the grieving process. Anecdotal reports, of course.)

3. At some point, you'll have to step out of your box.

For that matter, you'll probably have to step so far out of it that you don't know where your box is anymore.

I'm naturally a very shy person. I feel comfortable chatting it up with friends I know well, but I have a difficult time making new friends. (Example: I've been in this neighborhood for about 8 years, and I don't think more than a couple of people really know me or consider me a friend. Sad, really. And largely my fault.)

But the moment you have a book out, you can't sit in your happy bubble with your computer, living in the little world of your own creation. You have to do things like book signings and speaking engagements and other things that scare the living daylights out of you, like talking to complete strangers about your projects, maybe even teaching about this thing you know internally but have never put into words. Even exciting, wonderful things can be terrifying. (TV appearances and radio interviews, anyone?)

4. Your safe little bubble isn't the best place in the world after all.

I've had some of the greatest experiences of my life since blasting my little box to bits and pushing myself to step into situations that were uncomfortable at first. One of the greatest benefits include amazing writing friends who are the best support system I could have. Another is the honor of being involved in things like the LDStorymakers conference and the inception of the Whitney Awards.

Or the year Heather Moore and I chaired the conference, getting to host the agent and editor who came . . . and then hanging out and talking with them for hours after the rest of the attendees went to bed. (One of many priceless experiences.)

5. There is no finish line.

Somehow we writers get the idea in our heads that when X happens, THEN we will have arrived. THEN we'll be happy. THEN it'll be easy. Or whatever.

Here's the thing: "THEN" never arrives. Really. Your contract isn't the end of the race; it's the beginning of a new lap. Every new step is just that: another step. There will always be another level to reach for.

And (here's a depressing thought) no, this gig doesn't get easier. You'll always hit the 2/3 mark on a manuscript and be absolutely certain there's no way you'll finish a book this time (or whatever your personal Achilles' heel is).

In some ways, that's a good thing. I figure that if I ever think that I've arrived, that I'm totally awesome and have this thing down, then that's also the day I rest on my laurels and stop caring about the craft, about my readers, about growing.

It's the day my work takes a nosedive. *Shudder.*

Growth is good; I never want to end up stagnant. So, no looking for a finish line.

Instead, work what's in front of you now and reach higher. Always.

Top 5 Things to Make the Writing World a Better Place

(Past Top 5 posts HERE.)

First, a couple of housekeeping items:

Still haven't heard from Dan, winner of the redundancy contest. He'll forfeit his prize if I don't have a way to get the prize to him by Saturday night.

Book signings for Chocolate Never Faileth (with FUDGE SAMPLES at both!):

TODAY (Friday, October 1)

BYU Bookstore, 5-8 PM

TOMORROW (Saturday, October 2)

Deseret Book Flagship store, SLC

4:00 - 5:30 PM

Now for today's post:

Top 5 Things to Make MY Writing World a Better Place

Writer's Digest had someone list the "top 5 things to make THE writing world a better place" in their top 10 issue.

I'm already taking the number down to 5, so I can change the premise, too, right?

Things to make MY writing world a better place:

1. A crystal ball.

Not knowing is probably the worst part of writing and publishing. Whether it's submitting and waiting to hear back for acceptance or rejection or trying to figure out which of your ideas would be most marketable, or a hundred other things, not knowing is simply the worst. If I had a little crystal ball to consult about what to write, what's the right place for it, and just the right moment to hit SEND, aaaah . . . life would be so much easier.

2. WordPerfect as the industry standard.

I love, love, love WordPerfect. It's the best and most user-friendly word processor out there. If a techno-idiot (like yours truly) doesn't know how to do something, you can muddle you way through figuring it out. (I have done so many a time.)

Not so with Word. That program, I swear, is of the devil. The newer versions are getting better, but dang, it's hard to figure anything out with it, and it refuses to listen to you, thinking it's smarter than you are.

When I first started writing, everyone took WP files: magazines, newspapers, and even my publisher. Not anymore. Now I have both programs, and I've been forced to learn Word, at least, parts of it. I still use WP whenever I can, though.

Because it's not lame.

3. A housekeeper and cook.

That person would also do grocery shopping and laundry. Man, having someone else deal with all that would free up so much time!

Pardon while I bask in the fantasy . . .

4. Have a body that needs 4 hours of sleep. Or 5 or 6.

As it is, I have a body that, to really function, needs around 8 1/2 or 9 hours of sleep regularly. Lately it's been about 7 1/2. Not good. (REALLY not good . . .) People talk about waking up early to write, and I admire that.

I hope they don't think I'm a wimp, but in all honesty, getting up two hours early is NOT an option for me if I want any semblance of a life (or if my children want a mom). Fatigue is a migraine trigger for me. If I cut out two hours of sleep, I'd wake up early, write, then collapse, whimpering, in a fetal position for the rest of the day. (I'm already paying for getting only 7 1/2 hours). But dang, I love the idea of being able to stay up late and get up early to get SO MUCH DONE.

5. A reward machine.

You know: I made my word count for the day/finished research on this article/completed an edit for a client/revised this chapter/sent out 3 queries. Immediately a truffle pops out. Or a coupon for a free massage. Or a ten dollar bill. There's always a reward, but you never know what.

I'd be so productive!

What would make your (writing or other) world a better place?

Top 5 Habits for Writers

(Read the past editions of my TOP 5 series HERE.)

Top 5 Habits for Writers

1. BIC.

I can't remember which writer first said it, but BIC stands for the #1 most important rule for any successful writer: BUTT IN CHAIR. If you don't do that, you'll never get anywhere. A blank screen cannot turn into a published anything. (And as an addition to this, remember what Heather said in the comments last week, if you don't SUBMIT, you'll never get published.)

2. Be curious.

My level of curiosity is rather funky compared the average person, but probably not compared to the average writer. Once it even got me the question, "Are you a nurse?" The answer: Um, no. I'm just weird and like reading about ways the body can die or get ill . . .

(I blogged about that one HERE.)

I say that if you're going to write, you need to have a bit of that child's wonder left in you, the part that goes, Why? How? Where? What if . . .

No matter the genre (serious non-fiction, personal essays, fantasy, whatever), you need to think about life in new ways. Mystery writers may listen to a news story about a crime and not just think that wow, how sad; you can see the wheels in their head turning. What was the victim thinking and doing? What the heck was going on in the perp's head and what made him snap? Did he plan the crime? How will the cops will proceed with the investigation?

Mystery writers will have curiosity about different things than fantasy writers, who will use a different lens again than a romance writer. But the idea is the same: ideas are everywhere, and we just need to pay attention.

Here's a wild idea: What if your hair color could change with your mood?

(One possible answer: check out Brandon Sanderson's Warbreaker.)

3. Thicken that skin.

Easier said than done, but oh, so necessary. If I can't handle honest (useful!) criticism, such as the kind I get from my critique group, I can't progress. I can't see the holes and missteps in my work. And when I get an editorial letter or have a call with my editor . . . pull on that skin!

Bad reviews are another animal; somehow they can wriggle under the toughest skin in spite of our best efforts. I know of a few authors who refuse to read reviews, even if they know they're positive. They just can't go there, or they'll drive themselves crazy.

4. Play nice; help others.

I cannot count how many people have cheered me, supported me, pointed me in the right direction, and more. This industry is one where the idea of "pay it forward" is huge. One big reason for that is the size of the industry: it's pretty small, relatively speaking, and the Internet has shrunk it considerably as far as how connected it is.

That means playing nice in the sandbox. Help others when you can. Don't be a diva. Don't talk smack about someone who upset you. If there's an industry where karma is alive and well, giving you exactly what you already gave, it's right here.

5. Enjoy the ride.

Another one that's hard to do, YES, even after you get that contract. No matter where you are on your journey, the road will have bumps and jolts. The trick is remembering to look up at the scenery and enjoy the ride in spite of the potholes.

Sometimes, part of that is stepping back and simply having fun with words and forgetting about that deadline or the next promotional thing you're supposed to do or whether you'll sell well.

It's remembering to have fun, oh, writing. Remember that little thing? When you drafted and made up scenes and characters and dialogue? Oh, yeah.

Sometimes it's important to simply let the other stuff (queries, rejections, edits, deadlines, promotion, and oh, so much more) get in the way of that single joy that got you started in the first place and remember how great it is to CREATE.

What are some of the most important habits in your trade?

Top 5 Pieces of Advice

Continuing my Top 5 series. (Click on the label to see the past installments.)

Top 5 Pieces of Advice I've Gotten on Writing

1) Write regularly.

As Billy Crystal said in Throw Mama from the Train (and, okay, as pretty much every writing instructor teaches), writers write. Well, duh. But it's so easy to call yourself a writer without actually sitting your behind in the chair, planting your fingers on the keyboard, and producing something. Regularly.

How you define regularly is up to you, but you if you go weeks or months without producing anything, you're not a writer. You might be a hobbyist who enjoys tinkering with words and stories, but you aren't a serious writer.

2) Read a lot.

This is right up there with #1. Stephen King in On Writing goes so far as to say he doesn't trust writers who don't read. I'm with him on that. My dear writer friend Luisa Perkins compares writing fiction to knowing a foreign language. Crafting fiction requires the writer to understand the "language" of fiction. To do be fluent in any language, you must study that language. In terms of writing, that means you must read. A lot.

I know writers who claim they don't have time. (Pshaw. One day, I'll put up tips for sneaking in reading time.)

But the worse excuse: that maybe their work will be influenced by another writer. Perish the thought! Mustn't read and be tainted.

Hah. Reading a lot (both in your genre and others) opens your creative brain. It allows you to come up with possibilities in plot, character, and even language that you wouldn't have thought up before.

And that doesn't mean copying another writer's ideas. It's unlocking the creative side of your head that can't be accessed any other way. (I've gotten ideas for stories while reading something totally unrelated. It's the process of reading that's important.) Reading also fills you up with new images, ideas, expressions.

Reading a lot is also a great way to learn how to write: Why did this scene work so well? What did the writer do here that made me so emotional? Why is was that plot twist so perfect and yet so surprising? Learn writing lessons by studying how others have done it before.

3) Learn both the craft and the business.

Do so by essentially joining the herd of writers. Go to conferences and workshops. Read books on writing. Study and comment on blogs. Follow editors and agents on Twitter.

The more you know about the craft, the better.

But. (And here's the icky part.) Writing isn't all about the words on the page. (If only!) It's a business, and if you understand some of the basic ins and outs of publishing, promotion, agents, royalties, and more, you'll have a big leg-up. Learn as much as you can.

4) Get thee to a critique group.

This is hands-down the best thing I ever did for my writing. Before joining my group (See who it now consists of on my sidebar there. I'm one fortunate gal), I had a few magazine and newspaper articles published . . . and a stack of rejections for novels.

The very first manuscript that went through the critique process from first to last page, getting feedback on plot holes, motivation issues, and highlights on plain old lame writing? That became my first published novel.

I needed outside eyes, solid feedback.

Is it a coincidence that that book was accepted out of the gate? Hardly.

5) Most people quit when it gets really dark. Those who succeed are the ones who refuse to stop.

I heard this sentiment at a workshop I attended waaaay before getting published. I knew in that instant that I'd be one of the successful ones. I looked around the room at the maybe 40 or so other attendees and thought, I can outlast all of you. I can outlast 2,000 others who start and will quit in a year or two. I'll still be standing when they've all given up.

I wonder how many others in that room are still going. (I know of one for sure, since she's part of my critique group!)

What's the best writing advice you've ever gotten?

Top 5 Writers I Admire & Why

Continuing my Top 5 series I started HERE (based loosely on WD's Top 10 in the current issue):

Top 5 Writers I Admire, and Why

1) Barbara Kingsolver

She is a true word smith, an artist. Her characters are deep and layered. Her plots are complex. And her language . . . dang, there are times reading The Poisonwood Bible where I reread paragraphs just to experience the beauty again, to roll the words around in my head. After finishing it, I put the book down half elated, half depressed because it was so good . . . and I'd never be that good.

But she's given me a level to shoot for. Even if I never make it, at least I'm shooting high and will get higher than I would have otherwise.

I admire writers who care about the craft and not just about getting published. Bestsellers sometimes sit on their laurels and let the craft slide a bit, knowing that their name will sell copies no matter what's inside the covers. Writers like Kingsolver don't do that.

2) Jodi Piccoult

I haven't read all her books, but every one I have read has done two things: 1) moved me and 2) made me think. Neither is easy to accomplish, but she excels at both. Like Kingsolver, but in a different way, her voice and words are beautiful.

I also love how she finds seemingly random topics to write about and researches them. It's the epitome of writer curiosity (and justifies my fascination with weird research topics).

3) Charles Dickens

My senior course as an English major was on him, so I spent an entire semester digging into his works, including some of his lesser-known ones (like Dombey and Son and Our Mutual Friend). I love watching how he changed as a writer over the course of his career. I love his vivid characters. How he manages to make big social and moral statements without preaching. Instead, he makes the reader feel in the injustice or the hate.

4) Jane Austen

Brilliant humorist who could poke fun at the specific period of and society she lived in while creating timeless characters and stories. The nerdy English major in me also loves how she deliberately poked fun at the two literary periods she straddled. (One of these days I'll blog about that. And some future day, I will visit her home and see her writing desk!)

5) L. M. Montgomery

Obviously. My love of her work began at the age of thirteen. My interest in her as a person grew as her journals were compiled, annotated, and published over the course of many years. My admiration, compassion, and, yes, even pity, for her developed as I read them. She was very flawed, very human. But she was also exceedingly talented and faced big challenges. Arguably, she's had the greatest influence on me as a writer than anyone else.

Who are some of the writers you admire most? Why?

Top 5 Essentials to a Writer's Life

Totally stealing this idea from the current (Sept '10) Writer's Digest. It's their "Big 10" issue, where every article and department has a theme of 10.

One section has ten best-selling writers, each given a question with their top 10 answers. I'm going to answer some of those myself, only keep the answers to five instead of ten. (I'm no Jodi Piccoult.)

Top 5 Essentials to a Writer's Life

1) The Right Tools

This definitely includes a computer, because you simply cannot function in the modern publishing industry without one. That is, unless you're Ray Bradbury (who still insists on using a typewriter). But he's Ray Bradbury.

Some writers prefer drafting in longhand, so their tools include a notebook and pen or pencil. I can't do that, in large part because my handwriting is atrocious. One of my best tools ever is my Alphasmart Neo. I've done more drafting on that puppy than almost anywhere else, and it's made drafting possible in places a laptop or other device wouldn't be convenient.

I'd include books under this category. A writer must read. A writer must research. Books are the lifeblood of a good writer.

2) Brainless Time

This is time when my brain can wander around and be creative, thinking ahead to maybe what scene will come next, how to solve this plot problem, what this character is really like. If I use my brainless time wisely, I'll be ready to crank out 1,000 words next time I'm at the keyboard.

Brainless time is critical for anyone who isn't a full-time writer. (In other words, those of us not lucky enough to have big blocks of time to write. Or, most of us.)

3) A Solid Internet Connection

This can be both a blessing and a curse: if I'm not careful, I can "just" check e-mail or "just" read one blog, and next thing I know, two hours are shot, with nothing written. That said, e-mail is how I communicate with my editor, how I submit articles, how I communicate with my readers, how I, oh, blog. It's how I stay up-to-date on the industry and trends. It's a must.

4) Rewards

These can be small, for daily goals (I get a piece of chocolate if I finish this scene/chapter/reach my word count) or big (I get a massage when I finish drafting this book). Or somewhere in between. Really, it's scary how well bribery works on your inner writer. It's such a baby.

5) Writer Friends

If I didn't have friends who are as weird and loopy as I am, friends who get me and the way I think, who have been there and understand both the highs and lows of writing and publishing, I'd completely lose my mind. The act of writing is solitary; I desperately need links to writer friends to breathe life back in to me.

What are your essentials?