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Rachel Hauck

Solving the Problem of a Paralyzing Premise

I was thrilled my publisher wanted a third book from me – and just a bit proud that the pitch I’d worked so hard on had done just what I’d hoped it would do: grabbed my editors’ attention – and landed me another book contract.

But what’s that Proverb about stumbling over pride? Yep, I fell flat on my face a few months later. That oh-so intriguing one sentence pitch had me in a headlock and refused to give up and say “Uncle,” so that I could wrestle it into a synopsis, much less a real story.

Beyond that single sentence I had a whole lot of nothing.

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Getting Personal with Our Readers

It’s one thing to endow imaginary characters with hopes and dreams and Dark Moments and Wounds, Lies and Fears. It’s something else all together to go mucking around in my oh-so real hopes and dreams … and hurts.

If we want to write real characters who make our readers laugh out loud or cry as they turn the pages of our books, they we have to delve into our hearts and remember the events and the people who made us laugh out loud and cry behind closed doors — or in public.

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The What and Why of Writing: Essence

At the beginning of a novel, a character starts out in his identity – who he thinks he is. By the end of the story, if you’ve developed the story correctly, he ends up in his essence – who he really is.

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For Writers: Three Lessons from the 2014 Winter Olympics

Yes, I’m on deadline — several deadlines as a matter of fact.

I have two blog posts due tomorrow and I’m slogging away at a novella rewrite that’s due March 1.

Even so, here I sit with my TV tuned to the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Am I wasting my time? No, not at all.

I have no Olympian aspirations, but watching these athletes have taught me a few things that are transferable to the writing life.

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