Another little engine that could

Last April I blogged about not judging a book by its cover and the Susan Boyle phenomenon. Susan didn't win Britain's Got Talent, much to my surprise, and then she had a bit of bad publicity from run-ins with the media. I'm sorry, but you can't take a shy woman from a small village, splash her across television in front of millions of people and not have her experience a bit of panic and pique with the paparazzi.

American Idol started last week and on Tuesday night, at the Atlanta, Georgia auditions, audiences were given a treat during the very last try-out. AI has an age limit of 28, so I was surprised when a gentleman who was quite obviously much older than that came in to audition. He introduced himself as General Larry Platt and after a little fumbling he began to sing his original composition, Pants on the Ground.

Simon and Randy displayed their usual sarcasm. Kara smiled politely at first, then clapped and giggled. Guest judge Mary J. Blige dissolved in laughter. The General kept his cool. Then Simon uttered the famous words, "I have a horrible feeling that song could be a hit."

In case you didn't catch it on television, here it is.



In true AI fashion, there's a story behind the story, and it appeared the next day in USA Today.

General Larry Platt: A closer look

We all got a good chuckle Wednesday out of General Larry Platt and his Pants on the Ground song. Entertaining as he was, I couldn't help but wonder why the American Idol producers saved the last spot of the show for a 62-year-old guy with a funny song.

Now I think I know.

Take a look at the photograph on the home page of the Civil Rights Veterans Movement website. See the young man on the left, looking directly into the camera? That's Larry Platt, age 16.

"We had come by bus in 1963 to a church in Savannah, Georgia to plan a march to desegregate the city," Platt writes. "Reverend Hosea Williams and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were our leaders. That particular planned march was canceled and we were singing to raise our spirits before returning home."

Platt worked with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Georgia, organizing sit-ins in the South.

He was beaten during the Bloody Sunday march from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery.

He got his nickname, "General," from the Rev. Hosea Williams because of his heroic efforts on behalf of the civil-rights movement.

The Georgia General Assembly proclaimed Sept. 4, 2001, Larry Platt Day in Atlanta, because of "his great energy and commitment to equality and the protection of the innocent and for his outstanding service to the Atlanta community and the citizens of Georgia."

He remains a community activist in the Atlanta area and recently has become known for publicly protesting foreclosures.

If anybody in that Atlanta crowd deserved his 15 minutes of fame on national television, it was Larry Platt.

When he tells you to get your pants off the ground, you'd best listen.

True to Simon's word, Pants on the Ground has become an internet sensation, and last Saturday night I saw a young man who deserved a good dose of the General's advice. I didn't dare tell him, but on my way to the car I was hummin' the song.

It's still too early in the season to have much of an idea about who'll make it and who won't, but so far we've seen a few really good singers. And I'm looking forward to seeing new judge Ellen Degeneres once we get to Hollywood week.

Are you an American Idol fan? Whose your favorite winner to date? Or non-winner for that matter since quite a few of those have gone on to land recording contracts.

Ask us: Conference Edition

While the Playfriends attend the RWA National Conference, we're answering your questions about life, writing, and everything else on the blog. Comments are open and there are prizes to be won!

Avi asks: How much time do you spend doing research after you have come up with a plot. Does location play a big part of that research?


PC: Since I'm a pantser, I tend to research on the fly. Usually right after I've written myself into a corner. :-) Location is important, and I do research that up front, because I need to have a feel for where my characters are. I can't really say how much time I spend on research, simply because I'm usually in a panic, trying to figure something out so I can write myself out of the corner!

PM: My book is set in Atlanta, and while I was familiar with the overall layout and flavor of the city, I needed help with some of the details. My nephew attended Georgia Tech and my sister became very familiar with Atlanta during his four years there. Additionally she has to go to Atlanta on business at least once a year. So, she and I took one of our infamous girl's trips to Atlanta last December and scoped out all the places I used in the book. We stayed at the Georgian Terrace Hotel where my hero and heroine had their honeymoon, looked up the house in the Virginia Highland area of town that I'd patterned my heroine's house after and visited the Biltmore Hotel where I set a charity ball scene. After those three days of living in the setting of my book, it really came alive for me. Now let's see... wonder if I can set the next one in Paris?

SP: I am a plotter, but there are only certain elements that I research in advance. I'm not big on tons of research, which is why I could never write a historical. Usually I look up things as I go along, but I try to keep my book fairly general if I feel I'm treading into an area that I could really mess up with too many details. Currently, the book I'm working on involves a poker tournament. Before I started writing, I had to get a general idea of how they're run, the basics of the game, and how anyone could manage to cheat. Aside from that, I set a fictional hotel in a fictional location on the strip (smack dab on top of the Tropicana, actually, but I only know that because I lived there) and only add the specifics I need to make the story ring authentic to readers but not bore them with the mechanics of the game.

In terms of location, I tend to set the stories in places that have the right 'feel' for the story. I throw in seasonally appropriate details and landmarks that I look up online, but I'm not really one to make the location one of the characters. Its important where they are and how it impacts the story, but I don't use it that heavily. I do, however, let the location help me build characters, like proper southern ladies and laid back beach dwellers.



Insti: The short answer is that it depends on the book. I do as much research as I need to. Some require more - like Afterburn. I was dealing with a setting and occupations I didn't know, not to mention the military. I often don't realize I need a piece of information until I get into the writing but I don't want to interrupt the creative flow so I tend to write myself notes. My first draft is dotted with red text reminding me that I need to google this or that.



Location can play a huge part in the book. I do tend to try and stay with places that I either know or with making up locations that I use. Every place has it's own quirks and it's hard to capture those if you've never been there (or don't know anyone who has).

Angel: Since I write contemporary, a large part of my research is simply location. I make up most city or small town names, just to give myself some leeway, but I definitely check out the region. Especially pictures! I'm a visual person, so I love to google pictures and find houses and landscapes that give me a feel for the area. Otherwise, I just make notes in the manuscript about things I need to look up later, and do so.

Avi, please email us to claim your prize.

Ask us: Conference Edition

While the Playfriends attend the RWA National Conference, we're answering your questions about life, writing, and everything else on the blog. Comments are open and there are prizes to be won!


Patsy Lynn asks: I know that most publishers/editors have a minimum word count for submissions. I am new to submitting and would like to know if word count alone can get your manuscript rejected. Also, do you have any suggestions on where I could go to help me write my synopsis. What if your book is wonderful, but your synopsis falls short?

PC: Word count can get your manuscript rejected -- but don't panic yet. Part of avoiding this is doing your homework. For instance, Harlequin has a word count range for each line. If the range is 50-55k, your 100k masterpiece will be rejected. Harlequin just doesn't publish that length. At the same time, a story that's only 30k won't be long enough to publish.

But outside of the extremes, I wouldn't panic too much. A great story that's 5k too short is fixable. A great story that's 5k too long is also fixable.

For synopsis help, I recommend Charlotte Dillon's fab website (www.charlottedillon.com). You can also Google "synopsis" and find a lot of advice.

As the fabulous Miss Snark used to say, the purpose of a synopsis is to assure the editor that aliens don't suddenly arrive in chapter 14. Your synopsis just gives the editor a chance to see that you know how the book ends, and that it ends without an unnecessary alien invasion. The writing is what really matters. (Remember, you're talking to the girl who cut and rewrote everything after page 50 of her first book.)

PM has nothing more to add since PC did such a great job.

SP concurs. :)



Insti: Slackers. :-) But yeah, I agree with PC. I'd like to add not to let worrying about manuscript length infringe on your creative abilities. Don't get bogged down in minute details that in the grand scheme of things don't matter. What's more important is that you're writing a good book with believable/identifiable characters. Concentrate on that first. When you have a first draft - and only then - worry about things like word count.



As for writing a synopsis I like to use the layer method. Start with the things that are most important - and leave out everything else! Once you know how long the important things are (character, turning points, voice/feel of story, a tiny piece of backstory) you can add anything else that's important if you have the room. Putting a 50K word book into 5 pages can be tough but you need to be ruthless with what's important for the editor to know up front.

Angel: The only thing I have to add is for the synopsis: try to write it with the same voice as your book, so it reflects the tone and word usage of the rest of your writing. AND, if you don't have it by the time you're done writing (and rewriting) it, you haven't done it right. :)


*Patsy Lynn, send us your address to claim your prize!

More advice

I love going to the annual RWA conference. I just don't like all the stress of getting ready to go. You have to pay your registration fee right after Christmas. Then you monitor airline fares and pounce the moment you see a great deal. You have an email loop with you and the others in your chapter who are going too so you can all obsess over the new baggage rules and how to get enough clothes for a week into one suitcase -- especially when you have to have not only business casual but sightseeing clothes and formal wear as well.

But once I've pared the clothing down to bare minimums, squeezed it all into the bag along with shoes, toiletries, jewelry, et cetera, flown to the conference city, negotiated that city's transportation system and checked into the hotel, the stress falls away (mostly) and I'm ready to learn and see old friends and make new ones too.

This year I get to go to something new -- the PRO retreat. And I've been pouring over the other workshop listings to see which I want to attend. Wouldn't you know that a couple I really like are the same time as the PRO retreat? Thank goodness for the conference CDs.

Anyway, I thought I'd borrow from my last year's conference blog and offer a few tips I've gleaned from both past experience and some of my ever-so-helpful writing friends from around the world.

* Volunteer because it's a great opportunity to meet other writers. And you'll be giving back to the organization that gives us so much.

* Wear comfy shoes. Mine this year will be not only comfy but ugly. My leg cast will come off three days before I leave for DC and I don't want to stress my foot. So I'm going to polish up my boxy-looking black shoes with rubber soles and wear them for everyday so I can don my new Kenneth Cole sandals for the awards night.

* Take a jacket or shawl to wear in the conference rooms. They keep the temps at a level comfortable for a man in a wool-blend business suit, which means a woman in slacks and a blouse will have blue lips and goosebumps before you can spell Antarctica.

* The workshop schedule is online at the RWA site. Take an afternoon or evening and go through it. Make a chart with Word or Excel for every day you're at the conference. Write down the workshops you want to attend. Add the get-togethers with various groups of friends you only see once a year. With a schedule, the whole affair seems a little less overwhelming, especially if this is your first conference.

* Do not do as I did at my first conference and try to attend a workshop during every slot of every day. By Friday night I felt as if I'd slammed into a concrete wall. I had major brain overload. Select the workshops you really want to attend, and if it's a popular one, arrive early to assure you get a seat. Then when there's an hour where no workshop really calls to you, visit the Executive Conference Room AKA the hotel bar or the hotel coffee shop and rest.

* If you are targeting a particular publisher, be sure to attend their spotlight session. You'll get a world of information straight from the horse's mouth.

* Speaking of mouths, be careful what comes out of yours. You never know who may be at the back of the elevator car. It could be the editor who has your manuscript or her best friend. Be especially careful not to enjoy the ECR too much because loose lips sink ships -- and writing careers too.

* If you see someone who looks lost or scared, walk up to them and say, "Hi, my name is _______ and I'm from ________. Is this your first conference? What do you write?" Invite them to sit with you at lunch. Introduce them to your friends. A big part of this business is networking and just saying hello may lead to something big.

* One of my writing friends is really big on goals -- even at conference. She doesn't leave home without a goal in mind. I try to do this too and come up with something that is tangible and can be measured, such as networking with five new people or learning about several publishing houses you were not familiar with before the conference.

* I always take a new bottle of over-the-counter pain reliever. I carry it with me everywhere for my own aches and pains or for the editor in the elevator who complains of a splitting headache. This is a great way to make a new friend too.

* Remember to take your camera and remember to use it so you can take home memories of the week. I have photos of myself with favorite authors and love to go back and look at conferences from years past. Remember the charging cable too!

* If you take your cell phone, be sure to TURN IT OFF during workshops. Put in on vibrate and stick it in your pocket. You'll know when someone calls but it won't disturb the speaker (unless you shriek when it vibrates). And remember the charging cord for it too.

* Leave your favorite perfume at home. Many folks have allergies, and even if they don't, fifteen women all wearing different perfume in an elevator can be olfactory overload.

Have I forgotten anything? Please tell me if I have because right now my brain is beginning to turn to mush.

P.S. How on earth can it be July already??? Check out the new contest at our website. I'm going to help one person Run Away from Home.