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First a synopsis of Dirt Bikes, Drones, and Other Ways to Fly:
Seventeen-year-old Arlo Santiago lives in a dusty corner of New Mexico where his two passions are riding dirt bikes and playing a video game called “Drone Pilot.” He’s so good at the game that the military hires him to fly real drones over Pakistan. However, Arlo is reeling emotionally from a violent death in his family. Will he take the military’s money and commit violence against a terrorist leader half a world away, or find another solution to his troubles? He’s got a lot of them, including a father who drinks, a sister with Huntington’s Disease, and a girlfriend who won’t let him run from his past.    

How did the idea for Dirt Bikes, Drones, and Other Ways to Fly originate?
It grew out of my interest in—and concern about—drone warfare, which offers today’s militaries “capability without vulnerability.” As Arlo’s dad says, “Capability without vulnerability! Where are the heroics in that?” I was interested in several themes. One was the idea that violence against the individual is, in fact, violence against society as a whole. Another focused on the importance of friendship and family in dealing with grief. A third was the tendency of technology to outpace human wisdom.
Tells us a bit more about the story.

Arlo’s mom was a victim of violence. His father, a laid-off newspaper editor, is a pacifist. The family desperately needs money to help Arlo’s younger sister, and Arlo is poised to become a major breadwinner. He joins the drone-missile program as an adventure, without considering the moral ramifications. But he grows increasingly troubled at the thought of the violence he might commit.

So the story raises moral questions for Arlo?
Yes, it hinges on the moral dilemma between what seems right at a universal human level—one that values all life—versus what would provide immediate help to Arlo and his struggling family. It’s the tension between what he wants to do and what he feels he should do.
Like Arlo’s dad, you worked in northeast New Mexico as a newspaper editor. Is the book autobiographical?
Only in small ways. For example, Arlo owns a scruffy standard poodle named El Guapo. I own a scruffy standard poodle named Django.

What path led you to writing novels for young adults?
Years ago, I met the acclaimed young-adult author Scott O’Dell (Island of the Blue Dolphins, Sing Down the Moon, and many more). I shared my literary dreams with him, and he urged me to start writing a novel immediately, not to concoct excuses or bog down in planning. That day is one of the most important of my life. It set me on the path to writing YA fiction.

Why do you write for young adults?
I thought it would be easier than writing for grownups. (Man, was I was wrong.) Also, I had three teenagers in my life. My son, in particular, liked to bring home a pack of “big-personality” buddies whose collective voice mixed confidence, arrogance, enthusiasm, laziness, courage, cowardice, cadence, and more. I’d be doing dishes or driving them somewhere and these boys would be handing me golden nuggets, so to speak. They became role models for “The Thicks” in my first book, Adios, Nirvana.

How would you describe your writing process?
Kurt Vonnegut divided all writers into two groups, “bashers” and “swoopers.” I’m a basher, a slow writer who tries to perfect each paragraph before moving to the next. (Swoopers are fast, yet a bit sloppy.) In the morning, I pour some coffee, and get to work. I bash and bash. Only when I’ve bashed all the bumps down to practically dust do I move to the next chapter. I wish I bashed less and swooped more. The best I can hope for is “swashing.”

What have you learned about yourself through the process of writing both Adios, Nirvana and Dirt Bikes, Drones and Other Ways To Fly?

I’ve learned that metaphor can be good medicine. Sometimes, it’s difficult for me to deal directly with emotional pain. In writing fiction, I’m able to project my shadow onto the wall of a different cave and, in doing so, work through my issues. As the story unfolds, the characters and I journey toward greater self-understanding. It’s a roundabout process, but it works.

Dirt Bikes, Drones, and Other Ways to Fly is a novel that clearly provides hope for the future. How important do you think it is to have that note of hope in a novel for young adults?
Hope is extremely important. I choose themes that are important to me. Foremost among these are hope, healing, family, and friendship. These are themes I’d like my own children to embrace. Life can be hard and seem hopeless, so as a writer I choose to send out that “ripple of hope” on the chance it may be heard or felt, and so make a difference.

And finally, what advice would you give to teens struggling to break away from peer group-imposed identities and create a sense of self?
All of us are great people in the making. One doesn’t have to be rich, famous, brilliant, beautiful, or an outward success to be great. One of my favorite examples from fiction is the fisherman Santiago in Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. (Trivial fact: I named my main character Arlo Santiago after Hemingway’s old man.) In the Hemingway book, Santiago starts out poor and ends up poorer. However, in the course of the story, he tests himself to the limit. We see his strength, courage, humility, nobility, and hopeful spirit. Each time we take a step closer to who we really are we get stronger. So my thought would be, if you can’t take big steps toward your goal now, take small ones. As with all goals (including writing YA fiction), time is your friend. So to teens who are struggling, I say be patient, practice, persevere, believe in yourself. Never give up.

Conrad Wesselhoeft worked as a tugboat hand in Singapore and Peace Corps Volunteer in Polynesia before embarking on a career in journalism. He has served on the editorial staffs of five newspapers, including The New York Times. He is the author of the young adult novels Adios, Nirvana (Houghton Mifflin, 2010) and Dirt Bikes, Drones, and Other Ways to Fly (Houghton Mifflin, 2014).

Click here to learn more about the Golden Coffee Cup.

Today’s "fist bump" high five comes from West Seattle author Conrad Wesselhoeft and his lovely daughter Jen:


Here are a few tasty shots of coffee from Conrad that I lifted off some of my manuscripts.(I am so blessed to have such a talented author write such helpful stuff on my manuscripts.)

Here's a first bit:

I’m concerned that the early paragraphs read more like a “telling” than a “showing.” Not that this is wrong--because the voice is so strong. Also, "telling" leads have been used to powerful effect by many successful YA writers. (This is classic Conrad; you can tell if you want but you better be brilliant.)

And more: On the other hand, your character seems bent on communicating a whirlwind of information right away. I'm not sure we need so much so soon. Information that might be better served as a full-blown scene. Would that scene be stronger if expanded, with full dialogue?

How about this great advice: I like this line’s snap and clarity: “I’m about fractals. They mirror life to me. …” These lines are good enough to open the book with. You have a good lead as is, but give it some thought.

or this:
Watch out for passive voice. A little's OK, but not more than that.

or this: Because this one line raises hairs on the arm, consider making this the end of a chapter, or at least a chapter break.

and last a cup of you-are-getting-there golden hot stuff:

Molly, I like where you're going with this. I want your character to go out in the world and become transformed. As a reader, I want to go with her. Others will, too.

I’ve had the honor of not only being Conrad’s friend but for a long time showing up at libraries and bookstores and bringing pages and spending hours going over our work making it stronger, better, richer. What a gift.

I hope these notes help you see the power of not going alone today. You are with friends. Keep working and come back for more of the hot java.

And here is a quote from his recently released novel. This one will really warm you up:

By itself, the moon rising is nothing. It's cliche. But the girl falling asleep and missing the moonrise is everything. It blasts the poem with pain and possibilities. Figure out what those possibilities are and you've got a poem. That's the secret -- to close your hand on jagged glass, then open it and find a butterfly. Conrad Wesselhoeft (Adios, Nirvana)

Day 19 of the Golden Coffee Cup. Whoo hoo! I can just feel the momentum. The euphoria is beginning. But if you're struggling, take a deep breath, wipe the slate clean, and remember again, this is yet another day with no mistakes. It's never too late to start a journey or get back on track.

No clue what a Golden Coffee Cup is? Click here.

Today is comes a toast-with-your friends high five. Clockwise Conrad Wesselhoeft, Me, Megan Bilder, Cathy Benson, Susan Greenway and Louise Spiegler.



Conrad Wesselhoeft, author of upcoming ADIOS, NIRVANA from Houghton Mifflin, offers more piping hot stuff. I'm sure it will super charge your work.

First, Conrad connects plot and a sneeze:

The way I plot a novel pretty much parallels the way I sneeze. That's because a good story, like a good sneeze, both contain:

1. The "inciting moment" when you know something's going to happen and all other thoughts fly out of your head.
2. The mindful build-up that contains a sense--and hope--of inevitable culmination
3. The culmination itself--very cathartic and satisfying.
4. The mopping up.

Next, for all the storytellers on this journey, Conrad puts our journey in a nutshell:

It boils down to the importance of storytelling. Sentence-writing and paragraph-polishing are important, of course, but storytelling is the key. This is not too different from what our ancestors sitting on the river bank, around the smoky fire, were doing 25,000 years ago. Telling stories.

And last from Conrad, a special key to help you move forward.

Faith is another thing--faith in self. It can be hard to sustain, in this funny business of writing fiction. Specifically, faith that what we're doing is important. (It is!) And faith that the creative mists of the mind will ultimately crystallize--that we will have that breakthrough. (We can only hope.)

Have a little faith today, folks. I'm sure you will find magic on the page. See you tomorrow for the next cup of hot java.

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. Anton Chekhov.

A friend might well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Whoop for day 18 of the Golden Coffee Cup! You have got to feel pleased today. Take time today to flip through your pages. You rock!

No clue what a Golden Coffee Cup is? Click here.

Today is another fist-bump. My friend and colleague, Conrad Wesselhoeft bumps fist with Seattle sports impresario and rock 'n' roll drummer Michael Kelly.



To me, Conrad W. is one of the best writers that I have ever read. He's got a book coming out next year called ADIOS, NIRVANA from Houghton Mifflin. I borrowed this from Publisher's Marketplace: ADIOS, NIRVANA is about a teenaged poet-musician who survives the first anniversary of his twin brother's death with the help of a dying blind man, the best group of thicks a guy could have, a demanding school principal who wants him to play the "pussiest song in the world," at graduation, and one very special guitar, for publication in fall 2010. Watch for it. This guy writes the bone -- sturdy, ageless stories that I'm so thankful that he's taken the time to craft.

He's bringing the java today and tomorrow. So Yay!!!!

First, Conrad offers some insight how to improve the structure of a novel, stressing the profitableness of revision. This should bring some peace and hope to you all, and help you press forward with your projects. Conrad writes:

The nice thing about the structure of a novel--as opposed to the structure of, say, a cathedral--is that the revision process lets you go back and add bolts and girders, without everything imploding. I'm finding with my book (ADIOS, NIRVANA), even this far into the revision, that adding one little bolt (just a phrase or sentence) in chapter three, for example, can definitely strengthen the rest of the book, in terms of plot. And yet I wasn't aware of the need for that bolt until now. So time, puzzling and pondering are great friends. They give answers, eventually.

I love this next bit about how to create a meaningful character. Here's another sip from Conrad:

I believe that the more a character "confesses," or shares, of his or her deep worries and feelings, the more interesting that character is, and the more the reader wants to get involved. A confessional tone can both relieve tension, and cause it. There's a fine line, though. Some writers are so agile, that their characters confess virtually nothing, but they imply much, through action. The challenge is to find the balance--how much to share.

Think about it? Are your characters confessing?

I know this is a venti java today. Thanks, Conrad. Come back manana for more, folks!

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. Edward Abbey.

Hey, folks, welcome!

From left to right. Back row: Louise Spiegler, me, Conrad Wesselhoeft. Front row: Susan Greenway, Cathy Benson, Megan Bilder.

(Note: this is not my only wonderful group. I'm blessed beyond measure when it comes to the writing journey.)

Now for all the Smackdown folks. You never finish books. You only abandon them. I always feel like a worn-out, wrung-out dishrag when I'm finished with a revision draft.

As promised, here are some tips to handle flaw types.

Typos- It's a good idea to keep a list of your most likely typos so that you can keep an eye out for them.

Stuff that doesn't make sense: You are working too fast. Slow down and give yourself extra time to think as you move forward.

Deleted stuff: Never really delete anything. I keep an extra file called the dump. Any time I delete, that bit goes into the dump and occasionally I do go dumpster diving.

Stuff I've got to move is orange. I use symbols to make moves, like "o, p. 22" and on page 22 you will find the 'o'. That is the destination.

Stuff that is awkward or needs better wording is yellow. It's called a thesaurus, folks. Use it and often.

Stuff that I need to add to is green. If it is short, I just write the addition on the manuscript. If it is longer, I often keep some lined paper nearby and freehand a needed paragraph and staple it to the page.

I hope one of these tips helps you.

Now for the first drafters, what happens when you are stuck? Yes, sometimes a draft grinds to a halt. This is the most disheartening thing ever. I've found a few things that can help this. You can try rereading the manuscript from the beginning. Print it all out and don't take a pen. Just read. This can jump start you. Another thing to try is to skip ahead. Jump to a section where you are sure what to do and get to writing. Here's another thing to try. Pull out the Hero's Journey checklist and start marking off your story points. Is something missing? The last one is stick the manuscript in a drawer for a month. Let you unconscious mind work the problem out. It will sometimes. Hope this get you out of any miry patches.

This week's playlist hit: Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey singing "When You Believe". I hope it inspires you to keep going forward whatever stage you are at.

No doodles this week, hopefully my computer will come back someday and my tech stuff will be set right.

So here is your quote for the week. Have faith, folks.

Faith is like radar that sees through the fog. Corrie Ten Boom