YA Author Stacey Kade

Book Two–still operating under the title of Princess Poltergeist–is now officially turned in. Yea!!! I’m very proud of myself because this is the first book where I was under contract with a REAL deadline. I’m really happy with how it has turned out so far–my editor is awesome and will surely have suggestions to make it even better.

While I’m waiting for edits, I’m attempting to “relax.” I don’t relax well, honestly. And things are about to get rather busy, promotion-wise for G&G, so it would be good if I could take advantage of this momentary lull. But…not so much.

So I’m playing around with a few new ideas–unrelated to the Alona and Will trilogy–and letting notions for the third book in that series simmer also.

It’s always strange to be at the beginning of something again. I know, logically-speaking, that at the beginning of G&G, I started as I usually do–a curiosity about the story that won’t let go and the urge to see if I can do it, if I can tell this particular story.

In remembering it now, though, it seems it always felt like, “Yeah, this is going to work!” In truth, I suspect I was having fun trying it and felt a connection to the story, which made me want to see it through to the end.

So that’s what I’m trying to make myself keep in mind. I’m playing, writing pages to see if they will go anywhere or not and trying not to worry about whether they do or don’t. If I’m having fun, odds are, it’ll be worth it one way or another.

One of my previous day-job managers, who is writer as well, said that the uncertainty, the unsureness of whether you can write a particular project, is good. It’s an incentive. I didn’t understand that at the time. Now, I get it. I’m always looking for ways to challenge myself, improve my writing or explore different facets within it.

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Other stuff:

–Just picked up Hex Hall by fellow D-H author (and Tenner, I think) Rachel Hawkins. It is just awesome! Shaping up to be one of my favorite books so far this year.

–LOVE, LOVE, LOVED Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers. Kept me riveted.

–Only two more Fringe DVDs and then I’ll have to move on to a new show on Netflix because Season 2 isn’t out yet. Any suggestions?

–We saw Up in the Air (the George Clooney movie) and Percy Jackson this weekend. Up in the Air was kind of depressing, as I’d expected, but Anna Kendrick deserves all those nominations she’s been getting. (Also, I totally called the “twist” that everyone was talking about, much to my husband’s annoyance.)

Percy Jackson was…eh. I felt like they’d meant it to be like Harry Potter 1, but cast the actors like they were from Harry Potter 5, does that make sense? The actors seemed too old for some of the stuff that was going on. I don’t know why they didn’t cast younger, other than the heart-throb factor. Other than that it reminded me a lot of Clash of the Titans (the original), which only reinforced the idea that the new version of Clash of the Titans (now with MORE Sam Worthington goodness) is going to be fabulous!

Whew! Okay, the good news is my brilliant critique partner came back with very positive things to say about Princess Poltergeist and only a few relatively minor fixes were required. Yea! So, I finished those this weekend and rewrote the ending slightly, per her recommendation, and though I wasn’t sure at first, I now LOVE the new ending.

That is what’s wonderful about having a critique partner who really gets you and how you write. She could see more clearly the note on which this story needed to end and helped me see it, too. Which is interesting because the way we write, in some ways, couldn’t be more different. I have to have the whole thing written and nearly done before I can share it for feedback. She’ll shoot me one or two chapters at a time to get my thoughts. Our individual ways work for each of us, and I think it helps actually that our processes are so different.

So, now at the end of this book I feel, as I always do, that I’m kind of coming out of hibernation. It’s a nice but unsettling feeling. It’s good to have the time to go out for a spontaneous meal with two of my closest friends and their adorable kids, for example. So much fun!

But that huge chunk of space in my brain that was once occupied with Princess Poltergeist (and likely will be again, during edits) is for the moment unoccupied. Eeek.

I don’t like that. I spend a lot of time thinking about what I’m writing. While I’m driving, when I’m waking up, when I’m folding laundry, when I’m falling asleep. And right now, I have that frantic feeling of trying to seize upon something to fill those moments.

But I don’t yet want to start on the third book in the G&G trilogy until the major edits are done on PP because that could affect events in book three.

So, I’m playing with a couple of new ideas. Playing being the operative word. I don’t know if either (or both) will pan out, become something I want to work with. But I guess this is the only way to find out.

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Books bought recently:
–Gone by Lisa McMann
–Heist Society by Ally Carter
–Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
–Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
–Monster by Walter Dean Myers
–The School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer

Princess Poltergeist is now with my absolutely brilliant critique partner for review, and I’m in that panicky stage where I’m convinced that she’s going to send me a gently worded email to the effect of, “We need to talk,” which is code for “This is hopeless. You’re screwed.”

So, in an effort to distract myself, I’m blogging (obviously) and looking for interesting things to keep me occupied until I hear back from her.

First, I picked up Rachel Vincent’s book, SHIFT, last night on my way home. I’m so eager to read this next installment of her werecat series. (Please note: While Rachel does write Young Adult, this is series is NOT.)

Second, another DVD of Fringe Season One arrived yesterday as my Netflix–yea! It’s not the X-Files, which I loved, but I have always liked Joshua Jackson (Yes, even back in his Dawson’s Creek days) and the combination of humor and strange science is right up my alley. It’s kind of a relief, actually, not to have the Mulder-trying-to-find-his-sister type of plotline hanging over the show. Makes it possible to enjoy each episode on its own merits.

Third, I think I’m going to start taking notes for another book. Writing is one of those self-soothing things for me. So when I’m stressed about one book, it helps sometimes to focus on another.

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I also found a fabulous blog entry about writing and being a writer by Robin Wasserman (author of the awesome book SKINNED) on Justine Larbalestier (author of the equally-awesome-but-in-a-totally-different-way LIAR)’s site. Here’s a quote:

“Obviously there’s no absolute right or wrong way to be a writer any more than there’s a right or wrong way to be a working mother—there are about a million ways, all equally prone to setback and failure and second guessing.

And writers, at least the ones I’ve met, are extremely good at second-guessing. Not to mention self-abasement and paranoia. (As far as I can tell, the only writer not afflicted by this is James Patterson, who seems to have developed some kind of miraculous immunity.) They harbor the fear that they’re failures, that they’re frauds, that they’re lazy, that they’re hacks, that it’s just a matter of time before that bottom drops out or that whatever they’ve achieved, it isn’t enough.

This is partly because we’re crazy.”

I LOVE that.

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I follow screenwriter John August’s blog as well because I use screenwriting techniques in writing my books. Plus, I like the way he thinks about things.

Anyway, he posted this week about the advantages and necessity of being able to simulate powerful emotion on the page even when you’re not feeling it personally, at that moment. It was fascinating, and I found myself nodding in agreement with much of what he said. That distant observer part of you does kick in, even in the most trying of situations, to record stuff for later. I call it the, “I might be able to use this somehow” feeling, which is kind of creepy but part of being a writer, I think. We try to observe everything, including our own emotional reactions, to help us understand and relate to something else. It’s part of how we function.

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Also, random note, speaking of emotion, my sister pointed me toward Sia’s song “Breathe Me,” which I just love, and if Princess Poltergeist has the same ending that it does now, that is THE song for that scene. Makes me cry every darn time.

You guys, I have seen the cover for G&G–and it is GORGEOUS! Seriously, it’s like they were able to see inside my head and replicate exactly what I was thinking of when I wrote the book. It’s THAT good.

I love the models they found and the expressions on their faces are just perfect! Even the way they’re sitting is exactly right.

I love it. I want to print it out, put it under my pillow, and fall asleep with it there. No kidding. I keep pulling it up on screen, just to stare at it longingly.

But…here’s the bad part. I can’t share it yet.

So, as much as I’d love to go into Alona’s smirk and Will’s fabulous cheekbones…I can’t. Because you would have no idea what I’m talking about. Yet. And that’s just not fun.

But I’m so very excited I just had to share that news. So, I’m sorry for the tease and thank you for your patience!

Other stuff…

–Thanks to an article on Time.com (scroll down to #2 on the list), I went out and bought a movie called Carriers. I’d never heard of it before, but it has the new Captain Kirk in it (Chris Pine) and that alone was enough to raise my interest. And you guys? If you’re into the scary, post-apocolyptic (but no zombies) story thing, this is the movie for you. It was incredibly well done. What I enjoyed the most was the idea that maybe survival isn’t everything, which is kind of what they’re implying. You live, sure, but at what cost? Your humanity?

It actually made me cry when it wasn’t making me jump out of my skin.

Plus, there’s crazy drunkeness, breaking into creepy abandoned condo buildings, stealing cars and many other things we’d all probably do if the rest of the world disappeared.

–Did you watch the Golden Globes on Sunday? I was so excited to see RDJ win for Sherlock Holmes. And his speech, in my opinion, was the best of the night. I must admit, I was also thrilled to see The Hangover win. And not just because I adore Bradley Cooper, though I do. That movie was the best of the summer, in my opinion. It was refreshingly non-PC, borderline offensive in some places, and cringe-worthy at times, but also laugh till you cry funny and an interesting take on storytelling. To that point, I would argue that, structurally, it’s set up like a mystery, which is quite different and one of the things I really liked about it. Have you seen it? Would you agree with that statement?

–And finally, the new show on the CW, Life Unexpected, was really, really good. Originally, I wanted to see it just because it stars Shiri Appleby, one of my Roswell favorites. But then I learned more about the story and that only increased my interest. And darn, if it didn’t come through and meet or exceed my expectations. Like I need one more show to watch, especially on Mondays, which around our house is referred to as “Castle-day.” You can check out what Mo Ryan, one of my favorite TV critics, had to say about the show here.

Woohoo, look at me go! Two posts in the same month!

Right now, I’m averaging about one post per month. Sheesh.

I swear to you, once upon a time, I was prolific blogger. I had (actually still have) a blog under another name, and I used to be on there, writing daily. Now, my goodness, I can’t even handle Twitter! (I’ll be back there again soon, but it’s waaaaay to easy for me to get distracted on there. Have I mentioned Nathan Fillion has a Twitter? Yeah…trust me, I can waste hours hitting refresh.)

Anyway, I’m still working on revisions to my draft of Princess Poltergeist, which is an all-absorbing task, but so far, I’m MUCH happier with this version. That being said, between writing and working, I’m not left with a lot of time for much else. (Hello to all of my friends who I never get to see anymore! I miss you!)

Except movies.

I tell myself this is because they serve double-duty as relaxation and time with my neglected husband, who also loves movies. Really, it’s just because I like to go, and sometimes I think if I stare at my computer screen for five more minutes, my brain will explode. Which would be bad. (I would no longer be tempting to zombies, *sniff*)

So, in the last month or so, we’ve seen:

(Theater)
New Moon–(My husband was one of three guys in the whole theater. Yes, he loves me.) Less sucky than first. Jacob is awesome!

The Blindside–Sandra Bullock still kicks *ss. Love her. Wasn’t expecting to laugh so hard at a movie that promised to be a deliberate tearjerker (which I hate, but I attended this one to make up for dragging husband to NM, and I LOVED it).

Sherlock Holmes–RDJ and JL are fabulous together. I’m not entirely certain what the story was about, but it didn’t matter. Holmes and Watson are the reason to see this one.

Avatar–Hello, Sam Worthington! I loved you in Terminator: Salvation. You were the only thing that saved that movie from being yanked out of our DVD player, fifteen minutes in. I wasn’t as bothered by the CGI as I thought I would be, having suffered through Jar-Jar Binks (yes, I do mean SUFFER.) I thought Zoe Saldana was fantastic and in honor of her, I have decided to snarl ferociously, as she did, whenever somebody says something I don’t like. (It should be noted here that one of my very first attempts fiction, when I was a kid, was a story about people who had cat ears and cat tails, though were otherwise humanoid.)

So that’s about it for now, I guess. I’d like to say there’ll be more in this space soon, but with my track record, we could easily be looking at February. So wherever you are, I hope you survived the holidays with good spirits intact, you’re staying warm, and 2010 is treating you well so far!

Sheesh. I’ve been terrible about updating. I’ve been working on finishing a first draft for the sequel to The Ghost and the Goth, tentatively titled Princess Poltergeist.

I follow Anne Lamott’s school of thought on this and write “sh*tty first drafts.” (BTW, If you haven’t read Anne Lamott’s book, Bird by Bird, go out and buy it or check it out from the library now. Seriously. I’ll wait. This book, a gift from a talented writer friend, Karen, has gotten me through some rough writing moments. I refer to it often. :))

I love that this theory gives me the freedom to play around with ideas and to not be sure. The hardest thing for me in a first draft is to be sure of anything. Of course, the down side is once you get to the end, you have to go back and start sorting it out. But there’s pleasure in that, too, seeing all the pieces come together…usually after days, if not weeks, of banging your head against the wall and feeling convinced that you’ve written yourself a big pile of poo that cannot be salvaged in any way and you might as well give up and become…well, whatever job it is you’ve been avoiding on the premise that you might be able to write, which, clearly, now you can’t. And so on and so forth.

And no matter how many times you go through this process, you ALWAYS feel the same way. This is my sixth book. One drawer manuscript (or trunk novel, as some call it), three adult novels, and one YA (so far). I keep thinking it will get easier. In some ways it does, and in others…nope.

So that’s where I am now. Don’t get me wrong, I love it…even as it feels like it’s killing me. But obsessing, freaking out, and worrying over a sh*tty first draft is an all-consuming process for me. Hence my absence and probably continued absence for a bit.

But I wanted to at least share what was going on because, if you’re anything like me, you’re convinced that everyone else writes a perfect draft the first time around…or at least one that can be turned into something good with just a few minor tweaks here and there. But nope. (And if I’m wrong about this and the rest of you are out there cranking out perfect first drafts without breaking a sweat, please for the love of God, don’t tell me! Unless you’re going to teach me how you do it…)

Ack! Sorry, I’ve missed the last few Wednesdays. My birthday was in there, as was an out-of-town visit and one week of sickness.

But I’m better now (and older), so back to our regularly scheduled blog!

One of the questions I’m asked most often is, where do you get your ideas?

And honestly, I still don’t have a good answer. I’m sure it’s a combination of life experiences, plus things I’ve read, seen, heard, etc. and a flash of something other that binds them all together in some new way.

All I know for sure is that I love it when new ideas whisper in my ear. And yes, that’s usually the way it happens. Someone new appears on scene to tell me some little snippet about themselves or their situation.

The hardest part for me always is figuring out WHICH idea to pursue. Some of these have been hanging around, waiting in the wings, for literally years. Something about them calls to me, or else they wouldn’t still be in the idea file. (I have both paper and electronic files labled “Ideas.”)

I found this in an article on CNN today, which I found interesting:

“In an interview with Betsy Morris of Fortune, Steve Jobs offered an interesting and, typically, upside-down perspective on focus: ‘People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the 100 other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the many things we haven’t done as the things we have done.’”

Lately I’ve been preoccupied with the concept of finding the “right” idea. I think I’ve always thought that some story ideas are more complete, more functional than others. Or, that others are flawed from the get-go, despite their many appealing qualities, and no matter how much work or time or effort you put into them, they are doomed from the start.

It makes me anxious to think like that because then it feels a bit like gambling when you have to choose what next to work on. You have to bet on the right horse, or you’ll end up broke (i.e. 150 pages in and no story, or worse, a story you hate.)

And that may be partially true…some ideas may be more complete than others from the beginning. But better? I don’t know. Mind you, I’m not talking about their sale-ability or their potential for bestseller-dom, merely an idea’s potential for becoming a complete and functional story.

The more I think about this, the more I wonder if it’s less about the idea and more about me. The theory that some ideas are “better” than others seems kind of flawed (aside from obvious technique issues or marketing/sales impracticalities–like a love story with zombies or something, but I bet someone will find a way to make even that work).

I’ve read so many books that took delightfully unusual concepts–ones that people would say, “Oh, that’ll never work,” and executed them brilliantly. Others that have taken tried-and-true stories and flipped them upside down in some way for a fresh perspective.

I’m beginning to wonder if the x-factor is author interest/commitment. For me, some ideas require more development to turn them from a little kernel into a full blown…uh, whatever a kernel becomes. Ear of corn? Popcorn?

And sometimes in that development process, I get wishy-washy. I like these people, but if I don’t know their story, I’m floundering. Sometimes, to make them part of a story, I have to change things about them or their situation. And then…all of a sudden the developing story isn’t as interesting to me as the kernel was. Or maybe there are too many choices and the process of figuring it out suddenly seems overwhelming and not fun.

Fun. I seriously do think that’s the key. I write because I love it, because it’s fun for me. Not all the time, not every day, and it’s a LOT of hard work, but there are certainly more good days than bad. Otherwise, I wouldn’t do it. Nobody would.

And I have to know enough about the characters and where the story is going to be able to relax enough to have fun.

So maybe that’s the litmus test I’ve been looking for. Not is this the “right” idea…but will it be fun? Am I excited about seeing these scenes play out on paper? Do I know enough about this story that I’ll enjoy seeing it come to life? Or is it more of a vague notion than an idea?

Hmmm. It’s something worth thinking about, at least.

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Random Stuff:
–Liar by Justine Larbalestier is fascinating and unsettling. I highly recommend it, but you should come to it with no expectations (or spoilers). Seriously. I finished it two days ago and I’m STILL thinking about it.

–I CANNOT wait for “V” to start next week! November 3 on ABC, people!

–I am SO enjoying my Kindle, which I got for my birthday. I’ll be writing up my experiences about it probably for next week. I have the most fun downloading the free samples to my Kindle and reading them on the couch. It is DANGEROUS, you guys, how easy it is to buy books this way.

I missed my blog post the other day! So, to make up for it, I’m posting today. I created the following as a handout for my talk at Barrington High School. Thought others might find it interesting as well.

Top 10 Myths about Being an Author

1. Professional authors get the story right in the first draft, leaving only minor grammatical errors to be addressed in a second draft.

False. Oh, I wish this one was true, but no. Most of us survive by writing really crappy first drafts and then making them better in second, third and fourth—or more—drafts. Otherwise, the pressure to be perfect is too much, and we won’t write anything at all.

2. You have to know someone in the industry to get your book published.

False…sort of. Some people work for years with their agent and editor without having ever met them in person. They sent their manuscript in, and the agent/editor fell in love. However, in my experience, most people find it a HUGE help to have contacts. Getting out and meeting other writers, agents and editors at conferences can make a big difference. I’ve reached this point in my career primarily because of one person: my mentor, Linnea Sinclair.

3. Once you’ve sold a book, you’ve got it made. Watch for the money to start rolling in.

Uh, false. With the exception of J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Stephen King, etc., most of us are not millionaires. Not even close. You have to write because you love it. If money follows, that’s even better.

4. If vampires are really hot right now, you should write about vampires.

False. You do need to pay attention to the market—what kind of books are selling well—but that should not be your sole consideration. The books on the shelves now were bought by publishers a year ago or more. A trend that was hot then may not be hot now. Also, writers are more passionate about stories and characters that truly interest and engage them. That passion will show through to the agents and editors reviewing your work. So, don’t write vampires just to write vampires. Write the story that speaks to you.

5. The key to being a successful writer is practicing self-discipline and being persistent.

True! There’s an old saying in the “industry” that goes something like this: What’s the difference between an unpublished author and a published one? Persistence. The one who is published just didn’t give up. Self-discipline is all about BICHOK—Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard—even when you don’t feel like it.

6. Writing is an art and a business.

True. What this means for you—you need to write a story that YOU love, but you must also understand that getting it published and on the shelf is a BUSINESS. That means, you have to keep in mind what makes a book saleable, what publishers (editors, specifically) are seeking, and that your artistic vision is subject to bottom line considerations (i.e. making money).

So, if it’s the book of your heart, write your 400,000 word romance novel set on Mars with a rotting zombie as the hero. But be prepared for a bit of an uphill battle when it comes to getting it published. (Love scenes with a zombie=ewww!) That being said, if it’s good, really good, someone will be interested.

7. Once you’ve written the book, your job as the author is finished.
Nope, not even close to true. Aside from the various rounds of edits and copy edits from your editor and copy editor, you also have to be thinking about cover concepts (if you want to have input on your cover, and trust me, you do), promotional items, websites, signings, contests, reviews, getting the word of mouth started. Your next book deal may depend on how well your previous book sells.

8. All successful authors outline their stories ahead of time.

False. This is one of the most fiercely debated topics in the writing community. Plotters vs. Pantsers. There are people who outline every single scene, and others who start off with nothing more than an idea. Typically, even “pantsers” have a vision of the end to help guide them. And plotters admit that sometimes the story doesn’t quite unfold as they envisioned it in outline form and they have to remain open to changes as the story progresses.

As a former “pantser,” I must admit my methods have changed. With contracts and deadlines a part of my writing life now, I’m much more apt to sketch out a vague idea of who everyone is, what they want, and why they want it before I jump in with both feet.

9. You need to be older before you can become an author.

False! There are many young authors out there. Christopher Paolini became a NY-Times Bestselling author at 19, and Amelia Atwater-Rhodes published her first novel at 14.

10. To be a successful writer, you need to read a lot.

True. I’ve heard rumors of writers who manage to write without reading, but I’ve never met one. And I’ve met lots of writers. One hopes you’re inspired to write stories because you enjoy reading them. Like a musician learning to play by ear, a writer learns to write by reading. Some of this happens on a subconscious level. As you start to write, you’ll draw on this subconscious knowledge. You’ll know when your story takes a wrong turn, even if you don’t know why. It’s like hearing a wrong note in a song. Consciously analyzing and picking apart a well-written story (i.e. one you enjoyed or made you feel something) is also a useful exercise. Why does a certain story or character work? How did the author make you care about what happens?

One of the things I love most about writing is watching the movie of it play in my head. Scenes play out in my head, just like on a screen. The trouble is sometimes I have no idea who these people are, why they’re doing what they’re doing, or what comes before or after the moment playing in my head.

This is something I’m still working on how best to understand and cultivate, honestly. Before, when this would happen, I would eagerly leap into writing those scenes, banking on the fact that eventually the story would come. The scenes before and after would make sense, the motivations for the actions I was seeing would eventually become clear. Sometimes they did. Other times, I got sixty pages in and discovered I didn’t really have a story.

That was heartbreaking. Truly.

These days, I’m a little more cautious. Mainly because I can’t afford to go in endless circles for months at a time with deadlines and contracts and being a professional (yea!), nor do I want a repeat of that heartache and frustration.

That being said, sometimes it feels like you can’t know whether a story really has something until you’ve given it a little time to unfold. Then you’ve got at least a jumping off point from which to figure everything out. Otherwise it’s all up in the air and impossible to pin down.

So, I think I’ve decided to give myself permission to write the first three chapters in a given idea first before worrying about where it’s going. But only the first three. Then it’s time to figure out whether this idea and I have a future together or it’s just a fling.

I’ve got three ideas I’m playing with (yikes, that would be a total of nine chapters to write “just to see”) for books in addition to my Ghost and The Goth series. (Princess Poltergeist is and will continue to be my top priority, of course! But I’m thinking ahead because I like knowing what I’m going to work on next so it can start simmering in the back of my brain.) Not sure which of these ideas will end up being “the one,” or if it will be something entirely new, an idea that hasn’t even introduced itself yet.

So many possibilities…That’s half the fun, I guess!
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Random Stuff:
–Impossible by Nancy Werlin and The Hate List by Jennifer Brown were both awesome, awesome books! Highly recommend them.

–Glee rocks my world, just thought you should know.

–If you have a chance, check out my post–Mean Girls, Villains and Cheerleaders, oh my!–over at The Bradford Bunch blog and tell me what you think.

To give myself some kind of structure around here, I’ve decided that Wednesday posts shall be (loosely) writing related. Otherwise, this whole blog will be nothing but squeeing about books I’ve read and loved and reminders to watch cool shows. (Speaking of which…GLEE on tonight!)

So…

I spend a lot of time thinking about goals. Not just my personal ones, but the ones my characters have.

Everybody wants something. That’s one of the basic tenets of Debra Dixon’s brilliant Goal, Motivation and Conflict theory/way of thinking.

People have external goals–something they’re trying to achieve that can be seen or recognized through the senses. Completing a 5k run, for example.

They also have internal or emotional goals, which they may or may not be aware of–wanting to be loved or accepted or independent, etc. I want to make Dad proud of me, for example.

It occurs to me today (and I could very well be having a belated realization based on Dixon’s GMC work as I’ve practically absorbed it into my subconscious by now through so many re-readings) to wonder if there’s a kind of causal connection between the internal goal and the external goal.

In other words, if someone is aware of the internal goal or need, do they consciously seek out external goals they believe will also meet their internal goal/need?

In other words:

If you have a character who is, for example, seeking acceptance or reassurance of being accepted, does said character then have an external goal of being elected Homecoming Queen? If I become Homecoming Queen, then that’s proof that I’m accepted.

Or, if a character wants to prove his independence (internal), perhaps his (external) goal is to climb Mt. Everest alone or something.

My trouble is I usually know what someone’s external goal is first, and working backwards isn’t as easy. There can be any number of internal (emotional) goals driving the establishment of an external goal.

For example, our mountain climber could be doing this to express his independence or he could be doing it to find inner peace, escaping the trouble and heartache of his life. The two would work out to be completely different stories with the same external goal for the main character.

What do you think? Are internal and external goals connected? Should they be?