It's difficult being young and trying to be a serious writer at the same time. It's hard at any age, admittedly, but when you're young, people expect you to act stupidly, impulsively, and socially. Media and societal norms have led all young people to believe that to be "normal" is to be social and care-free. While this is good some of the time - it is not good all of the time.
Going to parties, art exhibits, sledding hills, swing dances, and coffee houses are great ways to get ideas for stories and to unwind after a stressful day. However, if you do this every day, you won't get very much done.
Especially if writing is your goal, you need to set aside time to work. If you write fiction, this should be every day. If you write poetry, perhaps once per week (though you can write poetry every day if you like). Creating a schedule helps a person to stay on track. It's kind of like a New Year's Resolution, but it should last longer.
For example: I decided I was going to start this blog. To make sure I didn't abandon it after my second post, I made a schedule. I write a blog post every Monday after class. I can't do anything else until I think of a post - no matter how big and insightful or small and tedious.
When you're young, you want to appear "normal," but following your dreams can mean that you have to make difficult decisions. Sometimes this means you have to snub your friends and their plans and instead stick to your schedule.
If you want it, you work for it. If you work for it, you can achieve it.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Inspiration: It's the Little Things - like Q-tips - That Count
Place: Far Reaches of Northern Wisconsin (my hometown)
Time: About 2:15 p.m. on a weekday I have off from college
Climate: Frigid with a Wind Chill (Of course, this is how I always picture my hometown since 9 months out of the year this description applies. So we're pretty safe saying this.)
I'm walking with my mother through the parking lot of our WalMart. We're going to buy me groceries that I need before I head back to school. I'm in an unruly down jacket about twice the size of me (I'm trying to bring it back in fashion). The trees are rustling with the wind, and the sound of cart wheels struggling through slush surrounds us. I'm watching the ground because that's how I walk. I'm clumsy and don't like falling in slush puddles if avoidable. It is there, in row 3, that I see a grayish outline on the pavement. The object is so compacted that it looks like it's been in the pavement for years - simply a discoloration in the asphalt. But then I recognize the shape. It is the tiny barbell shape of a Q-tip. It has been soaked through with Wisconsin half-rain precipitation and rolled over by all-wheel drive vehicles, but it is a Q-tip nonetheless.
This one tiny object desecrated in the parking lot of a superstore giant files itself into the "I don't see that everyday" category of my brain.
End Scene.
***
Right about now you're thinking: "Great, Alyssa, you saw a Q-tip in a parking lot, nice observational skills. Now what does this have to do with writing or me?" Well, as we all know, before you can start writing anything that isn't a brainstorm, you need an idea. You need inspiration. Often inspiration can prove to be the most illusive part of writing - especially when you're on a deadline and stuck with no ideas. I've been asked many times by other writers or friends dabbling in a writing course, "How do you come up with story ideas?"
The answer is simple. This Q-tip was an idea. It gave me a tiny nugget of inspiration when I said, "Hey!" in my mind. It was stored in the compartments of my brain that I can sometimes access at will (i.e. whenever I'm not taking a test). Now, nothing came of this Q-tip for a very long time. I got my groceries, went back to class, continued doing homework. It wasn't until I had a story set in a parking lot that the Q-tip emerged from my mind, and I used it in my story. The Q-tip idea collided with perhaps a thousand other experiences I've had and gave me the inspiration for this story.
Even though it is commonly thought, every "inspirational activity" doesn't have to be massive and life changing. You don't have to go hang gliding in Paraguay to get a good story idea. While these experiences can definitely help, don't count out the day-to-day. A trip through the WalMart parking lot gave me a detail of depth and reality for my short story. We collect these details constantly because humans are nosy, aware creatures. Some other, more coordinated, human might have been looking up, watching the struggle of a mother trying to get her son to stop jumping in slush puddles and coating her jeans in the sop. These mundane experiences, unique to every one of us, are what give a story life. Because I know, had I been looking up instead of at the pavement, I probably would have seen this event taking place. In fact, I have seen it a few times while people watching from a stationary location. And these details do not have to be the center event for every story. My short story had nothing to do with Q-tips crushed into parking lot asphalt. But these inspirational nuggets of detail help to make a story deep, original, and believable. They also help a writer to get something on the page so a story can (hopefully) follow.
In short, ideas and inspiration come from every corner of life. They come when you're planning them (like Paraguay) and they come when you're not even thinking about writing (like the Q-tip). If you're having trouble finding ideas for stories or poems, don't worry. Breathe. Take a break from writing and go to the store, to a museum, or out for Chinese. See what happens. Make sure you store any happenings in your brain or write them down. Inspiration will find you anywhere, as long as you are aware enough to notice it.
Time: About 2:15 p.m. on a weekday I have off from college
Climate: Frigid with a Wind Chill (Of course, this is how I always picture my hometown since 9 months out of the year this description applies. So we're pretty safe saying this.)
I'm walking with my mother through the parking lot of our WalMart. We're going to buy me groceries that I need before I head back to school. I'm in an unruly down jacket about twice the size of me (I'm trying to bring it back in fashion). The trees are rustling with the wind, and the sound of cart wheels struggling through slush surrounds us. I'm watching the ground because that's how I walk. I'm clumsy and don't like falling in slush puddles if avoidable. It is there, in row 3, that I see a grayish outline on the pavement. The object is so compacted that it looks like it's been in the pavement for years - simply a discoloration in the asphalt. But then I recognize the shape. It is the tiny barbell shape of a Q-tip. It has been soaked through with Wisconsin half-rain precipitation and rolled over by all-wheel drive vehicles, but it is a Q-tip nonetheless.
This one tiny object desecrated in the parking lot of a superstore giant files itself into the "I don't see that everyday" category of my brain.
End Scene.
***
Right about now you're thinking: "Great, Alyssa, you saw a Q-tip in a parking lot, nice observational skills. Now what does this have to do with writing or me?" Well, as we all know, before you can start writing anything that isn't a brainstorm, you need an idea. You need inspiration. Often inspiration can prove to be the most illusive part of writing - especially when you're on a deadline and stuck with no ideas. I've been asked many times by other writers or friends dabbling in a writing course, "How do you come up with story ideas?"
The answer is simple. This Q-tip was an idea. It gave me a tiny nugget of inspiration when I said, "Hey!" in my mind. It was stored in the compartments of my brain that I can sometimes access at will (i.e. whenever I'm not taking a test). Now, nothing came of this Q-tip for a very long time. I got my groceries, went back to class, continued doing homework. It wasn't until I had a story set in a parking lot that the Q-tip emerged from my mind, and I used it in my story. The Q-tip idea collided with perhaps a thousand other experiences I've had and gave me the inspiration for this story.
Even though it is commonly thought, every "inspirational activity" doesn't have to be massive and life changing. You don't have to go hang gliding in Paraguay to get a good story idea. While these experiences can definitely help, don't count out the day-to-day. A trip through the WalMart parking lot gave me a detail of depth and reality for my short story. We collect these details constantly because humans are nosy, aware creatures. Some other, more coordinated, human might have been looking up, watching the struggle of a mother trying to get her son to stop jumping in slush puddles and coating her jeans in the sop. These mundane experiences, unique to every one of us, are what give a story life. Because I know, had I been looking up instead of at the pavement, I probably would have seen this event taking place. In fact, I have seen it a few times while people watching from a stationary location. And these details do not have to be the center event for every story. My short story had nothing to do with Q-tips crushed into parking lot asphalt. But these inspirational nuggets of detail help to make a story deep, original, and believable. They also help a writer to get something on the page so a story can (hopefully) follow.
In short, ideas and inspiration come from every corner of life. They come when you're planning them (like Paraguay) and they come when you're not even thinking about writing (like the Q-tip). If you're having trouble finding ideas for stories or poems, don't worry. Breathe. Take a break from writing and go to the store, to a museum, or out for Chinese. See what happens. Make sure you store any happenings in your brain or write them down. Inspiration will find you anywhere, as long as you are aware enough to notice it.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Dedication
In class today, some of my fellow students presented a slideshow on Great Thinkers. They covered musicians, writers, and philosophers. The task was to get the rest of us thinking about how we classify and identify great thinkers. Ideas bounced around rather lethargically. It's snowing again here, and everyone is ready for winter to end. (In fact, I'm wearing floral pants in protest of the weather.)
But eventually, and with some prodding from our professor, we came upon what I feel is the greatest attribute of all the people they mentioned: Dedication.
Never mind how much money someone has, the amount of free time they can spend stroking their beard and smoking their pipe, or whether they had a traumatic childhood; the real common denominator amongst all great thinkers is dedication to their craft.
Especially now, we all have access to almost any type of information we want. A quick internet search will reveal mountains of information out there. Also, almost every town has a library within 20 miles of it. I know, I know, libraries. The travel time, the cost of gas, the walking up stairs and across floors - it's harder than Google. But the great thing about libraries is the information in the published books and articles is already fact checked and edited for you to rely on.
Take Bach, Aristotle, or (my favorite) Virginia Woolf - all were dedicated.
Whether you're dedicated to writing, music, philosophy, technology, or any other field, it is dedication to your particular task that will prove to be beneficial in the long run. Do some internet searching, read blogs and ebooks and how-tos, or go to the library and find your section. While you are there, know that, yes, dedication to one thing will mean that something else will have to suffer. Say you spend all your time perfecting your novel. In essence, your gardening or cooking will suffer in turn. This is the way of the world. With something good - a change for the better - comes a sacrifice. However, I want to point your attention to a quote I heard the other day. It goes something like,
"Good is the enemy of Great."
It is a modern spin on an old Voltaire quote from the 1700s. Basically, it is saying that doing something so that it is "good" is getting in the way of pursuing it until it is "great." And you'll only come to be a Great Thinker through dedication. The internet has negated our excuse to lack of resources. We can no longer stop when it's good enough. We must strive for greatness. Otherwise, we'll go nowhere.
I leave you to ponder.
Never mind how much money someone has, the amount of free time they can spend stroking their beard and smoking their pipe, or whether they had a traumatic childhood; the real common denominator amongst all great thinkers is dedication to their craft.
Especially now, we all have access to almost any type of information we want. A quick internet search will reveal mountains of information out there. Also, almost every town has a library within 20 miles of it. I know, I know, libraries. The travel time, the cost of gas, the walking up stairs and across floors - it's harder than Google. But the great thing about libraries is the information in the published books and articles is already fact checked and edited for you to rely on.
Take Bach, Aristotle, or (my favorite) Virginia Woolf - all were dedicated.
Whether you're dedicated to writing, music, philosophy, technology, or any other field, it is dedication to your particular task that will prove to be beneficial in the long run. Do some internet searching, read blogs and ebooks and how-tos, or go to the library and find your section. While you are there, know that, yes, dedication to one thing will mean that something else will have to suffer. Say you spend all your time perfecting your novel. In essence, your gardening or cooking will suffer in turn. This is the way of the world. With something good - a change for the better - comes a sacrifice. However, I want to point your attention to a quote I heard the other day. It goes something like,
"Good is the enemy of Great."
It is a modern spin on an old Voltaire quote from the 1700s. Basically, it is saying that doing something so that it is "good" is getting in the way of pursuing it until it is "great." And you'll only come to be a Great Thinker through dedication. The internet has negated our excuse to lack of resources. We can no longer stop when it's good enough. We must strive for greatness. Otherwise, we'll go nowhere.
I leave you to ponder.
Monday, February 4, 2013
First Draft - the two approaches
I normally belong to the camp that says when you have an idea, the inspiration to write, and the time, you should start your first draft and keep going until the whole thing is finished. Don't look back and revise, don't worry about spelling or comma splices, and don't get too bogged down trying to plan the whole thing out before you get going. Often the characters will take you places you didn't think you'd ever go. This is one of the most magical things about writing.
But there's another camp. This camp says that once you write a chapter or a scene, you should stop and revise it, either that moment or the next morning, before continuing with your story. I've even heard of writers who write a sentence and then spend hours revising that sentence until they think they've gotten it right.
Last year, I was forced to set up my tent in the enemy camp. I had taken an Advanced Creative Writing class, where over the course of a semester, I would attempt to write a portion of a novel. This course taught me infinitely more than I can describe here, but before I got to all the benefits, I had to show that my writing was improving through revision. That meant that I couldn't write my novel all the way to the end in the 4 months I had class. I had to write chapter 1, revise chapter 1, revise chapter 1 again, write chapter 2, revise chapter 2, revisit chapter 1, and so on. This process frustrated me until I was blocked - until I didn't know if I wanted to finish my novel at all. My professor noticed this, and at the end of the semester he told me to go back to my preferred camp. Over the course of the summer, I did. However, this experience in enemy territory proved very beneficial. I recently went back to that manuscript and read it through. I noticed how fleshed out the first (heavily revised) chapters were, compared to the ones I had zipped through after the class. Being forced to revise before the entire draft was finished helped me to realize my character in that particular moment, which in turn helped me to discover her true personality as a whole.
So, if you find yourself stuck in your draft - perhaps you don't know what your protagonist desires, or if your idea is original enough, or you're not familiar with all the paraphernalia your protagonist keeps in his glove compartment - switch camps for a while and see what happens. Sometimes (like when your grade is on the line) being forced to look back helps you to move forward.
Happy Writing!
But there's another camp. This camp says that once you write a chapter or a scene, you should stop and revise it, either that moment or the next morning, before continuing with your story. I've even heard of writers who write a sentence and then spend hours revising that sentence until they think they've gotten it right.
Last year, I was forced to set up my tent in the enemy camp. I had taken an Advanced Creative Writing class, where over the course of a semester, I would attempt to write a portion of a novel. This course taught me infinitely more than I can describe here, but before I got to all the benefits, I had to show that my writing was improving through revision. That meant that I couldn't write my novel all the way to the end in the 4 months I had class. I had to write chapter 1, revise chapter 1, revise chapter 1 again, write chapter 2, revise chapter 2, revisit chapter 1, and so on. This process frustrated me until I was blocked - until I didn't know if I wanted to finish my novel at all. My professor noticed this, and at the end of the semester he told me to go back to my preferred camp. Over the course of the summer, I did. However, this experience in enemy territory proved very beneficial. I recently went back to that manuscript and read it through. I noticed how fleshed out the first (heavily revised) chapters were, compared to the ones I had zipped through after the class. Being forced to revise before the entire draft was finished helped me to realize my character in that particular moment, which in turn helped me to discover her true personality as a whole.
So, if you find yourself stuck in your draft - perhaps you don't know what your protagonist desires, or if your idea is original enough, or you're not familiar with all the paraphernalia your protagonist keeps in his glove compartment - switch camps for a while and see what happens. Sometimes (like when your grade is on the line) being forced to look back helps you to move forward.
Happy Writing!
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