I finished writing a new novel earlier this month. After letting it sit a week or so, I started rereading it, revising, and sending preliminary drafts out for critique to my writing group.
Now, you must know that the idea for this novel came to me years ago - when I was only a junior in high school. However, all the pieces didn't click together until now, when the book came rushing out of my fingers and pounded in the keys of my laptop.
When I started writing just a few months ago, I began with a sentence (like all of us do). Let's call that Sentence A.
However, when I looked over my notes, I found another beginning sentence I'd written back in high school. This is Sentence B. Not only was it completely different, but it started me almost two chapters prior in the day than what I wrote in Sentence A.
So, naturally, I decided I'd play out what happened between Sentence B and Sentence A. Five thousand words of exposition later, I had a first and second chapter cluttering up the most important part of my novel - the beginning.
It's not like that information is bad, or not useful, or even boring. Things happen. Important characters are introduced. The world is set up.
But it isn't the RIGHT information. It's not the stuff that readers need to know about the protagonist and the inciting incident right from the very first page.
In fact, one of the women in my writing group said, "It's not like Sentence B didn't grab me. It did. It took me by the hand. But Sentence A grabs me by the throat and doesn't let me go."
The strange part about all of this is that I knew that Sentence A was better. I knew that I had to start my novel there all along.
And you know too.
You know when you read through your draft that that verb is too flowery or that sentence isn't right. You know when your protagonist's monologue that stretches for three pages is way too much dialogue and not enough action. You know that you had to start with Sentence A rather than Sentence B.
That's the beauty of being a writer. All you need is within you. You can feel the self doubt creeping in, whispering "that doesn't work." You hear it, even subconsciously, and it puts this seed inside you that makes you show your work to others and ask, "Hey, what do you think of Sentence B?"
Every time (if they're not lying to save your feelings), your readers and critiquers, and yes, your agents, know that you should cut Sentence B and all that precedes it.
The power lies within you. The hard part is learning to listen to it.
The reward, however, is great. I'd much rather grab a reader by the throat and have them tearing through my novel than lead them timidly by the hand.
Showing posts with label Beginning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beginning. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
How to Craft An Engaging Fantasy World
Sorry about the radio (or blog) silence last week, faithful scribes. I had my wisdom teeth and a molar removed and lost track of my regular life for a little while.
However, I'm back! And for your patience, I'm doing two posts this week to make up for it. The Bonus Post will follow this post shortly, so keep your eyes peeled.
Now, to get down to the real reason you're here. Do you love fantasy novels?
I sure do. I remember falling in love with them as a middle schooler when I read a plethora of fantasy and magical realism novels. Some of my favorites that still stand out to this day include:
The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville
Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
The Wayside School books by Louis Sachar
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
...and many many more that I read and that are no doubt stuck back there in my subconscious, guiding me everyday.
Have you ever coveted the ability of these books and others to stick so strongly in the minds of readers? How do these authors make everything so vivid, so readers never want to leave the lands they've discovered there? What makes a novel worth reading again and again?
Characterization, plot, and description all have a little something to do with it, but especially in the fantasy genre, setting reigns key. So, today, I'm going to share with you a few ways to improve your fantasy world and make it more engaging so readers are immersed and never want to leave.
1. Draw a Map: You've probably seen maps in the front or back of epic fantasy novels (think LOTR) to help characters know where everything is placed and how it fits together. Maps are especially important if your characters are going journeying through the land and the reader needs to keep track of many locations and cities. However, maps are also great for stand-alone novels that take place in a single town. You don't have to be an artist, a simple, sloppy stick-figure map is great so you can look back at it and remember where the grocery store is, the blacksmith, and especially how to get back to the enchanted sword the protagonist buried in chapter 6.
2. Write a Bible: The best story worlds are so engaging because there are clear rules that the characters must follow or there will be consequences. Now, you can't have consequences if you don't first know the rules of your own world. Sit down and write a bible for your land. What are the steadfast rules that cannot be broken? Who has magic and who doesn't? Why? Explore every possibility back to the Old Testament where wars were waged and won and lost to shape the world your protagonist inhabits now. One word of warning, though; if you write your bible before your begin your first draft, make sure you're flexible to changing it. Some rules might be tweaked or made more rigid in the writing process and you'll need to be able to change your bible to fit accordingly. You can do this because YOU are the god of this fantasy world. YOU make the laws. No one will come and smite you unless you do it yourself.
3. Info Dump: After you've drawn your map and written your bible, go ahead and open a new blank page. Info dump all over the place there. Tell us the history of this holy site and all the smells, feels, and sights of your protagonist's bedroom. Get all the exposition out of the way here, too. Really go nuts. Now that you've gotten it out of your system, open a completely different blank page and begin your first draft for your novel. Allowing yourself to have that info dump moment allows you as the writer to get familiar with the fantasy world and its characters before you bring readers into the mix. Now, you can pick and choose sparingly which details you're going to include where - so the story unfolds naturally and the reader meets and acquaints himself with your world in due time. You'll be able to write more freely because you won't be worried about forgetting some detail or leaving out too much because you've got it all saved in a separate document that will never see the light of day.
4. Steal From the Real World: If you're writing a novel with integrated fantasy elements or magical realism, this is a no-brainer. Your story could be set in Indiana or Scotland or some other real tangible place. Go ahead and steal that. Even if you're writing an epic fantasy in a new world of your creation, think of places you've been that may give you concrete details from our real world. The supermarket, for example, or the doctor's office. Maybe you have a favorite stream in your hometown your protagonist goes to think by. Steal from the real world because it gives readers something familiar to relate to. However, even if you are basing your setting in a real world place, remember that you're writing a fantasy novel. Go ahead and infuse the fantastical. Make up a new and interesting coffee shop where the cups float to you when your order's ready. Have dragons and rainbow colored goats walking the London streets. Take from the real world and the usual and make it something amazing.
So, that's it! My steadfast rules to helping flesh out a fantasy world. Even if you don't employ them all, using just one or two will help you to better understand your world and its rules and history. It will help you write better, deeper material, even if you're writing a picture book. It may also help you to uncover avenues of adventure you'd never thought of before.
Before long, yours could be the next book causing people to stay up way past their bedtime, engrossed in your world.
However, I'm back! And for your patience, I'm doing two posts this week to make up for it. The Bonus Post will follow this post shortly, so keep your eyes peeled.
Now, to get down to the real reason you're here. Do you love fantasy novels?
I sure do. I remember falling in love with them as a middle schooler when I read a plethora of fantasy and magical realism novels. Some of my favorites that still stand out to this day include:
The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville
Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
The Wayside School books by Louis Sachar
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
...and many many more that I read and that are no doubt stuck back there in my subconscious, guiding me everyday.
Have you ever coveted the ability of these books and others to stick so strongly in the minds of readers? How do these authors make everything so vivid, so readers never want to leave the lands they've discovered there? What makes a novel worth reading again and again?
Characterization, plot, and description all have a little something to do with it, but especially in the fantasy genre, setting reigns key. So, today, I'm going to share with you a few ways to improve your fantasy world and make it more engaging so readers are immersed and never want to leave.
1. Draw a Map: You've probably seen maps in the front or back of epic fantasy novels (think LOTR) to help characters know where everything is placed and how it fits together. Maps are especially important if your characters are going journeying through the land and the reader needs to keep track of many locations and cities. However, maps are also great for stand-alone novels that take place in a single town. You don't have to be an artist, a simple, sloppy stick-figure map is great so you can look back at it and remember where the grocery store is, the blacksmith, and especially how to get back to the enchanted sword the protagonist buried in chapter 6.
2. Write a Bible: The best story worlds are so engaging because there are clear rules that the characters must follow or there will be consequences. Now, you can't have consequences if you don't first know the rules of your own world. Sit down and write a bible for your land. What are the steadfast rules that cannot be broken? Who has magic and who doesn't? Why? Explore every possibility back to the Old Testament where wars were waged and won and lost to shape the world your protagonist inhabits now. One word of warning, though; if you write your bible before your begin your first draft, make sure you're flexible to changing it. Some rules might be tweaked or made more rigid in the writing process and you'll need to be able to change your bible to fit accordingly. You can do this because YOU are the god of this fantasy world. YOU make the laws. No one will come and smite you unless you do it yourself.
3. Info Dump: After you've drawn your map and written your bible, go ahead and open a new blank page. Info dump all over the place there. Tell us the history of this holy site and all the smells, feels, and sights of your protagonist's bedroom. Get all the exposition out of the way here, too. Really go nuts. Now that you've gotten it out of your system, open a completely different blank page and begin your first draft for your novel. Allowing yourself to have that info dump moment allows you as the writer to get familiar with the fantasy world and its characters before you bring readers into the mix. Now, you can pick and choose sparingly which details you're going to include where - so the story unfolds naturally and the reader meets and acquaints himself with your world in due time. You'll be able to write more freely because you won't be worried about forgetting some detail or leaving out too much because you've got it all saved in a separate document that will never see the light of day.
4. Steal From the Real World: If you're writing a novel with integrated fantasy elements or magical realism, this is a no-brainer. Your story could be set in Indiana or Scotland or some other real tangible place. Go ahead and steal that. Even if you're writing an epic fantasy in a new world of your creation, think of places you've been that may give you concrete details from our real world. The supermarket, for example, or the doctor's office. Maybe you have a favorite stream in your hometown your protagonist goes to think by. Steal from the real world because it gives readers something familiar to relate to. However, even if you are basing your setting in a real world place, remember that you're writing a fantasy novel. Go ahead and infuse the fantastical. Make up a new and interesting coffee shop where the cups float to you when your order's ready. Have dragons and rainbow colored goats walking the London streets. Take from the real world and the usual and make it something amazing.
So, that's it! My steadfast rules to helping flesh out a fantasy world. Even if you don't employ them all, using just one or two will help you to better understand your world and its rules and history. It will help you write better, deeper material, even if you're writing a picture book. It may also help you to uncover avenues of adventure you'd never thought of before.
Before long, yours could be the next book causing people to stay up way past their bedtime, engrossed in your world.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Bringing in 2016 with Lofty Goals
Hi all!
2016 is just days away and it's about time we started thinking about goals again. While it's great to have goals year round, there's something really exciting about starting the new year with a plan.
Many of us set personal goals: we want to lose weight, quit sugar, save more money for retirement...so on and so forth. But when was the last time you set a professional goal for yourself?
I surely can't think of it.
So, this New Year, along with my personal goal, I'm also going to set a professional goal. And it's a big one.
Drum roll please.......
Whew, I said it. No, I BLOGGED it, which makes it more real.
Now, this won't be my first novel. In fact, I've written five novels/novel length projects since committing to writing as my profession, but the other day I was thinking about how I haven't written something fun (like fiction, essays, or poems) in a few weeks. My life has simply been too chaotic with everything else going on. I'm sure you can relate.
That also got me thinking about my big novels that I've written in the past and how they really need to be revised.
So, that led me to the conclusion that I MUST write another novel in 2016. I currently have no idea what it will be about, who the characters are, or even where it takes place. I know nothing other than the fact that I will write it sometime this year.
The universe will give me the idea when it's ready and I am too. I'm sure of that. In the meantime, I'm screaming out into the void of everything saying, THIS is my year. Let's get this novel going.
Do you have any writing goals for 2016? Shout them into the aether of the universe by sharing them in the comments section.
2016 is just days away and it's about time we started thinking about goals again. While it's great to have goals year round, there's something really exciting about starting the new year with a plan.
Many of us set personal goals: we want to lose weight, quit sugar, save more money for retirement...so on and so forth. But when was the last time you set a professional goal for yourself?
I surely can't think of it.
So, this New Year, along with my personal goal, I'm also going to set a professional goal. And it's a big one.
Drum roll please.......
I'M GOING TO WRITE A NOVEL THIS YEAR.
Whew, I said it. No, I BLOGGED it, which makes it more real.
Now, this won't be my first novel. In fact, I've written five novels/novel length projects since committing to writing as my profession, but the other day I was thinking about how I haven't written something fun (like fiction, essays, or poems) in a few weeks. My life has simply been too chaotic with everything else going on. I'm sure you can relate.
That also got me thinking about my big novels that I've written in the past and how they really need to be revised.
So, that led me to the conclusion that I MUST write another novel in 2016. I currently have no idea what it will be about, who the characters are, or even where it takes place. I know nothing other than the fact that I will write it sometime this year.
The universe will give me the idea when it's ready and I am too. I'm sure of that. In the meantime, I'm screaming out into the void of everything saying, THIS is my year. Let's get this novel going.
Do you have any writing goals for 2016? Shout them into the aether of the universe by sharing them in the comments section.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
An Addition to the Books On Writing Series: BIG MAGIC
As you know from my Books On Writing post series, I read a fair share of books by famous writers talking about writing. So, when I visited my local library last week and saw Elizabeth Gilbert's new book BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR, I just had to check it out.
Image From Amazon (Book also purchasable there): http://www.amazon.com/Big-Magic-Creative-Living-Beyond/dp/1594634718/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449074141&sr=8-1&keywords=big+magic
However, this book wasn't the ABC XYZ step by step book on the craft that I was used to. Instead, Ms. Gilbert focuses on the most basic of building blocks upon which writing is founded - creative living. At first I though, well I don't need this, I already write and paint and draw and craft - I'm creative, dang it! I live it! But as I've read through (I'm about halfway now), I've found some helpful insight into the creative life that I've never thought of before or that I simply skipped over with tightly closed eyes.
In the "Permission" section of the book that I read last night, I found a delightfully put phrasing that applies so readily to writing and other writers.
To paraphrase the overall idea: Ms. Gilbert says that we need to defend our creative lifestyles (mostly to ourselves and our own egos) by first defining ourselves. "I'm a writer." Actually say it, out loud, to the universe. It is your proclamation of intent.
She then goes on to say:
"This proclamation of intent...is not something you can do just once and then expect miracles; it's something you must do daily, forever. I've had to keep defining and defending myself as a writer every single day of my adult life - constantly reminding and re-reminding my soul and the cosmos that I'm very serious about the business of creative living, and that I will never stop creating, no matter what the outcome, and no matter how deep my anxieties and insecurities may be." (Gilbert, pg. 95)
This paragraph is so inspiring to me because it reveals that even an extremely well known and successful author across nonfiction and fiction genres still has doubts. She still feels unsure of herself and her work. It's a feeling I'm not unfamiliar with myself.
So, whether you're just starting out as a writer and unsure you have anything new to bring to the table, or whether you're a seasoned pro unsure whether anyone wants what you've brought to the table all this time - know that your belief in yourself is enough. If you write, then you are a writer, and you deserve to be one. Your voice and your viewpoints deserve to be heard.
And just as you must dutifully work on your craft everyday, you must also affirm to yourself that you are enough in your creative life.
Go on, say it with me now:
Believe it.
PS> I highly recommend checking out BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert when you have some time. It's definitely going into my Books On Writing category. Both newbies and vets can relate to the primal info contained in this book.
However, this book wasn't the ABC XYZ step by step book on the craft that I was used to. Instead, Ms. Gilbert focuses on the most basic of building blocks upon which writing is founded - creative living. At first I though, well I don't need this, I already write and paint and draw and craft - I'm creative, dang it! I live it! But as I've read through (I'm about halfway now), I've found some helpful insight into the creative life that I've never thought of before or that I simply skipped over with tightly closed eyes.
In the "Permission" section of the book that I read last night, I found a delightfully put phrasing that applies so readily to writing and other writers.
To paraphrase the overall idea: Ms. Gilbert says that we need to defend our creative lifestyles (mostly to ourselves and our own egos) by first defining ourselves. "I'm a writer." Actually say it, out loud, to the universe. It is your proclamation of intent.
She then goes on to say:
"This proclamation of intent...is not something you can do just once and then expect miracles; it's something you must do daily, forever. I've had to keep defining and defending myself as a writer every single day of my adult life - constantly reminding and re-reminding my soul and the cosmos that I'm very serious about the business of creative living, and that I will never stop creating, no matter what the outcome, and no matter how deep my anxieties and insecurities may be." (Gilbert, pg. 95)
This paragraph is so inspiring to me because it reveals that even an extremely well known and successful author across nonfiction and fiction genres still has doubts. She still feels unsure of herself and her work. It's a feeling I'm not unfamiliar with myself.
So, whether you're just starting out as a writer and unsure you have anything new to bring to the table, or whether you're a seasoned pro unsure whether anyone wants what you've brought to the table all this time - know that your belief in yourself is enough. If you write, then you are a writer, and you deserve to be one. Your voice and your viewpoints deserve to be heard.
And just as you must dutifully work on your craft everyday, you must also affirm to yourself that you are enough in your creative life.
Go on, say it with me now:
I AM A WRITER
Believe it.
PS> I highly recommend checking out BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert when you have some time. It's definitely going into my Books On Writing category. Both newbies and vets can relate to the primal info contained in this book.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Forcing the Muse
My schedule didn't allow me to participate in NANOWRIMO this year, but I do have a handful of friends who undertook the challenge. My conversations with them has led me to understand one very important thing: Sometimes the muse doesn't come willingly. Sometimes you have to drag it.
One friend of mine sat looking at her computer screen for the first four days of November, slowly falling behind in her word count. She fretted over the fact she had no concept, no characters, no setting, and no plot line.
Her imagination was an empty void.
"I would have quit," I admitted sheepishly to her. "Not writing, of course, but I would have quit NANOWRIMO. Obviously, it wasn't my year."
The beautiful thing is: she didn't take my advice.
On the fifth day, frustrated and crying, she began writing down absolute nonsense.
My headphones are red. The cord is longer than I think it should be. I have a sugar skull eraser. I don't wish to use it in case I erase off the face.
Pages and pages of nonsense ensued. Two lattes were downed and refilled. Somewhere, along the way, her muse remembered how to walk, then run.
By the end of the week she had a character and a novel plot. Her setting unfolded and she caught up, then surpassed her word count goals.
All of us have been here at some point - staring for days, thinking it's finally happened, we've finally lost our ability to write creatively. In fact, as I write this blog post, I'm in that boat. I've been sick for three weeks and with the surroundings of a new state, new house, and new job, I haven't had much time to devote to writing. Now throw in the holidays and it's like my muse no longer exists.
What I'll have to do next, and what you'll likely have to do eventually too, is force the muse. I'm going to have to get her out of her recliner, walking and remembering what writing feels like and how easily ideas can flow. I'm going to have to make her recall the beauty and the freedom in writing.
And while I won't be NANOWRIMOing anytime soon, I'm hoping a new short story or novel flows forth. I'm not giving up until it does.
One friend of mine sat looking at her computer screen for the first four days of November, slowly falling behind in her word count. She fretted over the fact she had no concept, no characters, no setting, and no plot line.
Her imagination was an empty void.
"I would have quit," I admitted sheepishly to her. "Not writing, of course, but I would have quit NANOWRIMO. Obviously, it wasn't my year."
The beautiful thing is: she didn't take my advice.
On the fifth day, frustrated and crying, she began writing down absolute nonsense.
My headphones are red. The cord is longer than I think it should be. I have a sugar skull eraser. I don't wish to use it in case I erase off the face.
Pages and pages of nonsense ensued. Two lattes were downed and refilled. Somewhere, along the way, her muse remembered how to walk, then run.
By the end of the week she had a character and a novel plot. Her setting unfolded and she caught up, then surpassed her word count goals.
All of us have been here at some point - staring for days, thinking it's finally happened, we've finally lost our ability to write creatively. In fact, as I write this blog post, I'm in that boat. I've been sick for three weeks and with the surroundings of a new state, new house, and new job, I haven't had much time to devote to writing. Now throw in the holidays and it's like my muse no longer exists.
What I'll have to do next, and what you'll likely have to do eventually too, is force the muse. I'm going to have to get her out of her recliner, walking and remembering what writing feels like and how easily ideas can flow. I'm going to have to make her recall the beauty and the freedom in writing.
And while I won't be NANOWRIMOing anytime soon, I'm hoping a new short story or novel flows forth. I'm not giving up until it does.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Why It's Important To Ride Out The Storm
I recently wrote a short story with a pretty great plot (as long as my writing group isn't lying to me) that all stemmed from one simple thing: Brainstorming.
Remember in elementary school when your teacher would set aside ten minutes a day for you to brainstorm new ideas for your writing journal or so you could come up with a slightly more creative approach to your essay on the Underground Railroad? I sure do. A good 80% of the time, it worked, too.
And yet, very few writers brainstorm daily or even when they're out of ideas.
Instead, we wait around for inspiration to strike. We do laundry, we go to the store, we sit and stare at a blank screen at the coffee shop. We think, "It'll happen. I'll just ignore it and it'll come forward like a shy deer." When a smidgen of an idea does finally come, we usually stop it before it grows to its full potential. We outline it and worry about the characters to fill the idea, but we never let the idea grow crazy and wild before trimming it back. We wish it to grow inside our defined little box of "my genre" and "things I write".
But if brainstorming proved to be so beneficial as children, why do we so easily turn our backs on it?
The answer is, because it can be difficult.
It's scary to go unbridled into the lightning and thunder. It's dark most of the time. What if we can't come up with any ideas? What if we come up with a ton and they all suck?
These are questions everyone has asked before brainstorming.
And it's true: sometimes, nothing happens.
However, other times bad ideas turn not so bad. They grow and shift and change with each strike of lightning - illuminating themselves a little more to the writer.
I've personally set a goal to brainstorm at least once per week. Rather than getting stuck on my writing and going off to make cookies, grocery shop, or watch Project Runway (admit it, you've been there), I force my creative muscles to flex. I sit down with a timer, gluing my fingers to the keys and my butt to the seat.
And you know what? It works. Pretty soon ideas come and characters show themselves and plots unravel. Pretty soon my brain stops procrastinating and shrieking like a tired two year-old and it starts to have some fun.
That's why we got into this in the first place - it's why we do what we do - because we find writing intoxicatingly fun and we can't stop.
So, next time you're at your rope's end and you want to throw your hands up in frustration, try brainstorming. It may give you a new idea for a poem or novel, or it may help you riddle through the portion of your work-in-progress that has you at a standstill.
Need a new idea? Brainstorm.
Can't think of a title? Brainstorm.
Have an extra ten minutes while the soup boils? Brainstorm.
Incredible things happen when you give your creativity slack like that. You'll bring up things you never thought imaginable. They're all right there in your head, waiting for you to get out of the way so they can be seen.
Remember in elementary school when your teacher would set aside ten minutes a day for you to brainstorm new ideas for your writing journal or so you could come up with a slightly more creative approach to your essay on the Underground Railroad? I sure do. A good 80% of the time, it worked, too.
And yet, very few writers brainstorm daily or even when they're out of ideas.
Instead, we wait around for inspiration to strike. We do laundry, we go to the store, we sit and stare at a blank screen at the coffee shop. We think, "It'll happen. I'll just ignore it and it'll come forward like a shy deer." When a smidgen of an idea does finally come, we usually stop it before it grows to its full potential. We outline it and worry about the characters to fill the idea, but we never let the idea grow crazy and wild before trimming it back. We wish it to grow inside our defined little box of "my genre" and "things I write".
But if brainstorming proved to be so beneficial as children, why do we so easily turn our backs on it?
The answer is, because it can be difficult.
It's scary to go unbridled into the lightning and thunder. It's dark most of the time. What if we can't come up with any ideas? What if we come up with a ton and they all suck?
These are questions everyone has asked before brainstorming.
And it's true: sometimes, nothing happens.
However, other times bad ideas turn not so bad. They grow and shift and change with each strike of lightning - illuminating themselves a little more to the writer.
I've personally set a goal to brainstorm at least once per week. Rather than getting stuck on my writing and going off to make cookies, grocery shop, or watch Project Runway (admit it, you've been there), I force my creative muscles to flex. I sit down with a timer, gluing my fingers to the keys and my butt to the seat.
And you know what? It works. Pretty soon ideas come and characters show themselves and plots unravel. Pretty soon my brain stops procrastinating and shrieking like a tired two year-old and it starts to have some fun.
That's why we got into this in the first place - it's why we do what we do - because we find writing intoxicatingly fun and we can't stop.
So, next time you're at your rope's end and you want to throw your hands up in frustration, try brainstorming. It may give you a new idea for a poem or novel, or it may help you riddle through the portion of your work-in-progress that has you at a standstill.
Need a new idea? Brainstorm.
Can't think of a title? Brainstorm.
Have an extra ten minutes while the soup boils? Brainstorm.
Incredible things happen when you give your creativity slack like that. You'll bring up things you never thought imaginable. They're all right there in your head, waiting for you to get out of the way so they can be seen.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Tailor Fit Stories
Today we're going to tackle the classic debate: What came first, the story or the publisher?
Indeed, for every writer the answer differs, and for every story it differs as well.
Some writers fall very strictly in the "story first" category. They argue that, because the story is the most important aspect, it should be completed in full and revised and shined up all nice and 'perdy' before you even begin searching for a possible magazine or publisher to send said story to.
Those on the other side argue that stories (and probably most commonly, nonfiction articles) should have a clear focus and should be tailored specifically for each publication. That means, you might research one or two and then write your story tailored specifically to their specifications. On another hand, it could mean researching publications and magazines and garnering ideas from their sites or guidelines (like the list of things they're "currently looking for") and writing your story by inspiration from that.
No matter which camp you fall into, remember not to get bogged down in the cons of each method. If you're a "story first"er, remember that eventually, your story does need to be finished. Without a market in sight, you could get trapped revising, reworking, and editing forever and ever.
And if you're a "publisher first"er, keep your spirits up. If your target magazine or publisher rejects the story you tailor made for them, don't give up on it. Don't throw it away in a box somewhere or delete the file off your computer. You can take that story somewhere similar and submit (sometimes with little to no tweaking involved) and it could find a perfectly happy home in plan #2.
Personally, I've crossed the fence into both camps. I write stories because the stories need to be told, and then struggle to find the right market for them afterward, and I also keep my eye on new and emerging markets and what they're in desperate need of, then write a story from that.
Both have worked out. Both have been published. Both have made me very happy.
So, tailor made or out-of-the-slush? What do you think?
Indeed, for every writer the answer differs, and for every story it differs as well.
Some writers fall very strictly in the "story first" category. They argue that, because the story is the most important aspect, it should be completed in full and revised and shined up all nice and 'perdy' before you even begin searching for a possible magazine or publisher to send said story to.
Those on the other side argue that stories (and probably most commonly, nonfiction articles) should have a clear focus and should be tailored specifically for each publication. That means, you might research one or two and then write your story tailored specifically to their specifications. On another hand, it could mean researching publications and magazines and garnering ideas from their sites or guidelines (like the list of things they're "currently looking for") and writing your story by inspiration from that.
No matter which camp you fall into, remember not to get bogged down in the cons of each method. If you're a "story first"er, remember that eventually, your story does need to be finished. Without a market in sight, you could get trapped revising, reworking, and editing forever and ever.
And if you're a "publisher first"er, keep your spirits up. If your target magazine or publisher rejects the story you tailor made for them, don't give up on it. Don't throw it away in a box somewhere or delete the file off your computer. You can take that story somewhere similar and submit (sometimes with little to no tweaking involved) and it could find a perfectly happy home in plan #2.
Personally, I've crossed the fence into both camps. I write stories because the stories need to be told, and then struggle to find the right market for them afterward, and I also keep my eye on new and emerging markets and what they're in desperate need of, then write a story from that.
Both have worked out. Both have been published. Both have made me very happy.
So, tailor made or out-of-the-slush? What do you think?
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
What To Do When the Muse Escapes You
It's a very busy time of year for many of us. School is back in session, summer vacations are over and gone, the days are getting shorter - ugh! With all of this and the stress of normal, everyday life, sometimes our writing falls to the back burner.
Even best laid plans often come out misshapen. You want to write over lunch but there's a twenty minute line in the cafeteria, so you only have a few moments to scarf down food. You want to write right away in the morning, but your alarm clock doesn't sound. You want to write before bed, but your kids aren't used to school-time bedtimes and fighting their energy has you up until midnight.
No matter who you are or what your situation is, these kinds of setbacks in our writing life definitely take a toll. After a week of thwarted plans, you're often too exhausted to write while family watches the football game. And when an early bedtime arises, you take sleep over getting another sentence into your novel.
I get it. I've been there too.
If this is sounding a whole lot like your life, I urge you to check out a brand new muse.
This sounds like more work, you say, but no. You needn't create her.
Instead, pop over to Pulp Literature and check out their "A Message From Your Muse" page. Here, you can sign up for a daily message from the muse either emailed to your inbox, or follow her on Twitter to keep excess emails thin.
Her gems of knowledge and encouragement have made me smile and lifted my writing spirits on countless occasions. I hope her musey effects help you as well.
Even best laid plans often come out misshapen. You want to write over lunch but there's a twenty minute line in the cafeteria, so you only have a few moments to scarf down food. You want to write right away in the morning, but your alarm clock doesn't sound. You want to write before bed, but your kids aren't used to school-time bedtimes and fighting their energy has you up until midnight.
No matter who you are or what your situation is, these kinds of setbacks in our writing life definitely take a toll. After a week of thwarted plans, you're often too exhausted to write while family watches the football game. And when an early bedtime arises, you take sleep over getting another sentence into your novel.
I get it. I've been there too.
If this is sounding a whole lot like your life, I urge you to check out a brand new muse.
This sounds like more work, you say, but no. You needn't create her.
Instead, pop over to Pulp Literature and check out their "A Message From Your Muse" page. Here, you can sign up for a daily message from the muse either emailed to your inbox, or follow her on Twitter to keep excess emails thin.
Her gems of knowledge and encouragement have made me smile and lifted my writing spirits on countless occasions. I hope her musey effects help you as well.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Get Up, Get Motivated, and Write
It's no secret that I am in love with Asheville, North Carolina. If you've ever checked out my Pinterest page, you know that I have an extensive board dedicated entirely to Asheville. I first visited Asheville in March of 2014, when I wrote you this post about my Southeastern vacation. And then there was this post a little over a month ago referring to my move to North Carolina.
What you may not know is that I fell so completely in love with Asheville during my 2014 trip that I (with the help of my mom) convinced my entire family to move to North Carolina with me. My grandparents went first, then finally my parents' house sold and my mom, dad, brother and I moved. However, there was one little kink in my plan: no one else loved Asheville like I did.
So, instead of moving straight to my utopia, I landed an hour and a half away in a suburb of Charlotte. It's great here, don't get me wrong - the weather is blisteringly awesome, and I'm having a lot of fun decorating my new room and taking evening trips to Charlotte - but it isn't Asheville.
When I heard that the HGTV Urban Oasis 2015 was located in Asheville, NC - my Asheville, NC! - I set a countdown widget and waited for the first day I could begin entering. Since that day, I've logged on to the Urban Oasis site everyday and entered to win my perfect dream home in my perfect dream location.
As soon as I turn my computer on - before I begin writing or blogging or searching Pinterest - I go to the site and enter myself into the drawing for the Urban Oasis.
And that routine got me thinking...what if we applied this sort of routine to writing life? If you're truly dedicated to writing, if it's what you long for and desire above everything else is to write, then why not make it the start of your day, every day?
Before you check your email - write a sentence.
Before you heat your tea - write a paragraph.
Before you walk out the door for your commute - write a phrase, a period, a word - anything!
If it's your dream, if it's something you want with all your heart, then why shouldn't you make it happen in any way that you can?
John McPhee once did an interview with The Paris Review where he said,
"put a drop in a bucket every day, after three hundred and sixty-five days, the bucket's going to have some water in it."
Writing takes dedication and motivation. It takes getting up early and staying up way too late. Sometimes, it takes sneaking a sentence in here and there whenever you can, just so you can move that story farther along.
But the more you do it, the more it repays you. In the end you could have a wonderful piece that's ready for publication. You could have a whole novel or an epic poem. You could be walking away with your own dream house.
What you may not know is that I fell so completely in love with Asheville during my 2014 trip that I (with the help of my mom) convinced my entire family to move to North Carolina with me. My grandparents went first, then finally my parents' house sold and my mom, dad, brother and I moved. However, there was one little kink in my plan: no one else loved Asheville like I did.
So, instead of moving straight to my utopia, I landed an hour and a half away in a suburb of Charlotte. It's great here, don't get me wrong - the weather is blisteringly awesome, and I'm having a lot of fun decorating my new room and taking evening trips to Charlotte - but it isn't Asheville.
When I heard that the HGTV Urban Oasis 2015 was located in Asheville, NC - my Asheville, NC! - I set a countdown widget and waited for the first day I could begin entering. Since that day, I've logged on to the Urban Oasis site everyday and entered to win my perfect dream home in my perfect dream location.
As soon as I turn my computer on - before I begin writing or blogging or searching Pinterest - I go to the site and enter myself into the drawing for the Urban Oasis.
And that routine got me thinking...what if we applied this sort of routine to writing life? If you're truly dedicated to writing, if it's what you long for and desire above everything else is to write, then why not make it the start of your day, every day?
Before you check your email - write a sentence.
Before you heat your tea - write a paragraph.
Before you walk out the door for your commute - write a phrase, a period, a word - anything!
If it's your dream, if it's something you want with all your heart, then why shouldn't you make it happen in any way that you can?
John McPhee once did an interview with The Paris Review where he said,
"put a drop in a bucket every day, after three hundred and sixty-five days, the bucket's going to have some water in it."
Writing takes dedication and motivation. It takes getting up early and staying up way too late. Sometimes, it takes sneaking a sentence in here and there whenever you can, just so you can move that story farther along.
But the more you do it, the more it repays you. In the end you could have a wonderful piece that's ready for publication. You could have a whole novel or an epic poem. You could be walking away with your own dream house.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Document and Forget
****Important Blog Info****
Next Tuesday is the closing date for my Wisconsin house. The closing is in the morning and then we start the long drive with four people, three vehicles, two trailers, two rabbits, one dog, a dozen house plants, and our essential belongings through most of the Eastern US until we reach North Carolina.
This means that it will literally be impossible for me to blog next week on Tuesday.
Sorry in advance, guys. Thanks for understanding.
Next Tuesday is the closing date for my Wisconsin house. The closing is in the morning and then we start the long drive with four people, three vehicles, two trailers, two rabbits, one dog, a dozen house plants, and our essential belongings through most of the Eastern US until we reach North Carolina.
This means that it will literally be impossible for me to blog next week on Tuesday.
Sorry in advance, guys. Thanks for understanding.
# # #
With that established, let's get down to business today.
A few weeks ago my cell phone contract came up for renewal. I went to the cell phone store, waited almost three hours, paid out an entire pay check worth of funds, and finally left with a new phone. This upgrade was a massive switch for me. I was going from an Android Razar to the iPhone 5S.
It took me awhile to get used to the new graphics, the new home screen, and, of course, Safari. Heck, let's face it, I'm still not very comfortable with where everything is located, but I'm getting better at using it on a daily basis.
The other day, I turned on my old Droid to sort through the thousands of Notes I stored on it. Because switching my old pictures onto my iPhone was easy, but Notes was a whole 'nother story. I started at the top, wading through vegan smoothie recipes concocted during three a.m. moments of clarity, ideas for new paintings, cool character names I read or heard, hundreds of notes on novels and stories in progress. full poems written during lunch breaks, pointless rants I wrote when I needed to vent about that rude customer or this horrible boss, and lists of old grocery needs. However, the most important notes I found were titled simply "STORY IDEA". There were three. I expected to type them into a Word Document on my laptop and file them away for a later time when I needed a break from a novel revision or couldn't get a new story idea brainstormed. The first two I transferred over with no problem. One was an interesting exchange of dialogue I overheard while making someone's pizza that had blossomed into a possible literary story. The other was a link to a scientific study on genes and a possible sci-fi story idea.
But the third made me stop. It was a mere five word sentence - probably a news story I had heard while walking past a newscast on TV. It was so short, that, had I written it out on a piece of paper, I probably would have thrown it away thinking it was nothing.
What the note contained was so inspirational, I abandoned my Droid transfer and started writing a story around that idea.
The moral of this anecdote is that I had completely forgotten about the original event that sparked the STORY IDEA note. I had completely forgotten that a story idea like that had ever crossed my mind. If it weren't for that five word sentence, I would never have written the story I'm currently working on.
So, while I'm moving cross-country, I want you to start a Notes file on your own cell phone (or, if you're more old school, feel free to keep a pad of paper and pen in your bag) - just make sure you have something with you so that, when you walk past the TODAY show story in the hospital lobby and hear a weird tidbit about a remote county in Ohio, or your overhear a strange conversation between two women also waiting for their lattes, you can write it down. You don't have to have a story idea right at that moment. Just write down anything that makes you really listen or take notice. Document and forget.
Then, when you come back to it weeks, months, or years later, it will effect you. Because it will be the right time for your note to spark an idea. It will be the push you need to start something new or to take up your old writing hobby.
Notice everything.
Write it down.
Keep it safe.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Character Blueprints: Building Your Best Person (AKA the super-late post of June)
So here I thought I was right on track. Logged in early to get my blog post done.........and then I noticed that I completely missed posting last week.
WHOOPS!
Sorry gang. It seems that an entire week has passed without me even realizing. Where did that time go? How is it I'm moving in less than a month? Why is nothing feeling complete yet?
Anyway, I'm filing this post under the super-late category. But I don't want your patience and dedication to my blog to go unrewarded. That's why, this week, I want to talk about character blueprints.
You've probably heard of them before. Most writers and coaches call them "character sketches", but as an artist, I consider a "character sketch" to be a pen and paper drawing of a physical character. So, I call them "character blueprints".
I believe "blueprint" to be a better term because it is through your blueprint that you're truly realizing who and what your character is. For example, when you look at a blueprint of a house, you get to see the dimensions of the rooms, the layout, and the overall feel. It is by looking at the blueprint that you can begin planning which bedroom you'll sleep in, determining if your dining room table will fit, considering which walls to knock down, and figuring out just where in the dickens those bunny cages will go. The blueprint is where you start from. The blueprint causes you to plan out your entire home life from square foot number one.
Why is this important for your protagonist? Because it is only through the blueprint (whether you actually write it down or simply have it memorized in your head) that you categorize what your protagonist looks like, what their flaws and strengths are, what their innermost desire is, and the disconnect between who they think they are and who they truly live to be.
Since you've had to be extra patient with this post, I'm going to sweeten the deal. Not only will I tell you what a character blueprint is and convince you why it's important, I'll also offer a WORKSHEET so you can keep this blueprint at your side for any story you write, and I'll do a REAL-TIME blueprint with you for the story I'm working on currently.
Exciting, right?!?!?!? I'm excited!
Let's get down to business-
I wrote a sci-fi/fantasy short story a little over a year ago when the premise for the world popped into my head. The first draft flew onto the page, but I never touched it after that. I recently found it in my laptop's documents folder and remembered just how much I loved the world and the protagonist. But, upon reading through it, I knew it needed a major overhaul.
This is daunting to me, especially since the first draft didn't possess an outline, character blueprint, or even any real direction. I knew that one aspect of the story was going to turn out a certain way, but I didn't know how it'd get there. And it was apparent in my draft that I was writing this thing from the seat of my pants. Realizations come too quickly, the dialogue is wooden, no one is properly described. To be short - it's a mess.
Trying to revise it from it's current state with only the current information would be like trying to order furniture for a home by only seeing the realtor pictures online.
Impossible.
So, I've decided to write a character blueprint right here and now, on this blog, to help me navigate my short story.
CHARACTER BLUEPRINT
Name: Malena Cyder
Age: 31
Race/Ethnicity/Species: Human, Mixed-race
Location: Chicago, USA, Earth
Year: 4104
Physical Characteristics: Medium brown skin tone, dark eyes, straight hair, normal weight range, Scars (faded with laser surgery, but most prominent around the left eye) on left half of face.
Occupation: Co-Founder of [tech company], Advocate for inter-species peace
Family: Mother - alive, but left Earth for the Moon Colony when Malena was fourteen, sending her to boarding school, where she met other co-founders of [tech company]
Childhood: Malena was burned in a planetary invasion by unfriendly aliens when she was a preschooler, which thrust her onto a negative public service announcement towards aliens
Mental Image: Malena believes herself to be cordial to the alien species inhabiting Earth, though she doesn't particularly like or associate with any of them.
Greatest Fear: Becoming someone who runs from her problems/fears like her mother. [Note: On a nightmare level, being harmed by the invading aliens of her youth.]
True Mental State: Though Malena is an advocate for inter-species peace, her true motivation isn't fueled by the hope that all species can coexist, but by the fear that if they don't, she could be harmed again by another unfriendly species.
Innermost Desire: To live a life where she isn't constantly afraid she'll be recognized as the little girl from the announcement, and where she no longer fears the aliens living around her. AKA, no longer a prisoner to her past - free to move forward.
So that's it! Malena Cyder in a blueprint image. Notice that not all the information has to be known right at the time you fill out the blueprint. Can't think of a proper last name? Don't know the name of the company your protagonist works for? Not a problem. Simply place the info in brackets like I did above with [tech company].
Notice that the character blueprint doesn't reveal everything about the story world or the conflict of the story itself. It is meant only to describe and maintain consistency within your character. So, we know Malena's physical attributes like age, race, and uniquely identifying marks. We know where she lives and in what time period. We know about influential family members/connections in her life and about her childhood. We also know Malena's inner blueprint: how she views herself, what is truly going on in her mind, her greatest fear, and her innermost desire.
All the major conflict in the story world will now flow from this information.
Ready to try it for yourself? I'll post a blank worksheet at the end of this post for you to copy-and-paste and work on for your own story. Feel free to doctor some of the categories, especially is you're not writing sci-fi/fantasy and don't need to specify what species your protagonist is.
After you finish the blueprint for your protagonist, consider also filling one out for your main antagonist and any influential people in your protagonist's or antagonist's life (like, for me, Malena's mother).
Utilize your blueprint as often as you can, and remember to always keep it close. You can't possibly know where to install those bunny cages if you don't know where the walls are.
(Worksheet)
CHARACTER BLUEPRINT:
Name:
Age:
Race/Ethnicity/Species:
Location:
Year:
Physical Characteristics:
Occupation:
Family:
Childhood:
Mental Image:
Greatest Fear:
True Mental State:
Innermost Desire:
WHOOPS!
Sorry gang. It seems that an entire week has passed without me even realizing. Where did that time go? How is it I'm moving in less than a month? Why is nothing feeling complete yet?
Anyway, I'm filing this post under the super-late category. But I don't want your patience and dedication to my blog to go unrewarded. That's why, this week, I want to talk about character blueprints.
You've probably heard of them before. Most writers and coaches call them "character sketches", but as an artist, I consider a "character sketch" to be a pen and paper drawing of a physical character. So, I call them "character blueprints".
I believe "blueprint" to be a better term because it is through your blueprint that you're truly realizing who and what your character is. For example, when you look at a blueprint of a house, you get to see the dimensions of the rooms, the layout, and the overall feel. It is by looking at the blueprint that you can begin planning which bedroom you'll sleep in, determining if your dining room table will fit, considering which walls to knock down, and figuring out just where in the dickens those bunny cages will go. The blueprint is where you start from. The blueprint causes you to plan out your entire home life from square foot number one.
Why is this important for your protagonist? Because it is only through the blueprint (whether you actually write it down or simply have it memorized in your head) that you categorize what your protagonist looks like, what their flaws and strengths are, what their innermost desire is, and the disconnect between who they think they are and who they truly live to be.
Since you've had to be extra patient with this post, I'm going to sweeten the deal. Not only will I tell you what a character blueprint is and convince you why it's important, I'll also offer a WORKSHEET so you can keep this blueprint at your side for any story you write, and I'll do a REAL-TIME blueprint with you for the story I'm working on currently.
Exciting, right?!?!?!? I'm excited!
Let's get down to business-
I wrote a sci-fi/fantasy short story a little over a year ago when the premise for the world popped into my head. The first draft flew onto the page, but I never touched it after that. I recently found it in my laptop's documents folder and remembered just how much I loved the world and the protagonist. But, upon reading through it, I knew it needed a major overhaul.
This is daunting to me, especially since the first draft didn't possess an outline, character blueprint, or even any real direction. I knew that one aspect of the story was going to turn out a certain way, but I didn't know how it'd get there. And it was apparent in my draft that I was writing this thing from the seat of my pants. Realizations come too quickly, the dialogue is wooden, no one is properly described. To be short - it's a mess.
Trying to revise it from it's current state with only the current information would be like trying to order furniture for a home by only seeing the realtor pictures online.
Impossible.
So, I've decided to write a character blueprint right here and now, on this blog, to help me navigate my short story.
CHARACTER BLUEPRINT
Name: Malena Cyder
Age: 31
Race/Ethnicity/Species: Human, Mixed-race
Location: Chicago, USA, Earth
Year: 4104
Physical Characteristics: Medium brown skin tone, dark eyes, straight hair, normal weight range, Scars (faded with laser surgery, but most prominent around the left eye) on left half of face.
Occupation: Co-Founder of [tech company], Advocate for inter-species peace
Family: Mother - alive, but left Earth for the Moon Colony when Malena was fourteen, sending her to boarding school, where she met other co-founders of [tech company]
Childhood: Malena was burned in a planetary invasion by unfriendly aliens when she was a preschooler, which thrust her onto a negative public service announcement towards aliens
Mental Image: Malena believes herself to be cordial to the alien species inhabiting Earth, though she doesn't particularly like or associate with any of them.
Greatest Fear: Becoming someone who runs from her problems/fears like her mother. [Note: On a nightmare level, being harmed by the invading aliens of her youth.]
True Mental State: Though Malena is an advocate for inter-species peace, her true motivation isn't fueled by the hope that all species can coexist, but by the fear that if they don't, she could be harmed again by another unfriendly species.
Innermost Desire: To live a life where she isn't constantly afraid she'll be recognized as the little girl from the announcement, and where she no longer fears the aliens living around her. AKA, no longer a prisoner to her past - free to move forward.
So that's it! Malena Cyder in a blueprint image. Notice that not all the information has to be known right at the time you fill out the blueprint. Can't think of a proper last name? Don't know the name of the company your protagonist works for? Not a problem. Simply place the info in brackets like I did above with [tech company].
Notice that the character blueprint doesn't reveal everything about the story world or the conflict of the story itself. It is meant only to describe and maintain consistency within your character. So, we know Malena's physical attributes like age, race, and uniquely identifying marks. We know where she lives and in what time period. We know about influential family members/connections in her life and about her childhood. We also know Malena's inner blueprint: how she views herself, what is truly going on in her mind, her greatest fear, and her innermost desire.
All the major conflict in the story world will now flow from this information.
Ready to try it for yourself? I'll post a blank worksheet at the end of this post for you to copy-and-paste and work on for your own story. Feel free to doctor some of the categories, especially is you're not writing sci-fi/fantasy and don't need to specify what species your protagonist is.
After you finish the blueprint for your protagonist, consider also filling one out for your main antagonist and any influential people in your protagonist's or antagonist's life (like, for me, Malena's mother).
Utilize your blueprint as often as you can, and remember to always keep it close. You can't possibly know where to install those bunny cages if you don't know where the walls are.
(Worksheet)
CHARACTER BLUEPRINT:
Name:
Age:
Race/Ethnicity/Species:
Location:
Year:
Physical Characteristics:
Occupation:
Family:
Childhood:
Mental Image:
Greatest Fear:
True Mental State:
Innermost Desire:
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Inspiration Knocking
I hope you participated in the Challenge Post from last week and submitted a new piece of writing for publication. If you did (heck, even if you didn't), you probably need some new inspiration right about now.
Struggling to find a topic for your next poem? Don't have enough tension to sustain your short story? Stuck in the middle of your novel-in-progress?
Calling inspiration!
Image from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476326098064397728/
Really, just as Oscar Wilde said, inspiration isn't as illusive as our writer brain makes us think.
There are poems about cats like Christopher Smart's "For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry". Poems about jobs (like pet sitting) in Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz's "things that happen during pet sitting...". Poems about standing in line like Robert Funge's "A Starbucks Romance". Poems about catalogs like Philip A. Waterhouse's "Castlekeep".
Really, anything in our daily lives, when seen through an artistic eye, can be made into something extraordinary.
Did you once have hiccups for three days straight? Write an essay about it.
Did you watch grazing deer out your window while washing dishes? Make it into a poem.
Did you hear a strange conversation while sitting in your cafe booth during breakfast? Use it in a novel chapter.
Anything - literally anything - can be the inspiration for your next writing project. Take it from Orson Scott Card...
Image From: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476326098064894077/
Struggling to find a topic for your next poem? Don't have enough tension to sustain your short story? Stuck in the middle of your novel-in-progress?
Calling inspiration!
Really, just as Oscar Wilde said, inspiration isn't as illusive as our writer brain makes us think.
There are poems about cats like Christopher Smart's "For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry". Poems about jobs (like pet sitting) in Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz's "things that happen during pet sitting...". Poems about standing in line like Robert Funge's "A Starbucks Romance". Poems about catalogs like Philip A. Waterhouse's "Castlekeep".
Really, anything in our daily lives, when seen through an artistic eye, can be made into something extraordinary.
Did you once have hiccups for three days straight? Write an essay about it.
Did you watch grazing deer out your window while washing dishes? Make it into a poem.
Did you hear a strange conversation while sitting in your cafe booth during breakfast? Use it in a novel chapter.
Anything - literally anything - can be the inspiration for your next writing project. Take it from Orson Scott Card...
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Don't be Discouraged. We're all Different!
I recently purchased a meditation CD to (hopefully) get myself in a routine with meditation. Until now, I thought meditation was done one way: You sit down, shut up, and find some inner peace already.
But the CD changed my mind. Upon it, the instructor (Yogi Cameron) helped me to understand that just as there are different personalities amongst people, there are also different meditation styles. Some do best with visualization, some with gazing, some need to count or chant or connect themselves to a deity.
Not only am I now a better meditater, but I also realized that I could connect this understanding with writing.
We all write differently. Some outline and some write with abandon by the seat of their pants. Some can't move on before every word in every sentence is perfect, and others spend years polishing what used to be a crappy first draft. Some drink when they write, others listen to music, and still others need complete solitude and silence.
So how in the world do we all expect to come about writing the same way?
Every writing book and professor you will obtain in your lifetime details a particular method for THEM. That's why so many children become discouraged early on with writing. Their teachers tell them that there is one way to write (the way that works best for the instructor) and if the child can't find his own path, he will quit.
And we want to be successful.
Knowing this, how do you find your correct writing niche for success? First, like meditation, you have to know yourself.
Do you like lists and organization? Outlines may be best for you.
Are you the most creative person you know? Try writing organically, or "from the seat of your pants".
Don't like commitments? Stick to short stories rather than long, difficult novels.
Do you live your life in metaphors? Try writing literary.
There's no tried and true method that will work for everyone. Because we are all different. So don't worry if your style is different from your best friend's. Don't be discouraged if she finishes a novel before you. And don't worry about choosing the wrong style in the beginning.
As the years roll on, we all change. And our methods may need to change as well.
Pick one method. Try it. Didn't work? Go with another.
Find the one that works for you and you alone.
P.S. If you're also interested in meditation, this is the CD I purchased. It's amazing. I recommend it. http://www.meditatewithyc.com/
But the CD changed my mind. Upon it, the instructor (Yogi Cameron) helped me to understand that just as there are different personalities amongst people, there are also different meditation styles. Some do best with visualization, some with gazing, some need to count or chant or connect themselves to a deity.
Not only am I now a better meditater, but I also realized that I could connect this understanding with writing.
We all write differently. Some outline and some write with abandon by the seat of their pants. Some can't move on before every word in every sentence is perfect, and others spend years polishing what used to be a crappy first draft. Some drink when they write, others listen to music, and still others need complete solitude and silence.
So how in the world do we all expect to come about writing the same way?
Every writing book and professor you will obtain in your lifetime details a particular method for THEM. That's why so many children become discouraged early on with writing. Their teachers tell them that there is one way to write (the way that works best for the instructor) and if the child can't find his own path, he will quit.
And we want to be successful.
Knowing this, how do you find your correct writing niche for success? First, like meditation, you have to know yourself.
Do you like lists and organization? Outlines may be best for you.
Are you the most creative person you know? Try writing organically, or "from the seat of your pants".
Don't like commitments? Stick to short stories rather than long, difficult novels.
Do you live your life in metaphors? Try writing literary.
There's no tried and true method that will work for everyone. Because we are all different. So don't worry if your style is different from your best friend's. Don't be discouraged if she finishes a novel before you. And don't worry about choosing the wrong style in the beginning.
As the years roll on, we all change. And our methods may need to change as well.
Pick one method. Try it. Didn't work? Go with another.
Find the one that works for you and you alone.
P.S. If you're also interested in meditation, this is the CD I purchased. It's amazing. I recommend it. http://www.meditatewithyc.com/
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
When To Cheat On Your Writing
Have you ever read more than one book at a time? You start one from your to-read shelf, then find another lying around you had promised the next read, and then when you pass a book store an unexpected fantastic book just pops out at you and you have to buy it and read it immediately. Before you know it, you're reading five books at one time.
And you feel like a cheat don't you?
I always do. It's like I've committed myself to the first book, then the second, now the third and after a while I feel like I'm having affairs on all of them. I'm a dirty reader.
I never used to have this problem when I was younger and had hours of reading time on my hands. But now that jobs, cooking, cleaning, snow removal, and writing have taken up so much of my time, it feels like I never read fast enough. Perhaps that's why I crave to start new books all the time. My body and mind are used to the newness every few weeks, and even though I can't keep up, I start new ones anyway.
I'm trying to break this habit, but there are so many good books out there that need to be read. So many authors I would adore and stories I need to fantasize about.
And now this bad habit of reading too many books at once has leaked into my writing. I've got a YA manuscript that needs massive revision, a memoir I'm rewriting, a short story in progress, a YA series that's unfinished and sitting in a cluster of outlines on my desktop, and I feel the need to add in a new MG book to write. All these open projects have made writing daunting. Where do I start? Which novel gets my attention today? Do I want to write or revise? Both? Neither?
Much like the reading of too many novels in tandem, writing a wide variety at the same time can be troublesome. But I've also found that it can help, too. For instance, if I know I need to write but the words just aren't coming, I pop over to a revision project and work on that for an hour or so until I'm in a writing frame of mind. On the flip side, if I'm frustrated with how many keys my fingers have pounded today, I can always sweep through an already written chapter and improve it.
Just like reading, writing in tandem can be just as beneficial as you feel it is detrimental. So don't feel like you're cheating on those other books or your other stories. In a roundabout way, they're all getting help. As long as you promise to write every day, eventually everything will get finished.
Will they all have the same dedication each day? No.
Will they all be completed on a set deadline? Probably not.
Will you be a writer? Definitely.
Will you one day finish them all (and then some more)? Heck yeah.
And you feel like a cheat don't you?
I always do. It's like I've committed myself to the first book, then the second, now the third and after a while I feel like I'm having affairs on all of them. I'm a dirty reader.
I never used to have this problem when I was younger and had hours of reading time on my hands. But now that jobs, cooking, cleaning, snow removal, and writing have taken up so much of my time, it feels like I never read fast enough. Perhaps that's why I crave to start new books all the time. My body and mind are used to the newness every few weeks, and even though I can't keep up, I start new ones anyway.
I'm trying to break this habit, but there are so many good books out there that need to be read. So many authors I would adore and stories I need to fantasize about.
And now this bad habit of reading too many books at once has leaked into my writing. I've got a YA manuscript that needs massive revision, a memoir I'm rewriting, a short story in progress, a YA series that's unfinished and sitting in a cluster of outlines on my desktop, and I feel the need to add in a new MG book to write. All these open projects have made writing daunting. Where do I start? Which novel gets my attention today? Do I want to write or revise? Both? Neither?
Much like the reading of too many novels in tandem, writing a wide variety at the same time can be troublesome. But I've also found that it can help, too. For instance, if I know I need to write but the words just aren't coming, I pop over to a revision project and work on that for an hour or so until I'm in a writing frame of mind. On the flip side, if I'm frustrated with how many keys my fingers have pounded today, I can always sweep through an already written chapter and improve it.
Just like reading, writing in tandem can be just as beneficial as you feel it is detrimental. So don't feel like you're cheating on those other books or your other stories. In a roundabout way, they're all getting help. As long as you promise to write every day, eventually everything will get finished.
Will they all have the same dedication each day? No.
Will they all be completed on a set deadline? Probably not.
Will you be a writer? Definitely.
Will you one day finish them all (and then some more)? Heck yeah.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Should You NaNoWriMo?
It's Wednesday, isn't it? It's totally Wednesday.
Well, looks like another late post tally. I'm on a roll this October!
Today, even though it's a day late, I want to discuss NaNoWriMo.
Do you have no idea what I'm talking about? NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month - which takes place November 1 through November 30. Basically, the goal is to write a 50,000 word draft of a novel in just 30 days.
Over 310,000 people around the world participated in last year's NaNoWriMo. With these kinds of numbers, is it time to join the bandwagon? Let's explore the Pros and Cons.
Pros:
Do you procrastinate? "I'll write after I make dinner. I'll write after I do the dishes. I'll write after the kids are asleep? I'll write after my homework's done. I'll write tomorrow because it's too late and I'm tired?" Then NaNoWriMo may be the right format for you. Not only do you create a profile by pledging to participate, you also get your own word count widget to see how many words you wrote today, along with a support system of hundreds of thousands of writers to keep you honest and to give encouragement. In short, if you're not writing EVERY DAY like I so advocate on this blog, NaNoWriMo could help.
Are you your own worst critic? Do your typos drive you mad? Do you waste hours in the quest for perfect sentence structure? If you're a perfectionist when it comes to the craft, NaNoWriMo can help. With the lofty goal of 50,000 words in one month, there is no time for editing. If you decide to NaNoWriMo, ignore the misspellings and the bad grammar, and instead write with a new, freeing mindset. It'll do wonders for your first drafts. Promise.
Networking. Many NaNoWriMo participants find great writing friends and literary advisers through their participation.
Also, there's NaNoWriMo for kids! (With a much lower word count.) So if you want to get your kids or students interested in creating, or just want to spend more time with them, here's your chance.
Cons:
NaNoWriMo falls in a very busy month for most of us. Football. Thanksgiving. Christmas Shopping. Family get-togethers. School breaks. On and On. If you're going to commit to writing a novel in a month, 1) should it be during such a busy time of year, and 2) why not choose a month with 31 days and give yourself an extra 24 hours to reach your goal?
Unless you're writing middle grade, 50,000 words does not equal a first draft of any novel. For that reason, be prepared to keep writing after November leaves, even if you reach your goal. Writing a novel is a massive commitment not to be taken up lightly on October 31.
Are you sure you're not a procrastinator? If you're sitting at your desk counting down the days to November 1 so you can start writing every day and complete draft one of your novel, why haven't you started yet? There's no law (in America, at least) that says novel writing can only happen during NaNoWriMo. If you're so excited and committed to writing, you can write every day. So do it! You don't need a widget and a world map to track your progress against everyone else. Write because you need to.
Whether or not you decide to NaNoWriMo, there's one goal here for all of us. To Write. So get those laptops and Carpal Tunnel braces ready. The novels are coming.
Well, looks like another late post tally. I'm on a roll this October!
Today, even though it's a day late, I want to discuss NaNoWriMo.
Do you have no idea what I'm talking about? NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month - which takes place November 1 through November 30. Basically, the goal is to write a 50,000 word draft of a novel in just 30 days.
Over 310,000 people around the world participated in last year's NaNoWriMo. With these kinds of numbers, is it time to join the bandwagon? Let's explore the Pros and Cons.
Pros:
Do you procrastinate? "I'll write after I make dinner. I'll write after I do the dishes. I'll write after the kids are asleep? I'll write after my homework's done. I'll write tomorrow because it's too late and I'm tired?" Then NaNoWriMo may be the right format for you. Not only do you create a profile by pledging to participate, you also get your own word count widget to see how many words you wrote today, along with a support system of hundreds of thousands of writers to keep you honest and to give encouragement. In short, if you're not writing EVERY DAY like I so advocate on this blog, NaNoWriMo could help.
Are you your own worst critic? Do your typos drive you mad? Do you waste hours in the quest for perfect sentence structure? If you're a perfectionist when it comes to the craft, NaNoWriMo can help. With the lofty goal of 50,000 words in one month, there is no time for editing. If you decide to NaNoWriMo, ignore the misspellings and the bad grammar, and instead write with a new, freeing mindset. It'll do wonders for your first drafts. Promise.
Networking. Many NaNoWriMo participants find great writing friends and literary advisers through their participation.
Also, there's NaNoWriMo for kids! (With a much lower word count.) So if you want to get your kids or students interested in creating, or just want to spend more time with them, here's your chance.
Cons:
NaNoWriMo falls in a very busy month for most of us. Football. Thanksgiving. Christmas Shopping. Family get-togethers. School breaks. On and On. If you're going to commit to writing a novel in a month, 1) should it be during such a busy time of year, and 2) why not choose a month with 31 days and give yourself an extra 24 hours to reach your goal?
Unless you're writing middle grade, 50,000 words does not equal a first draft of any novel. For that reason, be prepared to keep writing after November leaves, even if you reach your goal. Writing a novel is a massive commitment not to be taken up lightly on October 31.
Are you sure you're not a procrastinator? If you're sitting at your desk counting down the days to November 1 so you can start writing every day and complete draft one of your novel, why haven't you started yet? There's no law (in America, at least) that says novel writing can only happen during NaNoWriMo. If you're so excited and committed to writing, you can write every day. So do it! You don't need a widget and a world map to track your progress against everyone else. Write because you need to.
Whether or not you decide to NaNoWriMo, there's one goal here for all of us. To Write. So get those laptops and Carpal Tunnel braces ready. The novels are coming.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Writing Prompt
Has the muse been escaping you lately? Can't get the inspiration muscle into line?
Would a writing prompt help?
How about this: What's closest to your left hand at this moment? Study it. Understand it. Now, write a scene or short story (or novel, hazzah!) where this object is a main focus. Whether it be metaphysical, literal, or as an antagonist, the object closest to your left hand must play an important role in your piece.
Don't stress about it, just write - uninhibited - and see what happens. The muse may come rushing in when you least expect it.
Would a writing prompt help?
How about this: What's closest to your left hand at this moment? Study it. Understand it. Now, write a scene or short story (or novel, hazzah!) where this object is a main focus. Whether it be metaphysical, literal, or as an antagonist, the object closest to your left hand must play an important role in your piece.
Don't stress about it, just write - uninhibited - and see what happens. The muse may come rushing in when you least expect it.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Cutting the Crap
I'm in the revision stage for all my major manuscripts - my YA manuscript, a lengthy sci-fi "short", and my mostly-as-of-now untouched memoir.
With revision on the brain and a writer's group freshly attended, I'd like to share with you my philosophy with revision and the writing that happens before it.
First: Writing.
I'm in the boat of writers who says don't outline, don't think too hard, and definitely don't reread your work until you finish your first draft. That first draft is going to be baggy, full of tangents, and pretty much all-around crap. This is good. You will read it and think you're a terrible writer who should never write another word again. Good. This will motivate you.
Second: Revision.
I am also in the boat of writers who truly enjoys revision. I like spending the time with my characters to truly understand them and probe deep within their minds and motives. Revision is where I can make scenes better and add ones that will help the reader better understand the flow of action or the characters. Revision is where I quite literally cut the crap of my first draft and feel less terrible about myself.
So here's this weeks advise - choose whichever category describes you and read on.
1. The writer too afraid to write/ the writer with writer's block: Don't be afraid. Write something and add more to it everyday. It's better to write baggy and have to spend time cutting later than to never write at all, right?
2. The writer who doesn't think his writing needs revision/ the writer too afraid of revision to cut into his first draft: Your writing DOES need revision. I don't care how scared you are or how awesome you think your first draft is. It isn't. This goes for everyone - even the greats. Go sentence by sentence. Is this sentence needed? If you say no - cut it. If you say maybe and want to provide a long explanation why - cut it or pay up $1,000,000 just like the bulky dialogue conversation we had back in July (find it here). Then go scene by scene or character by character and follow the same process. I promise you'll thank me later when your manuscript is no longer 250,000 words and you can reach the top of the bestseller list.
Until then, happy revising! To leave you this week, here's a picture of me in my baggiest revision clothes, ready to be trimmed..........................April Fools! (Come on, you know I had to.)
With revision on the brain and a writer's group freshly attended, I'd like to share with you my philosophy with revision and the writing that happens before it.
First: Writing.
I'm in the boat of writers who says don't outline, don't think too hard, and definitely don't reread your work until you finish your first draft. That first draft is going to be baggy, full of tangents, and pretty much all-around crap. This is good. You will read it and think you're a terrible writer who should never write another word again. Good. This will motivate you.
Second: Revision.
I am also in the boat of writers who truly enjoys revision. I like spending the time with my characters to truly understand them and probe deep within their minds and motives. Revision is where I can make scenes better and add ones that will help the reader better understand the flow of action or the characters. Revision is where I quite literally cut the crap of my first draft and feel less terrible about myself.
So here's this weeks advise - choose whichever category describes you and read on.
1. The writer too afraid to write/ the writer with writer's block: Don't be afraid. Write something and add more to it everyday. It's better to write baggy and have to spend time cutting later than to never write at all, right?
2. The writer who doesn't think his writing needs revision/ the writer too afraid of revision to cut into his first draft: Your writing DOES need revision. I don't care how scared you are or how awesome you think your first draft is. It isn't. This goes for everyone - even the greats. Go sentence by sentence. Is this sentence needed? If you say no - cut it. If you say maybe and want to provide a long explanation why - cut it or pay up $1,000,000 just like the bulky dialogue conversation we had back in July (find it here). Then go scene by scene or character by character and follow the same process. I promise you'll thank me later when your manuscript is no longer 250,000 words and you can reach the top of the bestseller list.
Until then, happy revising! To leave you this week, here's a picture of me in my baggiest revision clothes, ready to be trimmed..........................April Fools! (Come on, you know I had to.)
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Beginnings, The Bane of My Existence (Why, Yes, This Is Another Late Post)
Late Post Tally #2. Sorry, guys, the holidays have me whirling and I completely forgot about blogging yesterday while waiting for my inner zen to kick in.
Anyway, back to writing.
For me, the hardest part about writing a story (short, novella, or full novel length) is the beginning. Where can you possibly start when all these characters have so much going on, and have had so much going on in their past? Thankfully, we have an answer.
The inciting incident. The inciting incident is the moment that "kicks" your story into motion. It's the place where your character's world is changed forever.
In ye olden times, the narrator of the story would often start with a long history of the protagonist's past (and possibly the antagonist, too). From birth, through childhood, and even an explanation of how the protagonist is now king before all the characters in Act 1 filed onto stage.
In modern times, ain't nobody got time for that. All we need to know is the protagonist is now king, which can be detailed through the first scene, not the first sentence.
We live in an age of thirty second meals delivered through our microwaves or car windows, instant internet shopping (perhaps more instant with the Amazon Drones? We'll see), and laundry that takes a mere half an hour to go from wet to dry and wearable. However, it's important not to get too hasty in the opening of your story. This is the tricky part. If you move too quickly without enough explanation, the reader will get lost and confused.
That's why all those writing teachers always told you not to start off with dialogue as your opening line. The reader is introduced to the story and its problems by a character they don't know anything about, in a setting they have never seen. It'd be like leading you into a dark room, blindfolded and wearing nose plugs, to have someone whose voice you can't recognize, read you a monologue. Kind of jarring.
The key to a great beginning, one that works for publishing and for your story, is to start us off at the inciting incident - the moment your character encounters a problem. Of course this problem will grow and manipulate through the story, but it gives the protagonist something to fight for, something to change their way of thinking and their actions immediately. Start there with enough exposition sprinkled throughout so readers understand the stakes and the world, and you've got a mighty fine beginning.
It's a lot easier said than done, as I'm sure most of you know. That's why beginnings are the hardest part for me. How much is too much? How much is too little? It varies for every single story.
Happy writing!
Anyway, back to writing.
For me, the hardest part about writing a story (short, novella, or full novel length) is the beginning. Where can you possibly start when all these characters have so much going on, and have had so much going on in their past? Thankfully, we have an answer.
The inciting incident. The inciting incident is the moment that "kicks" your story into motion. It's the place where your character's world is changed forever.
In ye olden times, the narrator of the story would often start with a long history of the protagonist's past (and possibly the antagonist, too). From birth, through childhood, and even an explanation of how the protagonist is now king before all the characters in Act 1 filed onto stage.
In modern times, ain't nobody got time for that. All we need to know is the protagonist is now king, which can be detailed through the first scene, not the first sentence.
We live in an age of thirty second meals delivered through our microwaves or car windows, instant internet shopping (perhaps more instant with the Amazon Drones? We'll see), and laundry that takes a mere half an hour to go from wet to dry and wearable. However, it's important not to get too hasty in the opening of your story. This is the tricky part. If you move too quickly without enough explanation, the reader will get lost and confused.
That's why all those writing teachers always told you not to start off with dialogue as your opening line. The reader is introduced to the story and its problems by a character they don't know anything about, in a setting they have never seen. It'd be like leading you into a dark room, blindfolded and wearing nose plugs, to have someone whose voice you can't recognize, read you a monologue. Kind of jarring.
The key to a great beginning, one that works for publishing and for your story, is to start us off at the inciting incident - the moment your character encounters a problem. Of course this problem will grow and manipulate through the story, but it gives the protagonist something to fight for, something to change their way of thinking and their actions immediately. Start there with enough exposition sprinkled throughout so readers understand the stakes and the world, and you've got a mighty fine beginning.
It's a lot easier said than done, as I'm sure most of you know. That's why beginnings are the hardest part for me. How much is too much? How much is too little? It varies for every single story.
Happy writing!
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