So, i've read (and been told) that if you can visualise something you can make it happen. As long as you can see yourself working those steps towards whatever your goal is, anything is possible, right?
With this in mind-- I've decided to train to run a 5k. Yes, I am blogging this to the world, so I have to actually do it. Slightly terrifying. I haven't yet booked a race to run-- that's a bit too scary and ambitious for me, but I have actually printed off a training schedule and set a date to get my feet out on the street-- tomorrow. To be honest, the training doesn't look as scary as I had originally envisioned. It's only three days of actual running, two days of exercise and two rest days. Looking at the training that way, its not only doable, but it seems well, a bit crazy I haven't attempted this yet. You know, besides the fact that I don't really like running. But, as much as I 'don't like running' I've found that the more I do actually run the more I enjoy it. Weird, huh?
And this got me to thinking about my goals for 2010-- and why I've hit such a slump.
I've blogged about being unaccomplished this year and floundering, but I never quite put my finger on why and now I think i know why. I've just lost focus. I'm trying to do so many things (and do them well) that I'm just scattered all over the place. So this week, I'm going to try something else. I'm going to try to set my writing goals out onto a schedule just like the 5k training spreadsheet. Will this be just another procrastination tool? I suspect that might be the case-- but I am awake early on a Monday morning writing this blog post-- one of my many goals for the week-- so that's some modicum of success already, right?
So, today's first goal is accomplished. That's something (and done before work). My second goal for today rests on me being able to finish the scene that refuses to be written. Let's hope I'm that successful.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
My Three Rules of Editing
I just got comments for my first book back from my two readers. I have to say, first, that I am extremely lucky to have two such talented and insightful people willing to look through the whole manuscript and give detailed comments. So: thanks, guys.
My first draft of my first book was a train wreck. I’ve already noticed a lot of problems I’m having in the first book—mainly due to poor planning—that already aren’t happening in the next one, which is about halfway done. The first book will likely need a lot more work than the second. I want it to be ready for agents by December, but if this turns out to be a problem child—and the second book is ready much sooner—I will live with it.
So here are my three rules for this round of edits. Rules I intend to live by.
No cut and paste. A character’s eyes are green in one scene, brown in the next. People are sitting in one paragraph, then standing in another, then sitting in the next. Random scene consistency issues are a problem—most memorably, a big scene where the heroine appears to be in her underwear. She’s not; I just forgot to mention she got dressed after the last scene in her bedroom. Oops!
The big reason for this is that I wrote several drafts of this book, more or less concurrently. Then I went through and consolidated the best bits of each. But I never noticed the continuity problems—largely because I was too close to the material. First rule for editing: No cut and paste.
Use it or lose it. I have a lot of characters in my book that seem like big news—as one of my readers commented—only to fade into the background early. They need to have clear motivations and a role to play throughout the book. Other objects, supernatural or otherwise, need to be put to good use or thrown out. Second rule for editing: Use it or lose it.
Define the world. If I defined how my world works more clearly—what rules I’m operating under for vampires, magic, ghosts, ESP and other things—I would have a much easier time explaining the weird things that happen. The world has to make sense, even if it’s supernatural. Before I write the outline, I’ll sit down and plot out my rules of engagement for this world.
There are plenty of other problems too—notably, my main character gets overshadowed a lot by her friends and enemies. But I already have some ideas for how to make her stronger. Hopefully the next draft will be much stronger and more consistent—and easier to edit.
My first draft of my first book was a train wreck. I’ve already noticed a lot of problems I’m having in the first book—mainly due to poor planning—that already aren’t happening in the next one, which is about halfway done. The first book will likely need a lot more work than the second. I want it to be ready for agents by December, but if this turns out to be a problem child—and the second book is ready much sooner—I will live with it.
So here are my three rules for this round of edits. Rules I intend to live by.
No cut and paste. A character’s eyes are green in one scene, brown in the next. People are sitting in one paragraph, then standing in another, then sitting in the next. Random scene consistency issues are a problem—most memorably, a big scene where the heroine appears to be in her underwear. She’s not; I just forgot to mention she got dressed after the last scene in her bedroom. Oops!
The big reason for this is that I wrote several drafts of this book, more or less concurrently. Then I went through and consolidated the best bits of each. But I never noticed the continuity problems—largely because I was too close to the material. First rule for editing: No cut and paste.
Use it or lose it. I have a lot of characters in my book that seem like big news—as one of my readers commented—only to fade into the background early. They need to have clear motivations and a role to play throughout the book. Other objects, supernatural or otherwise, need to be put to good use or thrown out. Second rule for editing: Use it or lose it.
Define the world. If I defined how my world works more clearly—what rules I’m operating under for vampires, magic, ghosts, ESP and other things—I would have a much easier time explaining the weird things that happen. The world has to make sense, even if it’s supernatural. Before I write the outline, I’ll sit down and plot out my rules of engagement for this world.
There are plenty of other problems too—notably, my main character gets overshadowed a lot by her friends and enemies. But I already have some ideas for how to make her stronger. Hopefully the next draft will be much stronger and more consistent—and easier to edit.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Can You Revise Too Soon?
I’ve been departing from my method of novel-writing lately. With my second novel, I’ve been editing the first half—even though there’s a whole second half just waiting to be written. This is completely against the method I used to finish the first book, which included powering through a messy first draft with no time to edit. The question is: am I focusing my efforts wisely? Or am I stalling myself?
The thing is, the two books are in totally different places. For the first book, I had written three different versions over three years, all of which I scrapped and started again after about 100 words or so. I was totally shaky on my feet. And when I finally, after years of delete-rewrite lunacy, I settled on ONE draft, I was mired in doubt. The only way to move forward, for me, was to completely forget about doubt, accept that this draft wasn’t perfect and never would be, and keep going anyway. I had only one rule: The delete key was entirely off limits.
This second book is different. While it’s not perfect, I pretty much have the plot established in my head—at least the first half. What I’m doing is refining it, not deleting and completely starting over again. I know I won’t achieve perfection. But I do see some problems that I’m thinking if I fix now, I’ll have less work to do on later drafts. So I’m revising—despite my instincts, which say I should just power through. I’m ignoring those this time—in the hope that I’ve learned enough to be able to revise safely and without derailing my entire process, even in the first-draft stage.
Hopefully things will go well. I’m toying with the idea of finishing the entire first half by this weekend. Not sure if I can make it, but….it’s worth a try.
The thing is, the two books are in totally different places. For the first book, I had written three different versions over three years, all of which I scrapped and started again after about 100 words or so. I was totally shaky on my feet. And when I finally, after years of delete-rewrite lunacy, I settled on ONE draft, I was mired in doubt. The only way to move forward, for me, was to completely forget about doubt, accept that this draft wasn’t perfect and never would be, and keep going anyway. I had only one rule: The delete key was entirely off limits.
This second book is different. While it’s not perfect, I pretty much have the plot established in my head—at least the first half. What I’m doing is refining it, not deleting and completely starting over again. I know I won’t achieve perfection. But I do see some problems that I’m thinking if I fix now, I’ll have less work to do on later drafts. So I’m revising—despite my instincts, which say I should just power through. I’m ignoring those this time—in the hope that I’ve learned enough to be able to revise safely and without derailing my entire process, even in the first-draft stage.
Hopefully things will go well. I’m toying with the idea of finishing the entire first half by this weekend. Not sure if I can make it, but….it’s worth a try.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Unaccomplished
2009 was kind of a bumper year for me. At the very end of 2008 I switched jobs and wound up (finally) in my dream job (woot). I finished my first novel mid 2009 and successfully completely NaNoWriMo for the second year in a row. Overall, I was feeling very accomplished-- very much like everything was on track for 2010 to be the best year of all.
And then... editing struck. My first novel had some really lovely concepts and ideas-- but the book I’d written and the book I started out writing were two very different stories. Stories that would need comprehensive months of editing to merge into one readable draft. Our writing group began to set deadlines and make up schedules to swap around our stories... At the time I was completely in denial about the amount of work it would take to produce a draft I felt vaguely confident in showing to other people (even my most trusted readers). So, when the first deadline came up, I had to admit I had failed. I was unable to send out a draft-- but I still had a draft to read from my friend. So, I was now editing a rough manuscript and reading a friend’s draft. Then, the next deadline came along and I was again still working on my novel, editing my friend’s draft and then editing a second draft. Everything had snowballed quite quickly and I was buried.
For a few weeks I felt completely overwhelmed and defeated. I made no progress on any fronts-- not my own work or my friends. I hadn’t just let myself down but now I was letting down my group. I was more upset to see my group let down, if I’m honest.
Then, I began to regroup. My first novel had to be broken before I would be able to see any real progress. I had to get through they very shaky beginning (and the eight new scenes I had to write to tie the two stories together). So, I spoke to my first friend and she agreed it was more important to get my story moving. Two weeks of just concentrating on my book meant I was able to ‘break the back’ of the whole mess. I was able to set a goal for editing my novel and working on hers again. Just taking a tiny bit more time meant I was able to get everything back on track.
Here is the big lesson I’ve learned-- when you work as a group you have to do what works best for the group, but you have to remember what works best for you. I am not great with deadlines. I usually have to set one, then push it back a few times. And as I’m not a professional writer and I’m doing everything in my ‘spare’ time this is fine. If this was my ‘day job’ then I’d just have to embrace deadlines and make them happen (I do just that very successfully in my day job). I work well with small weekly goals. A tiny checklist of things I need to do to move my work forwards. A huge looming deadline doesn’t generally work for me. Maybe it’s my ADHD-- but something so big tends to boggle my brain. It makes me only see the big end result and not the small obtainable steps I need to break everything down into to get there. Now, I’ve got the quiet confidence I was lacking to admit when what I’m working on needs more time. It’s not a race, and while I’m still working on my first novel I’ve finished editing my friend’s first novel and am about two third’s of the way through my second friend’s. I am able to get their stories back to them so that I am no longer letting them down as well. Which is beyond important to me. My work can wait-- but making sure my group is getting the support they need really matters to me. I really don’t mind being behind-- because at least being ‘behind’ I’m making progress. Before, when I was in denial and trying to struggle to stay on schedule, I was just spinning my wheels.
I will never again have the freedom I did in 2008 to just write one project. Going forward I will always be writing something and editing something (maybe not at the same time-- but they will definitely overlap). So, rather than look at 2010 as a series of failures-- or missed goals, I am looking at it as a chance to learn a new skill base. A new way of working on multiple projects that ends in good results.
And then... editing struck. My first novel had some really lovely concepts and ideas-- but the book I’d written and the book I started out writing were two very different stories. Stories that would need comprehensive months of editing to merge into one readable draft. Our writing group began to set deadlines and make up schedules to swap around our stories... At the time I was completely in denial about the amount of work it would take to produce a draft I felt vaguely confident in showing to other people (even my most trusted readers). So, when the first deadline came up, I had to admit I had failed. I was unable to send out a draft-- but I still had a draft to read from my friend. So, I was now editing a rough manuscript and reading a friend’s draft. Then, the next deadline came along and I was again still working on my novel, editing my friend’s draft and then editing a second draft. Everything had snowballed quite quickly and I was buried.
For a few weeks I felt completely overwhelmed and defeated. I made no progress on any fronts-- not my own work or my friends. I hadn’t just let myself down but now I was letting down my group. I was more upset to see my group let down, if I’m honest.
Then, I began to regroup. My first novel had to be broken before I would be able to see any real progress. I had to get through they very shaky beginning (and the eight new scenes I had to write to tie the two stories together). So, I spoke to my first friend and she agreed it was more important to get my story moving. Two weeks of just concentrating on my book meant I was able to ‘break the back’ of the whole mess. I was able to set a goal for editing my novel and working on hers again. Just taking a tiny bit more time meant I was able to get everything back on track.
Here is the big lesson I’ve learned-- when you work as a group you have to do what works best for the group, but you have to remember what works best for you. I am not great with deadlines. I usually have to set one, then push it back a few times. And as I’m not a professional writer and I’m doing everything in my ‘spare’ time this is fine. If this was my ‘day job’ then I’d just have to embrace deadlines and make them happen (I do just that very successfully in my day job). I work well with small weekly goals. A tiny checklist of things I need to do to move my work forwards. A huge looming deadline doesn’t generally work for me. Maybe it’s my ADHD-- but something so big tends to boggle my brain. It makes me only see the big end result and not the small obtainable steps I need to break everything down into to get there. Now, I’ve got the quiet confidence I was lacking to admit when what I’m working on needs more time. It’s not a race, and while I’m still working on my first novel I’ve finished editing my friend’s first novel and am about two third’s of the way through my second friend’s. I am able to get their stories back to them so that I am no longer letting them down as well. Which is beyond important to me. My work can wait-- but making sure my group is getting the support they need really matters to me. I really don’t mind being behind-- because at least being ‘behind’ I’m making progress. Before, when I was in denial and trying to struggle to stay on schedule, I was just spinning my wheels.
I will never again have the freedom I did in 2008 to just write one project. Going forward I will always be writing something and editing something (maybe not at the same time-- but they will definitely overlap). So, rather than look at 2010 as a series of failures-- or missed goals, I am looking at it as a chance to learn a new skill base. A new way of working on multiple projects that ends in good results.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Not Just a Single-Genre Writer
I’ve been working on my second novel lately while I wait for revisions on the first. Comparing both of these, I wonder if I’m a bit in trouble. The first is a fairly straightforward paranormal romance. The second has a bit of historical fiction, a bit of romance—but it’s not completely romantic and it’s really more fantasy than historical. It’s a bit of a genre-buster.
I’m wondering how both of these books will sell. The first has a specific audience in mind. The second…doesn’t. Am I positioning myself as well as I could be as a new author with two books in two entirely separate (and, in one case, undefined) genres?
It’s something to think about, but I also think it’s important just to write. How the book is marketed, and to whom, can be addressed later. I couldn’t change my second book to conform to a certain genre even if I wanted to—that’s just not the story I’m telling. And I suppose I could always write different books under different names—although presumably it’s a good idea to build a name in one genre first before getting on to the second.
Do you try to write in a specific genre only? How do you handle writing projects in numerous genres?
I’m wondering how both of these books will sell. The first has a specific audience in mind. The second…doesn’t. Am I positioning myself as well as I could be as a new author with two books in two entirely separate (and, in one case, undefined) genres?
It’s something to think about, but I also think it’s important just to write. How the book is marketed, and to whom, can be addressed later. I couldn’t change my second book to conform to a certain genre even if I wanted to—that’s just not the story I’m telling. And I suppose I could always write different books under different names—although presumably it’s a good idea to build a name in one genre first before getting on to the second.
Do you try to write in a specific genre only? How do you handle writing projects in numerous genres?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Choosing Readers Carefully
I’m waiting on my last reader to get me back an edit on my first novel. It’s a nerve-wracking wait. I know my book will (hopefully) be available for anyone to read someday, but right now I limit who gets to see it to a very small, very trusted circle. It’s a first draft—and it’s a mess. And even though I’ve developed a thick skin, I also know that too-critical comments could get me down and lessen my excitement for this project. Still, I do need readers who aren’t afraid to offer constructive criticism.
So the right readers for my first draft are carefully chosen. They’re people I know will be supportive, but who will still tell me what I need to fix and won’t just shower me with praise or criticism.
They’re also people who read and write in the same genre I do—so they know how a book in this genre is supposed to go, the conventions I’m working with, and what will likely appeal to my audience. They are my audience—the type of people who would read a book like mine. So I know they won’t dislike it just because it’s romance or fantasy, and they’ll “get” what I’m doing a little more than the average reader.
After they’re done with edits and I’ve gotten a chance to rework my draft, I plan to send out my draft to a wider circle. Some are also romance and fantasy fans but not writers themselves. Some are good friends but not regular readers in those genres. Their feedback will be more useful when I know my draft is stronger, and when I want to judge how the story flows to a reader less familiar with the work—as well as whether it has crossover appeal.
Occasionally someone in my life feels bad because I don’t want to show them my first draft for some reason. Naturally I hate hurting the feelings of people I care about, and I try to explain—but it’s not always easy. Because I’d love your feedback—how do you deal with that kind of issue?
So the right readers for my first draft are carefully chosen. They’re people I know will be supportive, but who will still tell me what I need to fix and won’t just shower me with praise or criticism.
They’re also people who read and write in the same genre I do—so they know how a book in this genre is supposed to go, the conventions I’m working with, and what will likely appeal to my audience. They are my audience—the type of people who would read a book like mine. So I know they won’t dislike it just because it’s romance or fantasy, and they’ll “get” what I’m doing a little more than the average reader.
After they’re done with edits and I’ve gotten a chance to rework my draft, I plan to send out my draft to a wider circle. Some are also romance and fantasy fans but not writers themselves. Some are good friends but not regular readers in those genres. Their feedback will be more useful when I know my draft is stronger, and when I want to judge how the story flows to a reader less familiar with the work—as well as whether it has crossover appeal.
Occasionally someone in my life feels bad because I don’t want to show them my first draft for some reason. Naturally I hate hurting the feelings of people I care about, and I try to explain—but it’s not always easy. Because I’d love your feedback—how do you deal with that kind of issue?
Friday, May 7, 2010
Mac Freedom Saved My Novel
Sometimes when I’m really feeling like I’m just not getting anything done on my novel, I leave the house and go to a coffee shop, park or library to work. Anywhere, really, where I CAN’T get online. It’s not that easy nowadays—especially in a big city like New York, even hotel lobbies and sandwich shops have wireless access. Sometimes I run around the city to find a place with no access as desperately as I do to find it when I’m on vacation somewhere else.
Getting offline is a very important part of my writing method. Do you have any idea how much time we waste Facebookcrastinating (i.e., procrastinating on Facebook), writing long, non-urgent messages to childhood friends, poking around on other people’s blogs and incessantly checking our emails? And it’s not enough for me to just consciously forbid myself to get online. I’m compulsive. I can’t help it. When there's a problem with a plot point or a tricky character issue, I proactively avoid it by checking my email, again, because somebody might have sent me something important in the 2.5 seconds since I checked it last. Gotta stay on top of these things. So I have to find a place where I really can’t get online if I really need to be productive. And sometimes finding an Internet dead zone when you want one can be as hard as finding access when you need it.
Now I don’t have to leave the house to go somewhere there’s no Internet access. I’ve discovered Mac Freedom. It’s an extremely useful program that will block your Internet access completely for a set amount of time, up to eight hours. Mac Freedom won’t respond to pleads, bribery, or tantrums—no Internet til it says you can. One time I even got desperate and forced the program to quit, and it still wouldn’t let me get online. Now that’s resolution. And there’s a version for both Mac and PC users, so anyone can use it.
When I use this program, my productivity shoots through the roof. I get ahead on my blog posting. I finish edits and marketing projects I’ve been putting off. And I get time to work on my novel, too. It’s 100% worth the price—which is not saying much, because it’s free.
Getting offline is a very important part of my writing method. Do you have any idea how much time we waste Facebookcrastinating (i.e., procrastinating on Facebook), writing long, non-urgent messages to childhood friends, poking around on other people’s blogs and incessantly checking our emails? And it’s not enough for me to just consciously forbid myself to get online. I’m compulsive. I can’t help it. When there's a problem with a plot point or a tricky character issue, I proactively avoid it by checking my email, again, because somebody might have sent me something important in the 2.5 seconds since I checked it last. Gotta stay on top of these things. So I have to find a place where I really can’t get online if I really need to be productive. And sometimes finding an Internet dead zone when you want one can be as hard as finding access when you need it.
Now I don’t have to leave the house to go somewhere there’s no Internet access. I’ve discovered Mac Freedom. It’s an extremely useful program that will block your Internet access completely for a set amount of time, up to eight hours. Mac Freedom won’t respond to pleads, bribery, or tantrums—no Internet til it says you can. One time I even got desperate and forced the program to quit, and it still wouldn’t let me get online. Now that’s resolution. And there’s a version for both Mac and PC users, so anyone can use it.
When I use this program, my productivity shoots through the roof. I get ahead on my blog posting. I finish edits and marketing projects I’ve been putting off. And I get time to work on my novel, too. It’s 100% worth the price—which is not saying much, because it’s free.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Poking a Jellyfish with a Stick... And Hoping not to Get Stung
It seems I'm having a few problems this week getting the process going. I'm currently editing two stories concurrently (try saying that three times fast....), mostly because I figure that when I hit a roadblock on one, I can do something with the other.
This is, of course not always the case, but it does seem to be working for now.
The problem is that I'm finding myself leaning more towards the one that reads more easily than the other that needs more work. The one that needs more work needs almost a full re-write. The story just doesn't work as is. The characters are flat, the story comes to it's conclusion far too quickly, and like Pandora's Box, having unlocked the endgame, it's proving hard to stuff the crap back in there to make the darn thing work. The easy one, I'm finding I'm just skimming along. Occasionally, I hit some little thing, make a note about it and move on. Easy as pie. I can almost see the end from here (although I know I'll be telling myself to "work on this").
I just end up feeling guilty because, like last week, I spend the larger part of my time reading the good one -- ten, twenty pages at a time --, while I'm doing maybe a page a week for rewrites of the other. But, at the same time, it's hard for me to balance that out more. I just don't know, right now, how to fix the story that needs work.
Ugh. Well, I'll take the blessings with the burdens. Hopefully, by the time I've sorted the edits on the easier story, I can come back to the harder one with renewed purpose.
But, does anyone have any advice?
Butt-in-chair method has gotten all of the stories I've written thus far (4!) together, and while editing is always slow, I've been pretty fortunate that the one that's got me stumped has been the only one with the problems I'm having. Along with everything else -- shaky plot, faded characters, hard-to-work with character with perhaps too unique a problem for my writing ability -- I'm also having Premature Ending Syndrome. I feel like I've stumbled over this ending and found "Surprise! You've got nothing else here!"
And it's got me scratching my head, looking at a re-write. Maybe the sea monsters came in over night and stole the rest of the book. Things go missing, perhaps it was the kelpie. Who knows?
So, come on people. The floor is yours. What should I do? Keep on keeping on with the one that works and set this aside? Or should I set aside the easy path? Is there a real compromise between the two that can be had? I'd appreciate any and all feedback.
This is, of course not always the case, but it does seem to be working for now.
The problem is that I'm finding myself leaning more towards the one that reads more easily than the other that needs more work. The one that needs more work needs almost a full re-write. The story just doesn't work as is. The characters are flat, the story comes to it's conclusion far too quickly, and like Pandora's Box, having unlocked the endgame, it's proving hard to stuff the crap back in there to make the darn thing work. The easy one, I'm finding I'm just skimming along. Occasionally, I hit some little thing, make a note about it and move on. Easy as pie. I can almost see the end from here (although I know I'll be telling myself to "work on this").
I just end up feeling guilty because, like last week, I spend the larger part of my time reading the good one -- ten, twenty pages at a time --, while I'm doing maybe a page a week for rewrites of the other. But, at the same time, it's hard for me to balance that out more. I just don't know, right now, how to fix the story that needs work.
Ugh. Well, I'll take the blessings with the burdens. Hopefully, by the time I've sorted the edits on the easier story, I can come back to the harder one with renewed purpose.
But, does anyone have any advice?
Butt-in-chair method has gotten all of the stories I've written thus far (4!) together, and while editing is always slow, I've been pretty fortunate that the one that's got me stumped has been the only one with the problems I'm having. Along with everything else -- shaky plot, faded characters, hard-to-work with character with perhaps too unique a problem for my writing ability -- I'm also having Premature Ending Syndrome. I feel like I've stumbled over this ending and found "Surprise! You've got nothing else here!"
And it's got me scratching my head, looking at a re-write. Maybe the sea monsters came in over night and stole the rest of the book. Things go missing, perhaps it was the kelpie. Who knows?
So, come on people. The floor is yours. What should I do? Keep on keeping on with the one that works and set this aside? Or should I set aside the easy path? Is there a real compromise between the two that can be had? I'd appreciate any and all feedback.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Undercover Writers
Do you know any undercover writers? I'm going to bet you do. You're probably one of them yourself. Someone who, like me, not only has a day job, but a day job that has very little to do with writing or the genres they love. People who write over their lunch or late at night, people guiltily scribbling away during meetings and never taking "notes."
Have you ever noticed that when you catch some one (or are caught yourself) just how many other people out themselves around you as someone who does the same?
It's funny, really.
And encouraging.
Have you ever noticed that when you catch some one (or are caught yourself) just how many other people out themselves around you as someone who does the same?
It's funny, really.
And encouraging.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Inspiration from Abroad
I've been pretty much non-existent on this blog (and my other blog, too)--I've been out of town for the past six weeks. I've spent time in London, Paris, the Netherlands, Prague and Vienna...but my mind was never very far from my book.
I don't go on vacation specifically to get inspiration. But it tends to come where I least expect it. I found it hiding in the shadows in the catacombs beneath Paris. I found it walking next to the Seine and the Thames.
My main character sees things others can't. She can see ghosts. She can walk down a street in contemporary (well, contemporary to HER) London and suddenly be standing on a street in Roman London. When she crosses London Bridge on a clear spring day, she can smell the smoke from a bridge fire that killed 200 people, 200 years ago.
So as I walked through these haunted cities, I kept thinking of how she would see them. I thought of the ghosts that could still be floating just below the surface of these famous rivers--maybe they're rising from the shadows now, trying the light, and the only reason I can't see them myself is that I wasn't built to. I thought of the things she would see walking down a typical street in Paris. Or near Notre Dame.
One thing's for sure: she'd stay the heck away from the catacombs.
So now I'm waiting for revisions back from my first draft of the story--and I already have plenty of ideas for how to make it better. How do your travels inform your writing?
I don't go on vacation specifically to get inspiration. But it tends to come where I least expect it. I found it hiding in the shadows in the catacombs beneath Paris. I found it walking next to the Seine and the Thames.
My main character sees things others can't. She can see ghosts. She can walk down a street in contemporary (well, contemporary to HER) London and suddenly be standing on a street in Roman London. When she crosses London Bridge on a clear spring day, she can smell the smoke from a bridge fire that killed 200 people, 200 years ago.
So as I walked through these haunted cities, I kept thinking of how she would see them. I thought of the ghosts that could still be floating just below the surface of these famous rivers--maybe they're rising from the shadows now, trying the light, and the only reason I can't see them myself is that I wasn't built to. I thought of the things she would see walking down a typical street in Paris. Or near Notre Dame.
One thing's for sure: she'd stay the heck away from the catacombs.
So now I'm waiting for revisions back from my first draft of the story--and I already have plenty of ideas for how to make it better. How do your travels inform your writing?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Yo-Ho-Ho and a Bottle of Rum
On topic with a post I wrote back in February, a trip to the bookstore a few weeks ago provided me with a myriad of new reading options playing off of the world, characters, and life of Jane Austen, up to and including a book where Jane is residing in modern times -- as a vampire. We'll see how that one turns out.
I am currently about half way through the madness and mayhem of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. And I'm enjoying the trip.
I picked it up after having enjoyed Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
And Zombies??? You ask. Yes, and Zombies. And Ninjas, too.
I enjoyed it so much that when Quirk Books released Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, I figured, Heck, why not.
They aren't written by the same author, but both are irreverent takes on classic books, which, in my mind really only heightens the enjoyment. I love recognizing things you liked about the original story combined with something completely different.
Makes me wish I'd thought of it first.
Friday, April 16, 2010
53 Stitches at a Time
One of my (many) hobbies is knitting. Right now, it's the only one other than writing that I'm consistent about (with the possible exception of singing, although I don't think I can count "in the shower" or "with the radio" as practice, even if those are the only places I perform in these days). And that's because I can do it on my commute to my day job.
The project I'm working on right now, I'm getting in about 53 stitches at a time when I sit down. Which would be great, except that for what I'm working on each row is 103 stitches. And the pattern involves 7 repeats of 72 rows, two sets of 12 rows, and one set of 41 rows. Before placing it into this context, I thought that I was doing pretty good.
At this rate, I'll be lucky to have it done for Christmas, let alone Mother's Day (sorry, Mom!)....
I need a little more time and a few less hobbies (don't get me started about the list of "hobbies" I fuss with)... ;)
But really, it is the story of my life. In the last few years I've gotten a lot better about my writing my putting it into a "small, regular goals reap large, long-term rewards" format. But, it can be a little disheartening to see a couple hundred words, knowing that to get to a full novel you need to get near 50,000 words.
But, everyone needs to start somewhere. And every project needs to start somewhere. Who knows, I've picked up the pace writing before, maybe I'll get faster with the fine yarn and tiny needles.
I'm sure as heck not giving up yet. (This pattern is way too pretty to give up on!)
*Pattern is from 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders.
The project I'm working on right now, I'm getting in about 53 stitches at a time when I sit down. Which would be great, except that for what I'm working on each row is 103 stitches. And the pattern involves 7 repeats of 72 rows, two sets of 12 rows, and one set of 41 rows. Before placing it into this context, I thought that I was doing pretty good.At this rate, I'll be lucky to have it done for Christmas, let alone Mother's Day (sorry, Mom!)....
I need a little more time and a few less hobbies (don't get me started about the list of "hobbies" I fuss with)... ;)
But really, it is the story of my life. In the last few years I've gotten a lot better about my writing my putting it into a "small, regular goals reap large, long-term rewards" format. But, it can be a little disheartening to see a couple hundred words, knowing that to get to a full novel you need to get near 50,000 words.
But, everyone needs to start somewhere. And every project needs to start somewhere. Who knows, I've picked up the pace writing before, maybe I'll get faster with the fine yarn and tiny needles.
I'm sure as heck not giving up yet. (This pattern is way too pretty to give up on!)
*Pattern is from 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Don't ask me. I'm new here...
When we first started this blog, I admit, I attempted to adopt a tone that was not my own, one advised by one of my compatriots. You may have noticed that when I do post of late, it's been something completely different. The reason being: I really don't have anything I can teach or preach about. I'm still too new at this. This doesn't mean that I don't write or that I don't work on perfecting the craft every day. I do.
But, I'm not a professional writer. And, right now, I'm not likely to be one.
I write because I enjoy it. Not because it's going to make me rich or famous.
I'm not particularly literary. In fact, I've had a teacher despair that I'm “too clinical” for fiction writing, while a professor of biology claimed I was “too emotional” for science.
So why am I here?
Good question, and one I've been asking myself often of late. I've been starting blogposts that I've never published. Why?
Because, I really don't know what to say.
See, unlike writing fiction or poetry, I blog because someone else thought it was a good idea to talk about what it is we were doing.
But for me, I'm afraid it sounds more like what the bard wrote: A tale told by an idiot. All sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Anecdotes, random stories. Thoughts on a book I've read. Really, that's all I've got. And that's not a voice of a teacher. That's the voice of a friend, talking to you about what she's got going on. And hopefully, it's enough. Because that's what I have for you. My unprofessional, random thoughts.
I just hope you don't mind hanging around and letting me know a little about you and your random-and-professional-or-unprofessional thoughts. Talk with us. Genn and Jenny and I would be more than happy to hear from you.
But, I'm not a professional writer. And, right now, I'm not likely to be one.
I write because I enjoy it. Not because it's going to make me rich or famous.
I'm not particularly literary. In fact, I've had a teacher despair that I'm “too clinical” for fiction writing, while a professor of biology claimed I was “too emotional” for science.
So why am I here?
Good question, and one I've been asking myself often of late. I've been starting blogposts that I've never published. Why?
Because, I really don't know what to say.
See, unlike writing fiction or poetry, I blog because someone else thought it was a good idea to talk about what it is we were doing.
But for me, I'm afraid it sounds more like what the bard wrote: A tale told by an idiot. All sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Anecdotes, random stories. Thoughts on a book I've read. Really, that's all I've got. And that's not a voice of a teacher. That's the voice of a friend, talking to you about what she's got going on. And hopefully, it's enough. Because that's what I have for you. My unprofessional, random thoughts.
I just hope you don't mind hanging around and letting me know a little about you and your random-and-professional-or-unprofessional thoughts. Talk with us. Genn and Jenny and I would be more than happy to hear from you.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
When You Fall Off the Horse
In our writing group, we're pretty militant about our goals. We all finished our first drafts of novels more or less together, each working toward the same date. Then we set a goal to be finished with our first round of edits on our novels by February 14th. Two of us made it. One didn't--mainly due to a promotion at work. While this is good news, it was bad news for her writing--she was stuck with more responsibility and found herself working late at the office instead of working late at home, in what I like to encourage her to think of as her "real career" of writing.
So she still has a ways to go on her editing. This kind of problem might have, once upon a time, caused me to get really frustrated with my progress and give up altogether, convinced I was a failure without the drive to make it as a "real writer." But my friend is pushing on. Here are a few things that I see helping her--and that can help you get back on the horse when you miss a writing goal.
If you miss your goal, just set a new one. You can't make every goal you set. Some are too ambitious. And life does get in the way. If you can't turn in your first draft by February 14, it's not the end of the world if you move the deadline to March 14. But make sure you're only doing it as a last resort--not because you just want to. If you're not at least a little strict about your deadlines, you'll always be moving them back and you'll impede your own progress.
Perfectionism isn't going to help you. Don't let high expectations for yourself hold you back. Yes, they hold you back--in making you hold yourself to an impossible standard and then give up when you can't achieve it. You're setting yourself up for failure.
Do one small thing every day to move yourself forward. So you can't edit a whole chapter today. So what? Edit 500 words. If that's too tall an order, do a paragraph. If you can't do that, just open the document and read a paragraph. It'll probably get you inspired to do a little editing--and even if it doesn't, it will get you back in the world of your story if only for a few minutes. Maybe you'll come up with some good ideas.
Don't quit. Changing your goals is fine. Doing small things every day is fine. Quitting isn't fine. Don't stop. Don't take a break. Even a small break can get you out of the writing mode and make your goals seem impossibly far away. Just adjust your goals, your expectations and your daily commitment to something smaller or easier than you think you can do, and plod on ahead. We all have times when we have to adjust.
What do you do when you fall off the horse?
So she still has a ways to go on her editing. This kind of problem might have, once upon a time, caused me to get really frustrated with my progress and give up altogether, convinced I was a failure without the drive to make it as a "real writer." But my friend is pushing on. Here are a few things that I see helping her--and that can help you get back on the horse when you miss a writing goal.
If you miss your goal, just set a new one. You can't make every goal you set. Some are too ambitious. And life does get in the way. If you can't turn in your first draft by February 14, it's not the end of the world if you move the deadline to March 14. But make sure you're only doing it as a last resort--not because you just want to. If you're not at least a little strict about your deadlines, you'll always be moving them back and you'll impede your own progress.
Perfectionism isn't going to help you. Don't let high expectations for yourself hold you back. Yes, they hold you back--in making you hold yourself to an impossible standard and then give up when you can't achieve it. You're setting yourself up for failure.
Do one small thing every day to move yourself forward. So you can't edit a whole chapter today. So what? Edit 500 words. If that's too tall an order, do a paragraph. If you can't do that, just open the document and read a paragraph. It'll probably get you inspired to do a little editing--and even if it doesn't, it will get you back in the world of your story if only for a few minutes. Maybe you'll come up with some good ideas.
Don't quit. Changing your goals is fine. Doing small things every day is fine. Quitting isn't fine. Don't stop. Don't take a break. Even a small break can get you out of the writing mode and make your goals seem impossibly far away. Just adjust your goals, your expectations and your daily commitment to something smaller or easier than you think you can do, and plod on ahead. We all have times when we have to adjust.
What do you do when you fall off the horse?
Friday, February 12, 2010
My Not an E-book post
I can’t honestly write about e-books, readers or the new technology without feeling both hesitant and excited. We are living in an age where anything is very likely to become possible. What was once science fiction is quickly becoming science fact (ok, the jury is still out on the little green men—but you get the idea). Sometimes its seems as we are producing things just because we can—with very little thought to whether we should or we need them.
Take the Kindle for example. My mom proudly told me that she will be getting one as a birthday present. I was more than a little floored as my mom is a die-hard bookstore gal. She loves to go to Borders, check out the shelves, grab a coffee in the café and just relax. It’s her routine and it makes her happy. She’s not an Amazon gal. She rarely buys anything online—instead she prefers the experience of buying something in a shop. So, why the sudden urge for a Kindle?
Two words: peer pressure. My brother, uncle and aunt all convinced her that she needed this device. That this will make her life easier, more complete, fulfilled in a way that going to a bookstore just can’t. Frankly, this is just rubbish. Kindles and Amazon are wonderful—for a certain audience/person. I have to say, the idea of never owning a physical book terrifies me. As a writer—one of the goals of writing is to one day see your work bound up in book format. The thought that one day all that might be left is a digital file on a hand held device seems awful. But, that argument is purely nostalgic—and I am going to refrain from nostalgia. Instead, let’s go back to the case study of my mom.
So, my mom is going to be getting a Kindle. When we had a more honest discussion she’s admitted she doesn’t really want a Kindle. That she doesn’t need one, but felt pressured to get one. She said that she’ll still be going to Borders to check out what’s new, but might use the Kindle just to read her book club books (as usually she doesn’t keep them).
My prediction is that my mom will never figure out how to work her Kindle. Instead, she’ll have it for a year or two before she actually understands how it works and then she’ll be ready for an iPad.
With so much new technology now on the market why would anyone tie themselves down to a Kindle or early adopter iPad. People, wait….see what’s out there first before we jump onto the e-reader bandwagon? Everything is still being refined. If e-readers are the way forward (shudder) then at least make sure you do your research and maybe wait a little while before you spend your hard earned cash on a technology that is still evolving. How many of you bought Creative MP3 players? I did. I now own an iPod. Whatever happened to Creative?
But most importantly, don’t let anyone convince you that you ‘need’ something. If you are happy with your routine of popping to the bookstore and picking up your new titles—then do it. For some people, that joy of leaving their worries outside while they step into a bookstore for a half hour (or more) is a palpable and necessary break from the real world. I know that bookstores are my happy place—whenever I feel low I visit one and just browsing the shelves makes me feel better (something I picked up from my mom). I’m not sure I could get the same joy or sense of leaving my worries behind just downloading a file from Amazon.
Take the Kindle for example. My mom proudly told me that she will be getting one as a birthday present. I was more than a little floored as my mom is a die-hard bookstore gal. She loves to go to Borders, check out the shelves, grab a coffee in the café and just relax. It’s her routine and it makes her happy. She’s not an Amazon gal. She rarely buys anything online—instead she prefers the experience of buying something in a shop. So, why the sudden urge for a Kindle?
Two words: peer pressure. My brother, uncle and aunt all convinced her that she needed this device. That this will make her life easier, more complete, fulfilled in a way that going to a bookstore just can’t. Frankly, this is just rubbish. Kindles and Amazon are wonderful—for a certain audience/person. I have to say, the idea of never owning a physical book terrifies me. As a writer—one of the goals of writing is to one day see your work bound up in book format. The thought that one day all that might be left is a digital file on a hand held device seems awful. But, that argument is purely nostalgic—and I am going to refrain from nostalgia. Instead, let’s go back to the case study of my mom.
So, my mom is going to be getting a Kindle. When we had a more honest discussion she’s admitted she doesn’t really want a Kindle. That she doesn’t need one, but felt pressured to get one. She said that she’ll still be going to Borders to check out what’s new, but might use the Kindle just to read her book club books (as usually she doesn’t keep them).
My prediction is that my mom will never figure out how to work her Kindle. Instead, she’ll have it for a year or two before she actually understands how it works and then she’ll be ready for an iPad.
With so much new technology now on the market why would anyone tie themselves down to a Kindle or early adopter iPad. People, wait….see what’s out there first before we jump onto the e-reader bandwagon? Everything is still being refined. If e-readers are the way forward (shudder) then at least make sure you do your research and maybe wait a little while before you spend your hard earned cash on a technology that is still evolving. How many of you bought Creative MP3 players? I did. I now own an iPod. Whatever happened to Creative?
But most importantly, don’t let anyone convince you that you ‘need’ something. If you are happy with your routine of popping to the bookstore and picking up your new titles—then do it. For some people, that joy of leaving their worries outside while they step into a bookstore for a half hour (or more) is a palpable and necessary break from the real world. I know that bookstores are my happy place—whenever I feel low I visit one and just browsing the shelves makes me feel better (something I picked up from my mom). I’m not sure I could get the same joy or sense of leaving my worries behind just downloading a file from Amazon.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Reading Something Old New Again
I'm going way off topic this week, but it's because of a certain call I've been answering. And I think that call has to do with all of the edits (and writing) I've been working on.
When I love a story, I always want more. I'll read and re-read the same book again and again. For example, I'm a huge fan of Jane Austen. And, while I haven't read all of her novels, the ones I have read, I read again. And again. She never wrote sequels of her most beloved books. But, other people have.
Just like Sense and Sensibility, I find myself re-reading the Pamela Aiden series Fitzwilliam Darcy, A Gentleman. But, every time I do, it brings to mind a question I've been asking myself for many years. Something of a debate I've held with myself over my guiltiest of pleasures. When is it art and homage and when is it just fan fiction?
When I love a story, I always want more. I'll read and re-read the same book again and again. For example, I'm a huge fan of Jane Austen. And, while I haven't read all of her novels, the ones I have read, I read again. And again. She never wrote sequels of her most beloved books. But, other people have.
Just like Sense and Sensibility, I find myself re-reading the Pamela Aiden series Fitzwilliam Darcy, A Gentleman. But, every time I do, it brings to mind a question I've been asking myself for many years. Something of a debate I've held with myself over my guiltiest of pleasures. When is it art and homage and when is it just fan fiction?
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Great E-book Debate
A lot is being made of the Kindle--the electronic reader that has a wireless Internet connection, allows you to store hundreds of books inside and read them on the screen, as well as instantly downloading books in electronic format for $9.99 each. There are a lot of benefits being touted, such as that you don't have to carry around a lot of books to have them at your fingertips (the Kindle is narrow and lightweight).
I've seen the pro-vs.-con argument phrased as a "Usability vs. Nostalgia" conundrum, and while I agree that there are nostalgic reasons to hang on to books, this way of framing the issue sets books up to fail--who wants to let nostalgia and silly emotions get in the way of better convenience and usability? I've even seen some people start to write about actual books as "analog books" (Seriously? Analog books?). The word "analog" automatically denotes something hopelessly behind the times, in my opinion--and again weighs the outcome in the mind of the reader before they've even read the article.
So this is my response to that: Why real books are more user-friendly and convenient than e-books, in my opinion.
I can't read an eBook in the bath. I love reading books in places where you wouldn't want to take a Kindle: in the bathtub, on the beach, in an inner tube floating on a lake. You get your book so wet it can't be read, and it'll cost you a couple of bucks to replace it. You get your Kindle wet, and you're a little under $300 in the hole. Clear disadvantage to the Kindle there.
Kindles are EXPENSIVE. Speaking of how much it costs: even if you're a voracious reader, reading is an inexpensive hobby. You can go to libraries and buy your books used--and you don't have to furnish an arm and a leg to feed your reading habit. But a Kindle will cost you a lot--Amazon is selling it for $259 right now. In my opinion, it's a way of making a low-tech, inexpensive hobby more pricey and less easy to get into. If Kindles become the norm, will people stop reading as much because they can't afford one?
I look at a screen all day. I need a break. A lot of workers look at computer screens from 9-5 every day, if not more. When I read, I'm getting away from the screen. I love getting unplugged from the world and reading a book. A Kindle keeps your eyes glued to the screen--not a fun way to spend a vacation, in my opinion.
Your Kindle can run out of batteries. Kindles have a long battery life--up to seven days with the wireless turned on and two weeks without. But they still have a battery life. What if I wanted to take mine camping and there's no plug-in on the mountaintop? Or what if you just forget to plug it in? A book may be heavier in your backpack, but it won't run out of batteries.
You can't write in your Kindle. My books tend to be lived-in. I dog-ear, I write in the margins, I highlight. You can't do that with a Kindle.
You can't lend your books out. I love exchanging books with friends--and of course if I read mainly on a Kindle, I couldn't do that. I'd have to lend out my entire Kindle, and not read anything til my friend gave it back. Or *gasp* be stuck with "analog" books until then.
No sensory book experience. When talking about the things Kindle takes away from the reading experience, a lot of people bring up the sensory book-reading experience--the smell of a new book, the way the pages feel and sound as you turn them, and so on. I think this is ultimately a losing argument--it draws on emotion and nostalgia, which have a hard time standing against the next new thing in popular opinion. But I believe there's something to it--you just don't get that sensory experience with a Kindle.
Do you use a Kindle? Do you prefer it over books? And, do you feel it's better in some situations than others?
I've seen the pro-vs.-con argument phrased as a "Usability vs. Nostalgia" conundrum, and while I agree that there are nostalgic reasons to hang on to books, this way of framing the issue sets books up to fail--who wants to let nostalgia and silly emotions get in the way of better convenience and usability? I've even seen some people start to write about actual books as "analog books" (Seriously? Analog books?). The word "analog" automatically denotes something hopelessly behind the times, in my opinion--and again weighs the outcome in the mind of the reader before they've even read the article.
So this is my response to that: Why real books are more user-friendly and convenient than e-books, in my opinion.
I can't read an eBook in the bath. I love reading books in places where you wouldn't want to take a Kindle: in the bathtub, on the beach, in an inner tube floating on a lake. You get your book so wet it can't be read, and it'll cost you a couple of bucks to replace it. You get your Kindle wet, and you're a little under $300 in the hole. Clear disadvantage to the Kindle there.
Kindles are EXPENSIVE. Speaking of how much it costs: even if you're a voracious reader, reading is an inexpensive hobby. You can go to libraries and buy your books used--and you don't have to furnish an arm and a leg to feed your reading habit. But a Kindle will cost you a lot--Amazon is selling it for $259 right now. In my opinion, it's a way of making a low-tech, inexpensive hobby more pricey and less easy to get into. If Kindles become the norm, will people stop reading as much because they can't afford one?
I look at a screen all day. I need a break. A lot of workers look at computer screens from 9-5 every day, if not more. When I read, I'm getting away from the screen. I love getting unplugged from the world and reading a book. A Kindle keeps your eyes glued to the screen--not a fun way to spend a vacation, in my opinion.
Your Kindle can run out of batteries. Kindles have a long battery life--up to seven days with the wireless turned on and two weeks without. But they still have a battery life. What if I wanted to take mine camping and there's no plug-in on the mountaintop? Or what if you just forget to plug it in? A book may be heavier in your backpack, but it won't run out of batteries.
You can't write in your Kindle. My books tend to be lived-in. I dog-ear, I write in the margins, I highlight. You can't do that with a Kindle.
You can't lend your books out. I love exchanging books with friends--and of course if I read mainly on a Kindle, I couldn't do that. I'd have to lend out my entire Kindle, and not read anything til my friend gave it back. Or *gasp* be stuck with "analog" books until then.
No sensory book experience. When talking about the things Kindle takes away from the reading experience, a lot of people bring up the sensory book-reading experience--the smell of a new book, the way the pages feel and sound as you turn them, and so on. I think this is ultimately a losing argument--it draws on emotion and nostalgia, which have a hard time standing against the next new thing in popular opinion. But I believe there's something to it--you just don't get that sensory experience with a Kindle.
Do you use a Kindle? Do you prefer it over books? And, do you feel it's better in some situations than others?
Friday, February 5, 2010
Write with the passion of a four-year-old blowing bubbles and revise with the discipline of a Yoga- master with OCD!
Jenny and Angel both bring up really good points about outlines. Much like Angel, I am still not sold on the usefulness of an outline while writing a first draft.
Here's why:
First Drafts are Overwhelming
Or overwhelming enough to me without the stress of having to hit plot points and character arcs (not to mention plot twists and subplots, whew). For me, this is where my characters get to feel their oats, they get to tell me who they are. I can't tell you the amount of times that I think a character is going to be one type of person and I'm proved wrong by his/her next action. If I had to follow an outline I'm not sure I would have been able to give the characters the room they need to develop. Or, even worse I'm not sure I'd be able to get through all of the plot points needed to get to the end of the book.
That said, I never start a story that I don't know the ending to
Actually, I usually begin every story knowing the end first. I have a rough idea of the plot, what has to happen and what the characters need to do from the start to finish in their journeys. Usually I know the pivotal plot points and maybe a few other relevant details. I tend to do a lot of 'pre-outlining' before I start writing. This is all generally in my head and never makes it onto paper or screen. I am awful at beginnings though, which is maybe why I encourage myself to write without knowing the beginning first (I just start with the action). This usually means my beginnings change quite a bit between drafts.
However, that said, now that I am editing my first novel, I am completely convinced of the need for an outline for revisions. My first draft is a train wreck, mostly because about halfway through my novel I changed my initial ideas about what the focus of the novel was. Which has made the story much richer, and was something I felt able to do, because I hadn't pre-plotted out everything. Because while writing I allowed myself the flexibility to see my characters as changeable and capable of a growth I hadn't outlined or predicted.
Now, that I am actually re-writing this beast (and it is a beast!) having an outline that gives me a clear set of checkpoints to hit, makes sense of my plot and helps me to chart each of my characters growth is vital. When I began revising I read through each of the chapters made corrections and jumped in feet first. This seemed like a good idea. An idea free of procrastination and filled with actions. I am good with actions. When I have any excuse to procrastinate I will. However, I found myself becoming more and more confused by the narrative of my plot. I was overwhelmed by my story. I needed to break things down scene by scene (or chapter by chapter).
And I did.... with much procrastination (I am still awful about this!) I devised an outline that has allowed me to go back through my story and actually make sense of everything I have written. What seemed like an overwhelming wreckage of writing before is now a manageable story-- albeit a story that needs some changes. I have been using my outline now to revise my novel and I couldn't be happier. When I finish my second book-- sometime in the spring, the first thing I'll do is draw up an outline. I am not sure I could revise without an outline. I am confident that for me, having an outline while writing is prohibitive, but while revising it's a necessity.
Does this make me still on the fence about outlines? Well, probably not. I do think outlines are necessary; they are the nuts and bolts of writing. They are the compass and maps of a story (ok, or GPS/Magellan/Tom-Tom/pick your own SatNav system). You need some sort of well thought out plan to make it to the end-game, to a finished novel that you feel confident showing to other people. However, when I'm writing, I still think I just need to listen to my characters-- even if later on I wished I hadn't. All's fair in first drafts and second, no?
Here's why:
First Drafts are Overwhelming
Or overwhelming enough to me without the stress of having to hit plot points and character arcs (not to mention plot twists and subplots, whew). For me, this is where my characters get to feel their oats, they get to tell me who they are. I can't tell you the amount of times that I think a character is going to be one type of person and I'm proved wrong by his/her next action. If I had to follow an outline I'm not sure I would have been able to give the characters the room they need to develop. Or, even worse I'm not sure I'd be able to get through all of the plot points needed to get to the end of the book.
That said, I never start a story that I don't know the ending to
Actually, I usually begin every story knowing the end first. I have a rough idea of the plot, what has to happen and what the characters need to do from the start to finish in their journeys. Usually I know the pivotal plot points and maybe a few other relevant details. I tend to do a lot of 'pre-outlining' before I start writing. This is all generally in my head and never makes it onto paper or screen. I am awful at beginnings though, which is maybe why I encourage myself to write without knowing the beginning first (I just start with the action). This usually means my beginnings change quite a bit between drafts.
However, that said, now that I am editing my first novel, I am completely convinced of the need for an outline for revisions. My first draft is a train wreck, mostly because about halfway through my novel I changed my initial ideas about what the focus of the novel was. Which has made the story much richer, and was something I felt able to do, because I hadn't pre-plotted out everything. Because while writing I allowed myself the flexibility to see my characters as changeable and capable of a growth I hadn't outlined or predicted.
Now, that I am actually re-writing this beast (and it is a beast!) having an outline that gives me a clear set of checkpoints to hit, makes sense of my plot and helps me to chart each of my characters growth is vital. When I began revising I read through each of the chapters made corrections and jumped in feet first. This seemed like a good idea. An idea free of procrastination and filled with actions. I am good with actions. When I have any excuse to procrastinate I will. However, I found myself becoming more and more confused by the narrative of my plot. I was overwhelmed by my story. I needed to break things down scene by scene (or chapter by chapter).
And I did.... with much procrastination (I am still awful about this!) I devised an outline that has allowed me to go back through my story and actually make sense of everything I have written. What seemed like an overwhelming wreckage of writing before is now a manageable story-- albeit a story that needs some changes. I have been using my outline now to revise my novel and I couldn't be happier. When I finish my second book-- sometime in the spring, the first thing I'll do is draw up an outline. I am not sure I could revise without an outline. I am confident that for me, having an outline while writing is prohibitive, but while revising it's a necessity.
Does this make me still on the fence about outlines? Well, probably not. I do think outlines are necessary; they are the nuts and bolts of writing. They are the compass and maps of a story (ok, or GPS/Magellan/Tom-Tom/pick your own SatNav system). You need some sort of well thought out plan to make it to the end-game, to a finished novel that you feel confident showing to other people. However, when I'm writing, I still think I just need to listen to my characters-- even if later on I wished I hadn't. All's fair in first drafts and second, no?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Outlines: Another Side of the Die
Granted, outlines can be useful; I wouldn't outright say that outlines aren't useful.
And I certainly wouldn't say that whatever I have against them involves stifling my creativity.
My first story was written the whole way through with a kind of non-traditional outline. The story is set in a specific time-frame, and I needed to keep that frame in mind. And so, I set a loose outline of that story up in a day planner. My chapters are less "chapters" and more like what happens each day for my three protagonists. The day-planner approach (I hesitate to call it an outline, but it is one. Kind of.) was really helpful for me in visualizing what was going on and the pacing of my story. But it hasn't worked in all cases, for example, my second story.
For my second story (a Nano-Novel), there was no physical outline. I thought about a day planner, but it didn't fit. I had a plan from the beginning for the over-reaching story arc and while the smaller stories with in it have been developing within that framework, there wasn't an outline set out for the first (or second, or third) of what I hope to be a series of three. I finished the story, ran through a first set of edits and then a second, marking in the text notes for what I wanted to see and when. I had a fairly good idea about the way the story flowed and the way it progressed. I've always been a bit of a patchwork writer anyway and I see the connections between pieces. It's all in my head and I'm good at visualizing where it goes and if it needs to be moved. The big picture.
It wasn't until the three of us sat down and set out a specific deadline for passing around a draft of one of our novels that someone even mentioned outlining, and while I did it to stay in tandem with both Genn and Jenny, I really felt that doing the outline was keeping me from doing what I needed to actually do on my actual story -- do something about all of those notes about "move this here," "eliminate this," or "bring this in here." The only thing the outline I completed has helped me to do is to see where I put the song lyric quotes I still am not convinced I need for most chapters. There are one or two chapters where the song quote is just too perfect to get rid of, which is why I'm still having a bit of a hink about keeping them or not. I broke up a few chapters into smaller pieces, but really, the reason I'd had them together as one before was thematic. I spent most of January working on something that the whole time I was convinced (and am still convinced) that at this point, I don't need. It was far too late for an outline on this story.
My third story, still being written, is also going right along without an outline. But, it's also a story line I've had in my head for a while, and while I've had a few fits on some specific scenes (some characters just don't want to be written out! What cheek!), it's still going right along without one. I know what I need to write next, even if it's hard. And I know what I need to do for the last chapter. I've written some of it already, thanks to another suggestion of Mike's, something I've been leery of letting myself do as it's part of my prior MO with my unfinished novels -- writing scenes out of order. I never used outlines back then, either. I don't think I'm creating an outline for this one. I feel pretty confident I know what's going on the whole story through.
My fourth story (another Nano-Novel), was actually finished before my third story, but it's the second for the series mentioned earlier. I'm still tottering on whether or not this edit is going to need an outline. If I do, should I go with an option -- like with my first novel -- that isn't conventional. The problems with the story were ones I'd realized before I'd finished, much like the earlier Nano-Novel: this one ends abruptly, there stuff missing -- like tension and a plot line. I don't want this to be filler between the first and third stories, so I have to find some way of making this story stand up on it's own, and once I've finished with this round of edits on the second story (confused yet?), I need to roll up my sleeves and figure out some way to breathe life into the inert monster that is this second-of-three-stories. Even so, not having read it over once yet, I'm fairly confident I know what's wrong and what I need to do where. No outline, but an idea of where things go in my head.
So, I'm still out on whether or not I think outlines are useful or just a procrastination tool. I haven't finished a story because I've had an outline. I've finished a story because I gave myself goals and deadlines and put my butt in the chair and got to work. That's just how I roll....
Although, I could have probably used an outline for this blog post.... ;)
And I certainly wouldn't say that whatever I have against them involves stifling my creativity.
But, I think there's a time and a place for everything under heaven. And at some point if you haven't set the thing down on paper, creating one is actually more of a procrastination tool than anything else.
That said, I've worked on my own stories both with and without it, and I think that needing one or not, and the format you use (as Mike Chen mentioned not too long ago, when talking about his story webs), depends on the narrative. For me, at least.
My first story was written the whole way through with a kind of non-traditional outline. The story is set in a specific time-frame, and I needed to keep that frame in mind. And so, I set a loose outline of that story up in a day planner. My chapters are less "chapters" and more like what happens each day for my three protagonists. The day-planner approach (I hesitate to call it an outline, but it is one. Kind of.) was really helpful for me in visualizing what was going on and the pacing of my story. But it hasn't worked in all cases, for example, my second story.
For my second story (a Nano-Novel), there was no physical outline. I thought about a day planner, but it didn't fit. I had a plan from the beginning for the over-reaching story arc and while the smaller stories with in it have been developing within that framework, there wasn't an outline set out for the first (or second, or third) of what I hope to be a series of three. I finished the story, ran through a first set of edits and then a second, marking in the text notes for what I wanted to see and when. I had a fairly good idea about the way the story flowed and the way it progressed. I've always been a bit of a patchwork writer anyway and I see the connections between pieces. It's all in my head and I'm good at visualizing where it goes and if it needs to be moved. The big picture.
It wasn't until the three of us sat down and set out a specific deadline for passing around a draft of one of our novels that someone even mentioned outlining, and while I did it to stay in tandem with both Genn and Jenny, I really felt that doing the outline was keeping me from doing what I needed to actually do on my actual story -- do something about all of those notes about "move this here," "eliminate this," or "bring this in here." The only thing the outline I completed has helped me to do is to see where I put the song lyric quotes I still am not convinced I need for most chapters. There are one or two chapters where the song quote is just too perfect to get rid of, which is why I'm still having a bit of a hink about keeping them or not. I broke up a few chapters into smaller pieces, but really, the reason I'd had them together as one before was thematic. I spent most of January working on something that the whole time I was convinced (and am still convinced) that at this point, I don't need. It was far too late for an outline on this story.
My third story, still being written, is also going right along without an outline. But, it's also a story line I've had in my head for a while, and while I've had a few fits on some specific scenes (some characters just don't want to be written out! What cheek!), it's still going right along without one. I know what I need to write next, even if it's hard. And I know what I need to do for the last chapter. I've written some of it already, thanks to another suggestion of Mike's, something I've been leery of letting myself do as it's part of my prior MO with my unfinished novels -- writing scenes out of order. I never used outlines back then, either. I don't think I'm creating an outline for this one. I feel pretty confident I know what's going on the whole story through.
My fourth story (another Nano-Novel), was actually finished before my third story, but it's the second for the series mentioned earlier. I'm still tottering on whether or not this edit is going to need an outline. If I do, should I go with an option -- like with my first novel -- that isn't conventional. The problems with the story were ones I'd realized before I'd finished, much like the earlier Nano-Novel: this one ends abruptly, there stuff missing -- like tension and a plot line. I don't want this to be filler between the first and third stories, so I have to find some way of making this story stand up on it's own, and once I've finished with this round of edits on the second story (confused yet?), I need to roll up my sleeves and figure out some way to breathe life into the inert monster that is this second-of-three-stories. Even so, not having read it over once yet, I'm fairly confident I know what's wrong and what I need to do where. No outline, but an idea of where things go in my head.
A lot of times, I think what really is my bug-a-boo about outlines is that I'm not entirely a lineal thinker. I can keep it all straight in my head, but if I were to create something to show the whole network of plot bits, I'd have to have the software used to plot epidemics (a whole web of connections) or I'd have to create an "idea mobile, with strings connecting each floating piece, or use an erector set with little tags on it for each point at my desk (hmmm... I like this idea. I haven't done that in a while.... where is that erector set...?) -- and that takes up a lot of physical space.
So, I'm still out on whether or not I think outlines are useful or just a procrastination tool. I haven't finished a story because I've had an outline. I've finished a story because I gave myself goals and deadlines and put my butt in the chair and got to work. That's just how I roll....
Although, I could have probably used an outline for this blog post.... ;)
Monday, February 1, 2010
Outlines: Why I Never Work Without One.
Outlining is a bit of a contentious subject in noveling. Some people swear by their outlining process. Others believe that it’s stifling to the creative process. Personally, I can’t get through a novel without at least a basic outline—and would even go so far as to suggest that if you’ve gotten halfway through several novels before abandoning them, it’s probably because you’re an outliner trying to write like a non-outliner. Here’s why outlining is so crucial to my noveling.
Because inspiration won’t carry you forever. This happens to me every time I sit down to write a novel. For the first 100 pages or so, inspiration carries me. I know exactly where I want the novel to go—and the beautiful scenes just flow. Then around the 100-to-150-page mark, I lose my direction. I hit the point where I have to make real choices—limiting choices—about my plot and characters. Indecision can freeze me—and leave me thinking it would be better to just scrap this one and start over.
Because outlining gets me over story loathing. I get this around the same time that I lose my direction in terms of inspiration. I start to hate the story. I want to give up—and I’ve lost many novel ideas over the years this way before figuring out that this is how I work. The outline is like a lifeline, pulling me out of story loathing and back to a place where I can be excited about the book. It shows me that yes, this plot works, I have a plan—and I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Because without one, I couldn’t keep this stuff straight. I would lose my way so fast without an outline—especially after inspiring discussions with my writing group, new ideas about how the plot goes, and figuring out how to integrate all that. Without an outline, I’d lose new ideas as fast as I came up with them—or start to doubt them because I couldn’t see how they worked in the bigger picture.
Because outlines give you a sense of timing. Are you doing enough to build tension between your hero and heroine? Have you built up the suspense gradually, or is it all in one clump at the end? Timing is everything, and even in a long work like a novel it’s easy to get it wrong. The outline allows me to work out timing issues before I start writing—and my margin for mistakes is lower.
Outlining literally saved my writing career. Before, I would start novels, get them halfway done, hit a wall and then give up. I'd think the problem was what came before--and I'd erase and start over. I never got anywhere--until I started really committing to an outline. Then I finished the first novel I tried it with. If you don't outline, and you've never finished a novel--a lack of organizational structure may be at the root of why.
Because inspiration won’t carry you forever. This happens to me every time I sit down to write a novel. For the first 100 pages or so, inspiration carries me. I know exactly where I want the novel to go—and the beautiful scenes just flow. Then around the 100-to-150-page mark, I lose my direction. I hit the point where I have to make real choices—limiting choices—about my plot and characters. Indecision can freeze me—and leave me thinking it would be better to just scrap this one and start over.
Because outlining gets me over story loathing. I get this around the same time that I lose my direction in terms of inspiration. I start to hate the story. I want to give up—and I’ve lost many novel ideas over the years this way before figuring out that this is how I work. The outline is like a lifeline, pulling me out of story loathing and back to a place where I can be excited about the book. It shows me that yes, this plot works, I have a plan—and I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Because without one, I couldn’t keep this stuff straight. I would lose my way so fast without an outline—especially after inspiring discussions with my writing group, new ideas about how the plot goes, and figuring out how to integrate all that. Without an outline, I’d lose new ideas as fast as I came up with them—or start to doubt them because I couldn’t see how they worked in the bigger picture.
Because outlines give you a sense of timing. Are you doing enough to build tension between your hero and heroine? Have you built up the suspense gradually, or is it all in one clump at the end? Timing is everything, and even in a long work like a novel it’s easy to get it wrong. The outline allows me to work out timing issues before I start writing—and my margin for mistakes is lower.
Outlining literally saved my writing career. Before, I would start novels, get them halfway done, hit a wall and then give up. I'd think the problem was what came before--and I'd erase and start over. I never got anywhere--until I started really committing to an outline. Then I finished the first novel I tried it with. If you don't outline, and you've never finished a novel--a lack of organizational structure may be at the root of why.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Revisionasaurus Rex: Tips for Taming the Beast
I’ve finished my very first book—definitely a cause for celebration. When I did, I broke out the wine, called my best friends, and bought myself something nice as a reward. But as great as it is to finish your book—you know that you CAN finish a book, which is an accomplishment in itself—too much celebration is premature. You’re likely facing several waves of full-on edits before you shop it around, get an agent, and get it published. In short, your work is only barely beginning.
I’m in the editing stage now. The Revisionasaurus Rex can take over your life—editing can drag on for years, much longer than it takes to actually write a book. But if you want a writing career, you can’t afford to spend several years editing—you want to get your book market-ready as efficiently as possible, so you can get your writing career started. Here are a few tips for taming the beast.
Break it up into manageable segments. It’s empowering to watch your word or page count creep up while you’re writing your first draft. But when you’re editing, goals can be a little more ephemeral. You’re not increasing your page or word counts, as you might be deleting and rewriting large chunks as well as writing new scenes from scratch. So you can’t keep track of your progress by volume alone.
Still, it’s important to keep track of your progress. It makes you see that you’re MAKING progress—which helps to keep you motivated. You can create excel spreadsheets, graphs and charts if you’re so minded—but if you’d rather keep it simple, just keep track of the number of chapters you’ve revised. If you don’t have your draft divided up into chapters yet—mine won’t be divided into chapters until after this round of edits—count by scenes.
Work from an outline. I’m a big proponent of outlining. After I finished my first draft, I printed out the whole thing, read it, made notes of where the plot was weak—and re-outlined the whole thing. Now I have a structure to go on. I feel that outlining is even more important during the editing process than the first-draft writing process. That’s because with the first draft, you’re flying by the seat of your pants—but in the editing process you have to clean up your plot and make sure your pacing is right. Without my outline, I’d be lost.
Talk it out. By the time I finished my first draft, there were holes in my plot that I could drive a Volkswagen Beetle through. Those plot holes screwed up my editing process for months—I just couldn’t figure out how to fix them, and it made me lose enthusiasm for the story.
Then one night I sat down with a friend, who is also editing her first novel, and told her about my plot holes. We’d hashed out a solution in the space of a few hours and a few glasses of wine. Pretty soon I had a renewed interest in my book—and the editing process has been much easier since then.
Set a deadline—and stick to it. Your book will never be perfect—and you can languish in the editing process for years or decades. Don’t let yourself do that. Pick a deadline. Pick one you can stick to, but not without significant effort. Pick a few people you plan to show your book to after this round of edits. Tell them you’re planning to give the book to them on that date—and get it done.
Editing isn’t easy. Your editing process could hold up your career for a long time—but only if you let the Revisionasaurus Rex run rampant. With a little (who am I kidding: a lot) of discipline, however, you should be able to get past the edits and get your novel ready for submission—sooner rather than later.
I’m in the editing stage now. The Revisionasaurus Rex can take over your life—editing can drag on for years, much longer than it takes to actually write a book. But if you want a writing career, you can’t afford to spend several years editing—you want to get your book market-ready as efficiently as possible, so you can get your writing career started. Here are a few tips for taming the beast.
Break it up into manageable segments. It’s empowering to watch your word or page count creep up while you’re writing your first draft. But when you’re editing, goals can be a little more ephemeral. You’re not increasing your page or word counts, as you might be deleting and rewriting large chunks as well as writing new scenes from scratch. So you can’t keep track of your progress by volume alone.
Still, it’s important to keep track of your progress. It makes you see that you’re MAKING progress—which helps to keep you motivated. You can create excel spreadsheets, graphs and charts if you’re so minded—but if you’d rather keep it simple, just keep track of the number of chapters you’ve revised. If you don’t have your draft divided up into chapters yet—mine won’t be divided into chapters until after this round of edits—count by scenes.
Work from an outline. I’m a big proponent of outlining. After I finished my first draft, I printed out the whole thing, read it, made notes of where the plot was weak—and re-outlined the whole thing. Now I have a structure to go on. I feel that outlining is even more important during the editing process than the first-draft writing process. That’s because with the first draft, you’re flying by the seat of your pants—but in the editing process you have to clean up your plot and make sure your pacing is right. Without my outline, I’d be lost.
Talk it out. By the time I finished my first draft, there were holes in my plot that I could drive a Volkswagen Beetle through. Those plot holes screwed up my editing process for months—I just couldn’t figure out how to fix them, and it made me lose enthusiasm for the story.
Then one night I sat down with a friend, who is also editing her first novel, and told her about my plot holes. We’d hashed out a solution in the space of a few hours and a few glasses of wine. Pretty soon I had a renewed interest in my book—and the editing process has been much easier since then.
Set a deadline—and stick to it. Your book will never be perfect—and you can languish in the editing process for years or decades. Don’t let yourself do that. Pick a deadline. Pick one you can stick to, but not without significant effort. Pick a few people you plan to show your book to after this round of edits. Tell them you’re planning to give the book to them on that date—and get it done.
Editing isn’t easy. Your editing process could hold up your career for a long time—but only if you let the Revisionasaurus Rex run rampant. With a little (who am I kidding: a lot) of discipline, however, you should be able to get past the edits and get your novel ready for submission—sooner rather than later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
