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.
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