You never knew when you might see one. You may be scrolling through the internet feed of our choosing, or riding a bus while listening to music. You may even just be walking down the hall. Suddenly, you see a flash - just a quick tuft - gone almost as soon as you notice. Or you may hear, just for a second, the tiniest tap of a paw.
You stop, holding very still, while you try to process what you just might have seen. Trying not to make any noise, not even breathing, you wait. You don't want to scare it off, after all. Moving slowly, you look back where you saw that tuft, listen again for that tap of a paw. Careful! If you try too hard, you'll scare it away!
Sometimes, you're wrong. What you thought was a tuft of fur was a bit of discarded fluff, with nothing behind it. That tap wasn't from a paw, but the angry sounds of a keyboard being used as a weapon. You thought it was there, and sadly, the hunt has not gone your way this time.
But sometimes, oh my friend, sometimes, that tuft of fur slowly reveals itself to be the tail of a beautiful bunny. That tap is followed by three more as the bunny moves in your line of sight, showing off its glorious fur and wiggling nose. You were right! It's there, waiting for you!
Now what?
Now is the time to hope your tools are close at hand, and that you're able to capture the bunny before it flees. You don't hunt for meat or to kill, no - that's not the kind of hunter you are. You hunt to study, to learn all you can from these ephemeral beasts, and so you need a net of some sort.
Anything will work - a notepad and pencil, a laptop, a smartphone, even a receipt and a crayon if it comes down to it. You must be quick, and you must be careful. If you dawdle, the bunny may hop away before you've completed your net. If you are too harsh, the bunny may change in your net, morphing into something else, something strange and not a bunny at all.
If you're careful, and if you're quick, you'll capture your bunny and can study it at your leisure. Make sure to give it plenty of attention, now - bunnies are apt to slip away if no one's looking, leaving just a trace of fur in their place.
Showing posts with label how do you write. Show all posts
Showing posts with label how do you write. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Friday, April 28, 2017
Writing a mystery
So I'm probably not going to make my Camp Nano goal for this month, and I'm at peace with that. I've had a chance to dig back into a story that's been languishing for a bit, and I'm enjoying that. However, it's definitely revealing some areas of weakness that I hadn't noticed before.
The story started as an urban fantasy setting, but, well, plot needs to be a thing, too. So my plot became a murder mystery, and that's where things got...interesting. I know who did it, and I have a decent idea of how, but I'm having a hard time 1) figuring out why (other than demons, but even demons need motivation) and 2) giving any of this information to the main characters. They're cops, so there are some things they're going to be able to get pretty easily. They're also cops familiar with the more fantastic elements of this world, so that will help. But what ties the victims together and how the cops will figure that out is still, well, a mystery.
I realize that part of this is what happens when I start writing without a complete, firm outline; at the same time, this is part of why I like the hybrid approach of outlining and winging it. Right now, I've just gotten to a point where I'm stuck after winging it for a bit, and I think I'm going to have to go back and outline from here in order to move forward.
Also, I need to decide just how connected the victims need to be. Victims of circumstance or opportunity are part of our world now, where someone's just crossing paths with a murderer because it's Tuesday or what have you. I'm just trying to figure out if that would be a cop-out - there is no connection, everything's random - or if it would be a bit too on the nose to have everything linked. If any of you have opinions on this, please feel free to let me know.
And now, back to writing. Have a good weekend, everyone!
The story started as an urban fantasy setting, but, well, plot needs to be a thing, too. So my plot became a murder mystery, and that's where things got...interesting. I know who did it, and I have a decent idea of how, but I'm having a hard time 1) figuring out why (other than demons, but even demons need motivation) and 2) giving any of this information to the main characters. They're cops, so there are some things they're going to be able to get pretty easily. They're also cops familiar with the more fantastic elements of this world, so that will help. But what ties the victims together and how the cops will figure that out is still, well, a mystery.
I realize that part of this is what happens when I start writing without a complete, firm outline; at the same time, this is part of why I like the hybrid approach of outlining and winging it. Right now, I've just gotten to a point where I'm stuck after winging it for a bit, and I think I'm going to have to go back and outline from here in order to move forward.
Also, I need to decide just how connected the victims need to be. Victims of circumstance or opportunity are part of our world now, where someone's just crossing paths with a murderer because it's Tuesday or what have you. I'm just trying to figure out if that would be a cop-out - there is no connection, everything's random - or if it would be a bit too on the nose to have everything linked. If any of you have opinions on this, please feel free to let me know.
And now, back to writing. Have a good weekend, everyone!
Monday, January 11, 2016
Writing Weakness: Dialogue
Every writer has a few things that they know they are good at, and a few things that they know could use improvement. I frequently have a hard time coming up with things that fit into the former category, but boy howdy, can I fill up the latter. They're the things that I know I need to improve upon in order to make my writing better, but they're also things that are almost painful to work on, because I know it's just not good.
The biggest weakness I can think of in my own writing is dialogue. I've never been particularly gifted in the realm of conversation, even when I'm speaking in my own voice. To speak in the voices of my characters is even more difficult. I've noticed that they tend to start sounding the same (which is to say, like me, only more so), which makes distinguishing them difficult.
I also have the problem that many people of my generation deal with - that dreaded word 'like.' People have had filler words and sounds, like um, uh, er, and so on, for ages, but for some reason, around the late 80's and early 90's, 'like' took the place of those filler words for a lot of us. It's an incredibly hard habit to break, and for the most part, I'm able to avoid using it for every gap in a sentence*. However, I'm afraid I fall victim to using 'like' to switch between people when describing a scene out loud. For instance: "I'm reading this message from a publisher, and she's like, you can't publish this! And I'm like, then show me why, because otherwise it's getting published." It's...not pretty.
So, ways to fix the problem. Obviously, writing more dialogue, because practice makes perfect and all that. I've found in the past (and it's something I need to do more often) that interviewing my characters gives me a better sense of their voices, as well as giving me an opportunity to learn about aspects that wouldn't necessarily come up on the page. I also find myself getting rid of nearly ever instance of the word 'like' that comes up in my work, but that's probably specific to me. Do you guys have any suggestions, or things that work well for you?
*It could be ever so much worse. In a college Spanish literature course I was in, one of the girls would use 'like' as a filler word while speaking Spanish. As Spanish wasn't her native language, she needed the filler word much more often than she did in English. It was jarring, to say the least.
The biggest weakness I can think of in my own writing is dialogue. I've never been particularly gifted in the realm of conversation, even when I'm speaking in my own voice. To speak in the voices of my characters is even more difficult. I've noticed that they tend to start sounding the same (which is to say, like me, only more so), which makes distinguishing them difficult.
I also have the problem that many people of my generation deal with - that dreaded word 'like.' People have had filler words and sounds, like um, uh, er, and so on, for ages, but for some reason, around the late 80's and early 90's, 'like' took the place of those filler words for a lot of us. It's an incredibly hard habit to break, and for the most part, I'm able to avoid using it for every gap in a sentence*. However, I'm afraid I fall victim to using 'like' to switch between people when describing a scene out loud. For instance: "I'm reading this message from a publisher, and she's like, you can't publish this! And I'm like, then show me why, because otherwise it's getting published." It's...not pretty.
So, ways to fix the problem. Obviously, writing more dialogue, because practice makes perfect and all that. I've found in the past (and it's something I need to do more often) that interviewing my characters gives me a better sense of their voices, as well as giving me an opportunity to learn about aspects that wouldn't necessarily come up on the page. I also find myself getting rid of nearly ever instance of the word 'like' that comes up in my work, but that's probably specific to me. Do you guys have any suggestions, or things that work well for you?
*It could be ever so much worse. In a college Spanish literature course I was in, one of the girls would use 'like' as a filler word while speaking Spanish. As Spanish wasn't her native language, she needed the filler word much more often than she did in English. It was jarring, to say the least.
Monday, August 10, 2015
New(ish) Project
I've decided to take the story I started for Camp Nano this summer and expand on it, because the idea's something that's interesting me more than things I've already got in the pipeline. Of course, this means starting yet another project, and as you can see on the right-hand side of the blog, I have a few things started.
This is a story that I started writing out long-hand, which has been helping with regards to discovery-writing, but I'm not really comfortable with just letting things take wing on their own. Apparently, I'm not able to just completely discovery-write. I decided to do some outlining in Scrivener today, which has been helpful in getting my ideas in place. I think I'm still going to draft long-hand, but I'm going to make sure my outline is handy - sort of like this:
Admittedly, this is how I tried to start last year's Nano, which didn't work. I'm hoping that not having the time pressure on will help, but we'll see. (As you can tell, I'm willing to try just about anything to get the writing going.)
How do you guys approach writing the first draft?
This is a story that I started writing out long-hand, which has been helping with regards to discovery-writing, but I'm not really comfortable with just letting things take wing on their own. Apparently, I'm not able to just completely discovery-write. I decided to do some outlining in Scrivener today, which has been helpful in getting my ideas in place. I think I'm still going to draft long-hand, but I'm going to make sure my outline is handy - sort of like this:
Admittedly, this is how I tried to start last year's Nano, which didn't work. I'm hoping that not having the time pressure on will help, but we'll see. (As you can tell, I'm willing to try just about anything to get the writing going.)
How do you guys approach writing the first draft?
Monday, October 27, 2014
Writing through pain
This is a difficult thing for me to write, but I think putting it down on virtual paper will help. There are loads of blogs and books and magazine articles out there that give writing advice, and the main point comes down to one thing - as Chuck Wendig so eloquently put it, shut up and write.
It's not bad advice - a writer writes, after all, and nothing gets written if someone doesn't sit down (or lie down, or stand up - however you feel comfortable) and write it. I understand it completely, and it's certainly something I've tried to cleave to since I've decided that being a writer was more important to me than whining about wanting to be a writer. However, that doesn't mean I write every day, and I know there are a lot of people in a similar situation to mine.
In order to write, you have to be able to hold a pen or pencil, or type, or dictate, or in some other way cause words to bleed onto a page (whether digital or physical). The act of bleeding words on the page may involve sitting or standing in one place for extended periods of time. It means putting yourself in the minds of characters you've made up, and deciding how they're going to react to the situations you create for them. It all sounds reasonably easy, doesn't it? On good days, it is.
Then there are the bad days. The days when the pain is so bad that the idea of moving to a desk or lifting your hand to hold a pen or reaching for a laptop can leave you in tears. The days when the depression lies and tells you that everything you write is terrible and no one will ever want to read it, so why are you bothering to write it down? The days when the anxiety is so high that your hands shake at the thought of someone - anyone - ever reading what you're writing, and you second-guess every letter and word, certain that someone else has done it better and that people will tear it - and by extension, you - apart, if ever they were to read it. And of course, there are the days that combine any of the above, or add in the exhaustion that can tag along with the pain or the depression, leaving you with absolutely no energy to move, much less create a world and characters out of thin air.
Sometimes, forcing yourself to write can help push the demons back into the darkness. The words can be like a lion tamer's chair, forcing the lion back and keeping you safe. The words may not be great, but they help you focus on something other than the pain, either physical or mental. Distracting yourself won't work forever, but it can keep you moving for another few steps, and that might be just what you need right now.
Sometimes, no matter how much you want to write, and how much you want to fight and win, you'll lose the battle to the pain. The physical or emotional pain will be too much, and you won't be able to write. That doesn't mean you're not a writer. You can still create worlds and people in your mind, and when you're able to, you can memorialize those worlds and people on paper of some sort. The fact that you can't do that today doesn't mean you aren't allowed in the super-secret Writers' Club.
"Shut up and write" is solid, if harsh, advice. First and foremost, though, you need to take care of yourself. You can't write if you don't.
Progress - wrote about three days of the last seven, mostly in preparation of Nanowrimo. Still trying to figure out what story I'm telling, but I'm getting there.
It's not bad advice - a writer writes, after all, and nothing gets written if someone doesn't sit down (or lie down, or stand up - however you feel comfortable) and write it. I understand it completely, and it's certainly something I've tried to cleave to since I've decided that being a writer was more important to me than whining about wanting to be a writer. However, that doesn't mean I write every day, and I know there are a lot of people in a similar situation to mine.
In order to write, you have to be able to hold a pen or pencil, or type, or dictate, or in some other way cause words to bleed onto a page (whether digital or physical). The act of bleeding words on the page may involve sitting or standing in one place for extended periods of time. It means putting yourself in the minds of characters you've made up, and deciding how they're going to react to the situations you create for them. It all sounds reasonably easy, doesn't it? On good days, it is.
Then there are the bad days. The days when the pain is so bad that the idea of moving to a desk or lifting your hand to hold a pen or reaching for a laptop can leave you in tears. The days when the depression lies and tells you that everything you write is terrible and no one will ever want to read it, so why are you bothering to write it down? The days when the anxiety is so high that your hands shake at the thought of someone - anyone - ever reading what you're writing, and you second-guess every letter and word, certain that someone else has done it better and that people will tear it - and by extension, you - apart, if ever they were to read it. And of course, there are the days that combine any of the above, or add in the exhaustion that can tag along with the pain or the depression, leaving you with absolutely no energy to move, much less create a world and characters out of thin air.
Sometimes, forcing yourself to write can help push the demons back into the darkness. The words can be like a lion tamer's chair, forcing the lion back and keeping you safe. The words may not be great, but they help you focus on something other than the pain, either physical or mental. Distracting yourself won't work forever, but it can keep you moving for another few steps, and that might be just what you need right now.
Sometimes, no matter how much you want to write, and how much you want to fight and win, you'll lose the battle to the pain. The physical or emotional pain will be too much, and you won't be able to write. That doesn't mean you're not a writer. You can still create worlds and people in your mind, and when you're able to, you can memorialize those worlds and people on paper of some sort. The fact that you can't do that today doesn't mean you aren't allowed in the super-secret Writers' Club.
"Shut up and write" is solid, if harsh, advice. First and foremost, though, you need to take care of yourself. You can't write if you don't.
Progress - wrote about three days of the last seven, mostly in preparation of Nanowrimo. Still trying to figure out what story I'm telling, but I'm getting there.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Writing environments
Everyone writes differently, and it takes everyone a little bit of time to get themselves in "the zone". I've started meeting with a local, non-work writing group on Saturday mornings, and the vibe between that and my work-related writing group is very different.
There's been a lot said about making the perfect writing environment, and getting yourself in the right mind set to write. I've also heard that some writers try to avoid relying on specific rituals and setting up the perfect place, because it limits when and how you can write. I can see both sides of the coin, and for myself, there are a couple of things that help, but I don't think they're absolutely necessary to get me to write. They certainly help, and I definitely feel more productive when I have them. It's pretty clear when you see what I carry in my bag with me at all times - a way to write, a way to listen to music, and a way to read.
Music is something I have to have in pretty much all parts of my life. I always have either music, podcast, or audiobook going at my desk at work and when I'm on the bus or train to and from work. I am a big fan of playlists, and have several of them that help with different moods I'm in. If I'm trying to write and particularly if I'm editing, I need to listen to something that doesn't have the kind of lyrics that will distract me. Rodrigo y Gabriela and any performance of Andrés Segovia's work are high on the list of music that I can write to.
Reading has always been something that I need to do in order to feel like myself. I used to carry at least two or three paperback books with me at all times (which helps explain why I've always carried large messenger bags, instead of dainty purses), but thanks to the beauty that is the e-reader, I'm able to carry essentially all of my favorite and new books with me at all times. It's been one of the best ways to help me come down from an anxiety attack, as it allows me to remove myself from whatever situation has triggered me by taking me away for a minute.
This is where my writing habits come into play. If I can have some music to put in the background, and a moment to read to clear my mind, whether it's on a full laptop or just scribbling on a notepad, I feel like I can move forward. It won't be the most polished sometimes, but I don't need to make every sentence perfect (as anyone who's ever been one of my beta readers or even reads this blog can tell). It gives me a conduit to exorcise the words floating around my head, and that's what I need.
What about you? Do you need to have the perfect environment to get the creative juices flowing, or can you write anywhere, any time?
This week, I was only able to work four of the last seven days. The week essentially kicked my butt, but I'm gearing up for the next week and I fully intend to make a comeback this week. Wish me luck.
There's been a lot said about making the perfect writing environment, and getting yourself in the right mind set to write. I've also heard that some writers try to avoid relying on specific rituals and setting up the perfect place, because it limits when and how you can write. I can see both sides of the coin, and for myself, there are a couple of things that help, but I don't think they're absolutely necessary to get me to write. They certainly help, and I definitely feel more productive when I have them. It's pretty clear when you see what I carry in my bag with me at all times - a way to write, a way to listen to music, and a way to read.
Music is something I have to have in pretty much all parts of my life. I always have either music, podcast, or audiobook going at my desk at work and when I'm on the bus or train to and from work. I am a big fan of playlists, and have several of them that help with different moods I'm in. If I'm trying to write and particularly if I'm editing, I need to listen to something that doesn't have the kind of lyrics that will distract me. Rodrigo y Gabriela and any performance of Andrés Segovia's work are high on the list of music that I can write to.
Reading has always been something that I need to do in order to feel like myself. I used to carry at least two or three paperback books with me at all times (which helps explain why I've always carried large messenger bags, instead of dainty purses), but thanks to the beauty that is the e-reader, I'm able to carry essentially all of my favorite and new books with me at all times. It's been one of the best ways to help me come down from an anxiety attack, as it allows me to remove myself from whatever situation has triggered me by taking me away for a minute.
This is where my writing habits come into play. If I can have some music to put in the background, and a moment to read to clear my mind, whether it's on a full laptop or just scribbling on a notepad, I feel like I can move forward. It won't be the most polished sometimes, but I don't need to make every sentence perfect (as anyone who's ever been one of my beta readers or even reads this blog can tell). It gives me a conduit to exorcise the words floating around my head, and that's what I need.
What about you? Do you need to have the perfect environment to get the creative juices flowing, or can you write anywhere, any time?
This week, I was only able to work four of the last seven days. The week essentially kicked my butt, but I'm gearing up for the next week and I fully intend to make a comeback this week. Wish me luck.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Camp NaNoWriMo Round Two
It's coming up on July, which means the year's second Camp NaNoWriMo will be coming up. I'm going to give it another shot, but this time I'm going to do something a little bit different. Instead of working on the plot of something I already have started, I'm going to spend some time world-building for the Epic Epic of Epicness.
To explain a little further, I've had this vague idea for a world in which several territories are tied together under the aegis of a magical rope. I have a good idea of what story I ultimately want to tell in this world, but I need to build the world first so I know what I have to play with. So, my idea is to spend next month writing what are essentially entries in a history book of the world. In the end, I'm basically going to be writing a lot of words that will probably not see the light of day, but they're going to make telling a story a heck of a lot easier for me.
This is the first time I've ever done any kind of work beyond outlining when writing something, and I'm curious to see how it will change my overall writing process. What about you? Do you make yourself a world bible, or do you discover what your setting is like as you write?
To explain a little further, I've had this vague idea for a world in which several territories are tied together under the aegis of a magical rope. I have a good idea of what story I ultimately want to tell in this world, but I need to build the world first so I know what I have to play with. So, my idea is to spend next month writing what are essentially entries in a history book of the world. In the end, I'm basically going to be writing a lot of words that will probably not see the light of day, but they're going to make telling a story a heck of a lot easier for me.
This is the first time I've ever done any kind of work beyond outlining when writing something, and I'm curious to see how it will change my overall writing process. What about you? Do you make yourself a world bible, or do you discover what your setting is like as you write?
Monday, June 16, 2014
Questions for a new world
So, I'm going through my notes on a plot bunny that's been sitting and waiting patiently for a year or two, because I want to give it a bit of a shot for the next Camp NaNoWriMo. I had developed a timeline, which was helpful, but just reading it over made me realize that there were a lot of unanswered questions I would need to work with. I started writing some of those questions down, and realized that it might not hurt to have a generalized questionnaire for world- and plot-building. And so, I share with you. Feel free to let me know of any other questions you think could be helpful!
1. What does the average person in your setting do for a living?
2. How does the average person in your setting live day to day?
3. How does the average person become educated?
3a. What obstructions are there to education in your setting?
4. What kind of person is your main character when we first meet him/her?
5. What kind of person is your main character by the time the book is over?
5a. Does the main character die? How and why?
6. Who is the most important person in your main character's life?
7. Who would your main character say is the least important person in his/her life?
8. What's the first thing your main character can remember?
I'm sure there are more, and I have a feeling I'll be coming back to this topic in the future, but tell me what you think. Do you try to get some answers before you write, or do you just dive in and let the answers come about naturally?
1. What does the average person in your setting do for a living?
2. How does the average person in your setting live day to day?
3. How does the average person become educated?
3a. What obstructions are there to education in your setting?
4. What kind of person is your main character when we first meet him/her?
5. What kind of person is your main character by the time the book is over?
5a. Does the main character die? How and why?
6. Who is the most important person in your main character's life?
7. Who would your main character say is the least important person in his/her life?
8. What's the first thing your main character can remember?
I'm sure there are more, and I have a feeling I'll be coming back to this topic in the future, but tell me what you think. Do you try to get some answers before you write, or do you just dive in and let the answers come about naturally?
Monday, June 9, 2014
You say 'escapist' like it's a bad thing...
So, last week I made the mistake of reading an article that I knew was going to make me angry. I know, I know - someone was wrong on the internet, and I fell into the trap of reading about it. Still, it gave me something to think about.
The article on Slate was regarding young adult books, and how adults should "feel ashamed" for reading them. One of the main arguments the author made against the YA world was that they are escapist. This, to me, seems ridiculous. I don't read fiction to immerse myself into the trials and tribulations of today's world, exactly as I am living it at this moment; I read fiction to go to a different world, or even a different part of this world. I read, in fact, to escape. I'm finding it hard to believe that escaping in that way is a bad thing.
One thing that I've learned from writing is that sometimes, you have to step away from a story and do something else for a bit. It gives you a chance to change your perspective, and may help give you an idea of how to solve the issue you've been having - an idea you might not have thought of if you hadn't stepped away. Shifting perspectives, looking at something else, taking a break - those all sound like things you get from reading, don't they? Frankly, I feel better after reading even a "trashy" novel, because I've had a chance to go somewhere else for a bit. I might not want to stay in that somewhere else - hell, when I read zombie novels, I definitely don't want to stay there - but it's nice to take a breather before diving back into the "real world."
I don't care that I'm a "grown-up", and should be reading Serious Literature that Deals Seriously with Serious Things. I get enough of that in the day to day. If I want to spend some time in a world where the biggest problem is getting that cute guy's attention (well, until the aliens show up), then that's where I'm going. That's one of the perks of being a "grown-up" - you can read whatever you want.
And you can pry my copies of A Wrinkle in Time from my cold, dead fingers.
The article on Slate was regarding young adult books, and how adults should "feel ashamed" for reading them. One of the main arguments the author made against the YA world was that they are escapist. This, to me, seems ridiculous. I don't read fiction to immerse myself into the trials and tribulations of today's world, exactly as I am living it at this moment; I read fiction to go to a different world, or even a different part of this world. I read, in fact, to escape. I'm finding it hard to believe that escaping in that way is a bad thing.
One thing that I've learned from writing is that sometimes, you have to step away from a story and do something else for a bit. It gives you a chance to change your perspective, and may help give you an idea of how to solve the issue you've been having - an idea you might not have thought of if you hadn't stepped away. Shifting perspectives, looking at something else, taking a break - those all sound like things you get from reading, don't they? Frankly, I feel better after reading even a "trashy" novel, because I've had a chance to go somewhere else for a bit. I might not want to stay in that somewhere else - hell, when I read zombie novels, I definitely don't want to stay there - but it's nice to take a breather before diving back into the "real world."
I don't care that I'm a "grown-up", and should be reading Serious Literature that Deals Seriously with Serious Things. I get enough of that in the day to day. If I want to spend some time in a world where the biggest problem is getting that cute guy's attention (well, until the aliens show up), then that's where I'm going. That's one of the perks of being a "grown-up" - you can read whatever you want.
And you can pry my copies of A Wrinkle in Time from my cold, dead fingers.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Momentum, or lack thereof
So, April ended and my Camp Nanowrimo story...didn't. I managed to make a little over half of my goal, but there's no winning certificate for me this year. I tried to figure out why that was, since Nanowrimo has gone pretty well for me the last few years.
One of the big issues I came across was that I lost interest in the story I was writing. By about ten thousand words in, I realized that I was having a hard time caring about what happened to my characters. Even as they were doing things that were off-script (as characters are wont to do), it didn't really interest me. I found myself drawn back to the world of Paranormal Investigations, which had been put on the shelf for a few months.
Once I shifted to the other story, my momentum moved much faster than before. I knew these characters, I'd spent time with them, and I cared about what happened next - all of these things were lacking in the original story I tried to write. Honestly, what it taught me is that I should probably shift over to the story that interests me earlier on if I want to maintain momentum.
How do you handle the lulls of writing, the "muddle in the middle"? Do you shift projects, or just fight your way through? Any advice you can give, I'm happy to receive it, as I clearly still have a hard time with this problem.
One of the big issues I came across was that I lost interest in the story I was writing. By about ten thousand words in, I realized that I was having a hard time caring about what happened to my characters. Even as they were doing things that were off-script (as characters are wont to do), it didn't really interest me. I found myself drawn back to the world of Paranormal Investigations, which had been put on the shelf for a few months.
Once I shifted to the other story, my momentum moved much faster than before. I knew these characters, I'd spent time with them, and I cared about what happened next - all of these things were lacking in the original story I tried to write. Honestly, what it taught me is that I should probably shift over to the story that interests me earlier on if I want to maintain momentum.
How do you handle the lulls of writing, the "muddle in the middle"? Do you shift projects, or just fight your way through? Any advice you can give, I'm happy to receive it, as I clearly still have a hard time with this problem.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Research
The last few things I've written have involved a fair amount of research and world-building, which can be the kind of rabbit hole that Alice would envy. Over the years, I've found a couple of ways to keep myself from getting completely lost in the backstory, but it's definitely a work in progress.
I admit, I usually start with Google and Wikipedia when I'm looking for historical details. If nothing else, they are great places to begin and (usually) find links to more academically-respectable resources. Often if I just need to know something quick and concrete (what year did Pizarro land in South America for the first time?), this is where I'll stop. I can find the information that I need, and note it down somewhere that I'll be able to find it again - this is the part I used to have a hard time with. I use Scrivener now for a lot of my note-taking and outlining, and it makes it easier to find all the bits of randomness that I've found across the internet.
I try to devote a particular time to research, as well, knowing that I can start clicking through links and never get back to writing if I let myself. I try to get a lot of the fiddly questions that would require research out of the way before I start writing, as well, so I don't have to interrupt the writing process to stop and look something up. Of course, that only works when everything goes according to plan, and nothing goes off the rails - so, never. For instance, with the second Paranormal Investigations book, I realized during one scene that I needed to know about cryptography and what would have been standard knowledge in the 1940s. This was not exactly something I had been counting on, but it lead me to my next main source for research - the bookstore.
I prefer to go to used bookstores if possible, because it's amazing the kind of things you can find there that are out of print and near-impossible to find otherwise. Fortunately, I live in an area where Half Price Books has several stores, and Powell's is only a train ride away. Both places offer the excellent opportunity to wander through the aisles and stumble across the exact book you didn't know you needed, and another three besides.
Even though I am a devout Kindle fan, I still find that reading research books in dead-tree format is the most useful. It allows me to see quickly what kind of notes I've made, and lets me flag sections that will come in handy later. I still take notes separately, but it's nice to be able to mark a page and just note "go to sticky note on page X" to remind myself of a section of important material.
So, how do you go about research? Do you try to get as much in before you write, or do you let yourself stop and fact-check as you go? What are your main sources for information?
I admit, I usually start with Google and Wikipedia when I'm looking for historical details. If nothing else, they are great places to begin and (usually) find links to more academically-respectable resources. Often if I just need to know something quick and concrete (what year did Pizarro land in South America for the first time?), this is where I'll stop. I can find the information that I need, and note it down somewhere that I'll be able to find it again - this is the part I used to have a hard time with. I use Scrivener now for a lot of my note-taking and outlining, and it makes it easier to find all the bits of randomness that I've found across the internet.
I try to devote a particular time to research, as well, knowing that I can start clicking through links and never get back to writing if I let myself. I try to get a lot of the fiddly questions that would require research out of the way before I start writing, as well, so I don't have to interrupt the writing process to stop and look something up. Of course, that only works when everything goes according to plan, and nothing goes off the rails - so, never. For instance, with the second Paranormal Investigations book, I realized during one scene that I needed to know about cryptography and what would have been standard knowledge in the 1940s. This was not exactly something I had been counting on, but it lead me to my next main source for research - the bookstore.
I prefer to go to used bookstores if possible, because it's amazing the kind of things you can find there that are out of print and near-impossible to find otherwise. Fortunately, I live in an area where Half Price Books has several stores, and Powell's is only a train ride away. Both places offer the excellent opportunity to wander through the aisles and stumble across the exact book you didn't know you needed, and another three besides.
Even though I am a devout Kindle fan, I still find that reading research books in dead-tree format is the most useful. It allows me to see quickly what kind of notes I've made, and lets me flag sections that will come in handy later. I still take notes separately, but it's nice to be able to mark a page and just note "go to sticky note on page X" to remind myself of a section of important material.
So, how do you go about research? Do you try to get as much in before you write, or do you let yourself stop and fact-check as you go? What are your main sources for information?
Monday, March 31, 2014
Penmonkey evaluation, courtesy of Chuck Wendig
I follow many, many blogs on writing and other subjects (including pictures of cats - that's 85% of the internet, isn't it?), and Chuck Wendig's blog terribleminds had a really interesting post a while back. Basically, it's a set of questions to see how you're doing in the realm of writing. I thought, what better place to answer them than on my blog? Plus, it saves me from coming up with a new blog post. Huzzah!
a) What’s your greatest strength / skill in terms of writing/storytelling?
World-building. I tend to spend a lot of time figuring out what the world looks like, and why things happen the way they do. I also do a reasonably good job figuring out pacing and timing for my stories.
b) What’s your greatest weakness in writing/storytelling? What gives you the most trouble?
Exposition. I tend to get into the Department of Backstory when trying to explain some important piece of information to the reader, and just end up with someone telling a story to get it all down on the page. The intent is always to go back and edit it into something more readable, but that's where I get hung up.
c) How many books or other projects have you actually finished? What did you do with them?
I've finished draft zero of two books, and finished and edited a short story. The two books are in process of being edited, while I submitted the short story to an anthology. The editors rejected it, but it was the nicest rejection email I've ever received, so that helps.
d) Best writing advice you’ve ever been given? (i.e. really helped you)
Get your butt into the seat and write. It's hard to edit and make revisions if there's nothing to revise.
e) Worst writing advice you’ve ever been given? (i.e. didn’t help at all, may have hurt)
Any of the advice that outlines a specific schedule or regimen for writing. While it may work beautifully for one person to get up two hours early in the morning and write 4000 words before breakfast, that's not something I'm going to be able to reliably. If I start missing a day, I'm going to feel like a failure, which is just going to keep me from continuing.
f) One piece of advice you’d give other writers?
Beyond "get your butt into the seat and write," I'd say to just keep writing however you can. If that means rushing to your computer at 3AM because you've finally figured out how to solve a problem, do it. If it's important to you, if you want it to be a priority, you will find a way.
a) What’s your greatest strength / skill in terms of writing/storytelling?
World-building. I tend to spend a lot of time figuring out what the world looks like, and why things happen the way they do. I also do a reasonably good job figuring out pacing and timing for my stories.
b) What’s your greatest weakness in writing/storytelling? What gives you the most trouble?
Exposition. I tend to get into the Department of Backstory when trying to explain some important piece of information to the reader, and just end up with someone telling a story to get it all down on the page. The intent is always to go back and edit it into something more readable, but that's where I get hung up.
c) How many books or other projects have you actually finished? What did you do with them?
I've finished draft zero of two books, and finished and edited a short story. The two books are in process of being edited, while I submitted the short story to an anthology. The editors rejected it, but it was the nicest rejection email I've ever received, so that helps.
d) Best writing advice you’ve ever been given? (i.e. really helped you)
Get your butt into the seat and write. It's hard to edit and make revisions if there's nothing to revise.
e) Worst writing advice you’ve ever been given? (i.e. didn’t help at all, may have hurt)
Any of the advice that outlines a specific schedule or regimen for writing. While it may work beautifully for one person to get up two hours early in the morning and write 4000 words before breakfast, that's not something I'm going to be able to reliably. If I start missing a day, I'm going to feel like a failure, which is just going to keep me from continuing.
f) One piece of advice you’d give other writers?
Beyond "get your butt into the seat and write," I'd say to just keep writing however you can. If that means rushing to your computer at 3AM because you've finally figured out how to solve a problem, do it. If it's important to you, if you want it to be a priority, you will find a way.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Outlining vs. Pantsing - FIGHT!
There appear to be two schools of thought (at least) regarding how much preparation should go into writing fiction. One is the outline - giving yourself a framework in which to write, and knowing what the ending will be before you write a single word of the beginning. This requires more up-front effort, but can make it easier when fleshing out the outline by going from point to point. The more detailed the outline, the more information you know ahead of time that will inform your writing.
Pantsing, on the other hand, is writing by the seat of your pants - thus the name. You don't know what the ending will be before you start writing, and it's possible you don't know what the beginning will be, either. You start with a vague idea of what you'd like to write, maybe a couple of character sketches, and you just start writing and see what happens. You may have a a few plot points that you know you want to work in somehow, but you don't know where or how just yet. This seems to be a popular method of getting through Nanowrimo, and offers the most opportunity for surprise as characters and plot take unexpected turns.
Which way to write depends on the person and the circumstance. I tend to write this blog as a pantsing exercising, coming up with a topic and starting to write until something catches. All I can say is, you guys should be thankful that I can edit this before I post it.
As for my fiction writing, I've found myself becoming more of an outliner in the last few years, and my outlines have become more detailed over time. However, I do still have some pantsing aspects to my writing, and there are certainly things that come up that through my outline out the window. I like the hybrid approach, because it gives my characters room to grow in their own way, while still giving me goal posts to aim for.
What do you think works best for you? Do you prefer to have a detailed map going in, or would you rather wander aimlessly and possibly find some really awesome things you never would have known to look for?
Pantsing, on the other hand, is writing by the seat of your pants - thus the name. You don't know what the ending will be before you start writing, and it's possible you don't know what the beginning will be, either. You start with a vague idea of what you'd like to write, maybe a couple of character sketches, and you just start writing and see what happens. You may have a a few plot points that you know you want to work in somehow, but you don't know where or how just yet. This seems to be a popular method of getting through Nanowrimo, and offers the most opportunity for surprise as characters and plot take unexpected turns.
Which way to write depends on the person and the circumstance. I tend to write this blog as a pantsing exercising, coming up with a topic and starting to write until something catches. All I can say is, you guys should be thankful that I can edit this before I post it.
As for my fiction writing, I've found myself becoming more of an outliner in the last few years, and my outlines have become more detailed over time. However, I do still have some pantsing aspects to my writing, and there are certainly things that come up that through my outline out the window. I like the hybrid approach, because it gives my characters room to grow in their own way, while still giving me goal posts to aim for.
What do you think works best for you? Do you prefer to have a detailed map going in, or would you rather wander aimlessly and possibly find some really awesome things you never would have known to look for?
Monday, March 17, 2014
NaNoWriMo (or, Write ALL the Words!)
For the last few years, I've attempted to do NaNoWriMo, which basically means I've driven myself crazy trying to write 50,000 words in 30 days. I've "won" three times so far, so I've decided to up the ante and try to tackle Camp NaNoWriMo this year.
For those of you who've never encountered this, NaNoWriMo happens every November. A large community builds up around the NaNoWriMo website, and in individual writing groups as everyone tries to encourage each other to make their word counts for the day and win. The years I've won have been years in which I had a good group of people also attempting NaNo, and set times to meet with them to write. That last part was critical, as it gave us a chance to bounce ideas off of each other and talk our way through sticking points. While writing is, in general, a solitary activity, it can certainly benefit from having other people around who are also engaging in the same activity.
Camp NaNoWriMo is essentially the same idea - it just takes place in April and July instead of November. I'm getting my outlines together for April, which is what brought this to mind. Fortunately, a couple of members of my work writing group will be participating as well, which will help the process.
One of the things that I enjoy most about NaNo is that it gets me in the habit of writing every day. Giving myself a deadline has always been one of the better ways to make myself productive, and working with other people who will hold me accountable to those deadlines works even better. Essentially, I'm driven by panic and guilt, and NaNo helps me harness these forces for good - or at least, for writing.
If any of you are interested in participating and would like to get a friend on the site, my user name is setauuta. And best of luck!
For those of you who've never encountered this, NaNoWriMo happens every November. A large community builds up around the NaNoWriMo website, and in individual writing groups as everyone tries to encourage each other to make their word counts for the day and win. The years I've won have been years in which I had a good group of people also attempting NaNo, and set times to meet with them to write. That last part was critical, as it gave us a chance to bounce ideas off of each other and talk our way through sticking points. While writing is, in general, a solitary activity, it can certainly benefit from having other people around who are also engaging in the same activity.
Camp NaNoWriMo is essentially the same idea - it just takes place in April and July instead of November. I'm getting my outlines together for April, which is what brought this to mind. Fortunately, a couple of members of my work writing group will be participating as well, which will help the process.
One of the things that I enjoy most about NaNo is that it gets me in the habit of writing every day. Giving myself a deadline has always been one of the better ways to make myself productive, and working with other people who will hold me accountable to those deadlines works even better. Essentially, I'm driven by panic and guilt, and NaNo helps me harness these forces for good - or at least, for writing.
If any of you are interested in participating and would like to get a friend on the site, my user name is setauuta. And best of luck!
Monday, February 24, 2014
Coloring Your Writing
Apologies for the late post today. I've had a bit of a family shake-up, as my aunt passed away last night. Today has been spent making arrangements and trying to figure what to pack for North Dakota in the middle of February. (Answer - every sweater I own, and a few more I'll have to buy. Also, thermal underwear.)
I've found that, when I read through some of my earlier writing and journals, I can learn more about my mood at the time of writing from the way that I write than the words themselves. It's something that I've found really helps flesh out a character's emotional state when writing, even if the character isn't speaking. For instance, I've found that I tend to use shorter, simpler sentences when I'm very upset or angry. Longer, more rambling sentences can mean that I'm either happy or anxious.
+Mary Robinette Kowal has spoken before (on the podcast Writing Excuses) about using breath in puppetry, and how it relates to writing. Several short sentences used in succession gives the impression of speaking and breathing quickly, which makes the character sound upset or excited. Using this kind of sentence structure when in that character's "head", even if they are not speaking, can give the reader a taste of what the character is feeling without dialog. It makes the immersion experience for the reader a little smoother, and when done well, is nearly invisible.
What other tricks have you found to help set a character's mindset when they aren't speaking? This is one of those skills I'm always looking to improve, so any ideas are always welcome.
I've found that, when I read through some of my earlier writing and journals, I can learn more about my mood at the time of writing from the way that I write than the words themselves. It's something that I've found really helps flesh out a character's emotional state when writing, even if the character isn't speaking. For instance, I've found that I tend to use shorter, simpler sentences when I'm very upset or angry. Longer, more rambling sentences can mean that I'm either happy or anxious.
+Mary Robinette Kowal has spoken before (on the podcast Writing Excuses) about using breath in puppetry, and how it relates to writing. Several short sentences used in succession gives the impression of speaking and breathing quickly, which makes the character sound upset or excited. Using this kind of sentence structure when in that character's "head", even if they are not speaking, can give the reader a taste of what the character is feeling without dialog. It makes the immersion experience for the reader a little smoother, and when done well, is nearly invisible.
What other tricks have you found to help set a character's mindset when they aren't speaking? This is one of those skills I'm always looking to improve, so any ideas are always welcome.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Making Stories Behind the Pictures
So, for those of you who don't know, I live near Seattle. Yesterday, there was the Big Sportsball Game, in which our local team did very, very well, and won a championship they'd never won before. Naturally, this has led to much rejoicing on the West Coast, and many, many tears of lamentation pretty much everywhere else.
Watching the game last night, I found myself focusing a bit more on the expressions of the people on the sidelines and in the stands than the action on the field. (This, of course, is in no way related to my general apathy towards all things sportsball-related.) Through most of the game, I kept making comments on the faces I saw, making up what I thought they could be saying and thinking.
I realize this is something that I do frequently, and I'm wondering if I'm alone in this. I feel as though there's a lot of inspiration to be had in a captured moment of time, even if it isn't something as dramatic as losing the Super Bowl. It seems like the reverse of my acting training, where I always tried to express certain emotions through my body language and facial expressions. Learning how to do that myself makes it easier to recognize when it's being done by others, consciously or not, and it helps me figure out a story behind those expressions.
While the inspiration is there, I find it difficult to capture what I see in the picture when I translate it into words. It doesn't feel right to just describe the details of the picture, because then it reads as dry and technical. I know it helps readers to determine what's important by what's described in detail and what's left out, but it all seems important, which is less than useful in this arena.
Does anyone have any tips or tricks on capturing an image in words? Do you have a similar problem with determining what's important and what isn't? And did anyone else fear for the lives of everyone else in the box with John Elway during the game?
Watching the game last night, I found myself focusing a bit more on the expressions of the people on the sidelines and in the stands than the action on the field. (This, of course, is in no way related to my general apathy towards all things sportsball-related.) Through most of the game, I kept making comments on the faces I saw, making up what I thought they could be saying and thinking.
I realize this is something that I do frequently, and I'm wondering if I'm alone in this. I feel as though there's a lot of inspiration to be had in a captured moment of time, even if it isn't something as dramatic as losing the Super Bowl. It seems like the reverse of my acting training, where I always tried to express certain emotions through my body language and facial expressions. Learning how to do that myself makes it easier to recognize when it's being done by others, consciously or not, and it helps me figure out a story behind those expressions.
While the inspiration is there, I find it difficult to capture what I see in the picture when I translate it into words. It doesn't feel right to just describe the details of the picture, because then it reads as dry and technical. I know it helps readers to determine what's important by what's described in detail and what's left out, but it all seems important, which is less than useful in this arena.
Does anyone have any tips or tricks on capturing an image in words? Do you have a similar problem with determining what's important and what isn't? And did anyone else fear for the lives of everyone else in the box with John Elway during the game?
Monday, January 27, 2014
Focus
I am one of those people who tends to bounce around between projects. I usually read several books at once, switching between them frequently. I tend to have several craft projects going at once, and my project bag currently has three different works in progress in it.
The same thing happens with writing. I currently have three projects that I'm actively working on, and I like to switch between them. I find that it makes it a little easier for me to find inspiration when things get a little stale, and it keeps me from trudging through and writing things I'll end up throwing out.
At the same time, it means that I'm something of a magpie, flitting between projects and not spending a ton of time on any of them. I might hate to trudge through the rough patches, but it's what needs to be done in order to get something finished. I've been experimenting with scheduling what I'm working on when, so I'm hoping that will help me focus and get things finished, but it's a start.
How do you approach writing projects? Do you focus on one at a time, finishing it before moving on to the next, or do you jump between projects?
The same thing happens with writing. I currently have three projects that I'm actively working on, and I like to switch between them. I find that it makes it a little easier for me to find inspiration when things get a little stale, and it keeps me from trudging through and writing things I'll end up throwing out.
At the same time, it means that I'm something of a magpie, flitting between projects and not spending a ton of time on any of them. I might hate to trudge through the rough patches, but it's what needs to be done in order to get something finished. I've been experimenting with scheduling what I'm working on when, so I'm hoping that will help me focus and get things finished, but it's a start.
How do you approach writing projects? Do you focus on one at a time, finishing it before moving on to the next, or do you jump between projects?
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