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Stepping into POV

11 Feb

20130208-163533.jpgThanks for continuing to follow us through our February workshops. A special thanks to those of you who have been brave enough to share your work with us. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity offer up some of the things we’ve learned over the years, but also the chance to learn from you. If you haven’t yet, be sure to enter to win a 25 page critique from Month9Books editor, our very own Courtney Koshel.

“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.”
— Roger Miller

Today I’d like to talk about point-of-view, something that has always been highly important to me and something that has evolved in my writing over the years. For those of you who have read my stories, you know I like to dig my heels deeply into my characters’ hearts, set up camp, and then invite you in for a hot cup of coffee. It’s the best seat in the house.

There are three common points-of-view used in fiction: 1st person, 3rd person limited, and 3rd person omniscient. Two things usually dictate which one you choose: your writing style or your story. For me, first person is a choice I’ll make 9 times out of 10 because that’s how I connect to my characters and that’s what shapes the tone of my story. It’s a stylistic thing.

For others, it may vary from story to story. For instance, fantasy is often written in 3rd person because of the vast amount of world building that needs to be done, while Young Adult is commonly 1st person to create the familiar emotional intensity of adolescence in the reader. I’ll let you Google the many articles out there about which one is right for you, but no matter your choice, there are some common tips that mean the difference between watching the story play out on a mental screen and stepping into the character’s shoes.

Eliminating Filter Words

Courtney already gave us a wonderful post on filter words and in it she says, “They distance the reader from the story. It’s one extra step the reader has to take in order to experience action with the character.” There’s no better way to say it so I’ll leave it at that and encourage you to check out her post again for a list of common filter words.

Sensory Details

Including the five senses is essential in each scene yet it often gets overlooked. I think we’re so used to experiencing the world through them, we take for granted that without them I wouldn’t be able to feel the warm blanket over my legs right now; I wouldn’t hear the space heater running beside the couch; I couldn’t see the screen in front of me to type this, or taste the remnants of the Granny Smith apple I ate a few minutes ago. I could have simply said I’m typing this on my iPad in my living room but don’t the use of my senses create a much clearer picture?

Character Thoughts and Feelings

In any given moment, a person has an emotional reaction or thought about what is happening around them, or what happened earlier in the day or week or month. They have feelings about what other people say or do, or what might happen in the future. It is a rare moment when we aren’t reacting to our surroundings. Bring your character to life by giving us a glimpse into his or her mind and heart with internal monologue, skillfully included using the POV of your choice. Make us feel it too.

There are many ways to put readers behind the eyes of your characters but these are just a few. They say you don’t know someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, and a novel is a cross-country trek. Bring us along.

In the comments, I would love to see a few paragraphs of your work-in-progress where you might need a little help with implementing these techniques. The ladies and I here to support you and speaking from experience, nothing helps your grow in your craft more than trial and error with an encouraging group or writing friends. :)

Photo by Newtown grafitti

 
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Posted by on February 11, 2013 in Characters, Craft, Critique, Editing, Emotion, Point of View, Revision, Writing

 

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Performance Pressure and the Diamond in the Manuscript

28 Jan

20130125-172029.jpgHave you ever finished writing a manuscript, and after months of blood, sweat, and tears, you realize that even after all that work, your story doesn’t look at all like you imagined it in your head? In fact, after a second glance, you’re sure a toddler temporarily overtook your brain and scribbled 400 pages of crayon doodles? Of course you have…you’re a writer. You’ve probably felt that way about everything you’ve ever written…like I have.

Up until this point in my writing “career,” that hasn’t mattered much. Mostly my readers have been friends and writing groups. I post fiction online too but even in that venue, readers are generally pretty forgiving. Not so with publishing industry professionals. There is very little room for mistakes and if you make them, they better be small. Tiny. Miniscule. Talk about pressure.

Getting in the (Publishing) Game

Over the next couple of weeks I’m preparing for my first writing contest ever. I’m talking the big deal with two rounds, multiple judges, announcement of the finalists at the next conference, and the final round judged by editors of major publishing houses. Yeah…that kind of scary.

It’s an exciting adventure to be sure, a thrill to imagine where it could lead. The final judge for my category is an editor at Free Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Never before has every word, every period, and every character of my manuscript been under such scrutiny. Sometimes the anxiety to get it all right leaves me panic stricken. I only get one chance to put my best work in front of this woman who could potentially be my gateway into the holy land.

Previously, I’ve never had a reason to get this far into the process of editing. I guess I always imagined entering the chaos of the publishing world as something that would happen way down the road. Like, way down. I’ve taken my time, learning more about this, fiddling with that, but after five years of writing, getting critiqued, editing, and dreaming, it’s time to dive in, sink or swim. So despite my fear, I’m going through the first 20 pages of my manuscript with a fine-toothed comb. I’ve re-understood my characters, re-worked motivations, re-invented the details, and rewritten this novel so many times that I have more loose ends than the hem of grandma’s skirt.

Upping the Ante

Before I started this final-for-now edit, I had a long brainstorming session with my writing partners and nailed down what was working and what wasn’t, for better or worse. The time for flip-flopping has come and gone. And now, with that focus in mind, I’m sifting out the dirt and looking for the gems. And you know what? They are there. Actually, never before have they shined brighter. And I don’t think anything less than the pressure to perform at my best would have gotten me here.

I’m the ultimate perfectionist at heart, especially when it comes to my writing. I think every artist is that way. But putting myself in this position has taught me that I know more than I ever realized about who I am as a writer, what I want to bring to this ever expanding sea of literature, what my writing voice sounds like, what I can accomplish when I put my mind to it, and what process works best for me. The deadline and the stakes have forced me to stopped questioning myself and realize the truths that were already there, clouded by the uncertainty an unlimited time frame allows.

Get Out There

Do it. I know you’re scared. I know you don’t think you’re ready. Guess what–just like getting married and having kids–you’re never going to be ready. You learn as you go. Underneath all those scribbles is your story, and as soon as you trust yourself enough to find it, you will. Make the decision. Raise the stakes. And watch yourself rise to the occasion.

What’s holding you back from taking the next step? Or, what deadlines are you working toward? What steps have you taken that have forced you to grow as a writer?

Photo by Steve Jurvetson

 
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Posted by on January 28, 2013 in Contests, Deadlines, Editing, Editing and Proofreading, Goal-Setting, Inspiration, Motivation, Personal Experience, Publishing, Revision, Writing

 

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How to Cure the Sagging Middle

14 Jan

Subplots. There. That was easy. Oh, you want to hear the whole explanation? Fair enough.

For those of you who read my personal blog, you know the obstacles I overcame to win National Novel Writing Month this year. For those of you who don’t, it was an insane combination of two kids under 3, out of town guests, and several emotional breakdowns. Yet, I would call this year’s NaNoWriMo the most successful yet and not just because I overcame those obstacles, but also because I regularly hit word counts I’ve never accomplished before while fighting through that “sagging middle.” How did I do it?

The Power of Subplots

The problem with most of my outlines (and all of my first drafts) is that I have only a few scenes planned when I start writing. I know the major plot points and the first act is always crystal clear. But after that, things get fuzzy and I have a hard time getting from Point B to Point C, which means I’m clueless as to how I’ll ever get to Point D. Usually I do it with a bunch of random scenes like dinners–lots of them–and my characters doing dishes (you can’t have one without the other, right?). But then I get to the end of that outline or draft and realize there are a lot of boring scenes I’m not interested in writing (or rewriting), which means there’s no way anyone is going to be interested in reading them.

It took me a while to figure out why I was flailing and then it hit me–I’m not digging deep enough. Not digging deep enough into the story, into the character’s lives, into their friend’s and family’s lives. I was only thinking of the main plot. But if you’re writing a full-length novel, your main character is about more that just that single conflict. Just like you, he or she is juggling relationships, family, friends, work, personal goals, and more.

Breaking It Down

I’ll use my novel as an example.

The main plot/conflict is between my main character and her failing relationship.
But my main character also has issues with the expectations her mom still has for her.
And her father, who she hasn’t had a conversation with in seventeen years.
And then there’s the damage her career is doing to her personal life, no matter how much she loves it, as she reaches a crossroads in her professional life.
And her closest friends are getting divorced.

And to think–when I first thought of this novel, I only had the main plot in mind.

So think of it this way: My novel has about 60 scenes. Since my main conflict is the most important, let’s say it fills half the scenes–30. These scenes include things like the issues my heroine and hero have that are keeping them apart, the one major issue that is the catalyst for their growth, the scenes my main character spends trying to come to terms with it, the scenes in which they take turns trying to fix it, and the scenes where they’re sure it’s over. My MC’s career is also important so we’ll say that’s 10 more scenes. Then, take the other 20 scenes and divide them by the 4 remaining conflicts and we have 5 scenes each.

Now we’ll do the math. And remember, this is just a rough idea just to illustrate my point, not a concrete outline.

Act 1
8 scenes for the main conflict
3 scenes for the secondary conflict
1-2 scenes for each remaining conflict

Act 2, Part 1
7 scenes for the main conflict
2 scenes for the secondary conflict
1-2 scenes for each remaining conflict

Act 2, Part 2
7 scenes for the main conflict
2 scenes for the secondary conflict
1-2 scenes for each remaining conflict

Act 3
8 scenes for the main conflict
3 scenes for the secondary conflict
1-2 scenes for each remaining conflict

Some subplots won’t require 5 scenes, while some will require more. Sometimes you’ll have two or more conflicts within a single scene. But try to come up with at least 5 situations to put your character in which will show the story arc for each subplot. For instance, the conflict my MC has with her father would go like this: them not speaking, revealing why, show the misunderstanding, exacerbate the misunderstanding, and then resolve the conflict. Once you have similar snapshots in mind, sprinkle them throughout your novel, weaving them with the other plots, and you’ll never be short on scenes to write.

A Well of Scene Ideas

It may not always be clear at the beginning of your novel which conflicts your character will battle (mine don’t usually make themselves known until after the first draft) but if you’re having hard time coming up with them, start by thinking of your own. If your life was a novel, what would your plots and subplots be? And then, go from there. Because your characters are just people too (for most of you).

What techniques have you used to get through Act II?

Photo by barockschloss

 
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Posted by on January 14, 2013 in Characters, Craft, Editing, Plot, Revision, Writing

 

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Why Character Archetypes Aren’t Just About Commercialism

10 Dec

What a coincidence that Heather brought up the subject of personality types when it is something that has been at the forefront of my mind recently. It is something that has become a part of how I approach every situation in my life and has helped me better understand myself and those I interact with on a frequent basis. Today, I would like to talk about the personality types of your characters, but if you haven’t taken a personality test yourself, either the DISC that Heather mentioned or the Myers-Briggs test that I’m more familiar with, I highly recommend it. I guarantee that it will change how you view people.

I’ve said it time and again but I’ll say it once more: I am a student of human nature. I’m sure, as writers, that’s something we all share. By ten years of age, I had already given up my seat at the kid’s table at family events to get involved in the gossip and philosophizing at the adult table. I soaked it all in, which is probably what drove me to write in the first place. My novels are a place for me to understand and pass on my observations about human reactions, relationships, and the reasons behind the choices we make. I love it.

Personality Types

I was first introduced to personality types a couple of years ago when I attended a personal growth seminar and since then I can’t help but try to place everyone I meet.
Also, knowing my own personality type has given me insight into how I best work and I have been able to use that to my advantage to be as productive as possible in the short period of time I have each day to focus on my writing.

When I came home from the seminar, I wanted to delve deeper and searching led me to the Myers-Briggs test, which looks at four different aspects of the personality. Once each person’s four traits are correctly identified, it is shockingly accurate. Looking at my personality profile again last week, almost two years since I took it the first time, I still nod the entire way through. But it isn’t just me. Everyone I have shared personality typing with has found their profile to be a very accurate description of them as well.

The Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator is broken down into sixteen personality types that take into account your Attitude (introverted/extroverted), your Perceptions (sensing/intuition), how you Judge those perceptions (thinking/feeling), and then which of the two functions–Perceiving or Judging–you most often use when dealing with the outside world. This breaks the population up into 16 personality types that indicate how people interact with others, how they are in relationships, how they handle tasks, and what is important to them.

Creating Real Life Characters

After researching personality types to the point that I could identify all of my closest family and friends, I decided to extend it to my writing and identify my characters. Being that I’m nearly done with the second draft of this novel, I’ve spent a lot of time with them and was able to identify my main characters easily. I also labeled my secondary characters–especially the ones who are highly influential to my main character’s journey. In the profile of each type, it lists that personality’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as all the things I listed above.

Why am I in love with this?

  1. Understanding how characters react with each other makes scenes so easy to write. For instance, my main character is thought based as opposed to feelings based so when her mom gets emotional with her, I know my main character is going to be rational when talking her down. In the same vein, my main character responds better to people who approach her with facts, rather than opinions.
  2. It creates consistency. Have you ever read a book where the characters are all over the place from one minute to the next to the point that it doesn’t feel like you’re following the same person anymore? Knowing your character’s type will help you create a believable hero’s journey that develops smoothly and steadily and yet, is still true to their ideals and values.
  3. It makes your characters easy to relate to. My main character is the same personality type as my mom. My main character’s mom is the same personality type as my best friend. Using this knowledge helps me create characters that are true to life, and chances are, your readers will know people with the same type as your characters too.

Archetypes and Publishing

One thing that I have heard frequently is that character archetypes (as well as story structures–but that is a different post) are just another way of conforming our work to the industry standards. As artists, we want to be unique and we want to express ourselves without being reined in by rules, the publishing industry, or what is popular. I hope you’ll allow me to play the devil’s advocate today because my thought is that if real people can be identified by sixteen categories, why not our characters too? I would certainly never suggest that each character shouldn’t have his or her own backgrounds, culture, class, personal preferences, quirks, and conflicts–that’s what makes us all different. But at the core, we are all human beings, and we all want health, love, and happiness. It’s those similarities that connect us to each other and to the characters in the novels we love.

But don’t take my word for it. Your challenge, if you should accept, is to try the test yourself. It takes about ten minutes and you can find the online quiz at humanmetrics.com. Then, look up your personality on personalitypage.com. You might just be surprised by what you discover…but then again, maybe not. ;)

Have you ever used personality types to create your characters? What is your personality type? Can you guess mine?

Photo by Crystl

 
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Posted by on December 10, 2012 in Characters, Craft, Publishing, Writing

 

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Why I Heart Scrivener for Outlining

26 Nov

As I prepared for National Novel Writing Month and completing the rewrite of my novel, I finally had to force myself to organize my thoughts. I had ideas littered throughout two drafts, three outlines, four notebooks, on a white board, in a couple of Scrivener files, and in emails I’d sent to myself…as well as the other random thoughts swimming in my head that I hadn’t yet had a chance to write down. Clearly this novel has changed (and hopefully grown) many times since I first started it. As much as I enjoy a good outline, my biggest challenge is formatting it in the best way to satisfy my overactive, visual mind. So, thank goodness I have Scrivener.

Enter Scrivener

I first came across Scrivener when I participated in National Novel Writing Month, back when it was only for Mac OS and I couldn’t have it. I downloaded the beta version for Windows as soon as it was available and have been in love ever since, though I admit, I haven’t been using it to its full potential until recently. And even now, probably only 60%. In order to keep track of my notes most efficiently and create an outline I could follow, I put Scrivener to the task. Scrivener is useful for so many things so I’m only going to scratch the surface here but I’ll tell you a little bit about how I used it to outline.

Outlining With Scrivener

My absolute favorite feature in Scrivener is its three modes. Writing mode, of course, but also, cork board mode. What writer doesn’t love a cork board? Ever time a new text file is added, it is also creates an index card on the cork board, listing the title as well as a summary. You can switch back and forth between writing mode and cork board mode and the summary is always available to keep you on track. You can reorganize the index cards at any time, which is ideal for me because I often come up with new scenes while I’m writing. Much easier than doing this on a real cork board where I have to move every single index card down one spot each time I add a scene. There is also a traditional Outline mode for those of you who prefer things in a more linear fashion.

Each scene also has a Label and a Status. Scrivener’s default Labels are Chapter and Concept. You could expand from there or change them completely as I have. My story goes back and forth between past and present so I’ve used the labels to indicate which scene is which. This way, I am able to scan through my index cards and easily see that they are evenly spaced and well-proportioned. Default Statuses are “To Do,” “First Draft,” “Revised Draft,” etc. but I’ve also changed those to reflect the season in which the scene takes place to work as a rough time line. There is a lot flexibility to use these in any way that suits your story such as POV, plots and subplots, locations, etc. Then, in cork board mode, it’s so easy to get an overall snapshot of the story’s progression.

Once you switch to Writing mode, there is one more section for Notes, References and Keywords (you’ll also find Snapshots there but that is a completely different post.) For things that don’t fit in the quick summary of the scene–the details that remind me of my vision for that scene–I add notes. I’ve used the keywords for my characters and the month of the year but again, use your imagination.

Earn a Discount

There are so many other ways Scrivener is useful so if you’re having a hard time with outlining or you’re a more visual person like me, check it out and see if it suits you. To find out more about Scrivener, or to download it, visit the Literature and Latte website. And, as an added bonus, since you’re participating in NaNoWriMo this year, you get a coupon code for a 20% discount. 50% off when you win! (Yes, I said when.) How’s that for motivation?

How do you outline and keep track of your notes?

 
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Posted by on November 26, 2012 in Writing Software

 

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How to NaNoWriMo During Thanksgiving

12 Nov

Here in the US, Thanksgiving is celebrated on November 22nd this year–right as National Novel Writing Month participants are rounding the corner to the finish line. Thanksgiving may very well be one of the most demanding holidays of the year between the cooking, visiting families (many times, more than one!), turkey comas, and festivities that can last an entire four day weekend. For some “Wrimos” this is the point where they give up the goal and resolve to do better next year. But it doesn’t have to be.

In general, NaNoWriMo is easier done in small chunks rather than sitting down and trying to write it all at once, and this is a good thing for fitting it in during the holiday weekend. It helps if you start by knowing how much writing you can accomplish in 15 or 20 minutes. On average, I can write about 500 words in that time frame, though if I’m in the groove, I can write as much as 750 (or as low as 250 if I’m struggling). But if I use 500 as my average, I know I can accomplish my daily word count in 3 or 4 short writing sessions. With that in mind, here are some ways to fit those short sessions into even the busiest days.

  1. If you’re hosting. This is probably the most difficult of all situations–being in charge of all, if not most, cooking, entertaining all your crazy relatives, and waiting on them hand and foot. Try to get as much writing done before and after they come over. Something I’ve really enjoyed doing lately is taking my laptop into the kitchen with me. If you have your novel file open while you’re working, you can brainstorm while you cook and then write for ten minutes or so after you finish cooking each dish. Be sure to plan for a little extra time in the kitchen for this and use your microwave timer to time your sprints.
  2. If you’re visiting family. Take advantage of travel time! This year I am going to my husband’s aunt’s house who lives 1 1/2 hours away. That’s three hours total of driving time and plenty of time to get some serious words in. If you’re traveling by plane, even better! If possible, go to the airport a little earlier and use the time while you wait to board the plane.
  3. If you will have or will be an overnight guest. Create a quiet, comfortable place in your bedroom (either at your house or theirs) to escape to every couple of hours for fifteen or twenty minutes. Head to bed a little early or wake up a little early to get some words in while no one is even missing you.
  4. If you watch football. Easy–commercial breaks and half time. You can even create a game out of it using the score.
  5. If you shop on Black Friday. Take your laptop with you and write for ten minutes in your car before each new store.
  6. If you can make it to write-ins. Even though it’s a holiday weekend, there will very likely still be write-ins to attend in your area. Get in touch with your region on the NaNoWriMo website and make plans to escape the madness for 2 or 3 hours. Sprints with other Wrimos are an easy way to rack up large word counts in short periods of time.

No, my dearest Chris Baty clearly wasn’t worried about cooking and shopping when he chose November to host NaNoWriMo, but it is what it is. And even so, thousands of people still win every year. As long as you don’t give up, you can be one of them. I hope these suggestions help you through the busy weekend and I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving!

Photo by Vision Freak

 
6 Comments

Posted by on November 12, 2012 in Deadlines, NaNoWriMo, Writing

 

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NaNoWriMo Prep: Signing Up and Participating

29 Oct

Hey Writers! Just a few more days until National Novel Writing Month begins. You’re participating, aren’t you? Glad to hear that! Time to stock up on coffee, gummy bears, chocolate, frozen dinners and pajama pants. Got that covered? Great! Oh, you haven’t actually signed up yet? Well, let’s fix that.

I know it’s a big step–officially putting your name on the website–but if you’d like claim your goodies when you hit that 50,000 word mark, it is necessary. Plus, you get access to all kinds of fun things like the forum and your own personal profile to add your author and book information. Let’s take a minute to run through the three most important things to do on the NaNo website.

  1. Signing Up. It’s even easier than signing up for a new email account. Go to the Sign Up page and enter a username, an email and a password. DO NOT skip your time zone. This is very important as it will lock you out before your correct time on the final day if you don’t have it set to your time zone. Click “Sign Up” and wait for your confirmation email! You’re in the club!
  2. Set Your Home Region. It’s not impossible but it is a lot less likely that you will make it to your goal without support. Visit the Forum if you’re unable to meet up with other Wrimos in person. If you are able to meet in person, go to NaNo Near You > Find Your Region and search for your state. You can then narrow it down to your city and join a region. Now you will be notified about Write-Ins in your area.
  3. Change Your Time Zone. You heard me right. Not only do we have Thanksgiving to combat with (look for my upcoming post on that), but we also have the Daylight Savings Time roll back on November 4th. Because of this, you will need to update your time zone on that day, again, to insure you are given all the time you need to get those last words in.

Once you sign up, be sure to add me as a buddy and follow NaNoWriMo on twitter for updates and word sprints.

I’ll see you on the other side of sanity!

 
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Posted by on October 29, 2012 in NaNoWriMo

 

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NaNoWriMo = Draft Zero

22 Oct

November is just around the corner and after four years of participating in National Novel Writing Month, even the change in weather has my nerves buzzing with anticipation, like my internal editor is well-prepared for her yearly vacation. In my excitement, I can’t help asking every writer I know if he or she is participating. Misery loves company. ;) I’m getting a lot of mixed responses–some are die hards like me who are raring to go, some are participating but aren’t sure if they can do it, while others think it’s just crazy and don’t feel they could get anything out of it. For every one of them, I have one piece of advice: you’ve got to take NaNoWriMo for what it is.

Chris Baty, the founder of NaNoWriMo, says what you write in November should be looked at as “Draft Zero,” and as someone who has completed the challenge four times and turned two of those into full novels, I completely agree. Here’s what I mean…

Which Glasses Are You Wearing?

There are three general ways people look at writing 50,000 words in a month:

  1. NaNoWriMo is the ticket to publication. Well…it might be the first step to publication but there will be a lot of work to be done once the month is over, so don’t plan on submitting your first draft to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel competition. Writing so quickly doesn’t leave any time for editing so there will be enough typos to make your English teacher blush. It will be choppy. There will be holes where you don’t have time to research details. In short, know that NaNo only gets your feet wet.
  2. What’s the point in writing a bunch of trash? Let me tell you a little secret about how I write–I throw A LOT away. Sometimes an entire draft. It doesn’t mean all that writing was meaningless. I can brainstorm and plot and outline with the best of them but I don’t truly know my characters until I just start writing. NaNo is about getting out of my head and getting into the story. I don’t see any waste in that.
  3. There is no other event that brings writers of all types from all over the world together working toward the same incredible goal. There is no better way to set your critical mind aside. There is no better way to create a daily writing habit. There is no better way to set a challenge and prove to yourself that you can do whatever you set your mind to.

So what does Draft Zero mean? It means you might not use everything you write but you might just find some incredible lines, paragraphs and characters you never would have discovered inside yourself if you hadn’t let your walls down. Most importantly, it means you will certainly know your story better than you ever thought you could–what’s working, what isn’t, what needs to be added, changed, cut. And then you’re prepared to write a real first draft that, with hard work, will be structurally sound. It seems like a lot of work but we all do this same process in different ways. NaNo simply speeds it up, and in a lot of cases, pushes people past all the internal obstacles that are holding them back.

Don’t Be Afraid to Write

I’m not saying everyone has to do National Novel Writing Month, or even should. Everyone has their own way of writing. What I’m saying is, don’t make excuses to not write. You don’t have to write 50,000 words in November but you do have to write. Stop looking at the word count goal as all or nothing. If you sign up for NaNo, just write every day. See where it goes. See where the excitement and community leads you. Writing only 25,000 words isn’t a failure. Compare that to how many words you’ve written this month.

But truth be told, NaNoWriMo isn’t really about the word count goal at all. It’s about letting go of all worries of what may or may not be. It’s about free falling into your creative mind. It’s about discovering the beauty in your story, your words, your writing.

Visit my blog for more Tips for a Successful NaNoWriMo.

 
18 Comments

Posted by on October 22, 2012 in Inspiration, Motivation, NaNoWriMo, Personal Experience, Writing

 

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How Reading is Important to Writing

08 Oct

Before my regular post today, I want to take a minute to thank Karen S. Elliot for visiting our blog last week, as well as everyone who participated in the contest to win a sample of her services. A winner was chosen at random on Random.org. From all of us, we extend our congratulations to Darlene Foster! Karen will contact you to claim your prize!

In On Writing Stephen King said, “if you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.” Clearly, Stephen King wasn’t nursing a baby twice a night and taking a toddler to the ER for stitches. These days, our responsibilities are endless. Most days, I don’t have the luxury for both reading and writing, and for a girl who has dreams of publishing one day, the writing has to get done.

Even so, I have been reading a lot more lately and I’m glad for that. I’ve discovered some incredible authors, many of which are in the genre I write, so not only does it help me relax after a long day, I feel like I’m learning a lot from those who have already successfully done what I hope to do one day. So I understand what King is trying to say. Reading is the quickest way to teach us how a story should be told.

A Lesson in Writing

For instance, last week I finished reading the book The Goddesses of Kitchen Avenue by Barbara Samuel-O’Neal. (If you like Women’s Fiction, this is a must read.) It was one of those books I never wanted to end because I was so entranced with her writing style and the characters and the story. I felt completely comfortable in her world and I wanted to wrap myself up in it for just a little while longer.

Facing reality, I started working on my novel again. After reading the work of a clearly seasoned author, I was jarred because in my head my story had that same smooth tone, that same mature voice, the same character development, but somewhere on the journey from my mind to my fingers it had gotten lost in translation. Clearly, Barbara has a few more books under her belt than I do so this was a great opportunity to learn something.

Troubleshooting time.

Concerns: I was still getting comments that my main character was immature. She often felt snarky when she was supposed to be kind. I didn’t feel as rooted in the story as I would have liked. The beautiful setting in my head wasn’t landing on the page. In general, something wasn’t quite connecting.

So, what was it about The Goddesses that connected the reader (me) to the character? What could I implement in my own novel to bring it to life the way it is in my head?

Are you seeing the red flashing light I finally did? Point-of-View!

Up until recently, I used to always write in 1st person, but after reading lots of books in my genre, it seemed like everyone else wrote in 3rd person. For a while, I liked it too because it kept me from getting too wordy. But after a while, it kept me from saying much at all so that most of the time, it was impossible to know how my character was reacting and what had happened to her in the past to make her react that way. The Goddesses is written in 1st person and it gave a sense of being the character instead of just watching her. The story is also written in present tense–something I had never tried and I thought might help me sort out the past perfect tense I kept stumbling on.

Over the last week, I picked up chapter one (again!) and started from scratch, taking the same scene, but changing the POV, tense, and adding in thoughts, background, and opinions of my character. Going over this chapter again for about the tenth time in the last few months almost killed me, but I was happy about the new feel and I sent it off to my writing partners tired but satisfied.

And they were floored by the improvement. Mission accomplished.

Lessons You May Not Know You’ve Learned

It isn’t always easy to make time for reading when writing is so time consuming, but books are the blueprints for building a great story–especially a publishable story. And in this case, I think it saved mine.

Here are some other thoughts about how reading helps you become a better writer:

  • Do you ever read a book and about 50 pages in, think, it feels like it’s about time for a plot point? That’s because years of reading has taught our subconscious mind the natural beats of a story.
  • Do you ever use a word while you’re writing that you didn’t know you knew, or if you’re using it correctly, only to look it up and find out you are? That’s because reading expands our vocabulary every time we pick up a book by a new author who writes with words we’ve never heard before. Context clues implants these new words in our minds, almost without our knowledge.
  • Do you ever finish a book and feel that fluttering in your chest, that excitement? That’s because reading is what made all of us want to be storytellers in the first place. Reading books in your genre reminds you of what inspired you to write this story.

What books do you feel you’ve learned from? What are you reading now?

Photo by shutterhacks

 
22 Comments

Posted by on October 8, 2012 in Books, Characters, Editing, Point of View, Revision, Setting

 

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It Takes a Village

24 Sep

Back when storytelling first began, it took a community to write a tale. One person started it and told it to another, to groups over a fire. It got passed on to friends and family members, generation after generation. Each time the story met new ears, the telling got smoother. Each person augmented it with their own knowledge, improved it with their own experiences. And now, those timeless stories are the flawless fairytales and legends we know today. The ones that still speak to our hearts, even after all this time.

Today, it seems we’re pulling away from that connection and group mentality. We hide our writing lives from our families, we’re cutting out editors and publishers, and getting critiques is such a blow to the ego. We’re holding so tightly to the idea that somehow, the art of writing will be compromised if we allow others to give their input. We fear being “commercialized.”

When I first started writing, I hoarded it. I chicken-pecked it out on my parent’s computer, which I think ran Windows 97, and saved it on a Floppy Disk so they wouldn’t find it on the hard drive. I was terrified that if they found it, they would think I was silly, writing these unbelievable love stories. They’d point out everything wrong with them and I’d never want to write again. But it didn’t matter. They were just for me and my girlfriend to giggle about in class. Nothing more.

As I became an adult and began to write more in-depth stories, I wanted them to reach more people. But when I started to share them with others, their comments quickly taught me that my reality was not the same as others’ reality. My experiences and views were completely valid, but if I wanted more people than my best friend (who grew up in the same neighborhood I did) to relate, I had to open myself up to understanding other people’s realities and experiences and knowledge. I had to embrace the fact that writing a great story–one that would last through the generations–wasn’t just about me and my own thoughts.

I joked with my critique partners a couple of weeks ago that I would have to put their names on the cover of my novel next to mine, and while I doubt they or my future publisher would feel it necessary, I did mean it. They add more to my story than they will ever know. Every week we get together and tear our stories apart. Yes, willingly. I love nothing more than seeing them as deep into it as I am. I’m filled with such hope for my novel when they have conversations about my characters that don’t even include me, and then tell me how they think it should end. I have an outline but I always take their thoughts into account and, more often than not, I do make changes based on their suggestions. Not because I’m not an artist that values her own work, but because I’m an artist that values her own work…all ego aside.

As our culture becomes more isolated by the decade, I think it’s even more important to have a community for your story. Not just people cheering you one to get it written, but people who believe in your story, people who put pieces of themselves into it. I think that’s what makes stories whole. What creates a writer is the desire to change someone’s mind with our words. Maybe even change the world. How else can we do that if we don’t understand the struggles of the people we’re talking to, or let them have a say?

I won’t lie and say I don’t feel nervous every Wednesday night when I send my work to my critique partners. Who knows where it might lead? But come Saturday morning, after we’ve spent time hashing it out, talking about everything we know to be true, agreeing, disagreeing, laughing, falling in love with each other’s characters, hating each other’s characters, and scaring the poor people that work at Starbucks…that’s when I feel like my story has finally come to life.

Because my story is my baby. And everyone who loves it, and challenges it, and helps it grow, is my village. It takes all of them.

Photo by McKay Savage

 
7 Comments

Posted by on September 24, 2012 in Critique, Critique Groups, Critique Partners, Inspiration, Motivation, Personal Experience, Publishing, Social Media, Subjectivity, Support, Writer Relationship

 

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