How to Best (NOT) Prepare for the Fall Writing Season
Oh epic fail! I am totally wearing the Pants Of Shame this week, you guys. Here I talked up baby steps and plausible – adjustable goals, and I didn’t complete a one of them that I created.
So, if we’re counting, I did NOT:
- Read one chapter of Stephen King’s On Writing
- Finish reading Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer
- Journal anything – uber fail there
- Blog ahead 3 posts
The Regional Visit I’ve been preparing for at work is today, so I think once that’s behind me, I’ll get a lot more of my ROW80 goals done. Many of you have again shared this last check in that life has a way of interfering – or in my case piling up in the form of laundry and living off of take out.
So this coming week’s ROW goals for me need to be tweaked. Here’s planning on! –
- Doing my laundry and finding the two mysteriously missing pairs of jeans I used to wear often
- Grocery shopping and cooking a big ol’ batch of chili mac so I actually have some leftovers to eat
- Finish reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
- Spend the weekend with my boyfriend, celebrating our six year anniversary! Weekend getaway, Tony-Award Winning Production of Avenue Q! Fancy dinner!
- Spend tomorrow’s day off writing!!!
(avenueq.com)
Role Model Alert:
What You Don’t Know Can Save Your Writing: Guest Post by Sonia G. Medeiros
Hello readers! It’s another blog hop of the Life List Club! I have the fabulously funny and intelligent Sonia G. Medeiros with me today and I can be found blogging at Gary Gauthier‘s talking about crossroads. Then, you can enjoy your cup of morning coffee and read the other Life List Club posts by clicking on the names in our sidebars! We love to chat, so strike up a conversation in the comments, you’re sure to hear back! Take it away, Sonia!
What You Don’t Know (Can Save Your Writing) by Sonia G. Medeiros
Writer’s Block (noun): a (possibly imaginary) condition afflicting writers, characterized by severe word-constipation; symptoms may include extreme procrastination, uncontrollable weeping, hair loss, blank stares, and binge drinking/eating.
I’d like to be one of those folk who states, without the slightest hesitation, that I do not believe in writer’s block. And I do know that it’s more psychosomatic (emphasis on the psycho) than anything else. But, when I’m staring helplessly at a blank screen/page, it seems pretty real.
The thing is, if it exists at all, writer’s block is only a symptom.
Alrighty then, mis smarty pants, what’s the disease?
Fear? Could be all sorts of fear that gets in the way of our creative flow. Fear of failure or success. Fear of change. Fear of fear.
Maybe it’s the inner-critic who won’t shut up. You know that guy, the one that’s always telling you that you’re gonna suck anyway, so why bother? Always wanting to correct the work before it’s done…which always makes the muse stomp out in a huff.
Or maybe it’s a result of not taking care of our bodies or the creative self.
But sometimes writer’s block is not about fear, the inner-critic’s filibuster, or a lack of self-nurturing. Sometimes it’s about what you don’t have for your story. About what you don’t even know you don’t have. The catalyst that will start your story’s chain reaction.
A story is like a living thing. It needs a skeleton (structure), flesh and blood (plot and characters) and a soul (that certain something that makes the story gel). Take away any of those things and the story falls apart.
Those of us that tend toward the pantsing end of the spectrum may struggle more with structure. Sometimes we just get it and sometimes we don’t. And, when we don’t get it, we often don’t even know what we aren’t getting because we’ve relied on the creative flow to carry us through.
A thorough and ongoing study of structure is the sure cure. Larry Brooks Story Engineering, Jack Bickham’s Scene & Structure, and James Scott Bell’s Plot & Structure are all invaluable resources for any writer, whether pantser, plotter or pantsing-plotter (like yours truly).
If character and/or plot are ailing, the cure is likewise more studying (and you thought you left studying behind in school). Making great characters or gripping plots isn’t a cookie-cutter process but the elements that make both great can be learned. Victoria Lynn Schmidt’s 45 Master Characters and Story Structure Architecht and Christopher Vogler’s The Writers Journey are great resources.
And if it’s the soul that’s missing? What then? That’s a little trickier. There are no writing craft books (that I know of anyway) that can tell us just what that something is. All we can do is give it some brewing time while continually asking ourselves “what do I need to make this story work?” The answer can come from anywhere, especially from where that’s least expected, so a whole lot of keeping-our-eyes-peeled is in order.
So when it feels like writer’s block is not such a myth, take a deep breath, screw your courage to the sticking place and hunt up the reason. Kick the fear in the butt, tie and gag the inner critic, love yourself and then pull out your latex gloves and give your story thorough exam. And, when your creation lives, cackle like Dr. Frankenstein…just because.
Have you ever been completely stuck in a story? What was holding you back? How did you overcome it?
Sonia G Medeiros is a writer of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. She’s the author of more than a dozen short stories and flash fiction pieces, blogs at WordPress, and is working on her first novel, a dark fantasy. When she’s not wandering along the tangled paths of her wild imagination, she wrangles home life with one fabulous husband, two amazing, homeschooled children, a part-alien half-chihuahua and two cats who battle each other for world domination.
My Five Year Plan (Or Lack Thereof): Guest Post by Sonia Medeiros
Welcome to another round of Life List Club Fridays. Many of us are in the ho ho horror of the holiday stress load, and you should know, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. We’re all right there with ya! So if you’re struggling with your “big life plan” allow the wonderful Sonia Medeiros to help today! Then please pop over to the outrageous Jenny Hansen’s blog for my post about the 2012 To Be Read Pile Challenge! Reading is a great way to de-stress, so I think you’ll like this challenge. See you soon, but for now, here’s Sonia!
My Five Year Plan (Or Lack Thereof)
This is a little embarrassing for me to admit, being a Life List Club member and all but…I don’t have a five-year plan for writing and my one year plan seems to change all the time.
Truth is I’ve always struggled with setting long-term goals. Feels too much like getting tied down to one path. The pantser in me just can’t handle that. After all, there’s so many ways to get from A to B. Why spoil the fun of the discovery along the way?
But…I’ve also learned the value of plotting a story. Making an outline doesn’t lock me onto one path, it just gives me some guide posts along the way so I don’t get lost wandering around.
And ROW80 has taught me loads about setting reasonable goals. Because my previous MO was to set the bar way too high and then flip out when I couldn’t keep up. So I’ve learned to start small and adjust as needed. And that failing to meet a goal is not the end of the world but an opportunity to figure out why I failed and how to adjust the goal or my approach to it.
I’m flying along just fine with my writing goals week to week but, when it comes to planning out the next year or five, I choke.
I know where I fantasize about being in five years.
*begins daydreaming about seeing my name on the top of the NYT bestseller list, book signings, movie deals*
Something like this would be nice. (Source: Google Images)
*comes back down to earth*
But figuring out how to get there? That’s where I come up short.
Part of it is that I’m not all that attached to fame and fortune. Oh sure, I wouldn’t toss ‘em out on their behinds but I don’t know if I need that to feel like a successful writer. Even if I had only a small readership…I think I’d still be pretty thrilled just to have folks reading my books.
But the biggest part seems to be that I just don’t know how long it takes me to actually finish a novel. I’m still working on my first. And, if I don’t know how long it takes me to write one novel, how can I know how many novels I can write in five years? Because I’m assuming I’ll need more than one book to build any kind of career as a novelist.
I know what I can do week-to-week. I can set a minimum number of scenes to write per week. And given the outline for my WIP, I can figure how many working days it might take me to finish a first draft.
But…my outline’s still not exactly right. The story’s evolved so much since I started writing it and it feels like there’s so much more I need to do (or maybe I just need to stop reading books on the writing craft because they keep sending me back to the drawing board). And no matter how many scenes I write, it feels like there’s so many more to do.
Then there’s the whole revising, beta reading and more revising.
My mind is shaking in its boots.
So maybe my fear of making a five-year plan really isn’t about the numbers at all. Maybe it’s just plain fear. Fear that I can’t cut it with this writing thing. That I can’t really finish a book after all. Fear that I’ve only got one book in me. Fear that even that one book is gonna suck. Fear that it won’t suck and I’ll have to not suck even more with the second one. And the third.
Hmmm…guess I better put on my big girl pants and make a five-year plan. Even if it means I have to revise the heck out of it each and every week.
What do you think? Have you got a five-year writing plan worked out? Were you able to figure it out before you finished your first book or are you still figuring it out? Did you have to battle any writing fears to make that five-year plan?
Sonia G Medeiros is a writer of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. She’s the author of more than a dozen short stories and flash fiction pieces, blogs at WordPress, and is working on her first novel, a dark fantasy. When she’s not wandering along the tangled paths of her wild imagination, she wrangles home life with one fabulous husband, two amazing, homeschooled children, three dogs, one frog and two cats who battle each other for world domination.
Going for the Great
Hello my ghoulies! We interrupt your normal spookifying blog posts for another blog hop edition of the Life List Club! Join in the camaraderie of new and old friends helping each other progress towards our goals. Today I’m talking about zombies over at Sonia Medeiros’ blog and joining me today is the sassy and fashion savvy (she has leopard print pants!!), Jenny Hansen from More Cowbell. Please welcome Jenny to the stage!
Going For The “Great”
NaNoWriMo is less than two weeks away and writers are flexing their fingers and cracking their knuckles in anticipation. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and it’s when hundreds of thousands of writers around the world swarm to the website, chat rooms and local write-ins to try to bang out fifty thousand words in a month.
That’s 1,667 words per day, or just under seven pages, for all of those who haven’t done the math on this. That’s a big commitment, but it can be done. The goal – at least it’s my goal – is to do it smart.
Like most writers, I don’t just want to end up with words on a page. I want to end with a framework of good words that I can (hopefully) fashion into something great when the dust has settled in December.
I came across a quote at work that I used in a motivational seminar that applies to us crazy writer types:
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” ~ Kenny Rogers
Note: Those of you over here at Jess’ place might not have visited me at my blog (More Cowbell) yet, so you won’t know that I’m a software trainer (aka “Training Goddess”) by day for an accounting firm. It’s my job to get those accountants out of their comfort zone and enjoy the process while they’re at it.
There’s countless ways to motivate people, but a sure way to fire up my accountants is to appeal to their sense of competition. This can be competition with themselves or with someone they admire. Accountants, as a rule, are highly motivated to be the best – each of them strives to have the best research skills, deepest knowledge, etc. Sound familiar?
Here’s five points I presented this last week in a seminar called, “Are You A High-Value Employee?” Below, I’ve adapted these 5 key areas to writers since we are the boss and employee all rolled into one.
Key areas of high value to which all WRITERS should aspire:
1. Relationships: The ability to connect and interact with co-workers fellow writers, clients publishing professionals, and the community readers.
You and I are building a relationship right now. I post thoughts, you read them, then we discuss (because hopefully y’all will cavort in the comments section). If we enjoy the process we do it again, either here at Jess’ blog or over at More Cowbell. Perhaps you’ll come find me on Twitter (@jhansenwrites). Maybe I’ll come find you.
Relationships will build naturally if you’re open to them. I’ve got writing friends who’ve been on Twitter since January (because I forced them to join a week after I did) and have yet to send a single tweet or monitor a single hashtag. They’re not involved in ROW80 or The Life List Club. They’re not doing what Jess did when she founded Life List Club with Marcia Richards to support other writers: they’re not forming relationships.
As much as we all love to play with words, writing can be a cold, hard endeavor when it’s not going well. Relationships with supportive friends can help brighten up the process and keep you from getting stalled. Building relationships is essential to a writer’s success.
2. Analysis: The ability to extract the key critical factors of a specific situation.
While accountants get all zippy and hopped up on the word “analysis,” most writers experience an odd yearning to scratch out their eyes or iron their underwear each time they hear it bandied about. Analysis, to most creative people, means numbers and spreadsheets and pain.
Here’s what analysis really means:
a·nal·y·sis/əˈnaləsis/
Noun: Detailed examination of the elements or structure of something, typically as a basis for discussion or interpretation.
The process of separating something into its constituent elements.
In writer-speak it means “good Craft” and deep edits. We spend a lot of time learning 3-Act structure or creative use of Setting in the hopes that it will seep inside and flow through our fingertips to the page. Those are good goals.
To be a “great” writer, we must be able to revise. If you’re like me, you might be thinking things like, “I don’t wanna!” or “I’ll just ‘know’ what belongs there when I see it.” That kind of whining will let you be a good writer, but probably not a great one.
We must know why we’re adding or taking away from a scene, which means we have to analyze our scenes for what they’re missing (and learn as much as you can about Craft).
3. Innovation: The ability to design solutions to effectively solve problems.
Writers are incredible innovators. We build people and worlds and invent entire stories. Are we bringing our full innovative powers to bear when we do this? Spending the time and energy to move beyond the nice and easy, to the far-flung limits of our imaginations?
I’ll confess, some days I’m lazy and I just don’t feel like stretching my “what-if muscle.” On those days, my writing is usually OK at best. It’s definitely not within a mile of great. I kick myself later and wonder why I didn’t take a walk, or a run through Twitter or slug down some coffee. All those things give me a boost. Finding out what gives you a boost will help you bring your Innovator to the page.
4. Knowledge: Depth and breadth of understanding and applying bodies of information.
This is where the ever-present research comes in. Some writers love it, and some don’t. All of us are going to be doing it sooner or later and it seems everyone’s got a different way to go about it.
For some, research is an in-depth journey; still others research by watching reality TV. You need to find out what works best for you, but your end-goal is to know your subject well enough that you can describe it in just a few words.
5. Experience: The ability to function competently and confidently at appropriate level, having performed in numerous situations and demonstrated task or job fluency.
The same as in your day job, “writing experience” is directly related to writing practice. The more we write and the more books we complete, the greater our confidence and level of skill.
I’ll never figure out why it’s OK to learn job skills slowly, but the same speed for a writer is cause for angst. Perhaps it’s because the writing means more to us than our day jobs. Most writers will tell you they started to hit their stride about the time they finish their third manuscript.
I know some of you are shuddering right now, thinking of all that “wasted time.” I have a question for you perfectionists: Why is it acceptable for multiple attempts when learning to ride a bike, or dance the tango, or knit but it’s an “epic fail” to write a few books before you get good at it?
Lots of first novels remain unpublished for a reason. They were practice for the other books. It takes years to learn the piano, and hours of practice. Maybe you could cut yourself some slack the next time you sit down at the writing page. Enjoy the journey; have some fun. You’re gaining on-the-job experience.
The beauty of being a writer is that we don’t really have to get it right the first time. We just have to try our very best. Eventually, our best becomes GREAT.
What do you think makes for great writing? What online tool do you like best for networking and building relationships with others? Do you participate in goal-based groups like ROW80, The Life List Club or NaNoWriMo?
Thanks for visiting with us on this Life List Friday! Have a great weekend.
-Jenny
Jenny fills her nights with humor: writing memoir, women’s fiction, chick lit, short stories (and chasing after the newly walking Baby Girl). By day, she provides training and social media marketing for an accounting firm. After 15 years as a corporate software trainer, she’s digging this sit down and write thing. When she’s not at her blog, More Cowbell, Jenny can be found on Twitter at jhansenwrites and at her group blog, Writers In The Storm.
Bon Voyage Blog Mash-Up
Hey Writers and Readers,
Yours truly is taking a blogging week hiatus to go on vacation! It’s a much needed break from work, and yes, even writing, to spend a week with my honey. We need to put in the quality time with each other, and finally, our schedules have matched up enough to take a trip. I’ll be back in two week’s time to tell you all about sunny Toronto.
In the meantime, I hope you’ll post in the comments any links from blogs you’ve read or written and want to share with me. I promise to read them all and leave a comment. Plus, you’ll make sure I don’t miss anything fabulous while I’m away.
I’m sharing with you a quick mash-up of awesomeness to peruse through while I’m off.
You can read about my meltdown and why this vacation is perfect timing in Writer Meltdowns: A Case of the Mean Reds, my Life List Club guest post over at the amazing Gene Lempp’s Blog.
Pam Hawley, my secret east coast twin, shares her writing tips in a fun-flippered way in her guest post at my place Sit, Waddle, Scoot and Swim.
Kristen Lamb served up a slice of self-discipline that was just my size in Self-Discipline-The Key to Success.
Amanda Rudd discovered one of her favorite science fiction writers was actually a woman! She sleuths out the truth in Is He a She? Using Pseudonyms to Hide Gender.
Tiffany A. White’s got the Ooo Factor on Long Lost Childhood Reads. Share your favorites too.
Selena Wolff shares with us her tarot spread and the karmic balance of relationships in Tarot Tuesday-Love and Relationships. Very interesting read for writers and readers alike.
Sonia Medeiros is hosting a blog prize giveaway in her post 100 Posts…What? Already! Go stroll down memory lane with her and maybe you’ll win a prize too!
And announcing the publication of my awesome friend, Mark Petruska’s book, No Time for Kings, here him discuss the self-publishing route and what it feels like to see his name on the book spine, and he also complains about the price of eggs! Congrats Mark!
New Writers’ Network: The Life List Club
There’s been inspiration floating around the blogosphere lately and several writers have been infected. No, it’s not the Zombie Apocalypse. It’s a new club! Fellow writer, Marcia Richards, and I have been going back and forth trying to think of a way for writers and readers to connect over their goals, their life lists.
Brainstorm baby: The Life List Club!
We’re calling all writers and readers who are interested to post a new page to their blogs called The Life List. It’ll be a page for you to make a list of all the things you desire to do in the next 12 months. Make it however you like, it’s YOUR LIST!
Then follow along with other writers and readers as we encourage one another, learn from our mistakes, and celebrate our successes! You’ll find a new sidebar with The Life List Blogroll on our pages, so check out more Life Lists!
And, we’re all about the social media here, so we’ll be guest posting every other Friday (and tomorrow) to share stories about how we achieve our goals. Follow along, or become a member! Marcia and I are heading up the rotation cycles for all those interested, so we’ll help you get ready. All you need to do is COMMENT! Share your own life list, your aha! moments, your milestones.
Virtual parties are what we do best (less cleanup), so be sure to pop in on Twitter using the hashtag #LifeListClub. Help us spread the word and the love for anyone that’s interested in a totally awesome, fun-loving, support giving community of goal achievers!
Here are the writers who will be guest posting this Saturday along with myself! Be sure to visit their Life Lists!
Jess Witkins' Happiness Project 