One of the few things I know about writing is this: Spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book, give it, give it all, give it now. ANNIE DILLARD via AdviceToWriters – Encouragement.Read More →
I wrote a novel and finished it well over a year-and-a-half ago. I submitted it to Carina Press (cross your fingers for me–still haven’t heard anything*). It was a stand-alone book, but I knew when I wrote it there were two related books to be written. I jotted down notes as they came to me and even wrote a loose outline. And then I moved on to the next story. Because why write sequels to a book that may never be published? Except, now that I’ve sucked it up and found some guts, I’m subbing it to agents and the previously mentioned publisher. In myRead More →
I hate character charts. I see them everywhere. I’ve bought books on character development that had 10 page(!) character charts. Sample questions: Astrological sign? Who cares? I don’t check my horoscope. I mean, I guess, if I had a character who was all into that, it might matter to them. I guess, I’m saying if it doesn’t matter to my character, why should it matter to me? Political leanings? Unless my character is a politician or an activist or a lobbyist, why do I need to know this? Will her views on global warming affect her reaction when she’s forced into a marriage ofRead More →
The only true creative aspect of writing is the first draft. That’s when it’s coming straight from your head and your heart, a direct tapping of the unconscious. The rest is donkey work. It is, however, donkey work that must be done. EVAN HUNTER Thanks to Advice To Writers.Read More →
Today, I’m going to recommend a book that I don’t even own (yet). So ordering it today. Anyway, this book: was recommended by Jennifer Crusie in her essay “Emotionally Speaking: Romance Fiction in the Twenty-First Century”. The psychology of the characters will dictate how and why they fall in love, and their growth as human beings will dictate whether or not the reader believes they’ll stay in love. That’s why, along with researching the genre, it’s a good idea to research the psychology, anthropology, and biology of romantic love (a good place to start is Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving ). The product descriptionRead More →
At the begininng of Nano, I wrote a post about getting “it”–what Nano is about. It’s about writing. Just writing for the love of it and with the abandon we deserve, the abandon to write badly, but to have written. And I still believe that. I still believe getting into that habit of writing daily, of thinking about your story as often as you can–even when you aren’t writing, storing up those ideas like a squirrel in winter–is crucial to becoming a good writer. And I believe in not editing yourself, constantly. It’s sort of a relief to just write. So, good did come ofRead More →
A quick link to an article I found from twitter this morning (via VMGDesigns) on the Seven Bad Writing Habits You Learned in School. No one but you is an authority on your writing. Not me. Not your English teachers. Not Strunk and White and their highfalutin Elements of Style. The longer you write, the more you’ll realize that other writers can’t tell you what to do. You should listen to more experienced writers, sure, but never more than you listen to yourself. Good stuff. Later (after work): A look at my two opposing views of NaNo writing from the beginning and the end.Read More →
Today is the last day to get in those 50k words. As you can see by my word count meter (on the left) I’m not going to make it. It’s not that I haven’t worked every day; it’s that 1700 words a day doesn’t work in my process. I have to take notes, then write. Sometimes I need to brainstorm. Sometimes it’s a trickle, sometimes it’s a torrential downpour. This blog post by Maggie Stiefvater is a Dear John letter to NaNo. This is exactly how I feel: You are not a bad concept. You’re a bad concept for me, NaNo. This is why: youRead More →
Yes. You read that correctly. After much nail-biting and teeth-gnashing online, I wrote a synopsis. I’m tempted to use lame web animated fireworks. That’s how proud/excited I am. Want to know how I did it? Fine. I’ll tell you. But, I suspect, it’s one of those things that you can read a dozen articles about, but eventually you just have to hunker down and write the damn thing. Much like writing a book. I went through my book and summarized the turning points and points of conflict. This was 12 pages long. A crazy length for a synopsis. Some editors or agents will take ten. Read More →
It amazes me how supportive nanoers are to one another. When I tried this a few years ago, I felt so alone and couldn’t see my way through it. But interacting on twitter, though it can be distracting, has shown me how supportive other writers and NaNo participants are. I’ve received more than one reply to my tweets of frustration or success. If you’re NaNoing, definitely follow the #nanowrimo hash tag there.Read More →
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