This is a short post that I hope will help other writers during the revision process. I am almost done with THE VENGEANCE OF THE VAMPIRE BRIDE and after a week or two I will plunge back into that world to do the first big revision on the novel. I always make sure to take some time off before revising so I have fresh eyes when I read over the first draft of my work.
Writers will always struggle to revise or self-edit their work simply because we are far too close to the story. We live and breathe the story for so long we can easily miss simple things. I have noted that I tend to "see" what I think I have written, not what is really there. My husband once had me read a sentence three times and each time I read it incorrectly. Finally, he read it to me and I realized I had left out two words. Yet, I had "seen" them when reading the sentence aloud.
So how do I try to avoid misreading my own work when I revise?
This is a little trick I learned when revising PRETTY WHEN SHE DIES. At that time, I found a free nifty text to speech program that allows you to load up text into the reader, pick a voice, and listen. It's a great way to hear your work as you read along. It lets you hear where you have unwieldy sentences or wonky structure.
I lost the original program I used when my old desktop computer crashed, so I may invest some money in a better version with better voices. I personally find it worth my while to listen to my novel out loud.
Showing posts with label writing tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing tools. Show all posts
Monday, June 20, 2011
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Stuffing an Elephant into a Bird Cage or How to Cram an Entire Novel into a Synopsis and Not Go Crazy
A few weeks ago I chatted with my agent on the phone for nearly an hour. It was a good talk. She had attended the big book fairs during the spring and it was good to finally catch up with her. I was thrilled to find out she is currently reading The Tale of the Vampire Bride. We discussed the book and its sequel at length. She feels strongly that this is my next book that we should pitch and I agree. I especially enjoyed it when she laid out what she felt were the strong points of the character, plot and the narrative. It validated what I already felt about this particular book.
"Is there a second book?" she asked.
I told her there was a second and possibly up to three more after that.
Then she said the words I feared, "Send me a synopsis for the second book."
EEK!
"Okay," I said, my mind whirling. "Uh...but I don't know how it ends."
"Write what you know," she answered.
Crap!
Happily, the next day I had a "Matrix" moment and it was as if my entire novel was downloaded into my brain in a second. I suddenly had all of it, beginning to end. But I still had no idea how to shove that entire story into a synopsis.
I put off the synopsis for nearly a week as I cruised the Internet for advice on how to write one. I have failed utterly in writing a synopsis before. I just couldn't imagine successfully writing one this time. In fact, this task seemed more daunting than even writing a book. It felt like I had been asked to stuff an elephant into a small birdcage. How the heck was I going to compress an entire book into ten pages or less?
"Is there a second book?" she asked.
I told her there was a second and possibly up to three more after that.
Then she said the words I feared, "Send me a synopsis for the second book."
EEK!
"Okay," I said, my mind whirling. "Uh...but I don't know how it ends."
"Write what you know," she answered.
Crap!
Happily, the next day I had a "Matrix" moment and it was as if my entire novel was downloaded into my brain in a second. I suddenly had all of it, beginning to end. But I still had no idea how to shove that entire story into a synopsis.
I put off the synopsis for nearly a week as I cruised the Internet for advice on how to write one. I have failed utterly in writing a synopsis before. I just couldn't imagine successfully writing one this time. In fact, this task seemed more daunting than even writing a book. It felt like I had been asked to stuff an elephant into a small birdcage. How the heck was I going to compress an entire book into ten pages or less?
Finally, I hit on the blog of Karen Harbaugh. Part of the way down the page (as you scroll) is a section called "Karen Harbaugh's Index Card Method of Writing Synopses." Reading over the post, it utterly made sense to me. I broke out my hot pink index cards and a purple sharpie and started scribbling.
After two days of furious typing, I had my synopsis. I didn't even fill the cards out all the way before I knew exactly what I wanted to write. I sent it off to my test readers, tweaked some things per their suggestion (adding time frame, explaining a plot point a bit better) and sent it off my agent.
What did I hear back? She liked it! She thought it had some really great stuff in it. Yay!!
So now I'm working on the next synopsis I owe her. I'm using the exact same method, but also utilizing yWriter as well this time. I'm writing a summary for each chapter in yWriter in the chapter tab. When I'm done, I'll just export the synopsis using these chapter summaries (I love yWriter) and revise from there.
Have I conquered the Synopsis Monster? Not yet, but I have a better handle on what I'm doing now.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
What Is The Color of My Character's Eyes Again???
Writing is a bitch. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It is so much more than sitting down and putting pen to paper, or fingers to a keyboard. Think about how many people have told you that they are writing a book, but have never finished?
Yeah.
It's that hard.
It's not just the whole process of transferring a story idea from your imagination to the written word, but also making it a compelling read for your future readership. There are a lot of components to a good story, but today's blog is about characters.
You can have a great story, but if your character doesn't come to life in the minds of the readers, the story will most likely fall flat. As coincidence will have it, Rosemary on Genreality tackled the subject of characters just a few weeks ago when I first started composing this post.
To quote the first comment:
This is exactly my sentiment. If a character doesn't feel alive or sympathetic to the reader, what is the point? This is especially the case in horror. Where suspense and the horror element are vitally important to keeping the reader on the edge, they must invest their emotions in the characters.
People often ask who my characters are based on. I think it's a natural assumption that a writer must be basing their characters on people they know (or themselves), but this isn't the reality at least in my case. A lot of my characters just pop into my head at unexpected moments.
I will give you an example:
Maria Martinez appeared in my mind unexpectedly one day. I was at work, thinking about how hot it was outside and how glad I was Texas doesn't have rolling blackouts when I saw in my mind a woman sit up in bed, her long hair falling over one shoulder as she listened to the power go out in her section of her city.
From the rough draft of her story:
I quickly wrote down what I "saw" in my mind's eye and that is the opening paragraph of my brand new novel. It wasn't until I was able to sit down and keep writing that I found out what her name was, where her city was, who she was in bed with, and the cause of the rolling blackouts.
This sort of character inspiration moment has happened to me multiple times. I see the character in an compelling setting and I dive in wanting to know more.
In the past, I kept loose notes on characters or story scenarios as they came to me, but I lost a lot of them. During our latest move, I found some scraps of scenes, characters, and stories I had forgotten. Thankfully, I started using yWriter a few years ago and it has helped me tremendously with keeping my notes of inspiration in a safe place.
Using the Character database, this is how I built a character file for Maria Martinez.
The first tab up is basic. It's about her name and description. Sometimes I only have a first name when I start a character, so I just fill in the short name. If I have a full name, I plug that in. If there is a nickname, I place it in Alternative. Since this is the start of creating Maria's biography, I don't know if she has a nickname yet. I can come back later and change it if she does.
I write in a general physical description so I can remember her exact appearance without having to go back through the pages already written, desperately trying to find out what color her eyes are.
Also, she is a major character, so I have clicked that option.
Sometimes a character's biography comes swiftly to mind. Other times it comes out it spurts as I write. I try to update the biography as I work so I have a quick reference the further I get into the story.
Maria's biography came to me around 3,000 words into the novel. I find the more fully immersed I am in the writing, the clearer I "see."
Under notes I usually place personality traits or quirks. Also, I might add any notes on the development arc for the character if I have a clear vision of where the character is headed during the course of the story.
Finally, I add a picture to the database so I have a physical representation of the character. In this case, it is Maria created using the Sims 2 games. When I started playing Sims 2, I had a lot of fun with the actual game. Then, one day, I created one of my characters on a whim. Seeing my character on the screen looking eerily close to how I imagined her was a real inspiration. Since then, I have been making most of my characters in the Sims 2 character generator.
Sims 2 version of Maria Martinez
Yeah.
It's that hard.
It's not just the whole process of transferring a story idea from your imagination to the written word, but also making it a compelling read for your future readership. There are a lot of components to a good story, but today's blog is about characters.
You can have a great story, but if your character doesn't come to life in the minds of the readers, the story will most likely fall flat. As coincidence will have it, Rosemary on Genreality tackled the subject of characters just a few weeks ago when I first started composing this post.
To quote the first comment:
I pretty much only keep books for character. If I don’t connect with the characters, who cares what happens to them?
This is exactly my sentiment. If a character doesn't feel alive or sympathetic to the reader, what is the point? This is especially the case in horror. Where suspense and the horror element are vitally important to keeping the reader on the edge, they must invest their emotions in the characters.
People often ask who my characters are based on. I think it's a natural assumption that a writer must be basing their characters on people they know (or themselves), but this isn't the reality at least in my case. A lot of my characters just pop into my head at unexpected moments.
I will give you an example:
Maria Martinez appeared in my mind unexpectedly one day. I was at work, thinking about how hot it was outside and how glad I was Texas doesn't have rolling blackouts when I saw in my mind a woman sit up in bed, her long hair falling over one shoulder as she listened to the power go out in her section of her city.
From the rough draft of her story:
The fan sputtered than died as the rolling blackout hit her section of the city. With a groan, she peeled the covers from her damp body and sat at the edge of the bed. Her silky black hair fell over one shoulder, settling over one bare breast. The heat was already rising in her small flat. The metal walls and high windows made the narrow room claustrophobic and once the power cut out, stifling.
I quickly wrote down what I "saw" in my mind's eye and that is the opening paragraph of my brand new novel. It wasn't until I was able to sit down and keep writing that I found out what her name was, where her city was, who she was in bed with, and the cause of the rolling blackouts.
This sort of character inspiration moment has happened to me multiple times. I see the character in an compelling setting and I dive in wanting to know more.
In the past, I kept loose notes on characters or story scenarios as they came to me, but I lost a lot of them. During our latest move, I found some scraps of scenes, characters, and stories I had forgotten. Thankfully, I started using yWriter a few years ago and it has helped me tremendously with keeping my notes of inspiration in a safe place.
Using the Character database, this is how I built a character file for Maria Martinez.
The first tab up is basic. It's about her name and description. Sometimes I only have a first name when I start a character, so I just fill in the short name. If I have a full name, I plug that in. If there is a nickname, I place it in Alternative. Since this is the start of creating Maria's biography, I don't know if she has a nickname yet. I can come back later and change it if she does.
I write in a general physical description so I can remember her exact appearance without having to go back through the pages already written, desperately trying to find out what color her eyes are.
Also, she is a major character, so I have clicked that option.
Sometimes a character's biography comes swiftly to mind. Other times it comes out it spurts as I write. I try to update the biography as I work so I have a quick reference the further I get into the story.Maria's biography came to me around 3,000 words into the novel. I find the more fully immersed I am in the writing, the clearer I "see."
Under notes I usually place personality traits or quirks. Also, I might add any notes on the development arc for the character if I have a clear vision of where the character is headed during the course of the story.
Finally, I add a picture to the database so I have a physical representation of the character. In this case, it is Maria created using the Sims 2 games. When I started playing Sims 2, I had a lot of fun with the actual game. Then, one day, I created one of my characters on a whim. Seeing my character on the screen looking eerily close to how I imagined her was a real inspiration. Since then, I have been making most of my characters in the Sims 2 character generator.
Sims 2 version of Maria MartinezI have read about other authors clipping photos out of magazines or printing them from the internet so they have a frame of reference for their characters. Having a visual is a neat way of keeping connected to your character. Honestly, there are times in the process when you can lose your way and having visual clues back to your story are very helpful.
So how did Maria pop into my head? In some ways it feels like magic, but looking into my past I see the seeds of her inspiration. Growing up one of my favorite people was a friend of my mother's from the Dominican Republic. She was one of the most beautiful, classy, and stylish women I had ever seen in my life. Also, she was one of the kindest, warmest, most considerate people I have ever encountered. Her life was not easy in any regard, but she had a strength about her that was inspiring. Widowed extremely young, she had difficulty letting go of her husband. I remember his picture on her bureau and how lovingly she had arranged mementos around it. I can see how my mother's friend inspired Maria's great love for Dwayne and her strength of will.
Yet, they are not the same person and far removed from each other in personality.
Every day writers absorb their surroundings, storing away information in the depths of their minds, tiny seeds germinating to become worlds, characters and stories. Those little seeds can be anything from the distinctive voice of someone you meet, the gray eyes of someone you see on a plane, the laugh of a woman after a car accident, etc...etc... I'm not always sure where my characters come from, but I am glad when they arrive to tell their story.
So how did Maria pop into my head? In some ways it feels like magic, but looking into my past I see the seeds of her inspiration. Growing up one of my favorite people was a friend of my mother's from the Dominican Republic. She was one of the most beautiful, classy, and stylish women I had ever seen in my life. Also, she was one of the kindest, warmest, most considerate people I have ever encountered. Her life was not easy in any regard, but she had a strength about her that was inspiring. Widowed extremely young, she had difficulty letting go of her husband. I remember his picture on her bureau and how lovingly she had arranged mementos around it. I can see how my mother's friend inspired Maria's great love for Dwayne and her strength of will.
Yet, they are not the same person and far removed from each other in personality.
Every day writers absorb their surroundings, storing away information in the depths of their minds, tiny seeds germinating to become worlds, characters and stories. Those little seeds can be anything from the distinctive voice of someone you meet, the gray eyes of someone you see on a plane, the laugh of a woman after a car accident, etc...etc... I'm not always sure where my characters come from, but I am glad when they arrive to tell their story.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Chicken or the Egg? Or is it, the Character or the Story?
We all have a favorite character of a book, comic, movie or TV show. It can be the hero, who inspires devotion, or the villain, who inspires fear. It can be a quirky supporting cast member that adds a dash of something extra into the mix that makes the story richer.
You got my point.
One consistent comment made in reviews about As The World Dies: The First Days, is that the characters of the story are well-developed and come across as real people. Some fans have written me to say that the two leads, Jenni and Katie, feel like friends. I understand how they feel. When I write about the dead world Jenni and Katie live in and the people that surround them, I try to portray them as real, flesh and blood people facing tough choices. I firmly believe that if you want your story to be compelling you have to have characters that people care about. I try hard with even minor characters to create people that seem real and feel like someone you may know.
Otherwise, when I kill them, you're not going to cry. *evil grin*
But kidding aside, when people ask me what comes first, the story or the characters, I have no real definitive answer. Sometimes the character just appears in my head and I have no idea what their story is, just who they are. Jenni was like that. She just appeared in my mind's eye one day when I was at work. I saw her standing on her front porch, staring at these tiny fingers pressed under the front door, holding her bathrobe closed with one hand, and shivering in chilled morning air. It was a sharp, vivid image. And I knew nothing about her story, but I wanted to. So I wrote what I "saw" in my mind's eye as soon as I could take a break. I'm an organic writer, so one sentence lead to the next and I was along for the ride. When Katie arrived, I had no idea who she was either! All I knew was that she was saving Jenni from certain death. Once they were safely inside the truck, I finished my "short story" that I named Tiny Fingers.
Or I thought it was a short story.
It's now a trilogy, so what do I know?What kept me writing (beyond the initial response from readers on the forum I posted it on) was the characters. I wanted to know what would happen to Jenni and Katie and if they would live or die. So I kept writing.
But sometimes, the story comes first and I have no idea who will populate the new world. When that happens, I start considering who might have a role in the story and usually that spurs on my imagination and characters start appearing. There are certain things that help me "discover" a character.- What they look like
- Their name
- Their occupation
- Their primary motivation in life
Example: Peggy from As The World Dies
- She's in her early forties, somewhat plain looking, obviously a smoker from the condition of her skin, and has a very husky voice that drawls out in a thick West Texas accent
- Peggy-It just felt right for her. It was almost Patsy, but Peggy just felt more solid.
- City Secretary of a small Texas town. I have met many of these ladies. They are no nonsense, hard workers who run their towns. Trust me. The power in a small town in Texas is the city secretary, not the mayor.
- To take care of her town and her son. When she doesn't feel in control of what is going on, her stress levels overwhelm her. She's emotional, but tough
My favorite books are ones with a solid plot, good dialog and characters I can care about. I can't stand to read a book where the characters seem to slip and slide from one persona to another. They never seem to have an consistency and are just used to forward the plot.
Here are a few pointers to make a good character. I've gleaned this information from my favorite and not so favorite writers as I've figured out from their writing what works and what doesn't.
- Do not create a perfect character. A perfect person, who knows everything, never fails, never stumbles, never doubts, and never struggles is boring. If the reader figures out the character is so perfect he/she will never make a mistake, all suspense is gone.
- Don't create a character that has traits that would make she or he unlikable in the real world, but have everyone in your novel love her/him. Your characters should respond realistically. It makes zero sense for your unlikable character to have the undying adoration o
f the masses if he or she is a total dick. - If you establish firmly a certain personality trait about your character, don't abruptly toss it away if it doesn't fit where you want the plot to go. Have a good reason for your character to go against their nature. It causes tension, drama and character development.
- Keep up a consistency about your characters appearance. I remember being annoyed when I was growing up with the Nancy Drew books. In one book her hair was the color of bronze, the next she was strawberry blond.
- Don't blur the line between your character and you. Your character is not you and you are not your character. If your character is an avatar for you, then you'll end up doing wacky shit to try and protect her and her choices (no matter how crazy.) Yes, LKH, I'm thinking of you and Anita Blake.
If you're about to start a new writing project, or working on one now, I highly recommend working on your character biographies before you dive in. Your story will be richer and better for it.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Ideas Are Ping-Ponging in My Head!! UGH!!! And A Few Writing Tips
I do not suffer from a lack of story ideas.
In one regard, this is very, very good. But in another, it is enough to make me utterly nuts.
Like most writers, I have a day job and that means I don't have the luxury of an entire day spent at the computer typing away on my latest inspiration. Instead, I come home, decompress from the long day, fix dinner, do some chores, maybe watch a show online (I just finished all three seasons of Arrested Development on Hulu.com) and try to fit at least two hours of writing in to the end of the day.
And, of course, I try not to ignore my husband (too much) or my pets.
In one regard, this is very, very good. But in another, it is enough to make me utterly nuts.
Like most writers, I have a day job and that means I don't have the luxury of an entire day spent at the computer typing away on my latest inspiration. Instead, I come home, decompress from the long day, fix dinner, do some chores, maybe watch a show online (I just finished all three seasons of Arrested Development on Hulu.com) and try to fit at least two hours of writing in to the end of the day.
And, of course, I try not to ignore my husband (too much) or my pets.
It's rough to have all these ideas being born and feeling like I can't pay attention to them quite yet. I hate putting off writing something just because I got x y and z to take care of. Blah.
It's been especially chaotic in my head. I blame this on the zombie world receding as I put a little distance between me and the trilogy for a little bit. I need a breather from all my freaking zombie nightmares. Ugh! I actually dreamed about a ghost last night and I was pretty happy about that. Killing zombies all night in my sleep can be taxing after awhile.
Not to say that Katie and Jenni aren't far from my dreams or thoughts. I don't have enough distance yet to be totally zombie free. But I need to be this month. I need to decompress and embrace something new for a bit. Trust me, I got a lotta love for de zombies, but right now...
So what is bouncing around in my head at the speed of light? Well, a vampire short story, a dark fantasy, two vampire novels, and a really horrific apocalyptic novel that I am almost afraid to write. That one is going to spawn terrible nightmares.
I've decided to concentrate on the vampire short story and write down notes on everything else. I'll probably plunge into the vampire novel in January.
I won't have a respite from the zombies too long though. The edits are starting to come in and I think I'll put them off just another week. I want to write something fresh and new right now (i.e. the vampire short story) and get some distance from the As The World Dies movie in my head.
I would like to share how I will be getting my ping-ponging story ideas down so I can look at them later. Lynn Viehl has an awesome blog called Paperback Writer. She has created a really awesome tool for getting your ideas in line for a new story. She has The Novel Notebook posted at Scribd here.
I have had many people ask me how I write and I have to admit that it wasn't until the last two years that I figured out how to get my thoughts down in a coherent way. The Novel Notebook definitely helps get ideas down that I can't get to quite yet. But when I do write, I transfer that information into yWriter. yWriter is the BEST writing program in the world. It's amazing and I love it. But its not an editing program. There is no spellcheck or grammar check. It's all about getting your idea down in a cohesive and coherent manner. Once the story is written, you can then export it as an .rtf and edit it in Word or OpenOffice. Write first, edit later.
Anyway, I better get back to making dinner, then I need to get back into my writing groove.
P.S. Please spread the word about Pretty When She Dies to any vampire lovers you know out there! Thanks!
It's been especially chaotic in my head. I blame this on the zombie world receding as I put a little distance between me and the trilogy for a little bit. I need a breather from all my freaking zombie nightmares. Ugh! I actually dreamed about a ghost last night and I was pretty happy about that. Killing zombies all night in my sleep can be taxing after awhile.
Not to say that Katie and Jenni aren't far from my dreams or thoughts. I don't have enough distance yet to be totally zombie free. But I need to be this month. I need to decompress and embrace something new for a bit. Trust me, I got a lotta love for de zombies, but right now...
So what is bouncing around in my head at the speed of light? Well, a vampire short story, a dark fantasy, two vampire novels, and a really horrific apocalyptic novel that I am almost afraid to write. That one is going to spawn terrible nightmares.
I've decided to concentrate on the vampire short story and write down notes on everything else. I'll probably plunge into the vampire novel in January.
I won't have a respite from the zombies too long though. The edits are starting to come in and I think I'll put them off just another week. I want to write something fresh and new right now (i.e. the vampire short story) and get some distance from the As The World Dies movie in my head.
I would like to share how I will be getting my ping-ponging story ideas down so I can look at them later. Lynn Viehl has an awesome blog called Paperback Writer. She has created a really awesome tool for getting your ideas in line for a new story. She has The Novel Notebook posted at Scribd here.
I have had many people ask me how I write and I have to admit that it wasn't until the last two years that I figured out how to get my thoughts down in a coherent way. The Novel Notebook definitely helps get ideas down that I can't get to quite yet. But when I do write, I transfer that information into yWriter. yWriter is the BEST writing program in the world. It's amazing and I love it. But its not an editing program. There is no spellcheck or grammar check. It's all about getting your idea down in a cohesive and coherent manner. Once the story is written, you can then export it as an .rtf and edit it in Word or OpenOffice. Write first, edit later.
Anyway, I better get back to making dinner, then I need to get back into my writing groove.
P.S. Please spread the word about Pretty When She Dies to any vampire lovers you know out there! Thanks!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Write! Dammit! Write!!! KIll Writer's Block!!!
I was looking through some old posts today on a forum I used to frequent and I found this little rant about a writer's worst enemy: Writer's Bock!!! EEK!!!
I read it over and I really like what I wrote. I still keep to this philosophy a year later. So I'm posting it here again for all those writer's out there that may wonder how I shove through the nefarious Writer's Block.
With over 1,000 pages of formatted story for As The World Dies and another full length novel being prepped for publication and numerous COMPLETE novels (that will sit quietly like good children until I want to rewrite them or just pack them away), I have faced writer's block a million times over. I have been writing since I was 12. And I'm...errr...dammit...now 37. Writer's Block is an old Nemesis of mine.
Let me say firmly that walking away from a story is dangerous. Leaving it sit is dangerous. Ignoring it for another project is dangerous.
For a lot of writers, a new story is like a new crush. You get all giddy and tap away at your keyboard (or write long hand) and write and write and write then bam! The wall hits and you're like.."err...I didn't know my crush was a total BITCH/ASSHOLE."
So you either work on the relationship or you walk away. Walking away (i.e. taking a break, writing on something else, etc) is a good chance of blowing that relationship for good.
I hit the wall when Jenni and Katie reached Nerit and Ralph's place and again when they reached the Fort. I hit about a hundred more walls along the way. Each time I felt daunted by what was to come.
Now taking a walk, etc, may help you out, but commit yourself to the story before you do that by writing at least a few lines down of what you think is coming next. Keep focused on the story.
With As The World Dies, I could not read any zombie genre, but I watched zombie flicks and other horror that had that feel. I wrote down notes for future stuff in the story even though I felt I was slogging through muck in the present chapter. I did not commit to any other writing projects because I KNOW the danger there.
I look at the slew of unfinished stories that are on this forum and others and its obvious how fickle writers can be. I found an unfinished short story on my hard drive a few weeks ago. I could have SCREAMED when I realized I never ended it. I have no freaking clue what the ending would have been. It's been annoying me ever since.
I have a friend who writes awesome screenplays. Well, at least the first part of the screenplays. He gets very enthused with the concept, writes in a flurry, then hits a wall, gets frustrated, chunks it and repeats the cycle with another story. He never finishes ANYTHING. And it sux, because he's got this amazing mind and so many good ideas.
So what are my tricks to push through? Here are a few of my tricks.
1. Commit fully to the story and make it my only love. -- If it feels half-formed or like just an idea, I write down all the details I "know" and save it for later. If it feels ready to be born and I have nothing else on my plate, then I fully commit to the story. It becomes my focus.
2. I find music that fits the story. Something that keeps me typing. Something that stirs the imagination. Marylin Manson, Sneaker Pimps, Johnny Cash and Rob Zombie were my friends when I wrote As The World Dies. NIN, the soundtracks to Dracula and Queen of the Damned, and various fav goth songs kept me company for my other novel. One idea I have brewing perks up if I put on Crombiechrist or Psychobitch. Another one lives in VAST's debut album. I will NOT listen to music for another story when working on my committed story. I will write notes for the other stories though, but nothing like a chapter.
3. I find someone I can talk to about the story. - This is so important. Find someone who wants to hear about it and can ask you questions or push you to explore something more fully. My friend Morris was a great help with As The World Dies. (and no..there is no sequel, Morris!) Its good to have someone to bounce things off of.
4. Write Anyway- This goes against the grain and it may feel utterly empty, but do it ANYWAY. Sometimes, what you write when there is no flow, kicks ass. Sometimes it sux. Sometimes it shows you that you've gone a wrong way. Sometimes it just lays there lifeless until something switches in your head and suddenly you get this burst. Some of As The World Dies chapters were push throughs. I HATED them. And usually those were the chapters that people loved.
I honestly do not believe in walking away from a story unless you intend to walk away for good.
So my bet advice when Writer's Block hits......WRITE. Just fucking write. And you'll bust the wall down.
And that is all *steps off soapbox*
Hehehe...I"m off to battle...WRITER'S BLOCK!!!
*note I cap Writer's Block because in my head its this mean ol ogre sitting in my way and that is his name. :)
I read it over and I really like what I wrote. I still keep to this philosophy a year later. So I'm posting it here again for all those writer's out there that may wonder how I shove through the nefarious Writer's Block.
With over 1,000 pages of formatted story for As The World Dies and another full length novel being prepped for publication and numerous COMPLETE novels (that will sit quietly like good children until I want to rewrite them or just pack them away), I have faced writer's block a million times over. I have been writing since I was 12. And I'm...errr...dammit...now 37. Writer's Block is an old Nemesis of mine.
Let me say firmly that walking away from a story is dangerous. Leaving it sit is dangerous. Ignoring it for another project is dangerous.
For a lot of writers, a new story is like a new crush. You get all giddy and tap away at your keyboard (or write long hand) and write and write and write then bam! The wall hits and you're like.."err...I didn't know my crush was a total BITCH/ASSHOLE."
So you either work on the relationship or you walk away. Walking away (i.e. taking a break, writing on something else, etc) is a good chance of blowing that relationship for good.
I hit the wall when Jenni and Katie reached Nerit and Ralph's place and again when they reached the Fort. I hit about a hundred more walls along the way. Each time I felt daunted by what was to come.
Now taking a walk, etc, may help you out, but commit yourself to the story before you do that by writing at least a few lines down of what you think is coming next. Keep focused on the story.
With As The World Dies, I could not read any zombie genre, but I watched zombie flicks and other horror that had that feel. I wrote down notes for future stuff in the story even though I felt I was slogging through muck in the present chapter. I did not commit to any other writing projects because I KNOW the danger there.
I look at the slew of unfinished stories that are on this forum and others and its obvious how fickle writers can be. I found an unfinished short story on my hard drive a few weeks ago. I could have SCREAMED when I realized I never ended it. I have no freaking clue what the ending would have been. It's been annoying me ever since.
I have a friend who writes awesome screenplays. Well, at least the first part of the screenplays. He gets very enthused with the concept, writes in a flurry, then hits a wall, gets frustrated, chunks it and repeats the cycle with another story. He never finishes ANYTHING. And it sux, because he's got this amazing mind and so many good ideas.
So what are my tricks to push through? Here are a few of my tricks.
1. Commit fully to the story and make it my only love. -- If it feels half-formed or like just an idea, I write down all the details I "know" and save it for later. If it feels ready to be born and I have nothing else on my plate, then I fully commit to the story. It becomes my focus.
2. I find music that fits the story. Something that keeps me typing. Something that stirs the imagination. Marylin Manson, Sneaker Pimps, Johnny Cash and Rob Zombie were my friends when I wrote As The World Dies. NIN, the soundtracks to Dracula and Queen of the Damned, and various fav goth songs kept me company for my other novel. One idea I have brewing perks up if I put on Crombiechrist or Psychobitch. Another one lives in VAST's debut album. I will NOT listen to music for another story when working on my committed story. I will write notes for the other stories though, but nothing like a chapter.
3. I find someone I can talk to about the story. - This is so important. Find someone who wants to hear about it and can ask you questions or push you to explore something more fully. My friend Morris was a great help with As The World Dies. (and no..there is no sequel, Morris!) Its good to have someone to bounce things off of.
4. Write Anyway- This goes against the grain and it may feel utterly empty, but do it ANYWAY. Sometimes, what you write when there is no flow, kicks ass. Sometimes it sux. Sometimes it shows you that you've gone a wrong way. Sometimes it just lays there lifeless until something switches in your head and suddenly you get this burst. Some of As The World Dies chapters were push throughs. I HATED them. And usually those were the chapters that people loved.
I honestly do not believe in walking away from a story unless you intend to walk away for good.
So my bet advice when Writer's Block hits......WRITE. Just fucking write. And you'll bust the wall down.
And that is all *steps off soapbox*
Hehehe...I"m off to battle...WRITER'S BLOCK!!!
*note I cap Writer's Block because in my head its this mean ol ogre sitting in my way and that is his name. :)
Monday, May 5, 2008
More Proof that Trent Reznor is a gOD!
I woke up the other morning to find my very groggy husband about to go to bed. He had stayed up all night to make sure he snagged the new Nine Inch Nails cd that Trent Reznor put online for FREE. He downloaded the best quality version off the Torrents and I was thrilled to load the new album The Slip onto my mp3 player. I kissed him goodbye and dashed off to work.
The news that NIN had put out a new album that Trent said was "on him" was all over the music news and the boards were filled with ecstatic fans exclaiming their delight with the new album. I was almost bouncing off the walls with my own excitement.
Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails in San Antonio (Photo: Me with my crappy cellphone)
I am a die hard fan. I have mad love for Trent Reznor and his creation Nine Inch Nails. When I was struggling with dealing with the emotional fallout on a childhood I would not wish on my worst enemy, his music assured me I was not alone in my desolation. If anything, his music (not necessarily his lyrics) was reflective of my own feelings. I freaking loved his music and his music saved me. Add into the mix the fact one of my novels was born when I fell asleep listening to The Downward Spiral and that pretty much gives Trent Reznor god-like status in my life. If I ever met the man, I think I'd blurt out something stupid like "You saved me" then do something equally dumb like hug him or burst into tears or both.
Plus, lets admit it, the man is beautiful! I like to kid my husband that Trent is my future second husband (or is that Christian Bale). But the man could look like Iggy Pop and I'd still adore him for his incredible music.
As I read through all the comments, news articles and Trent's simple message to his fans that this one was on him, it struck me how much he is already changing the music industry. By giving away his amazing music for free, he is creating tons of good will with his fans and drawing in new ones. I'm dying to see him when he goes on tour (I hope he comes my way on the second leg of the tour).
But once more he has inspired me when it comes to my writing. This time its not a vivid scene seeping into my dreams that gives birth to a novel, but the confirmation that independence from the gatekeepers looking at the bottom line is a good thing for any artist.
I think the reality of this endeavor is continuing to sink in. The absolute freedom of choice and the personal responsibility that comes with being an Independent Author is just now fully gripping me and shaking me awake. I admit to a very passive daydream in the past of sending my novel out, getting it published and sitting back and letting the publisher do all the work. This was supposedly the norm, but now I see it is not what I want.
It is not what I need.
The news that NIN had put out a new album that Trent said was "on him" was all over the music news and the boards were filled with ecstatic fans exclaiming their delight with the new album. I was almost bouncing off the walls with my own excitement.
Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails in San Antonio (Photo: Me with my crappy cellphone)
I am a die hard fan. I have mad love for Trent Reznor and his creation Nine Inch Nails. When I was struggling with dealing with the emotional fallout on a childhood I would not wish on my worst enemy, his music assured me I was not alone in my desolation. If anything, his music (not necessarily his lyrics) was reflective of my own feelings. I freaking loved his music and his music saved me. Add into the mix the fact one of my novels was born when I fell asleep listening to The Downward Spiral and that pretty much gives Trent Reznor god-like status in my life. If I ever met the man, I think I'd blurt out something stupid like "You saved me" then do something equally dumb like hug him or burst into tears or both.
Plus, lets admit it, the man is beautiful! I like to kid my husband that Trent is my future second husband (or is that Christian Bale). But the man could look like Iggy Pop and I'd still adore him for his incredible music.
As I read through all the comments, news articles and Trent's simple message to his fans that this one was on him, it struck me how much he is already changing the music industry. By giving away his amazing music for free, he is creating tons of good will with his fans and drawing in new ones. I'm dying to see him when he goes on tour (I hope he comes my way on the second leg of the tour).
But once more he has inspired me when it comes to my writing. This time its not a vivid scene seeping into my dreams that gives birth to a novel, but the confirmation that independence from the gatekeepers looking at the bottom line is a good thing for any artist.
I think the reality of this endeavor is continuing to sink in. The absolute freedom of choice and the personal responsibility that comes with being an Independent Author is just now fully gripping me and shaking me awake. I admit to a very passive daydream in the past of sending my novel out, getting it published and sitting back and letting the publisher do all the work. This was supposedly the norm, but now I see it is not what I want.
It is not what I need.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Joys of yWriter
Last summer when I participated in the Fast Draft challenge on Candy Haven's yahoo group, I happened upon a post where someone was raving about yWriter. I googled it and found spacejock.com and all his cool programs. They are freeware and amazing tools.
yWriter and yBook were my first downloads and I absolutely love these programs. Both have made my writing life so much easier.
yWriter is a great project manager for your writing and a valuable tool for any writer who feels overwhelmed by the process of getting their whole story down. I'll try and explain a little of how it works and why I love it so much.
First off, you create a project (novel) in the program. You fill in the name of the project (novel) and your name as the author. Then, using the menu bar, you can add chapters to your project. The default number is 25, but you can change this. There are three panes in the project window and on the left pane, you'll see all your chapters show up with their word counts (zero, of course, when you start). Yous you fill these chapters up, you'll see your word count per chapter. This is a great way to set goals for yourself.
Click on a chapter, use the menu bar to add a scene (or three). You can add as many scenes as you like per chapter. When you click on a chapter in the left pane, in the top right pane the scenes in that chapter are listed. To edit the scenes you can double click them to open up the text box where you can actually write the scene. At the bottom of the box are tabs with all sorts of great options to help your writing along. In fact, one of the things I love about yWriter is you can track which version of the scene you are working on (outline, 1st draft, 2nd draft, etc), which character's POV it is; the goal, conflict, and outcome of the scene; and all sorts of other good stuff.
Kingmonkey asked how I managed my first draft from moviesonline and fanfiction.net when I rewrote it. Well, I made a new project in yWriter, added a bunch of chapters, made empty scenes in each chapter, then began cutting and pasting each entry from the forums into their own scene. This enabled me to get a good handle on the story right away. I could clearly see the breakdown of each chapter and how the scenes all fit together. I even dragged a few scenes around, added a few, etc, without having to do the continuous formating you have to in Word.
I also made sure to build my character database where I included their physical descriptions, a photo of what I thought they looked like, and a basic personality write up.
It's a program that is a little intimidating at first, but once you figure out how it works, it makes your writing life so freaking productive. The best part is that you can export your project and edit it in Word or Openoffice once you're done with the novel. yWriter isn't an editing tool, but a writing tool. You'll need to use Word or Openoffice to run spell check or grammar checks.
One of the things I love about the program is that if you want to skip a scene and get onto another one that is hot on the tip of your fingers, you can write a short description of the scene you want to write later and skip onto the one you want to write NOW.
I have mad love for this program and I love its companion program, yBook, where you can load up your manuscript and read it like its a paperback on your screen. Being able to visualize your writing in novel form in yBook makes it easier to read for editing purposes (you can't edit it in yBook, but you can have it running in Word or Openoffice behind yBook to fix up anything that needs tweaking). Plus seeing your manuscript looking like a paperback is a big inspiration.
I am very serious about my writing and I think yWriter is the best program out there. I can't imagine writing without it.
Check out yWriter 4 here http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter4.html and give yourself a few hours to get accustomed to it. This is a great user guide to get you started http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter4_Quickstart.html
Once you start using it, I don't think you'll want to stop.
yWriter and yBook were my first downloads and I absolutely love these programs. Both have made my writing life so much easier.
yWriter is a great project manager for your writing and a valuable tool for any writer who feels overwhelmed by the process of getting their whole story down. I'll try and explain a little of how it works and why I love it so much.
First off, you create a project (novel) in the program. You fill in the name of the project (novel) and your name as the author. Then, using the menu bar, you can add chapters to your project. The default number is 25, but you can change this. There are three panes in the project window and on the left pane, you'll see all your chapters show up with their word counts (zero, of course, when you start). Yous you fill these chapters up, you'll see your word count per chapter. This is a great way to set goals for yourself.
Click on a chapter, use the menu bar to add a scene (or three). You can add as many scenes as you like per chapter. When you click on a chapter in the left pane, in the top right pane the scenes in that chapter are listed. To edit the scenes you can double click them to open up the text box where you can actually write the scene. At the bottom of the box are tabs with all sorts of great options to help your writing along. In fact, one of the things I love about yWriter is you can track which version of the scene you are working on (outline, 1st draft, 2nd draft, etc), which character's POV it is; the goal, conflict, and outcome of the scene; and all sorts of other good stuff.
Kingmonkey asked how I managed my first draft from moviesonline and fanfiction.net when I rewrote it. Well, I made a new project in yWriter, added a bunch of chapters, made empty scenes in each chapter, then began cutting and pasting each entry from the forums into their own scene. This enabled me to get a good handle on the story right away. I could clearly see the breakdown of each chapter and how the scenes all fit together. I even dragged a few scenes around, added a few, etc, without having to do the continuous formating you have to in Word.
I also made sure to build my character database where I included their physical descriptions, a photo of what I thought they looked like, and a basic personality write up.
It's a program that is a little intimidating at first, but once you figure out how it works, it makes your writing life so freaking productive. The best part is that you can export your project and edit it in Word or Openoffice once you're done with the novel. yWriter isn't an editing tool, but a writing tool. You'll need to use Word or Openoffice to run spell check or grammar checks.
One of the things I love about the program is that if you want to skip a scene and get onto another one that is hot on the tip of your fingers, you can write a short description of the scene you want to write later and skip onto the one you want to write NOW.
I have mad love for this program and I love its companion program, yBook, where you can load up your manuscript and read it like its a paperback on your screen. Being able to visualize your writing in novel form in yBook makes it easier to read for editing purposes (you can't edit it in yBook, but you can have it running in Word or Openoffice behind yBook to fix up anything that needs tweaking). Plus seeing your manuscript looking like a paperback is a big inspiration.
I am very serious about my writing and I think yWriter is the best program out there. I can't imagine writing without it.
Check out yWriter 4 here http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter4.html and give yourself a few hours to get accustomed to it. This is a great user guide to get you started http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter4_Quickstart.html
Once you start using it, I don't think you'll want to stop.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Progress Maybe?
After last night's post I felt a little angsty about possibly losing great story ideas because of not having anything handy to record a spark of inspiration. Today, I wandered around Target with a co-worker during our lunch hour and she found something that immediately peaked my interest.
It's a 4x6 index card wheel. It's got a removable bolt in one corner that allows you to reorganize the cards, there are four different colors (four different story ideas? hrmmm) and a neat little elastic to hold it all together in my purse. I rather liked it since spiral bindings always trip up my wrist or make my writing even worse as I try and angle the notebook just right. Trust me, my handwriting is bad enough. I need no additional obstacles to make it worse.
So now I have a new way to manage my story ideas and I'm pretty satisfied with it.
Meanwhile, I'm getting ready to send the first book of the "As The World Dies" trilogy off to be red inked to death (gotta love editing!) and my husband is getting ready to launch the website soon. It feels good to be working together on this project and it means a lot to me that he supports my writing. Horror is not his thing. He likes movies with the horror element, but he's not keen on horror novels. That he has sat down and read three of mine and liked them means a lot to me. He's a sci-fi kinda guy and he has a good idea for a novel we hope to work on together. Sci-fi is my first love and I do hope to write some novels in that genre in the future, but for now I got my zombies and vampires to take care of.
It seems like every day I'm learning something new about the publishing world and I'm so grateful for the Internet. It is such an incredible resource. I'm getting more and more excited about our self-publishing endeavor. Musicians and filmmakers get to enjoy the concept of independent producing, but writer's really don't. I already know I'll get the "oh, but you're not really published" spiel from people, but I'm ready for it. The way I see it, if someone buys my book, likes it, and feels satisfied when they reach the end, my book has merit whether its published my a major book company or me and my husband.
I have to admit, I have not felt this good about anything I've done in a long time. If anything, this will be a fun and exciting experience.
It's a 4x6 index card wheel. It's got a removable bolt in one corner that allows you to reorganize the cards, there are four different colors (four different story ideas? hrmmm) and a neat little elastic to hold it all together in my purse. I rather liked it since spiral bindings always trip up my wrist or make my writing even worse as I try and angle the notebook just right. Trust me, my handwriting is bad enough. I need no additional obstacles to make it worse.
So now I have a new way to manage my story ideas and I'm pretty satisfied with it.
Meanwhile, I'm getting ready to send the first book of the "As The World Dies" trilogy off to be red inked to death (gotta love editing!) and my husband is getting ready to launch the website soon. It feels good to be working together on this project and it means a lot to me that he supports my writing. Horror is not his thing. He likes movies with the horror element, but he's not keen on horror novels. That he has sat down and read three of mine and liked them means a lot to me. He's a sci-fi kinda guy and he has a good idea for a novel we hope to work on together. Sci-fi is my first love and I do hope to write some novels in that genre in the future, but for now I got my zombies and vampires to take care of.
It seems like every day I'm learning something new about the publishing world and I'm so grateful for the Internet. It is such an incredible resource. I'm getting more and more excited about our self-publishing endeavor. Musicians and filmmakers get to enjoy the concept of independent producing, but writer's really don't. I already know I'll get the "oh, but you're not really published" spiel from people, but I'm ready for it. The way I see it, if someone buys my book, likes it, and feels satisfied when they reach the end, my book has merit whether its published my a major book company or me and my husband.
I have to admit, I have not felt this good about anything I've done in a long time. If anything, this will be a fun and exciting experience.
Writing Journals
In answer to Kingmonkey's question in the comments of my last post, I do not keep a writing journal. I have a notepad that has a whole story written out in summary form tucked under my desk and a collection of word docs tucked into a folder on my computer with more said summaries. I even have some drafts saved in my yahoo email that have story ideas in them.
In other words, when the idea hits, I put it down anyway I can.
I did try carrying a small notebook with me for awhile, but my scrawl is pretty bad thanks to a mucked up wrist. I blame it on hours and hours of scribbling in notebooks when I was a teenager. I used to write constantly and I think my poor wrist paid for it in spades. I would try and write ideas in my little notebook only to not be able to read them later.
When the ideas hit (and if they seem good), I try and write them down as soon as I possibly can. I readily admit I've lost a few stories because I didn't scribble down the idea immediately. Like seeds, you need to plant them and nurture them to get the full story to grow. I've lost a lot of good story seeds because I didn't take the time to write them down. I hate that.
I have been using yWriter in the last year. I think its a miracle program. It has increased my productivity by allowing me to focus on the story in a way I never had before. It is just an amazing program that I wish I had years ago. I think I may start transferring story ideas into yWriter so I can have more freedom with their development.
One of my frustrations at this time is that I have so many story ideas banging around in my head demanding attention, that I'm not sure which one I should work on next. I definitely feel the need to create a new novel soon and I'm not sure which idea I'm going to foster.
Meanwhile, more ideas keep filling my head and I definitely need to figure out a better way to keep track of them when I'm away from the computer. A notebook is the easy answer, but lugging a big one around so I can actually read what I write down is annoying.
If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.
In other words, when the idea hits, I put it down anyway I can.
I did try carrying a small notebook with me for awhile, but my scrawl is pretty bad thanks to a mucked up wrist. I blame it on hours and hours of scribbling in notebooks when I was a teenager. I used to write constantly and I think my poor wrist paid for it in spades. I would try and write ideas in my little notebook only to not be able to read them later.
When the ideas hit (and if they seem good), I try and write them down as soon as I possibly can. I readily admit I've lost a few stories because I didn't scribble down the idea immediately. Like seeds, you need to plant them and nurture them to get the full story to grow. I've lost a lot of good story seeds because I didn't take the time to write them down. I hate that.
I have been using yWriter in the last year. I think its a miracle program. It has increased my productivity by allowing me to focus on the story in a way I never had before. It is just an amazing program that I wish I had years ago. I think I may start transferring story ideas into yWriter so I can have more freedom with their development.
One of my frustrations at this time is that I have so many story ideas banging around in my head demanding attention, that I'm not sure which one I should work on next. I definitely feel the need to create a new novel soon and I'm not sure which idea I'm going to foster.
Meanwhile, more ideas keep filling my head and I definitely need to figure out a better way to keep track of them when I'm away from the computer. A notebook is the easy answer, but lugging a big one around so I can actually read what I write down is annoying.
If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.
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