Tag: Author Things

Writers on the move!

Currently, I’m at 30,000 feet. Sadly, I have not inherited a zeppelin, turned it into my floating base overlooking the city below. That comes later.

I am currently on a plane to California where I’ll be spending the weekend away from work and with my wonderful girlfriend. But it does pose something worth noting. On the one hand, I am very glad to be away from the usual humdrum of work and the city shuffle. However, I also want to keep up with my usual writing goals. To date, I’ve been able to make at least 400 words a day (and sometimes even a1000). So I intend to make my minimums, at least.

How do writers continue to work on the go? What challenges do we face? Time? Space? Resources? For some people, it’s a question of what to do when you aren’t surrounded by your pens, reference books or away from Wifi.

  1. Editing- This one depends on your style of editing, but I like the idea of being stuck in the air without Wifi or any other distractions. I like to crack open my laptop and whatever my current project is and making some tweaks that I’ve been meaning to do. You might need a dictionary app (I have one on my phone that I can use) if that’s your style. Most of my travel editing time is spent with word choice and content, so it’s a good way to pass the time.
  2. Brush Up Your Query Letter- No one likes doing this, but frankly, it’s an important thing to do. If you got ten minutes in the morning, you can prepare your next Query Letter for your current project.
  3. Flash Writing- When I’m in a new place, I like taking notes in a notebook throughout the day and then use those notes to recall as much as I can later on. The ability to build scenes is the bread and butter of a writer. I like to describe places that I visit in as many details as possible, make stories for random people that I see and journal things I’ve done and seen throughout a day. It takes a few minutes at the end of the day (or beginning of the next day), but it keeps your writer brain active the entire time you’re out and enjoying new things.
  4. Rest Your Creative Brain- If you work a day job as your side hustle (like myself), having some time to rest your creative brain is just as important as resting your day job brain. Focus on the details around you, but really take time to experience thing.
  5. Make A Post For Your Blog- Patting my own back on this one, but writing out a post for your website to post for later is a quick and easy way to get some ‘real work’ done. It’s not the most fun way to spend part of your vacation, but it’s definitely a useful way to spend flights, train rides or road trips (Planes, Trains, and Automobiles…those are the big ones, right?).

At any rate, I’m off and away! Some well earned Rest and Relaxation.

How do you keep your writing brain a little active during times when you’re on vacation? Let me know your strategies for writing on the go!

New Year, New Goals

It’s that time of year again! Gyms are bustling with newcomers (welcome!), people are finding lost treasures in an attempt to get organized, and we’re all writing the wrong year on tests, checks, and calendars. It’s January and that means preparing the year with new goals! I always try to do some writing specific goals for every year. Here are some of mine:

  • 365 for 365: This one is an exercise I started working on recently. The idea is to write at least 365 words every day for 365 days (hence the name). Nanowrimo is wonderful for building writing endurance and getting things down on paper. 365 for 365 has habit and stamina in mind. So far, I’ve been doing pretty well by working on the same project every day. I do my 365 in the morning and can manage to squeeze out a little more over my lunch break, which brings me to…
  • Use Free Time for Writing: Since I work at an office job, I don’t have the luxury of being able to have a set, firm writing schedule. I usually will write for 45 minutes before I leave for the day, but what I do afterward depends a lot on how bad the day was. I started bringing my laptop with me to work, working on my projects over lunch or going to the downtown library branch to write after the day is over. Frankly, some of my best writing is done away from home so I want to start taking time on weekends to go work at the local library branch or coffee shop, etc.
  • Submit More for Publication: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” -Wayne Gretzky.  Admittedly, I’m a yellow-bellied coward when it comes to submitting. This year, I want to submit more to magazines, agents, publishers. It’s hard, but I have to put myself out there a little more. I don’t always believe in luck, but I do believe in opportunity. I need to work harder to make more opportunities for myself to improve my chances.
  • Focus on Craft: Writing is fun. Studying? Not so much. However, I do want to take more time to work on some of my weaker points. I want to particularly focus on self-editing and being more aware of shifting from present to past tense. Lots of other things to work on, either through personal study or classes and workshops. I am taking a screenwriting class later this month and I’m pretty excited to give that a try since my dad has told me that my strongest writing comes from my dialogue (why not try a writing format that’s mostly dialogue?).

I have other personal goals for the year, but these ones are more writing specific than a lot of the others. What are some of your writing goals for the new year? Any hopes, dreams or aspirations that you can focus on?

Talk

Dialogue is one of the foundations of writing a novel. If our characters say nothing, we learn only what the narrator wants us to know about them. It’s also a crucial element of the classic ‘Show, Don’t Tell’ advice that is often discussed. When I was in college, one of my professors often talked about a book called “Talk: A Novel in Dialogue”. As the title suggests, the book is written entirely in dialogue. Recently, I’ve been thinking about dialogue as a mode of telling the story, specifically by listening to a lot of podcasts.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love podcasts. It’s basically what my friends and I talk about on a weekly basis. I listen to everything from Levar Burton Reads to 60-Second Science. It’s an easy way to fill time on the bus, doing housework and doing my grocery shopping. One of my most recent obsessions is The Bright Sessions.

Even insignificant characters who only interact with your protagonist with for a moment, dialogue can be a way to make that character lifelike and rich to the reader.

I was introduced to the show by my friend Aly, who was 100% correct when they said I would enjoy it. The basic premise is that its recordings from a therapist’s office, but all of her patients have unusual abilities (time-travel, telepathy, and so on). The show is presented entirely in conversation, normally one-on-one. Sometimes it becomes a much larger group, but the characters are so distinct that it’s very easy to follow.

The podcast has a very definitive story to it and we learn a lot about the characters through their sessions. If you’re struggling with characterization through dialogue, I definitely recommend this podcast (both for the story and the lessons from dialogue).

Trunks

So recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about trunks. Not elephants or swim trunks, but storage trunks. I’ve heard the phrase ‘Trunk Book’ tossed around a lot and have been thinking about the purpose of a trunk.

A Trunk Book, by my understanding, is a book or story that’s written and tossed into a trunk. It could be poorly written or needs more research or was just an idea that needed to be written down so you can focus on the current story. Trunk Books are, more often than not, tucked away and forgotten.

So, why keep them? If the book or story is no good, why write it in the first place?

Honestly? I feel like there are no bad ideas, just undeveloped ideas. Tucking a book away for later because it needs time to cultivate is a totally valid method. For me, the hardest part of writing is just getting the words on a document. Getting that initial pressure off my chest? Feeling like the book just needs to be edited? It makes the second draft process that much easier.

Having the first draft finished, even if it’s something I can lock away and forget about until later, is a huge relief until I’m ready to tackle the project more thoroughly.

Granted, we don’t all have room for a trunk or briefcase, so I just have a folder on my computer for such projects. Just cause a project isn’t working or well-written doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. Sometimes backing away from a story (locking it away) gives a fresh perspective when it’s ready to be tackled again.

Feeding the Muse

When I tell people that I write, one of their first questions is where I get my ideas and how I keep my creative spark active. Anyone who creates art knows how hard it can be to keep the creative juices flowing, whether that’s drawing, writing, creating music or cooking. So how does one keep the creative spark active? In a world that is constantly demanding attention and brainpower to just function in the day-to-day activities, keeping creative is a challenge for anyone with a creative side hustle.

Repetition helps, doing the thing until it becomes muscle memory. The random word doodles that I do (and sometimes post) for this blog can often lead me to “What if…?” or “Imagine this character in…” trains of thought. The creative part of the brain is a muscle and muscles only ever get stronger through work (and often resistance). Even if one out of every one hundred things you write is tolerable, you increase your odds of creating something you like.

I found that letting the mind wander is as important as having intense focus on a creative endeavor. Sometimes, doing menial chores or just walking around the city, I’ll have ideas for stories, characters, settings, and even plots. I have a special note on my phone for ideas I have while out walking about.

Paintings, music, and physical movement also keep the creative juices flowing. Other art can sometimes be the best inspiration. I have images of old maps and paintings saved on my laptop that I look at when things feel a little stale, trying to reinvigorate the mood of whatever I’m working on.

And, of course, a good cup of tea is a good energizer at the end of the day.

How do you feed your muse? Music? Art? Power nap? Tea? Let me know!

Making the count…

So, almost every day since early January, I’ve been posting Facebook status first thing in the morning. Since getting my new office job, I’ve been waking up first thing in the morning, writing and posting my word count.

Usually, I shoot for around 400 words or so. I do my best to stay positive about it, even on days when I don’t make my goal. I do my best to try and write a coherent story, working on one project. Some days I can only manage an out of place scene or a character sketch. More often, I make a continuation of the same story from the day before. Either way, I feel that having that time first thing in the morning is important for my mental health and my creativity.

But why post it on Facebook? What does a daily number mean in an endless stream of updates, photos, links and humble bragging (myself included)? I don’t use it to track my total word count or judge the quality of my work. So why do it?

One of the most important things when writing is accountability. It’s easy for me to say I’m gonna sleep in for the morning and skip my day, but people notice now. I once had my mother text me when I didn’t post a word count to make sure I was still alive (her words).

As I’ve been doing this, I’ve been seeing the same likes and comments and realized that I have a personal community that is supportive and encouraging. And, in an endeavor that’s primarily done in solitude, it’s a good feeling to have visual confirmation that friends and family are supporting you.

So, whether you have a Facebook or Twitter, I encourage you to celebrate your small victories. Cause working alone is hard, but the beauty of social media is having people to celebrate small victories with you. And those build up pretty quick into bigger victories!

Terry Pratchett, An Author’s Legacy and The Steamroller

Recently, fantasy fans around the world cried out in agony as Terry Pratchett’s hard drive (containing 10 unfinished novels) was destroyed as per his will. As was his wish, the hard drive was crushed by a steamroller and, honestly, I can think of no better send off. But reading the news got me thinking about other authors and what it means for a work in progress when it’s creator, for whatever reason, ceases to be able to work on it. Is death really the end for an author?

Despite his death in 1973, J.R.R. Tolkien’s works are still published regularly with revivals of legends of Middle Earth or companion guides to his world. Easily the most recognizable name in fantasy today, Tolkien’s impact on the realm of fantasy cannot go unnoticed, his stories still fresh and new 44 years after he died. His world and words live on by those who tell his stories and build upon them either on the page or the big screen. The Children of Hurin or The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun, for example, were both published within the last ten years, drawing on the influences from the legends in Tolkien’s The Silmarillion.

Douglas Adams, on the other hand, was continued with the best intentions. However, And Another Thing… didn’t quite have the same feel as the previous iterations as the rest of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series did. It was written with the best intentions to honor Adams and his legacy, but it fell flat, in my opinion. It’s a nice, neat continuation of the world of Douglas Adams, but it failed to have that same charm that I had grown to love while reading the books.

I feel that an author’s world doesn’t have to continue after their death. But the unfinished worlds, defined only by the author’s own imagination and intent, should be left. I respect and agree with Mr. Pratchett’s final wish, though I am sad to know we will never read them. But if that’s the end of his unfinished novels, I can think of no end more fitting than what he asked.

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