Wednesday Writer Club: Keep up the steam with Nano-Write or Die!

If you're on the NaNo train, you're in your second week.  Hopefully you have a good idea of what your plan is, and have been riding the wave of excitement and inspiration.

For me, the second week was probably the hardest.  I had blown through a ton of extra words, but then the second week, I started having a really hard time keeping up the pace.

One of the things that really helped me was pushing myself through writing sprints (thanks, Twitter!) and using Write or Die by Dr Wicked.

It's a simple and brilliant concept.  You set a goal (either time or word count) and begin typing.  As long as you keep going, you'll be fine.

But bad things happen if you stop.

*Thunderclap and evil laughter*

You can set the level of intensity, from gentle reminders, to the point where your words will slowly be erased if you procrastinate.

If you need a kick in the pants and the coffee just isn't quite strong enough, give it a try.

Wednesday Writer Club: Outlining for Nano?

Congrats to all of you that have jumped into the NaNoWriMo pool!

I have to admit that I'm a little jealous.

Maybe that's why this month, all of my Wednesday Writer Club posts will be NaNo themed.

So lets say you have your idea, but don't know where to go from there?

Don't worry, it's still early in the game, with a few pots of coffee and a couple of late nights you can still catch up!

I really can't encourage you enough to write an outline for NaNo.  It'll give you somewhere to go on those dark times that you've realized you're a hack and should never have tried this experiment (because I'm pretty sure all NaNo-ers have gone through this at least once).

I've tried traditional outlines before, but they lacked the depth that I needed in those times.  Last year when I went through NaNo, I stumbled across the Snowflake Method of outlining.

The method is a bit intense, and may be a bit time consuming, but by the time you finish, you'll have an amazingly detailed outline and understanding of your characters that will make writing your novel that much easier.

(But don't worry, Pantsers, I changed quite a bit from my outline to my draft.  But it all fit well, because I knew the broader strokes of the story and the intricacies of the characters well).

There are 10 steps to the outline (feel free to skip some of the latter ones if you'd like), each one taking your story one level deeper.

You start with a sentence, then move to a paragraph, then develop your character's motivation, etc.

If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, need, or would like to use to procrastinate, check out the more detailed explanation here.

Happy writing everybody, and good luck on your first week of NaNo!

Wednesday Writer Club: Getting started for NaNo

Sadly this year I won't be taking part in NaNoWriMo.  With a new job and a baby on the way, life has me pulled in too many directions to start a new project.

But I took part last year, and I have to say, it was an amazing experience. 

So for any of you that might be looking of tips on making it through NaNo or looking for procrastination, I thought during this NaNo season, I'd offer my two cents.

Today, we're looking at a way to get started on NaNo.  For many writers, having a moment of inspiration is the easy part.  But if you are having a hard time getting started, here's a few places to go to look for a spark to get your flame going:

Plot Scenario Generator
Each time you refresh the page, you get a starting scenario and a secondary conflict.  Most of them are generic enough they could work for any genre.  Every now and then, though you get a suggestion from left field.  

Serendipity
So maybe you have an idea, but you don't know where to go after your first big scene.  Serendipity will give you a plot twist to help keep you going. You can generate up to fifty plot twists at a time.  Most of the suggestions edge on the silly side, but it can be a good way to loosen up your writing and getting over a rough patch.

Random Title Generator
If all else fails, sometimes just an intriguing title can give you the flicker of an idea.  Try this generator and see if it works for you.  Some of them are ridiculously silly, but there are some that are interesting enough that I'd pick them up in the store.

Where do you turn when you're stuck with no ideas?  Any of you planning on doing NaNo this year?

Wednesday Writer Club: What makes you re-read?

My husband, the Bear, thinks I'm crazy.

For lots of reasons, but today we're just going to talk about one.

You see, I re-read books.

Not a lot of them, but there are a few that I'm pretty religious about reading every so often.  I think it's my own personal version of a pilgrimage.


I've had more than one person ask me why I bother reading a book when I already know the plot. (Especially when I was still teaching).  Here are some of the answers that I've given through the years:


(Note: I'm not counting if you re-read books in a series before the new one comes out, that's just for a completely different reason).

1. I'm a different person than I was back then--I firmly believe that books like The Scarlet Letter (for example) should not be read in high school.  I know that when I read it, I wrote it off completely as old-fashioned and dull.  But when I re-read it as an adult, I could see it for what it was.  A truly tragic story of redemption.  Without my life experiences, I never really saw the big deal about Hester.
2. I'm sentimental--There are a few books (Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe) that will always have a soft spot in my heart because they meant so much to me as a child.  I find myself turning back to these books in times of stress when I need to unwind from more adult issues.
3. I discover something new every time--I try to read Catcher in the Rye and Jane Eyre every few years (odd combination, I know).  Every time I read these two works, I find some small detail or character that brings the whole book to life again. 

I want to write books that people re-read time and again.  I'm not trying to kid myself and say that I'm as wonderful a writer as those I've mentioned above, but I believe even the less "heavy" of books can become a perennial favorite.  

 Are there books that you re-read on a regular basis?  Are there any reasons that I missed?

Wednesday Writer Club: What do readers think?

If you're like me, you follow a lot of writer's blog.  There's lots of great information out there about honing the craft and making sure that your work is the best that you can make it.

Then I started wondering, but what about the readers?  The ones that aren't trying to plan for NaNo or know the right name for literary elements?

Surely those people have a completely different experience while reading a book than someone who's constantly on the look out for inspiration (either good or the "I can do better than this" variety).

With that in mind, periodically I'm going to interview pure readers.  Those that just read for the fun of it without any ulterior motives.  First up, is my husband (otherwise known around hear as the Bear):

What first got you started enjoying reading?
The Wheel of Time series. A friend introduced me to them.



What types of books, magazines, etc. do you like the most?
I enjoy cheap fantasy (magic type) novels that have simple story lines and interesting characters.  I’m also prone to reading just about anything that will make me laugh.  I’ve also recently discovered a love of post apocalyptic zombie survival stories.  Hmmm...what if there was a survival story from the zombies POV?  That could be fun.



Why do these genres interest you?
Zombies and Magic?   DUH!

What have you been reading lately that you loved?
I absolutely love Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.  It was funny and interesting and frankly it was so good I’ve considered reading an actual biography of Lincoln.

What made you love it?
I loved that the whole premise of the Civil War was that there were “good” vampires in the  north that wanted to stop the “evil” vampires in the south from using the slave trade as an all you can eat buffet.  I also loved the characterization of Lincoln in general.  He’s extremely personable and still has some regalness to him that makes you really believe in his ability to lead our country.

What have you been reading lately that you didn't care for?
I’m currently reading the final trilogy in the Sword of Truth series and I have to say, while the rest of the series hasn’t really been a gem, this first book (Chainfire), really kind of sucks. It’s got EXTREMELY repetitive theme’s and the main character isn’t interesting.  He’s very single minded by I can only read about how worried he is about X thing so many times on the same page

If you don't care for the series in general, why have you kept reading it?
Well the plot isn't bad, it's just the characters. And it's not even all the character. Even the bad ones aren't bad all the time. Plus at this point, I'm invested.

What advice would you give the author of this book?
When it comes to describing the emotions of a given character, make it to the point and concise.  Nothing will drag down the momentum of a story like the constant whining of a character who is supposed to be a hero...I’m looking at you Richard.  We know you’re worried about Kahlan, why don’t you do something about it FFS?

In general, what makes you pick up a book?
A variety of things.  More often than not I read based on recommendation.  Sometimes I read things that I think I might like based on other interests I have (ex - Warcraft novels because I played WoW or Star Wars books).  Sometimes the cover art just looks cool and that gets me to pick it up.

What will keep you reading a book?
Generally speaking I’m not fond of over characterization.  I like my characters to be somewhat simple yet likable.  I’m usually much more interested in plot and how it moves forward.  I like to think about how a given character will react to certain situations.  The more situations and the more complex they are the more likely I am to continue reading.

There you have it folks. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Recommendations from friends are really important
• Make sure you balance an interesting plot with your characterization
• You can't fail with Zombie and Magic (well, with a certain population at least)

Wednesday Writer Club: Is freewriting a good idea?

Last week, we discussed the importance of planning (based primarily on the lack of my own).  So we're drastically switching gears this week.

What about when the purpose of the writing is to write without a plan?

In other words, freewriting.

As a former English teacher, I know many of you have probably been scarred by freewriting exercised in class.  That scenario goes something like this:

Teacher: Today we're going to do freewriting!
Student: Groan.
Teacher: Don't worry it will be fun!  We're going to spend five minutes writing about whatever you want!
Student: But I don't know what to write about.
Teacher: That's ok, write about that!
Then the student starts to write with heavy sighs about how there's nothing to write about.

The philosophy in this take on freewriting is that writing of any type increases fluency in the language.  The very act of writing itself (even if it's the same sentence over and over) decreases the fear of the written word.

I'm guilty of various scenarios like the one above, and I don't buy it.

You have to do more than just write anything.  Especially if you're really wanting to sharpen your craft.  But there is a place for freewriting in an author's toolbox.  Freewriting is a way to examine aspects of writing without having to worry about plot, characterization, or pacing.

Here are some ideas for freewriting that may help get you going when you're feeling a bit of fear creeping in or have an encounter with writer's block:

• Emotions: Write about a person who is angry, sad, happy, etc.  If you practice with a generic person, you'll find it easier to hone in on the details in your "real" writing without having to resort to "She was happy."
• Sensory Images: We're pretty good about visual images, but what about the other senses?  When's the last time you had to describe the texture of something?  It can be pretty difficult.  Try using all the senses except for sight to describe something.  
• Alternate Words: Do you find yourself using the same word to describe something over and over?  Do your characters always say something with chagrin? (I'm looking at you Stephanie Meyer).  Sometimes just listing from your own vocabulary, which will sound more natural than pulling out a thesaurus, can help you stop using the crutch of your favorite words.

What other types of freewriting do you employ?  Is it helpful or does it just fill the space for you?  

Wednesday Writer Club: Importance of planning

You might have noticed that this post is not up as early as my posts usually are.  That's because I broke a cardinal rule for the serious writer.

I didn't plan.

You see, I had originally thought to write this wonderful, insightful, and inspiring post using a really crappy passage of mine and the new improved one that I recently edited.

But last night, when I sat down to write the post, I realized I deleted the crappy original.

So there went my idea.  And my chances for being wonderful, insightful, and inspiring.

But then I realized that I was just a perfect example of what often goes wrong.  When an author neglects to plan, they end up with pieces missing, or never getting started at all.

Now, before you start yelling about the joys of writing by the seat of your pants, remember that I have a whole feature dedicated to that.  I'm not saying that you have to do an in-depth planning session for every short story or poem you write, but you do need to have some basic things in place.

Even if you just plan in your mind, you should have the following things planned out before you start writing:

• Who is your protagonist?  Don't worry about the details of physical description, unless they're important to the story (a la Harry Potter's Scar).  Instead, think of who they are and what they want.
• What is your conflict?  Every good story needs a conflict at the heart.  No one wants to read about a character that's perfect in every way and never runs into any trouble.  Conflict is what gets us initially involved in a story.
• What's your endgame? Even if you do change the ending while you're writing, it's useful to have the final goal in mind.  It gives you a destination, so you can focus on the journey while writing.  Otherwise, your characters and plot will wander the desert, trying to find some kind of meaning.

Those are the barest of bones when it comes to writing.  What other "musts" are there that you must plan before you need to get started?

Wednesday Writer Club: Is fear affecting your writing?

Last Wednesday Writer Club I mentioned Stephen King's great book On Writing. It's only one of many books that I turn to for guidance and inspiration.

So in a sub-feature section, I plan on pulling quotes from some of these books that I find especially meaningful to where I am as a writer (and you'll hopefully find useful as well).

Today's quote comes from a brief section on grammar in King's book (don't worry, we won't be diagramming sentences...even if I do find that a little fun). Instead it takes and interesting view on how fear in our writing can affect even the language and structure that we chose:

"I'm convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing. If one is writing for one's own pleasure, that fear may be mild--timidity is the word I've used here.  If, however, one is working under deadline--a school paper, a newspaper article, the SAT writing sample--that fear may be intense.  Dumbo got airborne with the help of a magic feather; you may feel the urge to grasp a passive verb or one of those nasty adverbs for the same reason.  Just remember before you do that Dumbo didn't need the feather; the magic was in him." King, On Writing, pg 127.

 I know I'm guilty of this.  Especially when I'm still feeling my way through a story, or getting to know the characters, or simply afraid to dive in.  When I'm in those spots, I tend to write like this:

Karen angrily stomped across the room, and tossed her hair wildly.  "I can't believe you would do that." she said disbelievingly.

Sometimes sentences like that are enough to make me want to throw in the towel.  My particular fear-writing crutches are lots and lots of adverbs.  I just can't believe that my poor little verbs can make it on their own, so I prop them up with so much filler.

But, once I get over that place of fear (fear of "is this story stupid?", "will anyone besides me like this", or "is it even worth the effort?"), I find myself naturally shedding those extra words.

When we write out of a place of fear, our writing suffers.  This is why things like NaNo, Writing at Gunpoint, and Write or Die are such great places of inspiration.  They help get the fear out of the way and let your writing free.

How does fear manifest in your writing?  How do you get rid of it?