Wednesday Writer Club: Getting Back in the Saddle

So how many of you have started writing and then everything just dried up?


Be honest...we've all been there.

If you're anything like me, it's happened multiple times.  I've gone through at least three major sections of my life where I didn't write.  Some of it was lack of motivation or taking my writing seriously, sometimes it was really just being too busy (or worried about making enough money to pay the bills, or having some major life change throw you for  a loop.

I think that's the true difference between true writers (published, public, or secretive) and those that just play at it.  Real writers come back.

But it's hard.  It's really hard.

So what do you do when you want to start writing again, but don't know where to begin?  Here are some tips that have helped me:

1. Read books about writing.  For me, just reading fiction I enjoy isn't enough.  I have to get the push and writing ideas from books about perfecting the craft.  Two of my favorites are On Writing and Bird by Bird.
2. Set goals--but make them small.  Start out saying you'll write one paragraph a day.  Hell, in some books a paragraph can be one sentence or a whole page.  Make your paragraph whatever length works for you.
3. Write fanfiction.  I know, I know, a lot of people think it's a terrible thing.  And clearly it'll never get published, but if you're really having to get over the hurdle of coming up with characters and settings, a little fanfiction can be enough to get the wind back in your sails.
4. Procrastinate by other types of writing.  Where do you think 80% of the worlds blogs come from?* Authors that are putting off writing their masterpiece.  But really, writing anything for me, even silly posts gets my brain working in the right way to move on to other things.

So what about you?  If you've put off writing, what helped you get back to it?


*Completely fabricated statistic, but it sounds pretty authentic, huh?

Looking Ahead to NaNoWriMo

(First off, how adorable are the badges for NaNo this year?  If you're interested in getting your own, go here.  Remember, you can use a badge to just promote the cause, even if you're not participating.)

If you're like me and you've signed up for NaNo, you're just about reaching the panicking point.

What on earth am I going to write about?

How am I going to produce that many words?

Is it going to be pure drivel? (Sorry, I've been watching a lot of British TV lately)

If you're reaching Orange alert, here's a couple of sites that might help you calm down a little:

Random Title Generator
I have a terrible time coming up with titles. It usually takes me until I've finished, and even then they usually suck. This handy generator creates six titles at a time.  Sometimes they're very odd like "Bride in the Man" (that sounds like a 70s self-help book doesn't it?), but they can also be very cool sounding like "The Edge's Lord."  I hate having "Working Title" as my title, so this is a great jumping off point to get your mind working.


Plot Scenario Generator
Completely stuck?  This generator gives you a jumping off part for a story and an idea about a side character.  I went through random creations for about 30 minutes one night, keeping a list of the ones that interested me (about twenty-five).  Then I narrowed it down, cobbled it together, made some tweaks and created the kernel of the story I'm going to be writing.

How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method
I came across this in the NaNo forums.  It's a great way to start planning your novel other than a typical outline.  You start with a one sentence summary of your story, then move the three paragraphs (like the ones on the back of a novel), then character summaries, etc. until you have your whole novel just sitting there waiting for you.  I'm planning on using this method today, once I quit procrastinating by blogging.

Serendipity
Are you planning your novel, but just can't come up with the next big event?  Serendipity gives you random suggestions about what your story needs: At this juncture a paranoid psychic arrives, toting a suitcase; Suddenly, in walks a sultry shopper; What you need now is a rocket launcher.  I mean who doesn't need a rocket launcher?  Fun, silly suggestions that can still get your mind over a roadblock.

Write or Die by Dr Wicked
The name itself is pretty intimidating; the idea, even more so.  I'm a bit afraid to use it.  You set a timer (or word count goal) and it prods you to reach the goal when you stop typing.  There are different levels, such as a pop-up reminder, an annoying noise, or Kamikaze mode.  In this setting, if you hesitate for too long, it starts erasing what you've already done.  Just the idea of that gives me the shakes.  Not for the weak-willed, but maybe for the Professional Procrastinators out there.

Well I hope this gave you some ideas, as well as a way to kill time before jumping on the NaNo planning horse.

Remember, only 10 more days to put off planning!

Also:
Don't forget to swing by and sign up for my Small Packages Blogfest!  Looking for bloggers with 300 followers or less.  Spread the word! 

Cheap is good, but free is better!

So today is a big mis-mash jumble of updates.  First a few updates on my 101 in 1001 list.  I posted previously that I'm picking up Wonder Woman as my comic to follow.  For issue #600, they did an anniversary book, overhaul, and reboot of good ol' Princess Diana.  I got my copy in yesterday and devoured it in 5 minutes.  However, I'm going to go back and read it several more times.  Here are some of my favorite pages.

I also stopped by the library today and got every single WW book they had.  I wanted to catch up and fill in some of the gaps of my knowledge of her (just really know the Silver Age stuff).

I also picked up the random books for my reading list (I did do a couple of vetoes because the book was part of a series and the library didn't have the first one in).  I'm planning on doing reviews on each.

From left to right: Heartshot by Steven F. Havill, English Passengers by Matthew Kneale, Spirit Fox by Mickey Zucker Reichert and Jennifer Wingert, The Master Executioner by Loren D. Estleman, A Duke of Her Own by Eloisa James, and Kid B by Linden Dalecki.

None of these are books I would have picked up on my own (maybe English Passengers) if I hadn't chosen them by random.  I'm hoping that they'll introduce me to some new authors, or at least be pretty enjoyable.  I know my reading has been in a rut lately, so hopefully this will break the pattern.


I also found the first chair for my dining room table.  Found it at Goodwill for (drumroll) $1.99.  Yup, you saw that correctly!  Now, I'll have to do some basic restoration to it, but it's worth it for that price!

I'm also up to 4,741 words for the 50k in 50 Days challenge.  I'm done with chapter one and am moving on to the next.  Definitely, definitely going to hell. But in the words of Frank Turner "I'll have all the best stories to tell."