My drive to see myself in print was still there. My passion for the story was there, obscured but still there. My inspiration was all around me, from the doll resembling the main character to the music I played. But none of that mattered, because I’d lost ‘it.’

In April, we went to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra and talk about getting bitch slapped. I could see ‘it.’ I could feel ‘it.’ I could damn near taste ‘it.’ Tears welled, heart pounded, the hair on my arms stood with an electrical charge I hadn’t felt in quite a while. The high they exuded was so intense my mind reeled.

What I saw and felt was unrestrained bliss and fulfillment; they were doing what they wanted to be doing. They not only reveled in what they were doing but also shared it, showing me the error of my ways and what I’d lost. I didn’t know what I’d lost until that moment. ‘It’ was the unbridled joy of sitting at the keyboard, doing what I wanted to do, write.

Somehow, somewhere I’d lost the pure joy I felt when I sat at the keyboard. Writing had become work. Work?! No, I’m not channeling Maynard G. Krebs, but I do empathize with him. Yes, writing is work, but when you have that unadulterated love in the mix, it doesn’t feel like work.

Now I’m off to sit in paradise and work…I mean do what I want to be doing.

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Seriously, no matter how much I try I have less and less time to read. Not a good thing with my chosen profession of writing or the job I fell into at the library. Yeah, yeah, I know reading is fundamental for both.

Unfortunately, it’s not the same type of ‘fun’ it used to be. No longer the escape I took from reality, but my job. I can hear the sarcastic chorus of ‘Poor Amy, wish I had a job where I had to read.’ I can see the eye rolls and disgust that comes with my complaints. I also see the total lack of respect when I explain that I ‘have’ to read because of my jobs.

I understand for most reading is a luxury, a hobby, entertainment. Once upon a time, that’s what it was for me. My idea of a great night was a good book, munchies and something to sip. It still is, but now I look at that great book differently.

I rarely flip through the pages like a madwoman falling into the story, oblivious to the world around me. I take my time savoring every word, sometimes rereading passages to see how the author did what they did. Authors spend a lot of time doing the research, crafting the story, making sure it’s polished; their work deserves a little respect.

Not to say I ‘never’ devour a book anymore, there are a few authors who just suck me in and don’t let go until I hit the last page. Those usually end up in my keeper pile, reread after the initial glow is gone.

I also should factor in I don’t always read just one book at a time. At present, I’m reading three for learning purposes and pleasure, an urban fantasy, a science fiction and a paranormal romance. Then there’s the young adult for the library discussion group. Oh, almost forgot the two on writing–editing to be exact–and the pages my critique partner gave me.

Hmm, that’s a lot of reading. Maybe I should skip the housework and attack one of those books, after all it’s part of my job.

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Serendipity is an interesting thing. It’s when you find valuable or agreeable things that you weren’t looking for. I experienced serendipity this week, though I didn’t realize it until today.

Instance #1

I blogged about the need for writing practice over on Learn to Write Fiction a couple weeks ago.

There’s a theory that 10,000 hours of practice is required to become a world-class expert in anything. There are some caveats to this, of course.

You can’t just randomly do an activity for 10,000 hours and suddenly you’re an expert. The 10,000 hours have to be engaged in meaningful, deliberate practice where the person is actively trying to improve.

Instance #2

This week I picked up a copy of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. His book presents a theory that it isn’t just 10,000 hours that make an expert, though that is necessary. He adds that there are often instances of great opportunity in the lives of these experts-opportunities that propelled them forward toward expert status.

This makes sense in the publishing world where there are many examples of excellent writing that doesn’t get published and examples of mediocre writing that does. The opportunities that come your way are more often the result of luck than anything else. Right place, right time, right person syndrome.

Instance #3

Penelope Trunk blogged about time being more important toward achieving expert status than talent. We think of the talented people as being assured of expert status some day and we envy them for starting out with an advantage.

But scientists are starting to discover that it isn’t talent that assures expert status. Yes, it confers an advantage, but not a guarantee. Instead, “you need to work every single day at being great at that one thing if you want to be great.” The New York Times emphasizes the need for immediate feedback, as well..

Serendipity Thoughts

All of this has come together in my brain this week and I think about what it means for writers. Here are my conclusions:

Having a natural talent for writing doesn’t guarantee you’ll be a best-selling author. That means there’s hope for writers who weren’t born with the writing gene.

Deliberate, focused practice is required to get really good at something. 10,000 hours is the recommended target based on studies of experts in multiple fields including sports, science, music, art, math, finance and hobbies. This means setting specific goals, obtaining immediate feedback and concentrating as much on technique as on outcome.

You need to really love the thing you want to be expert at, otherwise you won’t put in the 10,000 hours of hard work needed to get very good at it.

Luck still plays a large part in becoming a best-selling author. You can’t control luck or opportunities, but you can prepare yourself and your writing to be ready when luck strikes.

Your Turn

Do you really love writing? Enough to get up early, stay up late, skip fun activities, work every spare minute, dissect and study other novels, revise constantly, solicit critiques and incorporate the feedback, write, write more, write better?

Do you spend your writing time in deliberate, focused practice, always striving to get better?

Do you prepare yourself to be ready for publishing opportunities by meeting other writers, attending conferences, following news in the publishing industry, and submitting your best work over and over again?

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I’ve spent time on LinkedIn, LiveJournal, MySpace and FaceBook, fun and believe it or not informative.  I don’t mean what Aunt so and so is up to, yes, nice to know but there’s more to it than that.  I fought setting up both of the later pages, finally giving in and along came Twitter.  I couldn’t see the point in joining.  I mean really, who wants to read snippets of my day in 40 characters or less?  Reading my attempts at blogging are bad enough, right?  Oh wait, you’re reading this aren’t you?  Ooops.

Cheryl—you guessed it, the super talented chick who follows me every month—said, ‘Give it a try, you’ll be surprised.’  I gave in and have to admit I am surprised.  Surprised that people actually follow me—besides my Saturday Writers cohorts—hell, I’ve even got a few published writers reading my prattle.

Most of those I follow are industry professionals. Other writers, agents, editors, publishers ect.  Most of them willingly answer questions when asked.  Don’t ask them what the secret to becoming published is, by now you should know.  Butt in chair, fingers on keyboard!  Don’t try to get them to read your WIP or ask personal questions that are none of your business.  Things like that are just rude and unprofessional.

I’m not afraid to ask questions—I have and have received answers—I just find myself learning more by reading the tidbits they toss us.  Some of these little gems I’ve marked as favorites and I’ll share a few with you.

Yasmine Galenorn—I use “said” as little as possible. And I hardly ever use any other dialog tags. I use action to denote who’s speaking. For ex: “You actually kissed the zombie?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Yeah, it was gross.” He shuddered.

Rachel Vincent—My fight scenes must be written in layers. 1st: the blow by blow. 2nd: the pain and reactions. 3rd: internal thoughts. 4th: goings on around.

Laurell K. Hamilton—One of Hamilton’s rules of writing is: The more fantastic thing you expect a reader to believe the more real your reality better be.

Laurell K. Hamilton—Ray Bradbury said, “The muse cannot resist a working writer.” Sit down and write anything see if it breaks something loose. The worst thing you can possibly do is sit & stare at the blank screen, or paper, writing anything is more productive.

The obsession factor runs high with all of these sites, as said before you can lose yourself in them.  Will power is a must when using any or all of them.  Think of them as the carrot at the end of the stick, hit your goal and you are allowed to look.  If inspiration runs low set a timer and do a little reading, something may take spark.  When the timer goes off close the window so you won’t be tempted to peek and get back to work.

Now it’s your turn.  What if any social networking sites do you frequent?  Do you fall into the waste of time camp or do you find them useful?  Don’t be shy.  Share your opinions and what you’ve learned!  I’m listening, I mean reading…

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This sudden feeling of nostalgia is brought on by a conversation I had with one of my co-Saturday Writers, Natalie.  We were discussing her latest work, something she’d written ages ago and decided to refine.  I’ll let her fill you in on the specifics, if and when she’s ready.

Just like time, stories evolve. Something once thought a lost cause can evolve into something workable.  My own longing for the past as well as my pack-rat habits have worked to my advantage.  Many of my failed starts and old research have evolved into my current work.

Disenchanted started out as an epic fantasy. My main character just wasn’t into the whole awe inspiring history I’d built or the breathtaking landscape I’d set the story in.  I won’t even mention her less than enthusiastic feelings toward the lack of modern conveniences.

I tried–I really tried–to make it work but it just didn’t fit.  There was no hope of breaking it in, making it comfortable.  I tried new viewpoint characters, but my original main just kept pacing around in my head.  I tried new ‘bad guys’ but she still wasn’t interested.  I tried new plot lines but she would just stand there checking out her nails.  I tried new settings but all she would do is lament about Iowa.  The day I caught her fiddling with another character’s hair was when it clicked.

“It’s about time you clued in,” she said.  “Write what you know.”

I was able to use most of my research and character notes.  Only two original characters survived, others were added or changed to fit.  The setting and basic plot were changed.  My epic fantasy became a contemporary fantasy.
This would have never been possible if I hadn’t kept the first attempts and all my research.  Natalie’s current work would never have become what it is if she had trashed the first story.

With 2010 right around the corner it’s time for something new, but don’t toss out the old.  As you begin breaking it in look back fondly at 2009 and hoard those memories and experiences.  You never know when you’ll have need of them.

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As I rolled out the dough, it got me thinking.  These cookies and fantasy have a lot in common.  Like the mother-in-law and the cookies, most people assume fantasy is just for kids.  Not all fantasy books are for children and adults can enjoy even those that are.  I’ll admit to loving many books geared toward young adult and juvenile.

I know being a geek is cool now days, but when I was younger reading fantasy or scifi pretty much torched your social life.  Trekkies and Tolkien fans were looked upon as a social caste all their own.  Even the lower echelons of high school society looked down on the readers of scifi and fantasy.  Funny thing is many of those same bashers had fired a laser or yielded a sword of power.  Like my mother-in-law’s sister and the cookies, those books were their guilty pleasure.

Both scifi and fantasy have become more mainstream over the years.  It’s okay to carry one around in your pocket or read them in public.  I have to say some of this acceptance is due to another bastard genre, romance.  Romance comes in many flavors.  It has introduced things like the paranormal or futuristic to readers who would have never picked them up otherwise.

If you look closely you will find touches of the fantastic in many genres.  You probably just didn’t recognize it at the time.  From scientific discoveries and futuristic settings to myth and lore, all veiled in the literary or mainstream.

As an example how many of you have read a book where the main character, a dead little girl tells her story?  To me this book borders on the fantastic but is shelved in mainstream.  What about all you Stephen King lovers?  Anne Rice?  Alice Hoffman?  How about Heather Graham or Nora Roberts?

Browse the shelves of your local library or bookstore.  It’s no longer contained, caged in one section.  Instead it’s spreading, giving readers what they want and need.  From a trip into the farthest reaches of the galaxy to sexy monsters and super heroes, an escape from reality even if it is just for three hundred pages.

Some will continue to hide these books behind paper bag covers or the guise of another genre, never admitting their trips to these other worlds.  But that’s okay.  Sometimes we need to keep things to ourselves, making it special.  A sweet escape from reality, our guilty pleasure.

This Thanksgiving I’m thankful for all the authors who have made my not-so-guilty pleasure possible.

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I’ve been a part of the challenges for several years and I’ve learned some things in the process that I’d like to share with you.

Challenge Yourself

Use NaNo as an opportunity to challenge yourself. You don’t have to adhere to the “50,000 words on a new novel” rule. It’s more of a guideline, than a rule. The point of NaNo is to challenge yourself–stretch beyond what you think you’re capable of.

• If you already have a story started, write 50,000 more words on it in 30 days.
• If you’re writing short stories, instead of novels, write 50,000 cumulative words on a variety of stories in 30 days.
• If your novel is done, edit 50 pages a day on it.
• If you’re submitting, send out 5 queries a day for 30 days.

Think of what you could accomplish under normal circumstances and then double your output for a month. You don’t have to keep it up forever, just for a month. See what kind of a kickstart that gives to your writing.

First Draft Freedom

NaNo requires fast writing. For many writers, 50,000 words in 30 days is really fast. You don’t have time to edit, to fuss with point of view, to layer your characters. You just write and get it down on paper.

As a writer who gets stuck in perfectionism, NaNo is a refreshing change for me. I can’t fuss over the first chapter for six months, getting the words just right. Instead, I have to throw something on to the page and keep going.

Now, mind you, I’m not deliberately throwing garbage on to the page and calling it my novel. No, I’m writing the story the best I can without self-editing during the process. Forward motion is my goal. I’ve come across several writers who feel that writing the first draft is necessary for you to figure out what story you’re actually telling. Then in the second draft (and subsequent ones), you shape the story to that vision. Since I know the story will change (possibly radically), then getting my first draft perfect isn’t necessary. It’s kind of useless, even, since I’m going to change it. So write fast and get to the end of your first draft so you know your story.

Help, My Plot Has Fallen and It Can’t Get Up!

One of my favorite “tools” I learned from NaNo is the plot ninjas.

Let’s pretend that you’re writing along on your novel and you start to realize that your characters have been sitting in a kitchen, sipping tea and chatting for the last 30 pages. Drinking tea in a kitchen is the kiss of death for a novel. Where’s the tension? Where’s the conflict? You need to get those characters moving and reacting to something.

Suddenly there’s a knock at the back door. Your main character answers the door and discovers ninjas who immediately start attacking him!

Now there’s tension and conflict in your story. Nobody stands passively by while ninjas are attacking.

Ninjas may not fit your genre, but you can adapt the plot ninja idea to other types of stories.

• If you’re writing a mystery, someone totally unexpected is murdered.
• In a romance, another man (or woman) shows up and claims to be married to your main character.
• In a scifi story, aliens attack or a nanite plague breaks out.
• In a crossover novel, the secret spouse of your main character’s love interest is murdered by aliens wielding nanites.

The only criteria for using plot ninjas in your story is that the ninja event be something unexpected and startling. Something that your characters must react to. Then they’re no longer in the kitchen drinking tea.

I’ve learned other things from participating in NaNo, but these are three biggies–enjoy the challenge, write freely in my first draft, and use plot ninjas to shake things up when my story has stalled.

What things have you learned from NaNoWriMo?

I’ll be participating in NaNo again this year. If you’d like to follow my progress, add me as a Writing Buddy.

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Waiting for my dose of caffeine I sneak covert looks—okay, not so covert. I’m no Bond girl—at the woman.  Don’t go over there. Go over there. Hey, she deserves her quiet time before she has to stand there fielding questions from crazy fans like yours truly.  The little war raging in my head is cut short as she gets up to leave and comes to a complete halt when one of the librarians escorts her away.

Shoes Rachel Caine Tweeted About

With a sigh of relief, I silently thank the librarian for taking her away before I make a complete dork out of myself.  Problem is they don’t take her far enough.  They’re gathered at the front desk chatting and that’s when I notice she’s wearing the ankle boots she tweeted about.

There it is again no longer lurking in the shadows, but pushing to the surface.  Fangirl!  I fight the urge to squeal and point for that would surly turn into clapping and jumping up and down as I giggle.  I’ve got to get a hold of myself, no woman my age should be acting like this!  Hell, I didn’t act this childish when I was in my twenties and met Kip Winger.  And he kissed my hand.  Luckily the librarian leads her away.

With yet another sigh of relief I start watching for Cheryl.  Yes, that Cheryl.  Oops sorry I forgot you can’t see me pointing to my fellow SW buddy.  You can read about her take on our night out at Learn To Write Fiction.  I promise it will be a lot more polished, professional and educational too.  As I wait for Cheryl and her beau I wander the magazine racks and guess who is sitting just beyond them.  The little war starts again but I side with the little angel on my right shoulder and make my way toward the doors.

Now that little sigh of relief is triggered by the arrival of, oh so calm, Cheryl.  If I were her I’d head for the hills at the sight of my glazed eyes and flushed cheeks.  Instead she grins and shows me what I kick myself for not thinking of, her camera.

Five on the dot the doors open and we enter the conference room.  This is where Fangirl shows up again.  Rachel is doing a PowerPoint presentation and her desktop is projected onto the wall.  ‘Damn,’ I say to Cheryl, ‘I’m looking into a real writer’s computer.’  She laughs, but I feel like some big secret has been revealed to me.

When the program begins I manage to stop gawking and pay attention.  I even take notes.  The Hammer Films retrospect hits a soft spot, Fangirl of course is screeching in my ear, ‘She likes Hammer Films too!’  I’m a little more than tired of her and her antics, it’s become easier to ignore.  Then Rachel decides to do the drawing for the door prizes.

Fangirl & Rachel

One guess as to whose number she draws for the grand prize.  Fangirl…I mean mine.  Walking over to accept my prize—the audio of Glass Houses—I attempt to hold my breath.  Yeah, that works.  Instead of keeping my cool I stand there like a moron and try to hand her my ticket.  The librarian looks at me a little strangely, but hey I deserve it.

Once the program is over I get the extreme pleasure of meeting the people behind bringing Rachel to Iowa.  Rockwell City Librarian Sarah Weiss and her partner in crime Cosmetologist Angel Crouse. These girls are a delight and not only does one work in a library like yours truly, but the other is a stylist my previous profession!  Talk about a cowinky-dink.  The girls as well as Rachel graciously agree to let us post their picture and even their real names, none of that changing the names to protect the innocent stuff.  After all the only thing they are guilty of is bringing the magic that is Rachel Caine to Iowa and writing damn good books!

Angel, Rachel & Sarah

And with that we put Fangirl back in the shadowy recesses of my mind where she belongs.  Call her out at your own risk.  Pointing, clapping, jumping and much giggling will ensue.  Not to mention incessant babbling!
Amy

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By definition, a writer is anyone who writes.  Wow, that sure is broad.  Does writing a check make you a writer?  What about the kindergartener learning to print his name, is he a writer?

In my case do a handful of short stories count?  I was paid for them, but does that make me a writer?  I’ve taken classes, gone to seminars; does that meet the criteria?  I’ve read books on the craft, is that what it takes?  Then there’s that novel I’m reworking and the countless others I’ve never finished.

Am I a poser instead of a proser?

Doubt creeps in as the others in my writing group ask my advice.  What qualifies me to give it when my own works don’t grace the shelves of bookstores?  Belief spouts off opinions as Doubt and Fear peek out from dark corners and Reason screams, ‘What the hell are you doing?’

Doubt and fear as well as reason can be powerful tools.  They keep my head from expanding when I receive a complement and push me to do better when I get constructive criticism.  They can also keep you from moving forward.  Doubting your work can throw a blanket on your progress.  Fear can add water to that blanket and snuff the fire of inspiration behind the work.  Reason can become excuses or ‘reasons’ for not finishing.  Life gets in the way.  My critique group/partner found too many things that need fixing/fleshing out, so I’m just going to scrap the whole thing.  I have to have every detail spelled out for me before I start writing.  My personal favorite, I need to do more research.

Yes, life gets in the way, but if you want this, you have to make time to write.

Critiques are not for the overly sensitive, if you are, this is not the business for you.  On the other hand, you should pick your partner with care.  There are those with the soul intent of ripping you to shreds to make themselves feel superior.  If you truly believe in your story, don’t give up.  You can take the suggestions and run with them or choose to ignore them.  They are suggestions, not law, but don’t use them as an excuse to quit.

Personally, I don’t need a step by step instruction guide to make it through a story.  I do need a start and end point as well as a basic idea of where the story is leading me.  (Note: I’m not talking about the synopsis here, that is a post for another day or perhaps one of my cohorts will cover it.)  I used to outline every little plot point, but I learned that was an excuse for me not to finish.  Yes, I have to go back and clean it up after I’m done, but you have to do that anyway.  For some outlining works and I respect that, just don’t let it become an excuse for never finishing.

My favorite is the research excuse.  Oh no, I’m not reading for pleasure I’m looking at story construction.  I can’t write that part or flesh out that character because I need more research.  I’m not surfing the web I’m doing research.  I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve used this excuse.

Published or not, paid or not, writers write.  Writing is physically and mentally taxing on its own.  Don’t make it harder.  Try pouring all the time and imagination you put into making excuses into your writing.  You can either plant your butt in the chair, fingers on the keyboard and write or continue making excuses.

Unless you enjoy being a poser.

All complaints and comments can be sent to Amy a.k.a. the one who forgot to sign her post…

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I watched as my cuticle was carefully tended to, trimming away all the unwanted skin.  I realized this is what I needed to do with my story.  Trim the dead wording from around the original idea.  I knew I had added a lot of extra words which didn’t need to be there.   I have a habit of telling and not showing.  All it was doing was making the story boring, unattractive and a difficult read.  The extra words needed to go.  After all that was trimmed away it should leave me with the basic premise of the story I began with.

 Next I watched as a layer of dead skin attached to the bottom of my feet was exfoliated.  It didn’t need to be there.  All it was doing was making the bottom of my feet dry and unattractive.    So the next step in revising my story will be to scrap away the layers of dead calloused concepts which have managed to cling to the original story sucking the life out of it.  It seems no matter how you try to stay focused on the story line somehow these layers attach themselves becoming part of the story.   They will end up in the garbage just like what they scrapped from the bottom of my feet.

 When I am finished I should have a clean fresh copy of what I originally started with.  It should shine bright.  Buffed to it’s height of glory.  It should read as smoothly as a fresh pedicure.  l will take my story and massage it again applying just the right amount of grammar and spell check.  Now it should be ready to apply liberally a layer of new wording to take it from shiny, bright, fresh copy to spectacular and brilliant.  I can stand back and admire my hard work and appreciate a job well done.  I might even pull out the open toed shoes in celebration.

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Since my post falls on Christmas, I’ve decided a little fluff is in order.  I know, what’s new?  This month is just going to be a little more like cotton candy than cotton balls and I promise to keep it short and sweet.

For some reason that catchy little tune My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music keeps running through my head.  It got me thinking about the things I think I need when writing, spurring a writing exercise.  Trust me Weird Al has nothing to worry about, but here’s my little spin.

Cream in my coffee and Reeses at hand
Headphones in place, Duran is the band
Pictures of elves and fairies with wings
These are few of my favorite things

Blogs that advise and books that inspire
Reading to spark creative fire
Great swords and rings, sirens that sing
These are a few of my favorite things

Soda pop fizzes and chips that go crunch
Then I can type whilst I munch
Sitting here daydreaming, see what it brings
These are few of my favorite things

When the curser blinks
When the words stink
When the red pen looms
I simply remember my favorite things
And I don’t feel so doomed

I’m not a poet and boy do I know it, but it was fun.

Now it’s your turn.  What are some of the things you think you need to get you through that next scene?  Try penning it to the Twelve Days of Christmas.

On the first day of writing, I really need to have…a cold case of Dr. Pepper

On the second day of writing, I cannot live without…peanut butter M&M’s

You get the idea.

I shall return next year with something far less frivolous!

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                The first thing I got was the knowledge that I have some great writing friends. They’re supportive and knowledgeable and ready to jump in with an answer to some unexpected research questions or a plotting problem or to offer up a heartfelt yet simple “You CAN do it!”

                The second thing I learned was that I can, when motivated, write very quickly. If I always wrote as much and as fast as I wrote during timed sprints, I could have a book done in weeks. Which would be great, if my plots were ever cohesive the first time around. And that leads us to discovered item #3:

                The plot of my current WIP was MIA. I had a good grasp of my character, a potential premise, but absolutely nothing happened to her. She had experiences. Lovely, uplifting, life-affirming experiences. All great things, but not the things required to make a book. At least not a book anyone but my grandmother (who is passed, unfortunately) would find gripping. Come to think of it, even she would tell me it was crap and to figure out how to make it a proper book.

                So, in my Nano experience, I wrote a lot of scenes (23,000 words worth!) and in the process realized more than anything I was getting to know my character rather than actually putting steps into place. I’m not the least bit unhappy about it. Now I know what Gemma’s story is, and now I know what needs to happen in the other 75,000 words I need to write (and then cut, cut, cut and add, add, add).  

                The point is, Nano may have been intended to get a book out in 30 days, but I think you can consider yourself a winner if your novel benefits from the experience, 50,000 words or not. Building writing relationships, learning about your own writing capabilities, and finding the core of your story are as important as getting those words on paper (or in my case, screen).

Related posts:

1. NaNo Fail

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Accountability is Good

I started November with two family members and my writing group all participating in NaNo. The two family members dropped out within a week. My writing group stayed strong and made tremendous progress on their novels. They had daily checkins on their progress through our Yahoo group. Check-ins which I didn’t participate in. If I had… I think I would have made better progress. There’s nothing like your friends harassing you to keep you writing.

Pre-Planning is Important

I didn’t do a lot of pre-planning on my novel. I meant to, but let October get away from me. And I found that I needed all of that detailed planning to keep making progress and to keep my writing spirits up during November. For my first newsletter on Learn to Write Fiction, I covered the writing process that Elizabeth George uses and it sounds perfect for me. I need that character and setting work done ahead of time so I know what I’m going to write when I sit down.

Maintaining Momentum is a Must

I kept up during the first ten days or so. Then I missed a day, then two and before I knew it I was 10,000 words behind where I should be. To succeed in NaNo, I have to write 1667 words every day without fail. If I skip even one, it is even harder to write the next day.

Clear the Decks

In addition to NaNo in November, I had my day job and my work on Learn to Write Fiction which is essentially another job. Two jobs and writing a novel is a tough combination. I’d have been better off to get November’s website work done ahead of time so that I only had the novel to work on.

Recap

So what will happen to my novel? I plan to finish it, just at a slower pace. And after I do the necessary pre-work.

If you participated in NaNo this year, what did you learn?

Cheryl

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Sure I churned out some short stories, but where was that novel I kept saying I was writing?  Most of them are unfinished in a drawer.  They’d make better scratch paper than reading material.  Then I got this brilliant idea and I decided this is the one.  The one I will finish.  Yeah, right.  I’ve been plunking away at it for, oh I don’t know, a couple of years maybe more.  Who keeps track?  It kept changing on me, too many directions at once, no solid plot line, a bunch of half-baked characters, in whole a disaster.  But something wouldn’t let me give up.  Might have been the characters knocking around in my skull.  Might have been the wonderful group of girls I joined.  Might even have been that I really, deep down believed it could work.

Speaking of those girls…One day I put on my big girl panties and admitted I needed support.  The kind of support your family and friends can’t give; only other writers—probably should add editors, agents and the rest of the publishing world-understand a writer’s mind.  Family and friends smile indulgently when you drift off into story land and pat your hand when you whine about your characters.  All the while thinking, why can’t she just get off her posterior and finish the thing already?  Other writers understand.  They’re going through the same things.  They don’t care when the words coming out of your mouth and your brain go in two directions at once.  So think twice about it being solely a solitary activity.

Putting 50k down on paper in 30 days and you can write crap with a capital C.  That’s the hard part for me in this challenge I still cling to my old habits.  Not as tightly but they’re still there in the background, wincing when something doesn’t sound right.  As stated in my last post I promised to finish Disenchanted by the end of the month and as I type this I’m over half done.  I started with 30k and set my goal to 80 so I would meet the requirement.  From my vantage point, I’ll not only meet that goal but probably over it.  That’s what this challenge has done for me, it pushed me, pushed me hard.

Moral of the story?  Yes, I need a stinkin’ writin’ group and fake or not a deadline is a powerful thing!

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1. NaNo Fail
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This year, I’m doing it again. And there are some new nuances that should keep me on track. For one, I’ve made my NaNo intentions very public by announcing them on my website, www.learntowritefiction.com. To stop before hitting 50,000 would be a huge visible flop. (As a writer, never understimate the power of peer pressure and public humiliation to keep you writing.)

Also, this year, I’m applying some of the tricks that I’ve learned over the past four years to help me stay the course and finish.

Enlist your friends and family – this year, my sister-in-law, my brother (first-timer!), and my significant other (another first-timer!) are all doing NaNo with me. Nothing keeps you going like shared pain and taunting challenges from your family.

Use short bursts - When I sit down to write, I do so in 15-20 minute increments. I can crank out the words, knowing that I only have to describe the immediate scene in my head and nothing else. A short break and them I’m ready for another sprint.

Reward yourself profusely – this year I’m giving myself MP3 downloads at the end of each week IF I’m on track with my word count. At the end of NaNo and 50,000 words… a HUGE reward. I haven’t decided on what that will be yet, but it will be good. My significant other is considering an XBox 360 as his major prize.

Don’t be afraid to write crap – the theme of 2008 NaNo for my NaNo Region (Des Moines, IA) is “Yay, Crap!” You know you’re going to write crap at some point during NaNo… maybe all the way through it. So don’t kick yourself over it… celebrate it! Writing crap means you have something to work with when you hit the editing stage.

Have fun! - this is the main reason to do NaNo and the main attitude you should have when doing NaNo. It’s a breakneck thrill ride in novel-writing. The words look like picket fence posts as they zoom past you on the novel highway. Enjoy the ride!

If you don’t have any friends or family doing NaNo, let me be your cheering section. Add me as a Writing Buddy on the NaNo website, so I can follow your progress and heckle you as needed toward your own 50,000 word goal. Here’s to a great November!

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1. NaNo Fail
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I don’t know about you but this scenario happens every time I set fingers to keys. I try to be the smart chick that defeats the monster, but alas, I end up the blond. Unfortunately without her fashion sense or endowments. Maybe that makes me the bumbling sidekick who thinks they have it figured out, but steps into the trap anyway. Either way it sucks having an ax planted in the middle of your story.

Those of us still fumbling our way through the forest of becoming published are often caught in the snares. Getting that opening just right or polishing a scene until it leaps off the page. Those that have gone before and survive to get there tales told, advise us to avoid such obvious traps. Don’t look back. Give yourself permission to write crap. You can always go back and fix it once the story is on paper. It sounds simple, but it’s not.

I find myself getting stuck in scenes that don’t ring true. They might be fine, but something about them isn’t right. So I start back at the beginning taking that proverbial ax to my baby. Hacking and slashing my way through, playing Dr. Frankenstein, putting it together in different forms. What’s wrong with that you ask. Everything! It keeps me from finishing the darn story. There’s nothing worse than ticked off characters crashing around in your head wanting the story finished so they can take a breather. Can’t blame them, I want one too. With the vicious cycle of self-editing, neither writer nor characters can move on to the next story.

I brandish a mighty red pen–just ask Sara–and my work shows the scars of its slicing and dicing. I can’t leave the darn thing alone! I’m a serial self-editor!

At this month’s meeting of the Saturday Writers I opened my big mouth and said I would use NaNoWriMo to finish Disenchanted. The girls will hold me too it and there will be a much deserved raking over the coals if I procrastinate. Hope I can hold up my end or at least come up with entertaining excuses if I don’t.

Anyone else out there a serial self-editor? How do you deal with the slasher mentality toward your work?

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Rachel Caine mentions her musical muse, Joe Bonamassa, in both.  Taking it a step further, Barnes & Noble cashes in with a display of CDs next to Stephenie Meyer’s books.  Nothing wrong with that, everyone profits, author, musician, bookseller and the fans.  Two forms of entertainment helping each other out.  Hollywood has been doing it for years, with music soundtracks and book to screenplay or vise versa.

The topic of this post maybe music, but writing is the focus of our blog, so back to the writing aspect.

The first short story I sold is based on a song.  At the time I didn’t think twice about it, who am I to question where the ideas come from?  I just played Shilo by Neil Diamond over and over, letting the story magically appear on the screen.  There were a lot of raised brows when I explained where it came from, no one got the correlation.  Not that I could blame them, the story doesn’t resemble the song in anyway.  It wasn’t supposed too, it’s Mr. Diamond’s song.  The story was something I pictured.  For those who ask where ideas come from this is a prime example.

I don’t feel the reader of any manuscript truly understands the meaning behind the words or where they come from.  I don’t even pretend to know what an author was thinking at the time.  When a writer explains what ignites an idea leading to a story, there’s a moment of oh, I can see that or that’s not what I thought it meant.  Once the words are on the page they are left up to the interpretation of the reader, how they feel about it, what it sparks in their imagination.  Just like listening to Shilo sparked mine.

At the time of that story, I didn’t think about how what I listened to affected my writing.  You don’t always notice environment–where you write, when you write, everything around you, all things that impact what and how you write–when you’re deep into a story.  The longer I’ve been doing this the more I pay attention.  Listening to something slow and weepy conveys depression and pain.  Classical makes me want to write epic fantasy.  Listening to country or southern fried rock can give my characters an easygoing attitude, at least on the surface.  Toss in hard rock and you probably will get some anger or violence.  I gravitate to certain artists or songs, each defining character, place or mood.

Look at your own music habits.  Is music one of your muses, or do you prefer silence or the sounds of nature?  Does it help you with characterization, motivation, inspiration, perspiration?  Does a certain song ignite a bonfire that can only be put out by becoming a story?

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At the time of said offense, I was struggling with plot twists and points it showed me that never would have come up otherwise. Yes, it annoyed me and I took it out on the poor defenseless program instead of where it belonged. Me! I felt like a complete moron for not seeing these things on my own.

Dramatica works from the writer’s perspective instead of that of the audience, look at this article by Chris Huntley to understand the why and how.

Dramatica lingo can be a little intimidating. When I first started using it, I was frustrated, mumbling about it being a waste of money. I guess I thought I was brilliant enough not to RTFM (read the f’n manual) as my adorable hubby so kindly puts it. It takes time to master, but there is help. I don’t mean the silly help files that come with every program. They give you explanations, theory, definitions and stories to compare as well as the online community. All very helpful.

There are neat little toys such as the Character List. Say bye-bye to all those index cards cluttering up your desk or getting lost, the info is all right there in your computer. You can insert pictures of how you visualize your character, a description, role in the story, gender…you get the picture.

Then there’s the Brainstorming tools. You spin the wheel and it randomly picks a storyform that matches the choices you’ve already made. The Character Generator gives you new characters to play with including name, gender and character elements or you can modify existing characters.

I use it as a safety net, to keep me on track, but it also serves another purpose, it makes you THINK! Do you have the answers to Dramatica’s Twelve Essential Questions for your story? Would you have even thought to ask them?

I took a moment and applied Dramatica Theory to some of the books I’ve read. Suddenly it made sense. My Main Character didn’t have to be the Protagonist (although she is) and the Impact Character didn’t have to be the Antagonist (which he is not) allowing me to see beyond the basic plot. You know, all those pesky subplots that heighten the experience.

I could continue with my biased opinion, but you should judge for yourself. Give the demo a whirl and tell me where I’m wrong or heaven forbid agree with me.

No, Dramatica is not going to write the book for you. What it can do is take a barely alive story and make it better. Better. Stronger. Faster. Ladies and gentlemen, you can rebuild your story…you have the technology!

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For me, I’m still in the hobby stage of writing. Writing has been with me for many years, but it is still a dream, not a goal. I dabble in it, I don’t seriously pursue it. And knowing that about myself I can throw off the guilt that we women take on too easily.

No “I should be writing more.” No blame, no guilt trips. Just writing for fun. Writing for the sake of writing. Because I want to work on a story, not because I have to. And that is an okay place to be. When I’m ready to make writing a bigger part of my life, it will be there.

But like any good hobby, I spend a lot of time thinking about writing and studying books on writing. If I pack enough writing knowledge into my brain, then when writing takes center stage in my life, all that learning will be there, ready to use.

The book I’m currently reading is One Continuous Mistake: Four Noble Truths for Writers by Gail Sher. I really like her four truths. They are:

1. Writers write.
2. Writing is a process.
3. You don’t know what your writing will be until the end of the process.
4. If writing is your practice, the only way to fail is to not write.

I understand #2. After all this study and reading on writing, I understand that writing is a process. You don’t just flip a switch and instantly become a bestseller. It takes time and effort, like any occupation or hobby.

#3 also makes sense. You have to finish the story to see what it actually becomes. It certainly never looks like the story I had in my mind when I started. But if it bears some resemblance, I’m okay with that.

#1 and #4 are my sticking points. I don’t have the daily practice of writing. When I did write daily, even just in a journal, I found that my “official” writing, whatever story I was working on, came out so much easier. So my challenge is to get back into the daily habit. Because I want to work on my story daily, not because I have to. Less guilt, more fun, more writing.

Where are you at on your writing path?

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