Tools of the Writing Trade

Just for a chance to explore something outside of the normal realm of writing advice, I thought I might address some of the tools we writers use to compose our work.

Let’s start with the big one: Our Imagination.

Admit it. Writing would be rather boring if we had the same plot, the same concept, for every story. If each character reacted just like people we know, it becomes hard to point to anything unique about the story. With our imagination, we can take four people and make a unique person that we write about, with the perfections and foibles of the people we smashed together.

Another big tool to consider as we discuss this topic: Our Vocabulary.

I’m catching some strange looks. Consider how a word variety makes a difference in our sentences. If we always talked about walking from room to room, or running from room to room, it seems rather mundane.  However, if they shuffled from room to room, or perhaps danced, it gives a greater image of the person’s movements and adds characterization. Now, the advice for dialogue tags is to only use “said,” which I agree can seem boring, however, it does become invisible for most readers. This doesn’t mean that you can’t tag dialogue differently, but use it SPARINGLY.

The final tool I want to mention that makes our writing complete: The Real World

Twisted your mind with that one, didn’t I? Ponder this for a moment: We don’t live in a vacuum, where what we do has no consequences.  Small decisions might not seem like they create a wave, but we don’t know what our decision to eat at a certain restaurant does. Perhaps we miss meeting that big movie producer… or run into the bigger producer at the chosen restaurant. Maybe a concept becomes clearer based on a waitress or hostess.  Even better, perhaps we’ll pick up a story line from the restaurant we decided to frequent.  It’s all about refilling that creative reservoir.

As you write, think about these very important tools.

The Write-In Versus the Writing Group - Ready? Fight!

I considered leaving this post for during November, as it would fit the theme of National Novel Writing Month, but with the start of Camp NaNoWriMo, maybe it best I do it now. I’m going to look at the two common forms of writer gatherings – a write-in and a writing group.

Let me start by discussing the similarities of both concepts. A write-in and a writing group are gatherings of writers.

Made for a short paragraph, huh? Well, that is because outside of that fact, things are different.

Write-ins are geared toward placing words onto the page. When discussions happen, they usually revolve around the present work of the person who starts the conversation. Maybe they got stuck on a plot point and need that nudge of other writerly minds to move forward. Or perhaps a character is trying to move away from the original plan of the plot and they need to discuss why. Snacks or rewards for achieving some set goal are also a possible staple of the write-in. Rarely have I seen a write-in that didn’t have chocolate or some equivalent. Yes, writers are gathered around a table, but everyone is lost in their own world (literally.)

Another way to think about a write-in is this: The environment is nurturing towards creation.

Writing groups are a different undertaking. They work with completed prose, trying to massage it for the best sheen and presentation. They discuss more, usually with fewer snacks. Everyone will be reading what is presented with an eye toward tightening or rewording. Some might have a portion of the gathering that is free write time, but that isn’t the focus of the meeting. Writing groups focus on improving the craft through editing and encouragement. Most writing groups have a specific focus, be it a certain genre or a certain length. Here, the gathering of writers around a table is traveling to each other’s worlds to pull the weeds.

Another way to look at writing groups is this: The environment is critical and geared toward improvement.

Why is it important for me to make this distinction? Frequently, after NaNoWriMo, writing groups will gain a glut of new recruits. They’ve just had this glorious experience with hundreds of other writers working together and they feel a writing group will be the same feel and flow. Then they find out how wrong that thought process is.

Before you decide to join a writing group, check them out, talk to their members. Find out what that group presents and how they operate. If things don’t feel right, don’t be afraid to speak out when the group meets. Be ready to accept criticism – and when you get it, don’t slink away.

Successful writers can operate in both environments, but one must know one’s tolerance for each before wading into the ring.

Monthly WIP Update - Great Divide

I decided to add a new series of posts to the blog this year.  These posts will detail my works in progress, or WIPs.  I’m not going into details on plot or characters, but I will offer insight into how the story came about, where it may be going, and how close I feel it is to completion. 

Tentative title: The Great Divide

Original concept: A Pangaea exists with all land in one mass and a large settlement occupies the center of the continent. Eruptions and fissures break the world into multiple pieces. How does the populace handle the destruction of the world they know and the new world once it forms?

Draft version: First

Present word count: 17,897 (Unknown completion number)

Writing process:

This is another of my books that started as a National Novel Writing month project. I did win the year I wrote this one, reaching 52,000 words by month’s end.  That particular year, I felt a lot of stress in the writing, so I pushed this book to the back burner for three years after completion. Couldn’t even open the file. Somehow, just the thought of the story brought all the stress back.

Once I got the nerve to open the file again, I started pulling the concept apart. I found I had too many minor, useless characters that could be combined and reworked.  With that realization, I broke the file down to three different sections, with my three primary points of view, then created a fourth with the others I needed to rework. After looking at all the files, I decided to shrink the scope of the project down to the one point of view for now. I’ve not thrown anything out, just placed all but the section I kept to the side.

Future expectations:

This project is feeling like a hit or miss proposition. I’m wanting to examine it to see if I can reach a publishable work, but it may end up in the scrap heap where I’ll find good parts to rip from it and create new.  After it’s start and the years since I have dared open it, I’m not as confident in the story as I was when I wrote it. However, I’ve learned things since its initial writing, so I can put my new knowledge to work. That will make it that much better.

Respect the Block

Recently, I have reached a new respect for people suffering from writer’s block. In fact, I created a new description for myself because of it:

Staring at the wall with a pen in my hand and nowhere to write

This could be seen in a few different ways.

First, the idea is there, but the person has no way to record the idea. I’ve come across this problem when driving to my bill paying job. Some great concept will jump into my thoughts past the radio, the idiot drivers, and other issues. My cell phone doesn’t have a voice record function and I can’t type on that tiny keyboard while trying to guide a behemoth along the roads. I could get a recorder, but the funds just aren’t there, yet. Worse, someone cuts me off and the idea disappears as I throw curses against the glass.

Yeah, so not a good thing.

Another way to see this is the image that there is something between the writer and the proper writing surface. Sure, one could write directly on the wall. But that isn’t where the writer WANTS to place the words. Perhaps because the wall surface is not flat enough for the pen. Or perhaps because the ink from the pen won’t show on the wall. No matter what the reason, the wall just won’t work. In this case, the wall becomes a metaphor for something in your life that disturbs your writing. A broken routine, a medical emergency of your own or that of your family, anything that blocks you from reaching the writing surface. For me, a series of family medical emergencies have created havoc in my writing time, in my routine.

Still not a good thing.

The final way to see this image is that fear has frozen the writer in place, so they couldn’t write no matter what they tried. This style block is the hardest to break because it comes from something inside that must be repaired before one can advance.  I can honestly say that fear of failure catches my hand on many occasions.

Finding your way past the wall for many of these examples becomes finding what prevents the writing from happening. Getting a recorder, a pad of paper, something to jot notes at any time fixes the first one. The second can recover by redoing the schedule to include writing time and sticking to it.

The last example is hardest to find a way to fix because it differs for every writer. For some, it is the fear of rejection, or failure, or completion. Yes, fear of completion has been known to stop some writers from writing, because they don’t know if they’ll have anything else to write once the project is complete.

My best advice for fixing a block is seek what causes it. The root of the wall will bring it down faster than trying to take it apart brick by brick.

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Today's post was inspired by the topic “Writer’s Block” as part of the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour, http://merrygoroundtour.blogspot.com/. This ongoing tour allows you, the reader, travel around the world from author's blog to author's blog.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s posting over at: http://suesantore.com/

If you want to get to know nearly twenty other writers, check out the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour: http://merrygoroundtour.blogspot.com

We Know All and See All

Continuing on my series regarding point of view, it’s time to focus on the other third person option available to writers - third person omniscient.

Let me first define the POV.  Third Person Omniscient is characterized as an overarching narrator that can dip into any character and see what they see, hear their thoughts.  Poorly done this is the “head hopping” POV.  Note I said poorly done.  Multiple books exist that have done this wonderfully.

What’s the advantage of using this POV?

Sometimes, you just need to know all that’s going on.  Looking down from Mount Olympus and observe the world.  This POV allows just that.  You have almost no limits to what you tell the reader when.  If you know it, and it fits the present story situation, tell it!  Okay, not really, but it does offer a more open story telling style.  It allows examination of all the characters in a scene, simply by switching who’s head you’re sitting in at the time. 

I’ve heard some writers say this is one of the most difficult POV to use, because the balance of narrator information and thoughts has to develop just right.

So where’s my disadvantage?

I started to address this in the last section, but let me be more specific here.  Balance is definitely the key here.  If you spend too much time going from character to character, readers will declare a “bad case of head hopping” and drop the story.  I’ve seen people use this POV and say the story was too cold, too impersonal, just because they felt no connection to the characters. 

So when should I use third person omniscient POV?

I can’t state for a fact that this story always makes a good third person omniscient POV or that the story is horrible as one.  Most times, I suggest looking at the scope of the story.  Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

- How focused does the story need to be?

- Do actions outside the narrator’s view factor into the story that maybe you’ll need to reveal before the narrator knows? 

- Will the story revolve around more than the narrator and/or the main character? 

Think about these questions as you begin to write, allow yourself to dissect the story’s needs, then pick the proper POV for that story.

He did what, with who, for how much?

Continuing on my series regarding point of view, I’m going to skip second person for now and address one of the third person styles.  I’ve heard it called third person focused or third person limited.  Both offer the same concept.

Let me first define the POV.  Third Person Limited is characterized by the standard third person pronouns - he, she, it, they.  It is similar to First Person in that everything in the story filters through the view point character, but the reader has taken a step back from the characters.

What’s the advantage of using this POV?

Not all stories need the intimate closeness of the first person POV, but they do need a narrowing of the focus.  This selection allows that narrowing without having to talk with the I pronoun.  It also allows you to see things from just one character, not worry about the fifty others in the room.  You might still get a glimpse of the character’s thoughts, but the narrator has more filter than the main character.

So where’s my disadvantage?

Readers will comment that stories written in this point of view don’t feel as easy to connect with the characters.  Some stories won’t work well with the limits this presents.  You’ll not be able to give the reader enough information or will have to give them too much, based strictly on what the characters sees and experiences.  

So when should I use third person limited POV?

I can’t state for a fact that this story always makes a good third person limited POV or that story is horrible as one.  Most times, I suggest looking at the scope of the story.  Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

- How focused does the story need to be?
- Do actions outside the narrator’s view factor into the story that maybe you’ll need to reveal before the narrator knows? 
- Will the story revolve around more than the narrator and/or the main character? 

Think about these questions as you begin to write, allow yourself to dissect the story’s needs, then pick the proper POV for that story.

WIP Update - Space Fire and Rescue

I decided to add a new series of posts to the blog this year.  These posts will detail my works in progress, or WIPs.  I’m not going into details on plot or characters, but I will offer insight into how the story came about, where it may be going, and how close I feel it is to completion. 


Tentative title: Rescue and Fire Station 5 (Short story series)

Original concept: The local solar system has received colonizing efforts, with space stations and domes on other planets.  Now, the same way that cities need fire and rescue facilities, so do the space stations, colonies, and intrasystem ships.  We follow one character from recruit to office work.

Draft version: First
Present word count: “The First Mission” - 7421 words (in editing sessions)
                                  “ Lost among the Freight” - 2976 words (incomplete)
                                  “Fire control” - 2351 words (incomplete)
                                  “Summoned” - 988 words (incomplete)

Writing process:
The concept for this series comes from my childhood.  I can’t believe it really does come from that far back, but it does.  Way back when I was five, my life’s goal was to become a firefighter.  We lived within a mile of the local fire station.  As a teen, I could tell you what equipment rolled based just on their siren.  Now that I’m older, I have more sense than wanting to run into a burning building, but I still find comfort living within walking distance of the local fire company. 

The actual concept probably started in the back of my head in 2001 after the attacks in New York and Washington, but I didn’t actually put it on paper until 2009.  Originally it was one story, but I decided to expand it to a series when the ideas kept flowing.  In the story, “Fire Control,” they face an issue that could overwhelm even the strongest firefighter, and one I imagine may mirror the issues those in the Pentagon felt as they fought the destruction there.

The work has never gone through a major “must write” session like the previous WIP I listed.  This one flowed each time I opened the file, however, so I can’t complain.  Because this is a short story, I don’t have as extensive of a writer’s book on the concept, though with it expanding to a series of stories, I expect that will change. 

I could jokingly state that the sound track is the fire engines when they roll through our neighborhood or each time I hear them leave the station.  In reality, any music playing tends toward this series’s soundtrack.  I’ve not searched out songs about fire trucks or fire fighters.  Any suggestions would be welcome.


Future expectations:
My first step through all this is to get it within the pages of a publication as a short story.  If things work as I’d like them to, I will publish the first couple, then combine them into a novel I can sell to publishers with the readership established with the magazine stories.  It’s the old fashioned way to write, but it is how I want to try it. 

Knowing where you’ve been - Firsts

I’ve spoken about a few things when I’ve written about tracking.  I’ve frequently keep my writing brain pointed forward, directed toward the goal I want to reach.  Every once in a while, however, it’s fun to look back and find where you’ve been, see how things have changed.

For that fun, I thought I’d list a few of my firsts.

Not going to bother with first words written, because I couldn’t narrow it down enough to be useful.

First completed fan fiction - Silly quest story I did for 10th grade english.  Don’t think I still have a copy, but it was an homage to Piers Anthony’s Xanth series.

First completed story - 1995 - “Called Home” - a story of death and loss.  It showed a bit of a spiritual side which hasn’t appeared in my writing of late.

First Rejection - 1996 - For “Called Home,” from the magazine Story, which is no longer being published.  After receiving this reject, I waited years before I got the guts to start sending out again.  Comments that I wrote Star Trek fan fiction didn’t help my confidence much either.

First 200K words - 2006
First 500K words - 2009

First acceptance - 2011 - “The Sinking of Gustav” was published by Connections Magazine, which is published by a local community college.  No pay, but recognition.

First completed novel - Um, yeah, not reached that milestone yet.  I’m about 20k words left to reach this milestone.

So what firsts have you reached?

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Today's post was inspired by the topic “Firsts” as part of the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour, http://merrygoroundtour.blogspot.com/. This ongoing tour allows you, the reader, travel around the world from author's blog to author's blog.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s posting over at: http://suesantore.com/

If you want to get to know nearly twenty other writers, check out the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour: http://merrygoroundtour.blogspot.com

It’s all about me

So let’s talk about some of these point of view options that I mentioned.  What I’ll try to do is offer the pros and the cons of using each point of view.  Today, I think I’ll focus on the first person POV.

Just as a refresher, first person point of view is the one where the pronouns are all related to self. I and me will litter the text outside the dialogue.  Some we may also appear.  Everything the writer offers comes through the main narrator’s thoughts.

A good book that shows the good use of this point of view is Hunger Games by Susanne Collins.

What’s the advantage of using this POV?

This is a good point of view when your main character sees all the necessary action and reacts to it.  You see, hear, and feel everything that character experiences.  Everything of importance flows right through your narrator, so your plot will move. 

Most readers will say that this offers a direct connection to the character, allow them to identify with them easier.  They are directly in the narrator’s head, so they find thoughts and feelings easier.

So where’s my disadvantage?

The disadvantage is just as linked to the character as the advantage.  Your scope is limited as you write.  You can’t offer details from what’s happening across the room unless you move the character’s focus to that point.  If something happened two days ago, but your character doesn’t know about it, you can’t reveal it UNTIL the character learns about it. 

Also, depending on the scene, it may be too close for certain scenes.  Imagine the pain and suffering a character getting beaten senseless suffers.  Do you want your reader right there as each punch hits?  For some, yes, for others, no. 

I’ve mentioned twice the idea of narrator, instead of main character.  This is an important distinction.  Your narrator is telling the story, but your main character doesn’t have to be your narrator.  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did this with Sherlock Holmes.  Doctor Watson narrated the story, though Holmes was your main character.

I bring this up because it is something that could be either a positive or a negative.  I’ll expand on the concept in another post, but what I want to point out is what literary gurus call the unreliable narrator.  This refers to the storyteller not telling all the proper details, or fracturing the details based on their bias.  The first person narrator could come across as a wonderful narrator, or they could prove unreliable.  How you write the character will dictate whether they are or not.

So when should I use first person POV?
I can’t state for a fact that this story always makes a good first person POV or that one is horrible as one.  Most times, I suggest looking at the scope of the story.  Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- How focused does the story need to be?
- Do actions outside the narrator’s view factor into the story that maybe you’ll need to reveal before the narrator knows? 
- Will the story revolve around more than the narrator and/or the main character? 

Think about these questions as you begin to write, to decide if you want to use first person point of view.

I need the camera over here now!

Every story has a focal point, or the place where the reader views the events. The broad term for this focal point is known as Point of View, or POV. I’ve mentioned this as something to watch in earlier blog posts, but here I want to dig in and discuss it. When I really dig into it in depth, I’ll do a blog post on each.

I could bring out the dictionary or the writing library and give the technical definition of what the writing world means by POV. Instead, I am going to stick with a layman’s definition so anyone can understand it.

POV is Who controls the camera if the story is a word movie.

Some of us see the scenes in our head as we write. For them, the above makes perfect sense. For those who don’t see the scenes, it probably doesn’t.

Another option – POV comes from whoever is narrating your story.

Ah, that allows me to discuss this a little more. Technically, we have three broad categories of POV: 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person. These are just the broad categories, each category has sub headings. Each has their benefits and drawbacks. Some stories work better with different categories than others.  Let’s just review the basics here.

1st person:  These are the stories written with “I” statements.  Your main character tells the story through their eyes and from their perspective. It’s filtered through their experiences.

2nd person: These are stories written with “you” statements.  I admit they’re more rare than the other two categories.  A way to consider it, for me at least: they feel like a hypnotist directing your experience.

3rd person:  These are stories written with the gender pronouns “he, she, they, it” statements. From my experience, these are the most prolific out there. They are also broken down further to explain additional camera movements.

I menitoned that each POV has its benefits and detractors.  I'll go into more details on those in other posts. For now, consider the camera metaphor for a minute. When you're dealing with first person, the camera is the same as the main character's eyes. Third person has more play with where the camera goes. This opens many different thoughts.

For now, I'll leave this as a primer, with more information to follow.

Work in Progress Update - Ghost Train

I decided to add a new series of posts to the blog this year.  These posts will detail my works in progress, or WIPs.  I’m not going into details on plot or characters, but I will offer insight into how the story came about, where it may be going, and how close I feel it is to completion. 


Tentative title: Ghost Train

Original concept: Railroad company is cutting costs and chooses to close the round house that supports a small town.  Story follows MC as he fights for his town and his job,

Draft version: First
Present word count: 53,872 (Expected completion - 65,000)

Writing process:
This novel started as an idea I worked for National Novel Writing Month back in 2006.  I’d written a lot of fantasy and science fiction prior to this attempt, so I wanted to stretch my wings and try something different.  As I’d always had a fascination with trains, I took my personal fears of the loss of a job and combined that with the concept of working for a train company.  The idea built itself from there.  When I first started writing, I concentrated on the MC and his work.  The story had one plot line.  It didn’t feel right without an additional conflict to really twist my MC into knots, so I added a wife with a baby on the way. 

I was successful in making the initial fifty thousand words for NaNoWriMo but haven’t pushed the story to completion since then.  I’ve gotten all but two sections completed, one of which is difficult for me.  These cover the bulk of a major stand off between the main character and the police.  I’m awaiting word from the local sheriff to see if I can ask some questions about hostage tactics for the sake of the book.

I have a sound track that I play in the background with songs from various genres based on trains.  Restless Heart, Johnny Cash, and several others that I could find.  My process doesn’t have trouble with lyrics in while writing, but that comes from years of listening to the radio while studying for tests in school.  Not all of the writing is done in my writing room.  Some I wrote while sitting in Star Bucks, Panera Bread, and Barns & Noble Bookstores.  Headphones are your friend in those situations, provided you don’t sing along... which I sometimes did.

Future expectations:
Honestly, I think this is a big step for me, as I’ve completed many short stories, but the completion of the first novel is a milestone.  Sometimes I think it scares me to think the project is done.  It doesn’t help that I have many, many ideas working through the ether to completion and I get back to this one maybe every three months. 

Seminar - Building a yearly catalog

We’ve returned to one of my favorite locales.  Everyone has a front row seat.  So come in and take a seat, so we can get started. 

Today, we’re going to discuss building a catalog for the year. 

Some writers won’t follow this because they work as the ideas strike.  That’s fine.  They can use this is a different manner, as they gather their completed work from the previous year to ready for submission.

Here’s the thing.  At the beginning of the year, we are all charged and ready to write.  Those darn new year resolutions have our plans percolating, our thoughts focused.  So now is when we need to create the base of our year’s plan.

If you’ve at least been scribbling ideas down as they come to you (or recording them into a voice recorder) you’ll have a starting point.  The idea is to gather what ideas you have, create a list, then determine which ones work and can be expanded.  Here, let me show you an idea of what I mean:

 - Police stumble across old 1947 mob tunnels under DC
 - Zombie mall attack
 - Shuttle drawn toward black hole
 - College nude model finds clothing missing
 - Novel series based around bible quotes

This is just a small sample of the ideas that came to me just through December.  (And I do mean a SMALL sample.)  Obviously, some will have more traction than others.  The nude model missing clothes will be trapped in a small area.  A shuttle drawn toward a black hole won’t survive the trip without a little deus ex machina.  That narrows my list to the mob tunnels, a novel series (which is an extended project) and the zombies at the mall.  One might require some research (was the mob even around DC in 1947, for instance) but all offer a good vague starting point.

Since I’m someone who has several projects going at once, I’ll take one from this narrowed list to add to my running projects.  For other authors, they might be selecting their first project for the new year, having strove to finish all their open projects from the previous year.  Either way, it gives a great starting point.

Now, I mentioned that this works for completed works as well.  Let me explain.

Once a project is written, it’s not done.  It still needs editing passes, beta readers, and grammar checks before you can release it to a publisher.  So you’d create a similar list as you had with the story ideas, only here you can place a bit more notes.  (Personally, I use a spreadsheet for this, but your mileage always varies.)  Something like this:

 - Bird war at the beach      (1st draft, editing pass 2)
 - Haunted Guard               (2nd draft, 2 beta reads, editing pass 5)
 - Valentine’s Day             (final draft, beta reads done, needs final pass)
 - Sinking of Gustav           (Published!)

With my spreadsheet, the items in the parenthesis are placed in separate columns.  In this case, I’ve placed a temporary title with the story, rather than a concept.  You need to do whatever works for your concept. 

The whole idea behind this concept is to organize your writing so you have a good visual idea of what you need to do, or what you’ve achieved so far.  A nice things about this list is it doesn’t have to remain static.  Each new idea can be added to the bottom.  Completed items can move between the two lists. 

So here is my suggestion:
- create a list of your ideas as they come to you.
- create a list of working projects
- create a list of completed projects

Use these lists as a guide to what you anticipate as your next big step.

So what have I missed?

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Today's post was inspired by the topic “Anticipation” as part of the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour, http://merrygoroundtour.blogspot.com/. This ongoing tour allows you, the reader, travel around the world from author's blog to author's blog.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s posting over at: http://suesantore.com/

If you want to get to know nearly twenty other writers, check out the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour: http://merrygoroundtour.blogspot.com

Moody Writing

I know there are times when you look at your writing, look at your writing place, and your stomach churns.  Your mind goes anywhere but the story at hand.  Your focus rests with the dishes, the laundry, with anything but what’s right in front of you.

These days will pass.  They won’t be frequent unless you make them so, but they do pass.

If you manage to sit and write anything on these days, you’ll find it all disgusting, or maybe won’t be able to address the file for days, months, or even years.  It will feel like the worst possible indictment against your dream of that check from the publisher. 

Don’t let the depression from these days discourage you.

Let me offer a few anecdotes from my own life to give you an idea of what I write.

Winter kills my moods on many occasions.  The lack of light and the festive atmosphere work against my inner curmudgeon, making me a miserable snot from mid October until February.  (Some will claim it’s longer, others shorter.  Whatever.)  I’d entered this funk when NaNo 2009 rolled around.  It was my fifth try and I’d placed a lot of pressure on myself with the extensive concept I wanted to attempt, added to me fighting issues at my bill-paying job, home, and the holidays.  That year, it didn’t matter what my mind told me, I sat at the computer and forced the 2000 words from my fingers.  It was a strain, a drain.  By the end of November, I just wanted a hole to dump my carcass. 

In a regeneration move, I stopped writing and just tried to rebuild myself during December.  Everything clarified in January with a new position at the bill-paying job, the end of the holidays, and a calmer home life.  I breathed a sigh of relief and returned to writing.  When I considered opening the file from that month, I couldn’t do it.  Even once I’d returned to form, it took me almost three years before I could consider the characters and storyline.  It taught me to work through the exterior drama before I pushed forward writing.

This example proves you CAN write through the bad moods, the weird moods, the disturbances in our life.  Sometimes, the writing will fix the problem.  Sometimes, it won’t.

My other example comes from this past Christmas.  It’s still a very raw event, so I’m not offering a lot of details beyond saying I made a huge mistake.  My mind became stuck in the loop of what ifs with the drama of the situation.  It wouldn’t release me from the problem.  Prior to the issue, I’d had a positive holidays (for once), even made a few people stop and take notice at the company holiday party.  (No, I didn’t drink to excess.  Let’s just say this white boy has a bit of rhythm.) 

I’d let a personal problem become a life “Dramah!” which disturbed everything.  I’ve worked through the issue, for the most part.  As I write today, I find myself back to the good mood I had before the event.
While it doesn’t bring as much of the writing life to bear, I will say that by becoming real life drama queens and kings, it takes the play away from the page.  We need to work through things as writers, on the page.  I’m not saying keep your feelings in a box.  Just don’t let the feelings overwhelm everything else.

Obviously, saying that writing is our salvation is like telling a dehydrated man to drink water.  He already knows this.  Just as we know.

Writing won’t always get us out of our funk, however, so we may need others to help break our funk.  Writers are solitary, yes, but we are still human.  Find someone you can converse with that your secrets won’t spread like wildfires.  Even if it’s an online friend.  Have friends you trust, that you can go see whenever, spend time as a social person. 

Find a way to leave your drama with your characters.

Talking Deadlines again

A new year has rolled onto our plate, which means for many, renewed vigor for those “resolutions” to become a writer.  I salute you for being so resolved.

I’m sure some reading this already are sitting reviewing schedules (Up at 4, half hour jog, half hour write, half hour shower, wake kids, get them to school...)  Within that figure, you’re plotting which upcoming deadline is most pressing to be completed today.

But for those of us who aren’t under deadline requirements, who can write whenever, what motivates us to push forward?  After all, we have no requirements to push us forward.  Surely, the love of the written word is plenty, right?

Depends on what your future outlook for your writing is.

If the writing is for yourself and you don’t care if anyone else sees it, then you write when you want.

If you’re pushing for publication as I am, you need to create artificial deadlines for yourself.  I’m not talking about being unreasonable, like completing a 80,000 word book in a writing session.  Let’s be at least semi reasonable. 

I know.  I am writing for other writers.  Reasonable is a matter of perspective.

My push here is another examination of the yearly goals we set to achieve.  Quantify-able progress an end point. 

For me, I create simple goals.  I have word count goals, completion goals, and submission goals.  These are broken down by quarters, so if I make certain goals easily, I can increase them.  If I don’t make them, I repeat them, striving to reach them.

As an example, the last quarter of 2012, I wanted to write 19,500 new fiction-related words (so blog posts didn’t count), complete 3 stories, and submit at least three stories to publications.  The new words goal I made without much effort.  The submissions I struggled to make, but I did achieve.  That complete three stories goal, I’ve not mastered it yet. 

So what do you consider your goal when you say “Become a Writer”?  How do you quantify it?

Favorite book in 2012

I am willing to admit that I'm a slow reader. So when someone asks me "What's your favorite book this year," I have a short list to pick from. In fact, this year, the list is only 11 books long. (12 if I can finish one before the end of the month.)

Yes, I'm major behind on the "trends" because I take so long to read.

This is why when I can claim best of the year from my reading, it is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

I'm going to copy the review I wrote on Librarything for the sake of saving my typing fingers:


I can honestly say this is another book that rates high on my recommend list. It comes across as a brutal story exploring Katniss's experiences through the Hunger Games, held in the Capitol of Panem each year. The writing flows easily and would allow one to flow through it with little effort. Just when you think that the author is going to slow the pace, she adds a new twist. I found it difficult to put down, almost overwhelmingly buried in the world.
While the ending came across as honest and well thought, it felt disappointing when compared with the rest of the book. One story line just ended. In a way, I'm anxious to get to the sequel, so I can see where that storyline goes...


Because I'm a slow reader, I'm also slower to pick up on the reading trends. I didn't start reading Harry Potter until book 4. I read through the entire series, grew disappointed in book 6 and struggled with book 7. (Blasphemous. I know.)

You might wonder, why do you take so long to read a book?

This comes from me taking in multiple concepts while reading one paragraph. It isn't just words on a page to me. It's the theme and story, the construction and flow, the feel and mood... Things writers look to create and things the reader enjoys. Even when reading for pleasure, I'm looking for things to translate into my own writing.

So perhaps in 2013, my list will be longer, but perhaps not.
Happy New Era! Merry Christmas! Happy Yule!
And a Wonderful new year!
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Today's post was inspired by the topic “My favorite book of 2012” as part of the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour, http://merrygoroundtour.blogspot.com/. This ongoing tour allows you, the reader, travel around the world from author's blog to author's blog.
Don’t miss tomorrow’s posting over at: http://suesantore.com/
If you want to get to know nearly twenty other writers, check out the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour: http://merrygoroundtour.blogspot.com