Writing

Jan 26

Several months ago I was reading an interview with Maria V. Snyder (I can’t remember where I read it). In the interview, she shared that originally she had intended Yelena, the Heroine of the Study Series, to have a relationship with the Commander, not Valek. But in the course of writing, she realized this wasn’t meant to be.

Characters have a mind of their own in matters of love

In my current WIP, I set out with a lovely outline detailing how my MC would come to love the intended love interest. But as I’ve been writing, there’s been a complete lack of chemistry. Zero emotion. They don’t hate each other, but they don’t like each other either. They are completely indifferent. So how am I supposed to make them like each other, let alone love each other?

As it turns out, my MC made up her own mind and, out of nowhere, I suddenly realized that sexual chemistry had been building between her and a minor character, and I realized that he really isn’t a minor character but rather the obvious love interest and ideal hero. And in realizing this, everything fell together. Several of the plot holes, the way to create a romance that an audience will like, everything finally made sense.

Without even realizing it, I’ve already written several scenes full of sexual tension. And the new love interest is extremely likeable. I’d go as far as to say that he’s lovable. And I’ve already built in conflict for the relationship, reasons why he shouldn’t fall for my MC and reasons why she should definitely not be falling for him. It really couldn’t have worked out better if I had sat down and written an outline. Oh wait, I did that and my outline love story flopped.

Let your characters run wild

I know people talk about this a lot, but sometimes, your characters do unexpected things. They may be fictional, but in our subconscious, we know what will work, and this comes out through our characters doing something we, the writers, did not foresee. And you know what, it’s actually kind of exciting when this happens. It makes the story feel more dynamic, more real. And personally, I’m a big fan of letting my characters run wild.

Do your characters do things you don’t expect? Do you give them free reign? Or do you make them conform to what you planned for them all along?

Want to read more about creating a romantic relationship? Check out this post from Dark Angel’s Blog, The Essence of Attraction.

Jan 23

January is almost over, meaning we are about 1/12 of the way through 2011. And so far 2011 is shaping up to be a pretty busy year.

In 2011, I’m planning the following:

Reading 100 books (I joined the GoodReads group 100+ books in 2011. You should check it out. You should also check out Writer’s Block NZ Blog, where I learned about this GoodReads group)
Getting a submission worthy manuscript out the door
Running a 5k in April (meaning lots of training building up to it)

And then, of course, there’s going to work every day, my trip to Europe (on it as you read), moving to an apartment with a better view in March, participating in a wedding in May, regularly updating my blog, and all the other things that come with life.

So how to make time for my writing?

I work best under pressure. I’ve always been that way. The reason for this is that being overbooked (a.k.a. under pressure) forces me (and most people) to create schedules. If you know you only have x hours to do something, you find a way to get it done. And that is what I’ve been doing with my writing.

NaNoWriMo helped a lot, reminding me that I can write every day. And now that I am using 750words.com, I’ve found additional help in scheduling my writing time.

I look at writing time the same way I look at gym time. If you get into the habit of doing something at the same time everyday, it no longer seems like work. It becomes something you just do. Similar to making it to your 9-5 every day. If you treat writing like a job, which you need to do if you have dreams of being a professional writer, then you can find a way to schedule it in.

My schedule may be pretty booked. But a little organization and the creation of a routine can make all the difference between finding time to write your first book or spending your days talking about writing a book.

How do you make time for writing? Do you write every day? Do you write at a specific time of day? Do you sacrifice other things to fit in writing time?

Jan 16

I’m nearing the end of my first draft, and it’s everything I can do to just keep pushing through. I want to go back and read it. I want to start editing. I want to fix the plot holes I know are there. I want to make it polished and shiny and perfect. But I know I can’t do these things yet. I know I need to finish before anything else.

A change in perspective

My philosophy on this matter has changed dramatically in the past year. I used to think there was no point continuing on if you knew things needed to be fixed. But then I would get so caught up fixing that I never quite reached the end. I need to show myself that I can complete a first draft first and foremost. Once I know how it is supposed to end (I do have an idea, but everything plays out differently when you put it down on paper), I will know how to go back and spruce it up.

I’m right around 60,000 words right now. Not bad considering I started this one November 1. Ideally my WIP will come in around 90k. But I’m not stressing out. I know there are scenes I need to elaborate on, characters that need to be expanded upon. These things will give me some extra words. So instead of worrying about reaching my word count goal, I’m just worrying about getting to the end, about creating a story with the three essential parts: beginning, middle, and end.

How do you write your first drafts? Do you edit as you go? Do you try to write more words than you need or do you prefer to add instead of subtract in the editing process?

Jan 12

What makes an ideal writing space? I’ve been thinking about this for a while because, until this weekend, I have been without one.

This weekend, I finally got to create my own writing space. No more sharing a desk with the boyfriend. No more being forced to write on the sofa, or the other sofa, or in bed. Finally, after almost a year, I got my own desk (or second desk since the one we were sharing is technically my desk).

What makes the perfect writing space?

Everyone is different. This is a very personal thing. Some people write best in crowded coffee shops late at night. Others find inspiration while listening to music or starting at 5 in the morning or staring at a television. For me, I work best when I’m in a familiar, distraction free place.

But I also need a space that inspires me.

What’s in my new writer’s space?

A desk that is just the right size – I needed enough room for my computer and a notebook. If it’s too big, I’ll just cover it with distractions. Too small, and I will feel cramped and uncomfortable
A drawer – a drawer is key. I need to be able to stash stuff away. Out of sight = Out of mind
Writing books – Last year I found these amazing bookends. They’ve been hidden away in my bookshelf, but now they are out on display, cradling my writing books. Seeing my writing books while I write helps inspire me
Natural light – I need natural light or I feel like I need to go elsewhere to find it
A comfortable chair – I’m still looking for the perfect chair, but for now, a chair from the dining room table will just have to do.
I’m also thinking about a bulletin board for posting ideas, but this might become too distracting.

Other than that, I’m pretty easy going in regards to what I need. Because when it really comes down to it, all you really need is an idea, a little bit of skill, tons of patience and persistence, and something to write the story on, whether its pen and paper, a typewriter, or a computer.

What goes into your writing space? Do you have certain things you need? Do you enjoy a stark space or do you prefer a busier one? Or are you one of those lucky people that can write anywhere?

My perfect writing space

Jan 03

Meeting a daily word count was easy during NaNoWriMo, or easier. Now that November is long gone, I’ll be the first to admit that my daily word counts are suffering.

Why is it easier to meet daily word counts during NaNoWriMo?

NaNo is only a month long. It’s easy to put your personal life aside for one month. Plus, there’s a score of other people also sacrificing their lives for the common goal of 1,667 words a day. But for me, the progress bar was what really helped. I didn’t want to miss a day and risk falling below the ‘where you should be’ line. And so I stayed up an extra hour, or spent my lunch hour writing, or skipped the gym here and there. And then November ended, and so did many of my sacrifices.

How to keep that momentum going?

Recently, I learned about an online program called 750words.com. What’s great about 750words.com is that, like NaNo, it tracks your daily word counts. Unlike NaNo, the daily goal is more realistic for every day writers – only 750 words. Additionally, you write directly into the program and the program tracks not only your word counts, but how quickly you reach your word count, the tone of your writing, common topics, commonly used words, etc. Not only are the stats fun, but knowing that I’m being timed keeps me from wandering to other websites or just plain wandering.

In keeping with the recent trends in mobile gaming, you can also earn badges for things like reaching your word count several days in a row or reaching your word counts in a timely fashion. Plus, there is a community surrounding the site, so you can follow other writers, like you would with NaNo. And every month offers members the chance to participate in a monthly challenge where you are challenged to reach your word goal every day of the month. Winners are added to the Wall of Amazingness whereas losers find themselves on the Wall of Shame and remain there until successfully winning a month challenge.

The one negative is that you have to write on the site. Whereas with NaNo you just entered in your new word count for the day, 750words determines your word count and typing speed based off of how much you write into the text box that is provided when you login for the day. You can always just copy and paste the text into your own word processor, or use the sites text exporter, but if you have a hard time focusing in an unfamiliar environment, this could pose a problem.

The site also archives your writing. While I have no problem with this and actually like the idea of having a backup sitting in cyberspace, I know this could makes some writers uncomfortable.

If you are looking for a way to get your writing momentum back, though, why not give 750words a try? The worst you’ll get out of it is an additional 750 words. The best you’ll get is a new time management/motivation tool. If you give it a try, or if you are already using 750words, what do you think of it as a writing tool?

Dec 12

Ok, I know. Weird topic for a writing blog. What does a Rumba have to do with anything? Wait for it though, it’s coming.

House cleaning is a time suck, especially vacuuming (loud groan at the thought). Now, I could just skip it altogether, but I live with a cat who likes to scatter litter from here to the North Pole. And he’s long-haired. And I’m long-haired. And I write from home. I think you’re getting the idea. Ignoring housework isn’t really an option.

So in comes the Rumba. As I type this blog post, the Rumba is in the living room doing my housework for me so I can write this blog post for you. Later when I head to the gym, the Rumba will go to town on the bedroom/office, meaning I can justify my gym time. If the place magically gets clean while I’m working out, it’s not like I sacrificed writing time. I actually saved writing time.

Now if they would come out with a pick my clothes up and put them in the laundry hamper/dresser drawers robot I’d be all set.

How do you make time for writing? Are there things you skimp on to give yourself some extra time?

Nov 30

Phew. The last day of November. I just uploaded my 50K+ words to NaNoWriMo and received my winner badge. And now I can get back to a regular blogging schedule.

Since I’ve been a bit awol as of late, I thought I’d give a little summary of the things you’ve missed during the writing marathon I just underwent. So here goes:

I decided on the new design for my website. It should be up and running by the end of the year. Can you guess which design I went with?
I saw the new Harry Potter Movie. Review to follow, but just as a teaser, I was pretty impressed and now I feel like I have to reread the book. More on that though.
My work started blogging. Ok, I started blogging for work, but I’m roping in some additional authors from around the archaeology lab. If you have ever wondered what a real life museum person/archaeologist does, you should check out the NMSC Archeology Blog. It will also give you some insight into what I do when I’m not writing.
I went home for the first time in 2 years and met my niece for the first time (she’s 2 in February). I also saw my almost 4 year old nephew. Not only are they super cute, but they reminded me about the little things kids find fascinating.
I’ve read a lot. Hard to believe with all the writing, I know, but this month I’ve read: Magic Bites, Ilona Andrews; The Summoning, Kelley Armstrong; The Awakening, Kelley Armstrong; & The Angel Experiment, James Patterson. I’m currently reading The Duff, Kody Keplinger and School’s Out-Forever, James Patterson. As of this afternoon I will also be adding Matched, Ally Condie to my reading list, which came out today. So I’ve been busy and am now way behind on book reviews, but before you know it, I’ll be all caught up, I promise.
And, my biggest achievement – I finished NaNoWriMo! My first draft is not finished, but I’ve made pretty good progress. And, now that NaNo is over, it means I can return to my other WIP. The away time has been good and I’m ready to dive back in and get that sucker ready to go.

It’s been a busy month and I won’t lie. I’m kind of happy to see it come to a close. How was your November? Any exciting things happen? Did you catch any good books or movies? Come up with a new idea for a book? Any big plans for December in preparation for the start of another new year?

Nov 16

We have reached the second half of November. And you know what that means besides turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and my mom’s birthday? It means that NaNoWriMo is half over!

The good news for me is that I am actually on schedule this year. Scratch that. I’m ahead of schedule. When I went to bed last night, I was at 34,365 words, well over halfway to 50,000. Of course, the bad news is that NaNo has made blogging a little more difficult. But that’s actually a good thing because there’s no point in building a platform if you’ve got nothing to show for it (i.e. a book).

I know that some of my 34,365 words are duds, destined to be erased, but isn’t that the nature of a first draft? To spew everything out of your head onto paper? At least that’s what NaNoWriMo is about. And so far, it’s working. By getting everything down, I am able to clear my head. I already know some of the bits that will get cut in my next draft, but in the spirit of NaNo, I’m not cutting yet. I’m going to finish my first draft and then we can talk about the second draft.

So why is it that I can suddenly get my story down?

Part of it is discipline. The discipline of NaNo is something I’m benefiting from and something I’m hoping to be able to take with me into the coming months. I think the other part of it is keeping my focusing, working hard to get my story down in full before it starts slipping away, before I start losing momentum. With my other work-in-progress, I dragged it out, allowing doubt to seep in.

The other part of it was my planning. While I’ve deviated from the outline in some aspects, the general outline has not changed. I know where my story is going and how to get there. I think this is key.

How are you doing with the NaNoWriMo challenge? Are you on track? What’s working for you and what isn’t? And, if you haven’t donated to NaNo this year, what are you waiting for?

Nov 10

Yesterday morning I was heading to work on the T (the subway, for all you non-Bostonians), reading the Metro and I saw a story about Jeff Kinney. I am sure you can imagine my surprise and joy. To see a writer of kids’ books featured in the subway paper that usually displays stories about corrupt politicians, murders, and the Boston Red Sox made me feel like kidlit is truly on the rise.

The story was not long, but what it lacked in stature, it made up for in impact. The article looked at Jeff Kinney’s career, at the struggles he had trying to make it as an illustrator. It also looked at the struggles he still has. And I found it inspiring.

Jeff Kinney did what many author’s today are doing. He turned to electronic media, in his case a website, to pave his way, to create his own audience. And it paid off.

But what I also liked was that Jeff Kinney admitted that writing is hard. So often I hear stories of the writers who can complete a book in a few months. While this is encouraging, it can also become frustrating since I’m not yet at that level. To read that it takes him 9 months and that he doesn’t always find it easy to come up with his jokes was refreshing.

As an author, how are you paving your way? Do you have any special tricks? If you’re still trying to find your way, try checking out this article, 17 Ways for Writers to Publish their Content for some ideas. And which do you find more inspiring: authors who can crank out content or authors who are a bit slower?

Nov 04

I often hear writers say that you should allow your character to surprise you, or let your characters think for themselves. When I was first starting out, I had no clue what this meant. I remember thinking ‘how is a fictional character that lives inside my head going to surprise me?’

Little Surprises Lead to Realistic Characters

And then it happened. At first it started with little things. A character choosing to go left instead of right, or saying no instead of yes, things that helped move the story along while also sharing something about how the character thinks. And then it moved on to bigger things, like a character ending up in a room he most definitely did not belong in, making an appearance when, in fact, he was supposed to remain unseen until the very end. Tuesday, it went so far as a character creating an entire back story for another character through a memory she had that I never intended her to have. She created a connection different but better than the one I planned. So how does this happen?

Character Surprises are a Good Thing

When you are engrossed in your writing, things fall into place. You get in the zone and the story makes sense. Things you forgot to plan out beforehand jump out at you and they just happen. And this is a good thing. It helps your characters become real. No human is 1-dimensional. These surprises help move your character from 1-D to 3-D; they help make that character real.

Example:

Yesterday I discovered that my character has a fear of blood. Here’s what happened. I decided that the best way to create a sinister environment was to add in the scent of blood. This smell then triggered a memory in the MC and through that memory, I discovered that she has really bad associations with blood, having seen a man killed when she was only 6. Not only does this provide insight into both the character’s past and the nature of her world, but it also makes her a little vulnerable. People like characters that are a little vulnerable.

I’m sure there are many experienced writers who plan things out down to those tiny details before ever starting chapter 1. I’m not yet at that level. But if my characters keep speaking to me, keep throwing out little surprises, that’s OK with me. After all, doesn’t everyone love a good surprise?

Do your characters surprise you? Are there downfalls to this? Do you think this goes away when you become a more experienced writer?

For more on character’s thinking for themselves, check out this post from YA Highway

Page 2

Fictional Characters are Picky in Love

Characters have a mind of their own in matters of love

Let your characters run wild

Making time for a little writing

So how to make time for my writing?

Just keep writing

A change in perspective

Creating a Writer’s Space

What makes the perfect writing space?

750words.com – Helping you meet your daily writing goals

Why is it easier to meet daily word counts during NaNoWriMo?

How to keep that momentum going?

Writers and the Rumba

November Roundup

NaNoWriMo has reached the half way point – where do you stand?

So why is it that I can suddenly get my story down?

Paving Your Way as a Writer

When Characters Have a Mind of their Own

Little Surprises Lead to Realistic Characters

Character Surprises are a Good Thing