Writers And Readers Websites Wednesday - Wrighting Words

Heather E. Wright's Wrighting Words - resources for teens and young teen writers.  Lots of great info to get you going. Prompts, where to get published, info for writing teachers and more.  Her sight is definitely worth a visit.

Too Much Work And No Play For Writers

Hey, you, are you working too much?

Yep, you. Yes, I know, you're working a job and you just have to write so you have to juggle both and that means working...a lot.

Many, actually most, writers have to do this if they want to write. Few of us actually reach full-time writer status, at least in the fiction arena. And if you become a successful full-time copywriter or grant writer or creator of newsletters, etc. and love writing fiction, you still work too much. 

So how to you work less and still pursue your love of writing?

For starters you realize that taking breaks optimizes your work and creative flow so the writing goes smoothly.

Being pumped up on caffeine and pulling all-nighters is plainly not optimal no matter what your 20-something buddy (or your own 20-something brain) may claim.

And what is optimal? Well, the experts tell us it's a period of time in which you perform, mind and body, at your best when engaged in high-imagination and thinking projects. During that time you can keep your focus, your body is firing on all cylinders, your attitude is good and your imagination (really critical to fiction writing) is through the roof.

So, with all that in mind, it's true, that 20-something brain may work faster than a 40-something brain. They may have an edge on efficiency, really cranking it out, but the 40-something has the edge on effectiveness. 

45-year olds have it all over 25-year-olds in verbal memory and vocabulary.  Yeah, well, there it is. 

And, remember our bodies and minds (emphasis for writers on mind) have a natural rhythm. For most of us humans that cycle is around 90 minutes to 2 hours. So, with that in mind, it would appear the best time to take a little break is after that cycle.

For writers with day jobs that means not only do you need to take those little breaks during your work day - step away from the desk for a few minutes, grab a cup of tea or just walk down the hall - for optimum performance, but you need to do the same when you lock yourself down for your writing.

If you write during your lunch break at your day job, eat your lunch, savor your food, walk a few steps, then write before going back to your 'other job'. Yes, you lose a few minutes from your cherished 'writing time', but it will cause you to write that much more effectively. This applies to folks who have to do a lot of reading as part of their jobs (this includes you writers) as well. Short breaks and distractions will improve reading comprehension and speed.

And if you include taking breaks when you write during your evening hours you'll find you're not 'over-doing' it and burning yourself out. And, if you want to sustain that writing momentum over years and decades, not just right now, take those breaks.

Even short breaks are a tremendous help. Step away from your work area.  Look out of a window. Maybe sit in a comfortable chair near a window for a few minutes and embrace a memory that gives you pleasure. Step outdoors for a quick breath of air if you are able and while there savor the breeze, the colors, the sounds and smells. Movement is even better - a brisk short walk, even a block and back - more if you have the time. For night I have a treadmill - five minutes at a brisk pace and I'm good to go.

And I've reached a stage in my writing career where I don't have to work evenings. My work days are my work days. If you don't have to write in the eveings, don't do it. 

Relegate your writing to the 'work day' if you can - on the bus, during breaks or lunch hour, get up early to write before leaving for job, some writing on week-ends and days off. It's much more relaxing - and thus leads to better performance if you keep your evenings free, disengage from all work and allow yourself pockets of silence, play, self-indulgence and reading. If you can't eliminate all evening writing work, then make sure you shut down about a hour before you intend to go to bed.

Give yourself a break and see how your productivity and quality will improve. Life (and by extension your work) is not a sprint, it's a marathon.

Give yourself a break.

The Writer's Life - What to Do With Horrible Reviews

Somewhere out there somebody hates you - not just your writing, but it's personal - you.

At least that's the way it comes across.

After you put your heart and soul and lots of work into writing a book, gotten it published either by a major or minor house or self published, the worst (as you see it) has happened. Your writing received a truly horrible review. One so horrible and vicious that it feels very personal and it really, really hurts.

One so bad that to take the sting out you want to retaliate.

My advice? Don't.

The fact a writer (or an actor or any public figure for that matter) must face is that someday, somebody, somewhere is going to think your work is the absolute worse.

Sorry, it's going to happen. And that person, delightful soul that he or she is, is going to say it very loudly and very publicly -- you're a bad writer, your writing stinks, you, as a writer stink..

Look, I have my suspicions that pretty much every writer that was ever born has a deep dark secret - that his or her writing really isn't any good. In fact, that his or her writing is really, really bad, just as accused.

So, don't read the reviews.

Really, don't.

Well, you could make an exception for a 4 or 5 star review if you really need a little something to pump you up. But do not, I repeat, do not read the other reviews.

One nasty review can have you fuming for a day or longer or even paralyze you to the point of not writing. That bad review of your writing can have a strong impact. It can cause you to change yourself just because you read it. To please one single slimeball having a bad life, who went out of their way to trash you and your writing you might change yourself.  If you do you're an idiot.

Sorry, blunt, but well, you are.

Look, you've chosen to be a writer.  You've chosen to take risks. It would be nice if life were all lollipops and roses and people were nice to each other all the time, but unfortunately that isn't the truth. There are the jerks mentioned above and there are also the run of the mill 'reviewers' who may not be out to get you (or, well, they might) and give what is in their opinion an 'honest review' that just happens to shred your work. Don't read those; simply not worth the angst.

The risk you take being a writer exposes you and you can take a hit.

Too bad.

Get over it.

Move on. 

Don't read any more.

Think about your fans, the people who really, really like your writing. Those are the people you need to please, to encourage to come back and read again. Those are the ones you write to, not the big negative.

The hits are out there, they're going to happen. If you can't handle them perhaps you need to chose another direction for your writing career. You could do commercial writing or newsletters or grants and not risk 'bad reviews' or 'poison emails'.

So you can avoid reading the reviews of your writing, but what about the one who really makes it personal and sends you that nasty Email that trashes everything you've ever written?

You don't have to read that either. When you get spam in your in box you know it after a few words, right? Same applies here. When you recognize an attach on you and your writing, don't read it. You might want to make a folder to keep these tucked away so you have an email address to back track just in case (that's another whole ball of wax and another article for another day). Call it something like "jerks", "idiots" or whatever suits your fancy and chuck it into that folder as soon as you know you  have a bad one. It's their problem not yours. Think of them spewing on each other in the tight confines of that little folder and not on you and what you write. Don't read it, and really (I mean really) don't answer it. You  might put a block on that particular address as well.

So what's the message here?  Protect the fire in your gut that drives you to write, improve your writing always - with your actual fans in mind - and avoid the negative; it has power to harm you only if  you let it.

Face it. As a writer you are dependent on yourself. Not everyone will like everything you write. Enjoy about half the wonderful things people say about you and what you've written (I say half because they're not always right either!) and dump the negative altogether.

New Book For Writers - Out Of Thin Air Updated and Revised

It's big news - after weeks of work, revising text, adding great new web links of free stuff for writers and other sites of interest and help for writers I've launched a new version of Out Of Thin Air. Come checkout the Kindle edition!

Are You a Writer Striving For a Novel Ending?

Writing is tricky.

Novel writing is even trickier.

Trickiest of all is bringing in that ending with punch, pow, wow and 'I'm sorry it's over' power that brings readers back for more, clamoring for your next book. The ending that helps get you an agent or a publisher - which helps lead to those readers.

So today I decided I'd write a bit about things you should and shouldn't do to create that nail-biting, throat-gripping ending.  Of course HOW you accomplish these ideals is up to you - you're the writer - but lets clarify some of the things that will help make the ending of your novel outstanding. 

First some things you SHOULD do.

Near the end is where your biggest surprises should happen.  Here's where some tiny trivial detail seen earlier in the book might play a big part in the ending. Not just might, but should.  Here's where that small detail the reader may well have skimmed over will pop out and be a very decisive factor in the novel's ending.  Remember that pocket knife Jimmy's dad gave him for his birthday?  Here's where that little knife can chisel a hole in the way and let him and his little sister escape to safety away from kidnappers.  Remember the bubble gum wrapper the killer dropped on the floor when he left the scene of the murder? Here's where that wrapper can play a crucial part in the murder's apprehension.  You get it.  The 'Wow' factor. 

Another thing you, as the writer, needs to do is to resolve the main conflict of your novel. No, I'm not telling you all your novels must be possessed of a 'happily ever after' ending, but something in your ending that's uplifting is a real boost. Readers love to be raised up a the end and remember publishers, editors and agents want to give readers what they want. So do you, actually. Here's where you put your imagination to the test.

As you write your way to the end of your novel it's also important to give your hero a chance to redeem himself.  Yes, he's screwed up royally along the way, made a mess of things, been a bit of a jerk, but it's part of the 'uplifting' thing above - in the end allow your reader to know the hero has done the right thing.

Here's also where you want to be writing those loose ends together.  All through the book you wrote you planted questions - yes you did.  This is the place, the here and now where your writing skills need to be directed to addressing each of those questions, creating closures.  Readers don't like to be left hanging so answer the questions even if it's just to say there's an issue that will be resolved after the book ends or perhaps in another book coming in the series (IF it is a series).

Those are some of the things that, as a writer, you should do.  So what shouldn't you do?

Well the ending isn't the place to introduce new characters and/or subplots. Don't stick something in that hasn't been foreshadowded.  It's jarring and it could well cause your readers to blow you off for future books.

The ending of your novel isn't the time to change your writer's voice or tone either. Be consistent.

Avoid writing page after page of explanation of philosophizing at the end of your book.  Keep your descriptions to a minimum and focus on the conflict and it's resolution. You should have planted all sorts of goodies previous to the last 50 or so pages of your story. Now's the time to moved it along and wrap it up.

And please, above all, don't create a gimmicky ending. Don't come up with some strange twist in your writing that is nothing more than the coward's way out of completing the novel you've written. If your reader is here with you at the end it's because you've written well, tossed out the interesting hooks and he or she is looking for a satisfying ending.  Don't trick or cheat your reader, you're a better writer than that.

Writers - Artists or Crafters

I've heard this question before, I've seen it tossed about the web. We do get wrapped up in minutia. 

I mean really, who cares? 

Why are we debating the non-issue? 

We're writers, right?  

And just for the record, it's both. 

Yes, I know, as a writer, it's hard to explain to those who don't write exactly what it is you do.  I mean you put words down on paper.  It's sort of like when you were in school, right, writing papers? Pretty much anyone can do it, the real question is whether you get an "A" or an "F".  And so many people say I want to write a novel, or I'll write a novel myself some day like it's writing a paper for English class. 

Good luck. 

Now I don't want to seem snotty here, but there's a bit more to writing a novel than thinking about it. 

And then we have the argument from the visual artists who find it hard to accept writing into the 'arts'. I have a few words about some 'visual' artists, but I'll keep them to myself (please note I said some, not all).

In any event what does an artist do - create something out of nothing.  A painter does that on canvas and a writer does that with words on paper or a computer screen.  Where there was not story before, there is one now. The writer has written. Hopefully it's good. 

And while there is a lot of craft to writing, a lot of pieces that have to be put together (you have to learn the language and how to handle it deftly in order to put your writer's ideas across in such a way that the reader doesn't want to put the book down) there is also the art of creating that amazing story. Something from nothing.

Don't forget there's a lot of 'craft' in painting as well.  Techniques to be learned, different mediums to be mastered, but that doesn't make the final painting any less art when in the hands of a master. 

Even some writers don't really think of themselves as artists and that's okay.  As I said before, what does it matter, really?  Why have such a debate?

But we have the writing - art or craft debate - so here goes

Crafting is defined as creating something, learning how to do something, following a set of instructions, probably assembling something.  Well, writing has a hefty dose of that, it's true.  One has to learn the language, how to write well, how to put ideas across clearly.  At that point one could chose to be a copywriter or technical writer or some other venue and be on solid ground calling it a craft. That which can be learned and pretty much duplicated.  Some have the 'touch' and create magical, drawing copy and others not so much, but it is something that can be learned. 

But, the rub comes in for writers when they go in the highly creative "I want to write a novel" direction. Then there isn't a manual to write, instructions to create or a report to get written.

At that point the writer is facing the blank and creating something out of nothing as a painter does when he or she faces the blank canvas or the ceiling of a well-known chapel.  There are the so-called 'hack' writers who can crank out novel after novel in one genre or another, following a 'formula' and many of those are even great and entertaining reads.

The jump to art comes when you acknowledge some of the amazing writers and their works that the world has seen. Just because it's words and not paint why would you not call that art? Once that line is crossed would you really stand there holding the book in your hand and say "no biggie, I  can write a book just like that?"  It's not like a doll made from doilies, clothespins and yarn.

Writers' books, great books, entertaining book,s move people, grab them by the throat and hold them until they finish reading. 

That is what art is.

So, back to my original statement.  It's both.

And again, why are we debating this?

Ask Ray Bradbury in his Zen In The Art of Writing 

Ask Robert Louis Stevenson about The Art of Writing

Writers Websites Wednesday - Superhero Nation

 

Super Hero Nation offers writing tips, insights and advice. It's a fun site that posts short videos such as movie trailers as well. Check it out, peruse the site and let me know what you think.  I enjoyed my tour. 

Saving The Distracted Writer

A writer's life s not an easy one. It's full of distractions and trials. Frequently we have to have a job and write at the same time, not to mention family obligations. And how is one to write when there are so many other distractions out there in the world just ready to leap at you from the dark corners - or even out in broad daylight?

Hmmm.  Well, there are a lot of things a writer can do. Some of them are as basic as self-discipline. Dirty words, I know. But as a writer you're going to have to find ways to focus, move forward, put aside distractions and write.  Easier said than done, right?

Yep, been there done that - a lot - for a long time - even before all the new distractions the web, email, iPhones, etc. present.

So here are a few ideas to help you along - to keep you focused.

1. If you commute, try to utilize that time to write.  Get yourself a pair of noise cancelling headphone or just listen to some quite background music, sequester yourself away from people as best you can and write. Just write, don't edit.  Your creative self races ahead of your more pedantic editing self, so get those ideas down on paper, your laptop, whatever. You can edit and clean it up later. Seriously. 

2. Consider staying up late at night or getting up really early in the morning.  I was up at 4:30 this morning and I don't go to an outside job. Husband had to go out of town on business this morning and left really early.  I took advantage of the extra time to accomplish a lot.  I'm so proud of myself! These times; early morning or late at night, are quieter times.  Most folks aren't trying to reach you. Businesses aren't open.  It's a great time to work uninterrupted.

3. Center yourself when you are writing. Take some time ahead of your writing time to collect some tools that will keep help you keep yourself focused. If you need to take notes a simple note pad, thus avoiding the distractions of the web might be good.  If you can block that out you might like to try a program like Evernote - it's a free program, lets you take notes and keep track of them. There are others out there that are similar. There are other programs as well, designed to help you keep your focus.  Ommwriter (downloadable program) is another with a few bells and whistles thrown in, but any text writer will keep you on track. 

Oh, you might consider an actual physical, pocket edition of a dictionary and/or thesaurus to keep at your desk. If it's just a simple word you're looking up or you want a synonym web searching can prove to be a mighty distraction, luring you off onto all sorts of other things you'd like to investigate and breaking your focus. Pull back just a bit from the web - save that for when you want to actually be there, researching, playing, exploring.

4. Here's another thing and I've said this in a previous blog, it's better to write first - edit second. If you try to do both you're attempting to do two jobs at once and you're slowing yourself way down.  On top of that, consider what you're doing.  Are you really trying to clean your work up to that point or are you just stalling?  Many writers are actually almost phobic about finishing their books. Anything to throw up self-imposed road blocks.  Don't do that to yourself.  Keep moving. All that little stuff, spelling, punctuation, rewording, can be done later.  Get the ideas down and press forward.
So what are you going to do?  Define your writing time, don't try to let the web do everything (sometimes a bit old fashioned can help as in a notebook), don't answer the damn phone or allow your time to be interrupted and use your self-discipline to press forward. A good idea, not written down, can be lost forever.  Been there, done that to.

Keep writing - keep the momentum moving forward and let me know how you do.



 

Give Your Writing Punch - Make Your Reader Believe!

Today's advice is pretty basic, but I think it needs to be pulled out and examined again anyway.  How many times have you as a writer been told to 'show' don't 'tell'. 


Well I wrote a blog post on that some time back so if you've read that (and you still can by going into my archives here) then you know where I stand in general on that statement.  Yes, there's a lot of legitimacy to it, but not exclusively.

That said, let me tell you there needs to be action in your writing. I don't necessarily mean blowing things up or crazy chases, but action, movement, things happening.  It can't simply be two people talking to each other. It can't be you, the writer, describing everything you 'see' in the story without creating sharp dialog and throat-grabbing scenes.

So, consider this. If in your narrative you state John Smith is a brutal, homicidal maniac with wind-whipped scraggly hair and ice water for blood, but he loves his cat, your reader  may buy it or more likely may well think, 'yeah, sure."

On the other hand if you take a different approach if you set the scene (and remember books are built out of scenes, one stacking on another) in which John is striding down a wind-swept beach, the sea mist wetting his hair into scraggy dreads twisted on the wind while he carries a knife tucked up his sleeve so we see only the glinting silver tip, the reader becomes involved. 

If you continue with John until he trips over a guy in the sand, whirls on him, stabbing him with the suddenly hand-held knife, then kicks him in the ribs for good measure when he's down, the reader is gripped by this study of violence and accepts the ice water in John's veins.

And if John casually tucks the knife away and retreats to his cottage on the beach where his cat awaits to wind lovingly back and forth between his legs until John scoops him up in a loving embrace and the cat purrs like a fur-wrapped jack-hammer, well, now the reader believes! And, in believing, the reader wants more and reads on, turning the page.

So you've got them believing and reading.  The next step is a readable novel. Keep those scenes stacking, building and keep painting your word picture with strong, simple, natural sentences. Occasionally a story requires a longer, more involved sentence, but generally, to hold attention, KISS - the old Keep It Simple Stupid. 

Because - if you're creating descriptive and powerful scenes, you don't want to wander off into what was long ago known as 'purple prose'.  Few things can distract the reader and distract him or her from the crisp, potent images you create as fast as that stabbing scene with John enveloped in a lengthy and flowery passage about the lyrical beauty of the sea and sand.

If you must put that lyrical, flowery bit in, do -- then brutally exorcise it from the manuscript at final edit. No excuses, do it.

The Beginning Writer

I just read an article by a writer I normally appreciate and agree with on many levels.  This time, I didn't.

Why?

The person in question was giving tips on how to get started in a writing career and how in order to begin the writer must not begin by writing books, but rather find other venues to begin with and to launch yourself.  Things like writing for magazines, swimming through the frustration, moving forward, dealing with rejection, and more.  Oh, and don't forget newspapers, she mentioned beginning writers write for newspapers.

Okay, now I'm not belittling her viewpoint as it is her own, but I don't happen to share it. 

By now you all know I'm a writer of books - books, and well, more recently screenplays.  And here's the thing.  I went totally against her rule.  I began writing by writing books. I didn't want to write anything shorter or to begin by writing articles or short stories for magazine.  That wasn't me. 

I took English courses in school, aimed at improving my writing. In high school and college I took English courses.  And I did a lot of self teaching. I dug into things, found help where I needed it.  Found ways to talk to other writers and I wrote.

I wrote a lot.

I wrote books. Novels. Fiction.

It seems a bit off the wall to me to take the position that a writer hasn't become a writer yet so therefore should begin writing with things that are not your forte or that bore you to tears. 

Do you need to develop your writer's voice?  Yes. 

Do you need to have the tools to put forth your ideas in clear and proper language?  Yes.

Magazines are fine IF you want to write for magazines.  And, yes, it might help you to earn some bucks if you can write for magazines, or newspapers, or other venues to help boost your writing abilities. 

BUT, that doesn't mean you should put your first writing love aside UNTIL you master the others.  If books; writing fiction is your first love, then write.

After you've written, proof it, edit it and pass it to others to get input.  That input may not always be good, but that is for you to decide.  Should you get professional editing? Probably. 

Here's the thing, from my personal experience, and I've published 15 books and optioned several screen plays, you must follow your joy. I've been side-tracked a number of times and have always regretted it.

One thing I have done though, is write for different genres, different venues such as articles, biography, even short stories, but most of that I did AFTER I'd had my book(s) published.

So here it is in a capsule.  

You need to learn to write tight (screenwriting can really teach you that) and your own ability to cut, cut, cut.

Learn to write fast.  This is one that really works for me.  Might not for you so much.  But the faster I write, the better.  Editing comes later.

Learn to research well. Doesn't matter what you write, you're going to have to research sooner or later, most likely sooner. So realize you have to research and learn to do it well.

Learn to listen to an editor.  Whether a pro you hire to edit and review your book or the one at the publishing house where you just sold your book. No, they're not out to get you or to make your life miserable. Generally they want to help you put out the best book you can. They're not always right, but they are always worth listening to. You can talk to them about your writing, really.

So, while having credits to show an editor is always good, it's doubtful a science fiction editor is going to do much more than glance in passing at your magazine article credits on gardening or cooking. Granted, those show you can write and meet a deadline, but they don't showcase your fiction writing abilities.

So, moral of this tale? For me it always has been and always will be, write what you love.  Follow your joy.  Oh, and if writing doesn't bring you the joy you thought it might when you started out, find something else you love. Writing should not be torture. Forgive yourself if you took a wrong turn. But if you love writing, then write what you love.