Ah yes, putting yourself out there. This is the single most difficult thing for me to do.
I don't like sharing myself and my writing. In fact, sometimes I think I'll never share my writing with anybody. I'll just keep writing my stories down and then put them away when I'm done, never to be read by anyone but me.
Even sharing this blog is difficult for me. I'm thankful and grateful for my small readership but so many people I know don't even know I keep a blog. If I mention that I do have a blog, it doesn't mean I'm going to give them the link to it. It's not that think this blog is particularly special or "exclusive," it's more that I don't feel comfortable with everyone I know reading it.
This is why posting "FailSafe" on my "Fainting in Coils" blog was such a major deal for me. I actually posted a real story and a personal one at that. These personal stories really plumb the depths of what's going on my head and heart. On top of that, the purpose of these stories is to discover some hidden aspect of myself or figure out what's going on in my life so that makes posting the story even more unlikely. I felt very uncomfortable about it which is why it took so long to get the entire story up but in the end I'm glad I did it.
One of the organizers of my writing group keeps mentioning that I should attend our group's critiquing sessions. This is where two to three works are read out loud and then the writer asks for feedback. I decided at the last minute to attend yesterday's session. I thought it wouldn't hurt and it would be a good first step to putting myself out there. I didn't read, of course, because I can't bring myself to do that yet but I did love the process and interaction with the others as we gave both authors feedback on their stories. I also learned that I know a lot about the architecture of stories and the process of creating meaningful characters and compelling situations. This was a very gratifying experience.
I spoke to the organizer about it with one of the readers and he pointed out that reading your own work is terrifying because it opens you up and makes you vulnerable but he assured us that every writer goes through that. He said the process was absolutely necessary to becoming a better writer, and he encouraged me to bring something to read next time.
The reader said she didn't like reading her stuff, she feels really awkward while doing it. I explained to both of them that I love reading out loud. I read my own blog posts out loud, parts of my novels and short stories because I love hearing my words spoken. It's probably the most gratifying thing for me after watching the story unfold and surprise me. Sometimes I'll open up a scene or two and just sit here, usually after midnight and when I should be in bed, reading my own stuff out loud. It's a lovely, lovely thing.
Sigh. I guess this means I really need to read my stuff to others and get some feedback, right? When I do that I'll post what that was like here.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed these posts. They were really a way for me to organize my thoughts about writing and to make note of my progress so far.
Showing posts with label Tips for Beginning Writers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips for Beginning Writers. Show all posts
Friday, September 03, 2010
Writing Life: Tips For Beginning Writers (Part 4 of 5) - Fuel
This next part is about feeding your creative soul. While I probably take this to an extreme simply because I have the time and resources to do so incorporating some variation of these ideas into your life can't hurt.
In my mind feeding your creativity is one of the most important things you can do if you're creating any kind of art. I believe most creative people practice some variation of these ideas and don't really need this post but I'll write it down anyway. For me, "Fuel" is divided into three parts: Balance, Variation, and Openness.
In my mind feeding your creativity is one of the most important things you can do if you're creating any kind of art. I believe most creative people practice some variation of these ideas and don't really need this post but I'll write it down anyway. For me, "Fuel" is divided into three parts: Balance, Variation, and Openness.
BALANCE
This is a major struggle for me because when I have some free time all I want to do is write and to hell with everything else. First and foremost, the usual edicts of good health apply with eating right, exercise, and getting enough sleep being at the top of the list. Exercise in particular is really important because I spend so much time in my head that I need to spend time in my body to balance things out. Also, helpful for me is relaxing at the spa. Some level of meditation would probably help too but I'm still trying to get my workouts in so I'll think about that later. Lack of sleep is fact of life for me because I'm a night person and want to stay up late when I get going on my writing. If I have to get up early, I usually rely on caffeine to get me going. This is not a good habit and expensive to boot. Clearly I need to work on this aspect of fuel.
Balance is also a struggle for me as I try to stop seeing everything in terms of stories. Sometimes I need to take a break from all the characters and stories rolling around in my head. The best way for me to do that is to take get outside and try to stay in the moment. Walking around my neighborhood and just looking at everything is good. Also, doing mundane tasks while staying in the moment is helpful too. Damn, this is starting to sound a little like "Chop Water, Carry Wood."
This is a major struggle for me because when I have some free time all I want to do is write and to hell with everything else. First and foremost, the usual edicts of good health apply with eating right, exercise, and getting enough sleep being at the top of the list. Exercise in particular is really important because I spend so much time in my head that I need to spend time in my body to balance things out. Also, helpful for me is relaxing at the spa. Some level of meditation would probably help too but I'm still trying to get my workouts in so I'll think about that later. Lack of sleep is fact of life for me because I'm a night person and want to stay up late when I get going on my writing. If I have to get up early, I usually rely on caffeine to get me going. This is not a good habit and expensive to boot. Clearly I need to work on this aspect of fuel.
Balance is also a struggle for me as I try to stop seeing everything in terms of stories. Sometimes I need to take a break from all the characters and stories rolling around in my head. The best way for me to do that is to take get outside and try to stay in the moment. Walking around my neighborhood and just looking at everything is good. Also, doing mundane tasks while staying in the moment is helpful too. Damn, this is starting to sound a little like "Chop Water, Carry Wood."
VARIATION
Variation is easier for me. I use movies, books, ideas I find (usually on the web), art, and my wonderful city as fuel for my creativity. Variation is also about finding and spending time with other interests, ideas, and viewpoints as a way to fuel your creativity. This could be anything. Whether you love music, plants, sewing, surfing, woodworking, working on your motorcycle, whatever, it helps to have one or two other interests that take you away from writing for a while. Variation helps you see things a bit differently and gives you fresh ideas.
Variation is easier for me. I use movies, books, ideas I find (usually on the web), art, and my wonderful city as fuel for my creativity. Variation is also about finding and spending time with other interests, ideas, and viewpoints as a way to fuel your creativity. This could be anything. Whether you love music, plants, sewing, surfing, woodworking, working on your motorcycle, whatever, it helps to have one or two other interests that take you away from writing for a while. Variation helps you see things a bit differently and gives you fresh ideas.
OPENNESS
Openness is about trying completely different routines, ideas, and seeking out other viewpoints. This could be reading a conservative magazine if you're a liberal or vice versa, learning about a completely different area of interest or culture other than you're own, as well as incorporating changes in your daily life. This could be something as simple as varying your commute sometimes or seeking out people whose lives are different from yours. Travel is a great way to foster openness because it teaches you there are other legitimate ways of living that are different from your own.
I had an interesting conversation with someone recently about the nature of addiction. She was describing how overcoming an addiction is like having your soul mate die, and how part of the process requires breaking your heart because that's what your addiction becomes to you. I'd never thought about, much experienced, such an idea, and found our conversation fascinating and not a little wrenching. This is a viewpoint that never occurred to me and she did a beautiful job explaining it to me. It made me realize that I really am locked inside my physical body and mind, and there are experiences and ways of looking at the world that are completely different from mine. Seeking out this information, looking for it while interacting with others definitely qualifies as fuel.
Openness is about trying completely different routines, ideas, and seeking out other viewpoints. This could be reading a conservative magazine if you're a liberal or vice versa, learning about a completely different area of interest or culture other than you're own, as well as incorporating changes in your daily life. This could be something as simple as varying your commute sometimes or seeking out people whose lives are different from yours. Travel is a great way to foster openness because it teaches you there are other legitimate ways of living that are different from your own.
I had an interesting conversation with someone recently about the nature of addiction. She was describing how overcoming an addiction is like having your soul mate die, and how part of the process requires breaking your heart because that's what your addiction becomes to you. I'd never thought about, much experienced, such an idea, and found our conversation fascinating and not a little wrenching. This is a viewpoint that never occurred to me and she did a beautiful job explaining it to me. It made me realize that I really am locked inside my physical body and mind, and there are experiences and ways of looking at the world that are completely different from mine. Seeking out this information, looking for it while interacting with others definitely qualifies as fuel.
SEPARATION
I have to write about this idea here because it's something that has been ingrained my head. Years ago before I started working in the law I worked at a children's museum and we were getting it ready for opening. It was an exciting time. The exhibit developers were coming up with all manner of interesting interactive exhibits, ideas were thrown around, arguments made, and the stress of the approaching opening hung over our heads. We spent an enormous amount of time discussing what the term "interactive" means and how best to execute that idea in the museum and with the exhibits. One of the benchmarks of whether we had succeeded in getting people to interact was when the parents stopped filming and taking pictures of their kids playing with the exhibits and starting interacting with the children and the exhibit. We all agreed that being behind the camera and watching your kid was a way to distance yourself. You aren't really even an observer at that point, you just become a recorder of experiences instead of having an experience yourself.
In a way, I see my viewpoint about stories and characters as a similar kind of separation. Often, such as when I had this wonderful conversation with my friend about addiction, the first thing that occurs to me is "I can use that idea for a story!" People, situations, conversations, everything becomes fodder for the story. This idea probably would have never occurred to me had I not spent so many hours with my good friends discussing what it meant to "interact" and have and "experience" and how to enable our visitors to see those experiences as "meaningful."
I sometimes worry that I'm spending way too much time in "story-mode" and wonder if being there is creating distance between myself and the world at large. I don't know if others experience these concerns but it's been on my mind lately. This is also a balancing challenge for me. "Story-mode" is a wonderful place to be. It took me so long to develop the habit of being in "story-mode" and now that I'm there I'm loathe to try to change it. I do notice, though, that it can be a bit much and sometimes it's difficult to turn it off. The next step for me is to learn how to find good balance so I don't feel so uncomfortable during those times.
Next Post: Putting Yourself Out there.
I have to write about this idea here because it's something that has been ingrained my head. Years ago before I started working in the law I worked at a children's museum and we were getting it ready for opening. It was an exciting time. The exhibit developers were coming up with all manner of interesting interactive exhibits, ideas were thrown around, arguments made, and the stress of the approaching opening hung over our heads. We spent an enormous amount of time discussing what the term "interactive" means and how best to execute that idea in the museum and with the exhibits. One of the benchmarks of whether we had succeeded in getting people to interact was when the parents stopped filming and taking pictures of their kids playing with the exhibits and starting interacting with the children and the exhibit. We all agreed that being behind the camera and watching your kid was a way to distance yourself. You aren't really even an observer at that point, you just become a recorder of experiences instead of having an experience yourself.
In a way, I see my viewpoint about stories and characters as a similar kind of separation. Often, such as when I had this wonderful conversation with my friend about addiction, the first thing that occurs to me is "I can use that idea for a story!" People, situations, conversations, everything becomes fodder for the story. This idea probably would have never occurred to me had I not spent so many hours with my good friends discussing what it meant to "interact" and have and "experience" and how to enable our visitors to see those experiences as "meaningful."
I sometimes worry that I'm spending way too much time in "story-mode" and wonder if being there is creating distance between myself and the world at large. I don't know if others experience these concerns but it's been on my mind lately. This is also a balancing challenge for me. "Story-mode" is a wonderful place to be. It took me so long to develop the habit of being in "story-mode" and now that I'm there I'm loathe to try to change it. I do notice, though, that it can be a bit much and sometimes it's difficult to turn it off. The next step for me is to learn how to find good balance so I don't feel so uncomfortable during those times.
Next Post: Putting Yourself Out there.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Writing Life: Tips For Beginning Writers (Part 3 of 5) - Learning
I went on about the importance of experimentation during my last post. And I've talked about learning from reading all the time. I've read many books on writing but have not fully immersed myself in one for a long time (such as diligently doing the exercises, etc.). I think doing such work is very worthwhile but I find myself just wanting to write rather than take the time to work on learning how to write. It's the same attitude I have about writing practice: worthwhile but I'd rather be spending time on my WIP. Still, I've been telling myself lately that I really do need to go through one of my many books to see if I can make my writing better.
I've only taken one class on writing. It was at City College here in SF and it was an okay class. The most valuable thing I got out of it was I wrote a short story and read it out loud in class, something I'd never done before. It was surprising and gratifying. Surprising because people were coming up with different ideas and interpretations of the characters and their motives than I ever dreamed up or intended, and gratifying because my story, even though it was written on the fly and only a first draft, had enough depth and emotional complexity to elicit such a response. Other than that, I didn't learn anything new about writing at all. Out of all the students, I had the most writing experience which I found surprising. The rest of the students had only completed a short story or two at the most. This was probably seven years ago when I first arrived in SF and before I started blogging.
Speaking of which, I highly recommend people start blogging if you want to attempt to integrate writing into your life. While it's difficult to keep posting regularly, the experience of blogging is very useful for learning about writing in general. I've said it before but it bears repeating: for me, blogging is a completely different animal than writing a short story or novel (even my personal short stories are different from "regular" fiction that I write). To me, a blog post is just straight writing and minimal editing. It's always written with my very small readership in mind even if I write for myself.
Below are the many valuable lessons I've taken away from blogging:
I've only taken one class on writing. It was at City College here in SF and it was an okay class. The most valuable thing I got out of it was I wrote a short story and read it out loud in class, something I'd never done before. It was surprising and gratifying. Surprising because people were coming up with different ideas and interpretations of the characters and their motives than I ever dreamed up or intended, and gratifying because my story, even though it was written on the fly and only a first draft, had enough depth and emotional complexity to elicit such a response. Other than that, I didn't learn anything new about writing at all. Out of all the students, I had the most writing experience which I found surprising. The rest of the students had only completed a short story or two at the most. This was probably seven years ago when I first arrived in SF and before I started blogging.
BLOGGING
Speaking of which, I highly recommend people start blogging if you want to attempt to integrate writing into your life. While it's difficult to keep posting regularly, the experience of blogging is very useful for learning about writing in general. I've said it before but it bears repeating: for me, blogging is a completely different animal than writing a short story or novel (even my personal short stories are different from "regular" fiction that I write). To me, a blog post is just straight writing and minimal editing. It's always written with my very small readership in mind even if I write for myself.
Below are the many valuable lessons I've taken away from blogging:
- This is an egotistical thing to say but I love reading my own entries. Blogging has taught me to really love my own writing and to savor the process of coming up with a post, writing, posting, and getting a kick out of it.
- On some level, it seems I've developed my own blogging and writing style. It wasn't intentional and I never thought about it but I've enjoyed the process of developing my "voice" here on Mock Turtle's San Francisco Life.
- This is the first place where I realized that I could move myself and others with something I wrote down. Some of the posts I've written have made me cry and from some of your very kind comments I've seen that I can move other people too.
- Lastly, I love all my characters (Mr. Gryphon) and this crazy, weird multi-verse I've come up with on this blog.
MFAs
An MFA is a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing (and other things). From what I can gather, MFA programs are very difficult to get into and tend to be expensive. I'm always eager to talk to anyone who has been through the program and/or majored in Creative Writing in school because I'm curious about what they learned over the course of 4-7 years.
I talked to a young woman who was the roommate of a guy I went out with briefly and she acknowledged that her writing was beautiful but that's all it was. She was in the middle of her MFA program at SF State. She had no body of work as of yet. Part of her class assignment was to draft a novel, something she'd never done before. She was blown away when I told her that I had drafted my second novel and was pondering how to revise it (this was about three years ago) when I'd only taken one (sort of) writing class. She kept saying "but you have a novel! YOU HAVE A NOVEL!" even as I protested that it was unfit for publication and needed serious revisions. I asked her if she thought it would be a good idea to take writing classes, she said, "Not really. I think it's far more instructive for you to keep writing, to keep doing what you're doing."
More recently, I spoke to a guy who had completed an MFA program at a prestigious private college. I asked him what he learned and he said all he learned to do was write sentences. He was working on his first (!) novel and wanted to write a bestseller so he could make a ton of money. I shared some of the tips I've learned about writing bestsellers such as writing down to a high school level, writing short chapters that get shorter as the action progresses, and making sure there's plenty of white space. This doesn't guarantee your novel will become a bestseller; there are PLENTY of great, difficult to read books that make the bestseller list but this is a formula that some people follow (by the way, I'm not following this formula). I explained to the guy, "Think about the folks on MUNI who read during the commute. Most of them probably check to see how long the chapter is before they decide to put it away or keep reading. If the chapter is short they will probably keep going." Unbelievably, he had never heard of such ideas before. I was also surprised that he had never written a novel but maybe you don't write novels during MFA programs. What do I know?
As most of you know, I haven't really been to school. All my writing has been self-taught. It occurs to me on a regular basis that my writing could be so much better if I had gone to school for it but then I stop thinking about that and just concentrate on my WIP. On the other hand, while it is important that I try to keep improving my writing, I don't see myself as someone who will ever write "beautifully" or will ever write "literature." That's something other people do. My job is to tell stories and try to tell them well.
I love my stories and I love my characters but sometimes I worry I don't have the skill or education to pull this off. Whenever I feel this way I just tell myself to keep going. The only way I'm going to know if I can pull it off is to do it. And if I don't pull it off then the process will be instructive anyway.
An MFA is a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing (and other things). From what I can gather, MFA programs are very difficult to get into and tend to be expensive. I'm always eager to talk to anyone who has been through the program and/or majored in Creative Writing in school because I'm curious about what they learned over the course of 4-7 years.
I talked to a young woman who was the roommate of a guy I went out with briefly and she acknowledged that her writing was beautiful but that's all it was. She was in the middle of her MFA program at SF State. She had no body of work as of yet. Part of her class assignment was to draft a novel, something she'd never done before. She was blown away when I told her that I had drafted my second novel and was pondering how to revise it (this was about three years ago) when I'd only taken one (sort of) writing class. She kept saying "but you have a novel! YOU HAVE A NOVEL!" even as I protested that it was unfit for publication and needed serious revisions. I asked her if she thought it would be a good idea to take writing classes, she said, "Not really. I think it's far more instructive for you to keep writing, to keep doing what you're doing."
More recently, I spoke to a guy who had completed an MFA program at a prestigious private college. I asked him what he learned and he said all he learned to do was write sentences. He was working on his first (!) novel and wanted to write a bestseller so he could make a ton of money. I shared some of the tips I've learned about writing bestsellers such as writing down to a high school level, writing short chapters that get shorter as the action progresses, and making sure there's plenty of white space. This doesn't guarantee your novel will become a bestseller; there are PLENTY of great, difficult to read books that make the bestseller list but this is a formula that some people follow (by the way, I'm not following this formula). I explained to the guy, "Think about the folks on MUNI who read during the commute. Most of them probably check to see how long the chapter is before they decide to put it away or keep reading. If the chapter is short they will probably keep going." Unbelievably, he had never heard of such ideas before. I was also surprised that he had never written a novel but maybe you don't write novels during MFA programs. What do I know?
As most of you know, I haven't really been to school. All my writing has been self-taught. It occurs to me on a regular basis that my writing could be so much better if I had gone to school for it but then I stop thinking about that and just concentrate on my WIP. On the other hand, while it is important that I try to keep improving my writing, I don't see myself as someone who will ever write "beautifully" or will ever write "literature." That's something other people do. My job is to tell stories and try to tell them well.
I love my stories and I love my characters but sometimes I worry I don't have the skill or education to pull this off. Whenever I feel this way I just tell myself to keep going. The only way I'm going to know if I can pull it off is to do it. And if I don't pull it off then the process will be instructive anyway.
NaNoWriMo
As you can see on the sidebar there I've participated in the NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month. The NaNoWriMo takes place in November and it challenges you to write 50,000 words in one month. I drafted my current novel during it and will definitely be participating in this year's upcoming NaNoWriMo so I can draft my third novel. Your novel most certainly will fall into the category of "1st Draft" and will likely require plenty of tweaking and rewriting but the experience of participating is invaluable. You may not think you can write 50,000 words in one month, much less a coherent story, but I'll bet you'll be surprised with what you come up with. When I last participated, I had no endurance for writing at all so I was literally running to catch up each week to make my word count. There was no time to think about whether my novel made sense or should be edited. I just kept going and the story took on a life of its own. The characters started doing things on their own and I was REALLY surprised at the end. The novel is quite a bit different now but I've still maintained the general structure even if the characters have all "matured" into themselves.
Since I have very good writing endurance now I'm curious to see how it goes this time. Will I finish early? How will I approach it this time? I'm really looking forward to it.
As you can see on the sidebar there I've participated in the NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month. The NaNoWriMo takes place in November and it challenges you to write 50,000 words in one month. I drafted my current novel during it and will definitely be participating in this year's upcoming NaNoWriMo so I can draft my third novel. Your novel most certainly will fall into the category of "1st Draft" and will likely require plenty of tweaking and rewriting but the experience of participating is invaluable. You may not think you can write 50,000 words in one month, much less a coherent story, but I'll bet you'll be surprised with what you come up with. When I last participated, I had no endurance for writing at all so I was literally running to catch up each week to make my word count. There was no time to think about whether my novel made sense or should be edited. I just kept going and the story took on a life of its own. The characters started doing things on their own and I was REALLY surprised at the end. The novel is quite a bit different now but I've still maintained the general structure even if the characters have all "matured" into themselves.
Since I have very good writing endurance now I'm curious to see how it goes this time. Will I finish early? How will I approach it this time? I'm really looking forward to it.
FANFIC
Fan Fiction or FanFic is taking well-known characters and writing stories about them. There are numerous blogs and websites where people are writing fanfics all the time. Some popular examples include Harry Potter, Star Trek (I believe the original Star Trek series spawned the first known fan fictions in the 1960s), and not surprising, Twilight. Fan fiction is also based on movies, TV shows, comic books, etc. I'm working on one myself, just for fun and to test drive Scrivener, and it's turned into a serious project. The most instructive thing I've learned so far is the importance of immersing myself in the source materials. I felt it was important for me to learn about the characters and the story world so my story "felt" right. This showed me how important it is to immerse myself in my own characters to the same degree. I may have made up these characters but that doesn't mean I know everything about them. In fact, they're starting to emerge as "real" people only very recently.
This is a difficult concept for some people to understand and is largely dictated by your writing style. How can you make up a character and not know everything about him/her? Maybe other people know everything about their characters but for me it's all part of the writing process. When I was writing my novel during the NaNoWriMo I mentioned to someone I was working with at the time that I didn't know what was going to happen next or how the story was going to end. She said, "How can you not know what's going to happen next when you're the one who's writing it?!" She clearly thought I was an idiot. I felt stupid at the time but now I know it's entirely possible to not know about your story or characters until you've been able to spend more time working on it. There are plenty of famous writers who say it takes them several drafts to even begin to figure out what the story is about. This woman clearly knows nothing about writing even if she is a voracious reader.
Next post - Fuel
Fan Fiction or FanFic is taking well-known characters and writing stories about them. There are numerous blogs and websites where people are writing fanfics all the time. Some popular examples include Harry Potter, Star Trek (I believe the original Star Trek series spawned the first known fan fictions in the 1960s), and not surprising, Twilight. Fan fiction is also based on movies, TV shows, comic books, etc. I'm working on one myself, just for fun and to test drive Scrivener, and it's turned into a serious project. The most instructive thing I've learned so far is the importance of immersing myself in the source materials. I felt it was important for me to learn about the characters and the story world so my story "felt" right. This showed me how important it is to immerse myself in my own characters to the same degree. I may have made up these characters but that doesn't mean I know everything about them. In fact, they're starting to emerge as "real" people only very recently.
This is a difficult concept for some people to understand and is largely dictated by your writing style. How can you make up a character and not know everything about him/her? Maybe other people know everything about their characters but for me it's all part of the writing process. When I was writing my novel during the NaNoWriMo I mentioned to someone I was working with at the time that I didn't know what was going to happen next or how the story was going to end. She said, "How can you not know what's going to happen next when you're the one who's writing it?!" She clearly thought I was an idiot. I felt stupid at the time but now I know it's entirely possible to not know about your story or characters until you've been able to spend more time working on it. There are plenty of famous writers who say it takes them several drafts to even begin to figure out what the story is about. This woman clearly knows nothing about writing even if she is a voracious reader.
Next post - Fuel
Monday, July 12, 2010
Writing Life: Tips For Beginning Writers (Part 2 of 5) - Working Styles & WIP
WORKING STYLES
When you're starting out and getting used to writing on a regular basis, learning about your working style is probably the next step. Everyone has their own style. Even if you're familiar and comfortable with yours you might have to change or adapt it for a particular project you're working on. If you stick with writing long enough your working style may change over time.
Most people divide working styles into three categories, often referred to as plotters and pantsers or a combination of the two. A plotter is a planner. This writer will outline the story, come up with maps, character biographies and clothes, histories of the time and place, etc. all before even writing down one word of the story. A pantser (that is, "fly by the seat of your pants") will write the story down without knowing anything about it. This person will allow the story to grow "organically," letting the characters and events pull him/her along. The combination type does some of both.
There are disadvantages to both styles. A plotter may become so engrossed in getting every detail right that the story might never get written down. Sometimes plotters refuse to use a wonderful idea because it doesn't "fit" with the outline. A pantser might get lost on some (or all tangents) until the story is a mess and then faced with the daunting task of having to fix it. Sometimes a pantser will use every single wonderful idea and end up with a jumble of incidents but no story.
Advantages: A plotter has a pretty good idea of what the story is about to begin with and there is security and worth in this knowledge. A pantser thrives on the surprises that come up and cool ideas flying around. Neither style is better than the other. The only thing that matters is you go with the style you feel comfortable with.
A combination person might start out writing without knowing what the story is about and then stop and do some planning then continue writing. Or part of the story might be outlined first and then written down and other parts might be written on the fly.
Here are some tips for learning your style:
- Experimentation is everything. If you want to try something, just do it. Sometimes I get embarrassed about stuff I want try even though no one is going to read it. For example, right now I'm writing a piece of fan fiction, something I've never done before. It's been instructive and satisfying but I almost didn't write it down because I was embarrassed about trying it out (Maybe I'm the only person who feels this way sometimes). Experiment with outlining, using index cards, jumping in and letting the story grow "organically." Try playing around with writing "in the style of " some author you love or imitating the structure of a story you really like when you're first starting out. Everything you do will be instructive and you don't have to show anything to anyone.
- Write it down. This seems obvious but I've been guilty of this time and again. I'll run through ideas, scenes, stories in my head and think they're pretty cool but they're nothing until I get them on the computer screen. Remember when you write it down it may come out differently than you expected.
- Learn about other writers' styles, both famous and people you know. I love the creative process and enjoy talking to people about how they work. I love reading books on writing and how published writers work. Take what you can use and play around.
- Try different ways of working: handwriting the story, typing on a computer screen (or a combination of both). Try creative writing software (almost all of them let you play with a demo for a couple of weeks or a month). I use Scrivener and it has revolutionized the way I work. It gives me so much pleasure to open up my story and see everything in one place, including my scenes, notes, and research. Try writing tools such as books with writing prompts or books with checklists, cards, and a very structured way of putting together your story just for fun. You may not like it but you might find an idea that works for you.
"CREATIVE DNA"
Years ago, I bought a wonderful book about the creative process by Twyla Tharp, the dancer/choreographer, entitled "The Creative Habit." Though the book is written in the context of dance, it's for anyone who wants to be more creative so I suggest checking it out. In it, she talks about your "Creative DNA," that is, how you tend to approach the way you work on a project. She used writing as her example. How do you sense your story? By any kind of sensory perception? Many writers tend to "see" their story or parts of it but others might "hear" instead, such as two characters talking or "hear" what's going on in a setting. If you tend to "see" your story, how do you see it? Is it all about details, minutiae? Such as:"Samuel Spade's jaw was long and bony, his chin a jutting V under the more flexible V of his mouth. His nostrils curved back to make another smaller V. His yellow-grey eyes were horizontal. The V motif was picked up again by thickish brows rising outward from twin creases above a hooked nose, and his pale brown hair grew down - from high flat temples - in a point on his forehead. He looked rather pleasantly like a blond satan." - Dashiell Hammett, Maltese Falcon.Or do you see sweeping epics such as:
"This is a novel. Its characters and scenery are imaginary. There was no Venneford Ranch, no prairie town of Line Camp, no Skimmerhorn cattle drive in 1868, no Centennial. None of the families depicted here were real, nor founded upon real precedents. There was no Lame Beaver, nor Skimmerhorn nor Zendt nor Grebe. On the other hand, certain background incidents and characters are real. There was a great convocation in 1851 at Fort Laramie. There was a drought in 1931-1935....The South Platte River did behave as described." - James A. Michener, Centennial.Some people see stories in what Tharp describes as "Sitcom," people sitting in the living room or kitchen having a conversation. Others see their stories cinematically, like watching a movie. There might be styles that could be called "Mini-Series" or "Trilogy" or "Comic Book" or "Monologue." There are other styles. These are just examples to get you thinking.
Thinking about and identifying your "Creative DNA" can be helpful. It doesn't mean you're a slave to it. It just helps to be aware of what feels natural and when you're experimenting with a style that is different.
MY WORKING STYLE (SO FAR)
Once again, this is just me. Your working style will and should be different. I'm most definitely a pantser. I've come up with four separate story lines for my novel even though the basic structure of the story remains the same with three different endings and two different beginnings. Let's not talk about the middle. After over a year of regular work I'm just now understanding that the story is about. I have dozens of scenes I wrote that I probably won't use. I'm just now learning about the locations of the story and fleshing out some of the characters' back stories.
I've been flailing around for a while but I wouldn't have it any other way. Why? Because I'm constantly surprised and this is the main reason I love writing so much. The characters are doing things, saying things that I had no clue was going to happen. The story is falling into place and all those weird loose ends are making sense and fitting together in ways I couldn't imagine before. I'm learning this story as I write it down and it's gotta be one of the coolest things EVER!
I've learned that instead of taking notes to figure out the story or characters, it's far better for me to write down scenes. Scenes allow me to explore what a character is doing in context of the story and to learn more about everything in general. All those scenes I won't be using and alternate story lines have been useful. Since I've learned what the story is about I feel like I can use some structure now such as preparing a timeline and delving deeply into character studies.
I've also learned that I can't think about my story too much. I see my creative process as the surface of the water with a vast ocean below. Some ideas will float around on the surface but it's best for me not to think in terms of "this happened, then this happened." Instead, I'll see snippet of a scene and then trust that when I go write it down the scene will come out whole. It always does.
Anyone who knows me won't be surprised that I see everything cinematically. It's all about the IMAX screen in my head. I think in terms of lighting, camera angles, pulling in for a closeup, tracking shots, you get the idea (I love cinematography!). I keep thinking I should take film making and acting classes to enhance my style.
Lastly, I have a peculiar focus on where and how my characters are moving in space: their posture, how they're breathing, where they are in a room and in relationship to each other if there's more than one person. Sometimes I get hung up on these details because I can't figure out how to get a character from one room to another without boring the hell out of myself with every detail about how the character is moving (or not moving) through space.
I've been flailing around for a while but I wouldn't have it any other way. Why? Because I'm constantly surprised and this is the main reason I love writing so much. The characters are doing things, saying things that I had no clue was going to happen. The story is falling into place and all those weird loose ends are making sense and fitting together in ways I couldn't imagine before. I'm learning this story as I write it down and it's gotta be one of the coolest things EVER!
I've learned that instead of taking notes to figure out the story or characters, it's far better for me to write down scenes. Scenes allow me to explore what a character is doing in context of the story and to learn more about everything in general. All those scenes I won't be using and alternate story lines have been useful. Since I've learned what the story is about I feel like I can use some structure now such as preparing a timeline and delving deeply into character studies.
I've also learned that I can't think about my story too much. I see my creative process as the surface of the water with a vast ocean below. Some ideas will float around on the surface but it's best for me not to think in terms of "this happened, then this happened." Instead, I'll see snippet of a scene and then trust that when I go write it down the scene will come out whole. It always does.
Anyone who knows me won't be surprised that I see everything cinematically. It's all about the IMAX screen in my head. I think in terms of lighting, camera angles, pulling in for a closeup, tracking shots, you get the idea (I love cinematography!). I keep thinking I should take film making and acting classes to enhance my style.
Lastly, I have a peculiar focus on where and how my characters are moving in space: their posture, how they're breathing, where they are in a room and in relationship to each other if there's more than one person. Sometimes I get hung up on these details because I can't figure out how to get a character from one room to another without boring the hell out of myself with every detail about how the character is moving (or not moving) through space.
WIP
Your Work in Progress is very important. Choose whatever you want but choose carefully. Even if you're writing a short short story you're probably going to spend a lot of time and creative energy working on it and if you can't stand it you're never going to finish. This is doubly true if you're working on a novel. You are going to get sick of it. You're going to want to throw the whole thing out because it's all you've been thinking about for months, years. You must love what you're working on because that love will be the only thing that will bring you back and keep you moving forward until it's finished.
Me? I've been working on my novel for years now. I wrote the first draft and then put it away for a year because I didn't know what to do next. Since I picked up again, I've been working on it for more than two years with the last year being steady, regular work. I love this story so much. I love these characters and I can't wait to get back to it so I can learn more about what's going to happen next. Choose your WIP carefully. Don't settle for anything less than a story you love that much.
Next Post - Learning
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Writing Life: Tips For Beginning Writers (Part 1 of 5) - Basics
Though I haven't published anything so far (except here!) I have been writing regularly for quite a few years. I've been thinking of what I've learned so far and decided to write some thoughts down. Originally, I was going to do a journal entry for my own clarity but I decided it would be more fun to do a blog post instead. None of this advice is cut in stone and what works for me and what I've learned may not work for you.
My writing life so far: I've drafted a first novel and am working on the second novel, I have at least 10 short stories under my belt that don't have anything to do with my characters created here on this blog (all in first draft form), I'm going to use one of my short stories to draft my third novel later this year, I have something like four more novels rolling around in my head, and I write on these two blogs. Will I ever publish? Yup. I'll definitely get there too.
My writing life so far: I've drafted a first novel and am working on the second novel, I have at least 10 short stories under my belt that don't have anything to do with my characters created here on this blog (all in first draft form), I'm going to use one of my short stories to draft my third novel later this year, I have something like four more novels rolling around in my head, and I write on these two blogs. Will I ever publish? Yup. I'll definitely get there too.
THE BASICS
Write all the time. Read all the time. Never give up.
Those are the three basic, classic pieces of writing advice and they are probably the most important. You're never going to get anywhere unless you write a lot. You're never going to learn anything unless you read. And you can't ever give up.
One reason this advice is so important is it takes a long time to grow into a writer. Your writing when you first start out is going to be very different two, five, and ten years later. I read somewhere that you don't really grow into a writer until maybe 10 years after you've started. I've been writing regularly for the last seven years and I'm only just now feeling like I'm getting a grip on my writing. Of course, there are exceptions. Some people are brilliant from the get-go and progress very quickly but you won't know if you fall into that category until you get started.
Writing all the time is the bedrock of the writing life. Easier said than done. There's work, family, and a million other things on your schedule. I'm an odd exception to all that. Other than work and my volunteer gig with the penguins, I have set up my entire life to revolve around my writing. This could be considered a selfish act. So be it. I live in a wonderful city that provides endless ideas and stimulation, I'm not in a relationship, I have no children of my own, I don't watch television, I'm essentially a solitary person in my day-to-day life, and I carefully chose my activities to ensure that I have plenty of time for writing. I have obscene amounts of free time to myself.
I realize most people can't do that but making time to write still has to be a top priority if you want to be a writer. If you're just starting out or trying to get re-started I recommend you try to carve out two hours a week. Two hours a week may not seem like a lot but this is where I started and after you've been writing two hours a week it becomes easier to build on this time. If you don't build on this time you'll still see some results. If two hours a week is still too much then start with one hour a week. Where can you find this time? If you watch television is there a one or two hour block you can give up? That's probably the easiest place to find your time.
One thing I've learned this past year, and this goes along with writing all the time, is the concept of endurance. Before I joined my writing group "Shut Up & Write" I was flailing around. I had a tough time sitting down and focusing. I didn't realize I didn't have the necessary endurance built up to write regularly. In our "Shut Up & Write" sessions we get together at a cafe for an hour and write. We don't do critiques (we have separate sessions for that), we don't share what we're writing other than to mention very briefly about what we're working on ("I'm Mock Turtle and I'm writing a novel"), we just write. Sometimes we talk a little before and after the sessions but the main thing is to write for an hour. Since going to these sessions regularly I've found my endurance for writing has increased dramatically. I can write for hours, all day long now if I want to. Also, because I've built up this foundation and practice, I can write for very short periods of time and still be productive. Many times I'll start a scene during my morning commute on MUNI or for a few minutes during my lunch break. I write it down on 4x6 index cards, and then type it up when I get home. This keeps me connected to my story and helps me feel productive because I've been doing some writing throughout the day.
If you don't live in the Bay Area and don't have access to "Shut Up & Write," I highly recommend you start one in your area. Whether you decide to do it formally by contacting our organizer for tips, etc. or you decide to do an informal version in your own home by yourself, I still think it's a very worthwhile endeavor. If you're going to go this route, I highly recommend you go to a cafe or library or somewhere else to do your writing when you're starting out. It's very helpful to be away from the distractions of home. Writing with other people, even for an hour, is also invaluable.
Reading all the time is something I don't do and need to do more. The idea is you learn to write by reading widely. Not only in your chosen genre which is very important, but also in completely different areas as well. Reading brilliant works is a no-brainer but there's also much to be learned from reading lousy books. There are plenty of writing books which discuss reading in this manner. Usually when I find a scene or dialog or description that really stands out for me, either good or bad, I'll stop and try to figure out why it stands out. I'll ask "Why does this work?" or "Why is this so terrible?" and take some notes.
I also recommend reading poetry and graphic novels/comics/manga on a regular basis if you don't usually read them. Reading poetry will give you a different perspective on language and how to use it in ways you might not have thought of. Graphic novels/comics/manga tell stories in a very different way using pictures with words. This will also broaden your perspective and give you some new ideas. When I say read them on a regular basis I mean pick them up every now and again. Some writers recommend you read poetry every single day. I don't do that but I can see where it would be helpful.
Never giving up is just that: no matter what happens you keep going. If the project doesn't work, you start the next one. All this means is you have more to learn. I used to envy people who had to write; it's a compulsive need they have. Stephen King is a famous example of such a person. I didn't have that need to write when I first started out but now I've turned into the person who must write, no matter what. This was something that happened to me gradually over a period of time of regular practice and learning about my own working style. I know now that I will never stop writing, that even if I never publish I will still go on writing short stories and novels because the process of writing is so satisfying for me.
A word about writing practice and morning pages. When I was in my early 20s I picked up a book called "Writing Down The Bones" by Natalie Goldberg which is a fabulous overview of writing practice. I spent some time experimenting with writing practice which is where you free-write for a particular period of time with a chosen topic. While I don't really do writing practice now, I think it's a great way for a beginner to experiment to see if it works for you and see what comes out of your writing. This would be a wonderful way to begin if you don't have an idea for a project in mind. I used to free-write just before starting on my writing session for 15 minutes as a way to warm up but now I just dive into my story because I can't wait to get started on it. As for morning pages, I'd read about them a few years ago and went back to trying them earlier this year. I don't hand write them, handwriting is frustrating to me, but I was writing three pages first thing in the morning and it was very helpful with clearing my head and making me feel calm. I don't think about what I'm writing, it's basically a massive three-page brain dump. More like therapy, really. I recommend trying it out if you find yourself ranting and raving about stuff going on in your life rather than working on your project.
Next Post - Working Styles & WIP
Write all the time. Read all the time. Never give up.
Those are the three basic, classic pieces of writing advice and they are probably the most important. You're never going to get anywhere unless you write a lot. You're never going to learn anything unless you read. And you can't ever give up.
One reason this advice is so important is it takes a long time to grow into a writer. Your writing when you first start out is going to be very different two, five, and ten years later. I read somewhere that you don't really grow into a writer until maybe 10 years after you've started. I've been writing regularly for the last seven years and I'm only just now feeling like I'm getting a grip on my writing. Of course, there are exceptions. Some people are brilliant from the get-go and progress very quickly but you won't know if you fall into that category until you get started.
Writing all the time is the bedrock of the writing life. Easier said than done. There's work, family, and a million other things on your schedule. I'm an odd exception to all that. Other than work and my volunteer gig with the penguins, I have set up my entire life to revolve around my writing. This could be considered a selfish act. So be it. I live in a wonderful city that provides endless ideas and stimulation, I'm not in a relationship, I have no children of my own, I don't watch television, I'm essentially a solitary person in my day-to-day life, and I carefully chose my activities to ensure that I have plenty of time for writing. I have obscene amounts of free time to myself.
I realize most people can't do that but making time to write still has to be a top priority if you want to be a writer. If you're just starting out or trying to get re-started I recommend you try to carve out two hours a week. Two hours a week may not seem like a lot but this is where I started and after you've been writing two hours a week it becomes easier to build on this time. If you don't build on this time you'll still see some results. If two hours a week is still too much then start with one hour a week. Where can you find this time? If you watch television is there a one or two hour block you can give up? That's probably the easiest place to find your time.
One thing I've learned this past year, and this goes along with writing all the time, is the concept of endurance. Before I joined my writing group "Shut Up & Write" I was flailing around. I had a tough time sitting down and focusing. I didn't realize I didn't have the necessary endurance built up to write regularly. In our "Shut Up & Write" sessions we get together at a cafe for an hour and write. We don't do critiques (we have separate sessions for that), we don't share what we're writing other than to mention very briefly about what we're working on ("I'm Mock Turtle and I'm writing a novel"), we just write. Sometimes we talk a little before and after the sessions but the main thing is to write for an hour. Since going to these sessions regularly I've found my endurance for writing has increased dramatically. I can write for hours, all day long now if I want to. Also, because I've built up this foundation and practice, I can write for very short periods of time and still be productive. Many times I'll start a scene during my morning commute on MUNI or for a few minutes during my lunch break. I write it down on 4x6 index cards, and then type it up when I get home. This keeps me connected to my story and helps me feel productive because I've been doing some writing throughout the day.
If you don't live in the Bay Area and don't have access to "Shut Up & Write," I highly recommend you start one in your area. Whether you decide to do it formally by contacting our organizer for tips, etc. or you decide to do an informal version in your own home by yourself, I still think it's a very worthwhile endeavor. If you're going to go this route, I highly recommend you go to a cafe or library or somewhere else to do your writing when you're starting out. It's very helpful to be away from the distractions of home. Writing with other people, even for an hour, is also invaluable.
Reading all the time is something I don't do and need to do more. The idea is you learn to write by reading widely. Not only in your chosen genre which is very important, but also in completely different areas as well. Reading brilliant works is a no-brainer but there's also much to be learned from reading lousy books. There are plenty of writing books which discuss reading in this manner. Usually when I find a scene or dialog or description that really stands out for me, either good or bad, I'll stop and try to figure out why it stands out. I'll ask "Why does this work?" or "Why is this so terrible?" and take some notes.
I also recommend reading poetry and graphic novels/comics/manga on a regular basis if you don't usually read them. Reading poetry will give you a different perspective on language and how to use it in ways you might not have thought of. Graphic novels/comics/manga tell stories in a very different way using pictures with words. This will also broaden your perspective and give you some new ideas. When I say read them on a regular basis I mean pick them up every now and again. Some writers recommend you read poetry every single day. I don't do that but I can see where it would be helpful.
Never giving up is just that: no matter what happens you keep going. If the project doesn't work, you start the next one. All this means is you have more to learn. I used to envy people who had to write; it's a compulsive need they have. Stephen King is a famous example of such a person. I didn't have that need to write when I first started out but now I've turned into the person who must write, no matter what. This was something that happened to me gradually over a period of time of regular practice and learning about my own working style. I know now that I will never stop writing, that even if I never publish I will still go on writing short stories and novels because the process of writing is so satisfying for me.
A word about writing practice and morning pages. When I was in my early 20s I picked up a book called "Writing Down The Bones" by Natalie Goldberg which is a fabulous overview of writing practice. I spent some time experimenting with writing practice which is where you free-write for a particular period of time with a chosen topic. While I don't really do writing practice now, I think it's a great way for a beginner to experiment to see if it works for you and see what comes out of your writing. This would be a wonderful way to begin if you don't have an idea for a project in mind. I used to free-write just before starting on my writing session for 15 minutes as a way to warm up but now I just dive into my story because I can't wait to get started on it. As for morning pages, I'd read about them a few years ago and went back to trying them earlier this year. I don't hand write them, handwriting is frustrating to me, but I was writing three pages first thing in the morning and it was very helpful with clearing my head and making me feel calm. I don't think about what I'm writing, it's basically a massive three-page brain dump. More like therapy, really. I recommend trying it out if you find yourself ranting and raving about stuff going on in your life rather than working on your project.
Next Post - Working Styles & WIP
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