Yesterday, I wrote about brainstorming, about letting yourself be "open" to the Muse. But I forgot to put a caution statement: When you open yourself to the Muse, she just might steal all your attention, so be ready!
Case in point: I was only planning to BRAINSTORM yesterday. That's all. But, idea lead on to idea and before I knew what was happening, I had written the first page of this new novel! Then another, then another. I ended up writing 14 pages! And today, 5 more so far!
Sure, it's a great "problem" to have, and I'm not complaining. Really. But I didn't plan for this. I've got 100 other things I should be doing right now - cleaning up for holiday company, washing clothes, running all-important errands. But when the Muse hits, it seems to trump everything, and priorities get shifted.
So, beware the Muse (is that like the Ides of March?) and make sure you have TIME to devote to her. Because she can end up being a demanding little wench. lol
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Brainstorming
I'm about to tackle another novel - a shorter one, maybe even a novella - something Christmasy as Book 3 in my series. So far, I've got a couple of characters roaming around my brain, as well as the vague beginnings of a plot.
I love this part of the process, the brainstorming. Nothing's committed to the page yet. Nothing is set in stone. Anything goes. There's great freedom in that.
But, I also dread this part because anything goes. Because there's such freedom. On one hand, there's always the possiblity of coming up empty, of feeling dry. On the other, there's a chance of becoming paralyzed with the endless brainstorming questions. There are hundreds of them writers must ask themselves: Where will the novel be set? Why there? Is the protagonist too likeable? What are his/her flaws? What motive does this character having for making this decision?
Then there are the physical details one must consider - physical descriptions of character and setting (thankfully, many of those can be decided even as you write the story).
So, how do I tackle the brainstorming? A few different ways:
1) I stay open to the Muse. This isn't as mystical as it sounds. Really, it just entails thinking and thinking and thinking about the novel. Letting ideas about the novel drift and circulate inside my head. Giving them the opportunity to marinate.
2) Asking myself questions. It goes back to the questions above - wondering about the details of plot, character, setting, structure. Those questions must be answered, somewhere along the way. Many writers like the questions to answer themselves AS they write the story. But I like to get some of the biggies out of the way ahead of time. That way, I feel more comfortable writing the story.
3) Make notes. Write EVERYTHING down, all your ideas, as they hit you. This can be difficult for me, as sometimes the Muse strikes me in odd places - driving from home to work, grading essays, having a conversation with someone. Not the most convenient times. I tell my students always to have a method for capturing those brainstorming ideas. If you don't have a pen handy, try this: call yourself and leave yourself a voicemail, detailing the ideas. Yes, I've done this before. Many times. Because as much as you try to remember brilliant ideas, trust me, they often have a way of flittering into your head, then out of it, just as quickly. Not a fun experience, trying to call up the memory and failing miserably. Because once it's gone, it's usually gone.
So. How do you handle the brainstorming process? Any special tricks or tips you use?
I love this part of the process, the brainstorming. Nothing's committed to the page yet. Nothing is set in stone. Anything goes. There's great freedom in that.
But, I also dread this part because anything goes. Because there's such freedom. On one hand, there's always the possiblity of coming up empty, of feeling dry. On the other, there's a chance of becoming paralyzed with the endless brainstorming questions. There are hundreds of them writers must ask themselves: Where will the novel be set? Why there? Is the protagonist too likeable? What are his/her flaws? What motive does this character having for making this decision?
Then there are the physical details one must consider - physical descriptions of character and setting (thankfully, many of those can be decided even as you write the story).
So, how do I tackle the brainstorming? A few different ways:
1) I stay open to the Muse. This isn't as mystical as it sounds. Really, it just entails thinking and thinking and thinking about the novel. Letting ideas about the novel drift and circulate inside my head. Giving them the opportunity to marinate.
2) Asking myself questions. It goes back to the questions above - wondering about the details of plot, character, setting, structure. Those questions must be answered, somewhere along the way. Many writers like the questions to answer themselves AS they write the story. But I like to get some of the biggies out of the way ahead of time. That way, I feel more comfortable writing the story.
3) Make notes. Write EVERYTHING down, all your ideas, as they hit you. This can be difficult for me, as sometimes the Muse strikes me in odd places - driving from home to work, grading essays, having a conversation with someone. Not the most convenient times. I tell my students always to have a method for capturing those brainstorming ideas. If you don't have a pen handy, try this: call yourself and leave yourself a voicemail, detailing the ideas. Yes, I've done this before. Many times. Because as much as you try to remember brilliant ideas, trust me, they often have a way of flittering into your head, then out of it, just as quickly. Not a fun experience, trying to call up the memory and failing miserably. Because once it's gone, it's usually gone.
So. How do you handle the brainstorming process? Any special tricks or tips you use?
Friday, December 11, 2009
Another Gem...
First of all, a wee celebration for myself -- I submitted all my 160 student grades this morning. I'm spent. But happy it's over. I'm closing the book on another long, exhausting semester. Whew...
So, on to my writing "gem." Sorry this one's a little morbid and un-holiday-like, but I thought it was so clever. I found a little-known movie on cable the other day. It stars Bill Paxton, and it's called Resistance, a war-time romance based on an Anita Shreve novel.
Anyway, halfway through the movie, this little boy witnesses the horrific murders of his townspeople at the hands of Nazis. Later, when he tries to describe the scene to a woman, he says, "Have you ever seen someone hang?" She shakes her head "no." He says, "They look like they're dancing. Except their feet can't find the floor."
Wow. That one sank deep. How poignant and vivid, nearly poetic. An excellent piece of writing.
Just wanted to share that little "gem." Not very cheery, but I like the reality, the truth in it. I think the best writing comes from absolute truth. No matter how difficult it sometimes is to hear.
So, on to my writing "gem." Sorry this one's a little morbid and un-holiday-like, but I thought it was so clever. I found a little-known movie on cable the other day. It stars Bill Paxton, and it's called Resistance, a war-time romance based on an Anita Shreve novel.
Anyway, halfway through the movie, this little boy witnesses the horrific murders of his townspeople at the hands of Nazis. Later, when he tries to describe the scene to a woman, he says, "Have you ever seen someone hang?" She shakes her head "no." He says, "They look like they're dancing. Except their feet can't find the floor."
Wow. That one sank deep. How poignant and vivid, nearly poetic. An excellent piece of writing.
Just wanted to share that little "gem." Not very cheery, but I like the reality, the truth in it. I think the best writing comes from absolute truth. No matter how difficult it sometimes is to hear.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Gems in Unexpected Places
Confession time: I have a couple of guilty-pleasure t.v. shows I enjoy watching. They actually serve a great function for me: they allow me to turn off much of my brain and just sit. Just watch and enjoy and relax and not think too hard. These shows are especially nice after I've spent all my brain power grading research papers - ack! :-)
One such guilty-pleasure show - yes, feel free to point your finger at the screen and laugh hysterically at me - is the "new" 90210. I used to watch the old one in the 90's, so I started watching this new one out of curiosity. It's fluff. It's silly. It's melodramatic. It's filled with eye-rolling dialogue and unrealistic plots. But today, as I was watching my DVR recording of it, there was a well-written gem amongst the rubble.
One of the teenage characters had just lost her mother to cancer, and had attended the funeral an hour before. Afterward, she sat on the edge of her bed, talking to a friend about the surreal funeral experience. She said this, in a monotone voice, with an empty look in her eyes: "People, strangers, kept coming up to me, kissing me, and telling me things like, 'I'm sorry for your loss.' 'I'm sorry for your loss.' My loss? What does that mean, loss? She was a person, not a baseball game."
I paused and processed what the character said. How true. How cleverly-phrased. The word "loss" is cold. It's over-used, impersonal, even trite. To compare a meaningless baseball game to the weight of someone's life puts things into an odd sort of perspective.
The moral is - if you look hard enough, sometimes, you can find a moment of actual depth and poignancy and creativity in an unexpected place. So, always keep your eyes/ears open for well-written gems -- even when partaking in a guilty pleasure that you're sure will only yield fluff. Because it might surprise you, where the gems can be found...
One such guilty-pleasure show - yes, feel free to point your finger at the screen and laugh hysterically at me - is the "new" 90210. I used to watch the old one in the 90's, so I started watching this new one out of curiosity. It's fluff. It's silly. It's melodramatic. It's filled with eye-rolling dialogue and unrealistic plots. But today, as I was watching my DVR recording of it, there was a well-written gem amongst the rubble.
One of the teenage characters had just lost her mother to cancer, and had attended the funeral an hour before. Afterward, she sat on the edge of her bed, talking to a friend about the surreal funeral experience. She said this, in a monotone voice, with an empty look in her eyes: "People, strangers, kept coming up to me, kissing me, and telling me things like, 'I'm sorry for your loss.' 'I'm sorry for your loss.' My loss? What does that mean, loss? She was a person, not a baseball game."
I paused and processed what the character said. How true. How cleverly-phrased. The word "loss" is cold. It's over-used, impersonal, even trite. To compare a meaningless baseball game to the weight of someone's life puts things into an odd sort of perspective.
The moral is - if you look hard enough, sometimes, you can find a moment of actual depth and poignancy and creativity in an unexpected place. So, always keep your eyes/ears open for well-written gems -- even when partaking in a guilty pleasure that you're sure will only yield fluff. Because it might surprise you, where the gems can be found...
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Castles and Daydreams...
This is the Thoreau quote I write on the board on the first day of class: Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
Then, I tell the students that, as creative writers, they most likely have vivid imaginations, daydreams, "castles" they visit in their minds -- all of which is necessary for writers to have. Creativity. However, what's equally important is knowing how to channel that imagination, those daydreams, those castles, into something on the page. It's all well and good to have an idea for a story. But if that story never sees the light of day because of fear or procrastination - or, if it isn't told well enough on the page, what good will come of it?
So, I tell the students that the "foundation" must be placed underneath the dreams. The foundation becomes the tools of a writers' trade - things like technique and format and voice and grammar. These must be present in order for the story to have a proper life. Sure, foundations themselves are boring, solid, stable - the opposite of creativity. But, they're also essential. In fact, without a foundation, a house will eventually crumble and fall. Just like a story.
**a little side note - this week and next week are finals weeks for me, so I'm buried in essay-grading/compiling. I might not post for a couple of weeks, but hope to be back when I have more time. Thanks to those of you who read my blog! I've really enjoyed this experience, and you guys make it that much richer for me!
Then, I tell the students that, as creative writers, they most likely have vivid imaginations, daydreams, "castles" they visit in their minds -- all of which is necessary for writers to have. Creativity. However, what's equally important is knowing how to channel that imagination, those daydreams, those castles, into something on the page. It's all well and good to have an idea for a story. But if that story never sees the light of day because of fear or procrastination - or, if it isn't told well enough on the page, what good will come of it?
So, I tell the students that the "foundation" must be placed underneath the dreams. The foundation becomes the tools of a writers' trade - things like technique and format and voice and grammar. These must be present in order for the story to have a proper life. Sure, foundations themselves are boring, solid, stable - the opposite of creativity. But, they're also essential. In fact, without a foundation, a house will eventually crumble and fall. Just like a story.
**a little side note - this week and next week are finals weeks for me, so I'm buried in essay-grading/compiling. I might not post for a couple of weeks, but hope to be back when I have more time. Thanks to those of you who read my blog! I've really enjoyed this experience, and you guys make it that much richer for me!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Dangling Carrots...
As a writer of fiction, I've had to learn how to dangle carrots in front of the reader. It's not as cruel as it sounds - I don't giggle with sadistic delight as I watch the frustrated reader try to grab the out-of-reach carrots I'm dangling. But, in fiction, I must give the reader something to reach for - some reason to turn that page.
I think of it this way -- rather than showing all my cards to the reader, up front, all at once, and rather than drop key information about characters or situations altogether, in one huge dose, I try and lightly sprinkle these key details throughout the story - bit by bit. It's partly to sustain the action/plot/conflict throughout 400 pages, but it's also to provide a more interesting story, overall.
Here's an example: Let's say you have a character receive a letter, gasp, then nervously stuff the letter into her pocket. This instantly produces the obvious questions for the reader: What's in the letter? Who's the letter from? Is it good news or horrible news? How will it affect the character's life? You've just dangled the carrot. And if you can hold off and have her not open the letter for a chapter, or even a few chapters, then you've carried the suspense even further, making readers even more eager to have their questions answered.
Call it a hook, or a gimmick, or even passive-aggressive manipulation, lol - but whatever you call it, you can't deny that some level of suspense can keep a reader interested. And, it can keep things interesting for you, the writer, as well. Because, trust me, if you're bored with your own work, the reader will be just as bored.
The textbook from which I teach (Crossroads) calls this carrot-dangling technique "developing dramatic questions." Basically, you want the reader to have certain questions about characters' pasts, or their future decisions. Because questions make readers curious. Curious enough to read on. And, even better, it makes them think for themselves. You're not spoon-feeding them and over-telling the plot. Instead, you're giving the readers a chance to form their own opinions and suspicions. They become more actively involved, that way...
One word of caution - there's a difference between dangling carrots and flailing them about with a devious look in your eye, taunting the reader mercilessly. Dangling carrots is a way to create suspense. But if readers can overtly see it as manipulation, if they can tell it's just a gimmick, "stuck there" to produce suspense, it won't work. It's got to feel absolutely natural - part of the story itself, worked in seamlessly. Because if readers feel manipulated, if they "see" you dangling carrots in an obvious way, it'll only make them frustrated. And rather than read on, they might just close the book altogether.
I think of it this way -- rather than showing all my cards to the reader, up front, all at once, and rather than drop key information about characters or situations altogether, in one huge dose, I try and lightly sprinkle these key details throughout the story - bit by bit. It's partly to sustain the action/plot/conflict throughout 400 pages, but it's also to provide a more interesting story, overall.
Here's an example: Let's say you have a character receive a letter, gasp, then nervously stuff the letter into her pocket. This instantly produces the obvious questions for the reader: What's in the letter? Who's the letter from? Is it good news or horrible news? How will it affect the character's life? You've just dangled the carrot. And if you can hold off and have her not open the letter for a chapter, or even a few chapters, then you've carried the suspense even further, making readers even more eager to have their questions answered.
Call it a hook, or a gimmick, or even passive-aggressive manipulation, lol - but whatever you call it, you can't deny that some level of suspense can keep a reader interested. And, it can keep things interesting for you, the writer, as well. Because, trust me, if you're bored with your own work, the reader will be just as bored.
The textbook from which I teach (Crossroads) calls this carrot-dangling technique "developing dramatic questions." Basically, you want the reader to have certain questions about characters' pasts, or their future decisions. Because questions make readers curious. Curious enough to read on. And, even better, it makes them think for themselves. You're not spoon-feeding them and over-telling the plot. Instead, you're giving the readers a chance to form their own opinions and suspicions. They become more actively involved, that way...
One word of caution - there's a difference between dangling carrots and flailing them about with a devious look in your eye, taunting the reader mercilessly. Dangling carrots is a way to create suspense. But if readers can overtly see it as manipulation, if they can tell it's just a gimmick, "stuck there" to produce suspense, it won't work. It's got to feel absolutely natural - part of the story itself, worked in seamlessly. Because if readers feel manipulated, if they "see" you dangling carrots in an obvious way, it'll only make them frustrated. And rather than read on, they might just close the book altogether.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thankful
This might be the last blog post before Thanksgiving, so I wanted to make this one Thanksgiving-centric.
It sounds corny, but I'm thankful for writing. I thank God for the creative outlet it allows, for the "other" world it lets me enter, for the unique connection it brings between fellow writers. I'm grateful that I can be myself in ways I can't be otherwise, through writing. And, I'm grateful for the magic that happens (occasionally) when the Muse sprinkles generous portions of her creative pixie dust onto my fingers as I type.
Because when I'm in that "zone," when everything else is shut away except the words I'm placing on screen, that's magic. There's nothing else like that high, and I'm most grateful for it.
It sounds corny, but I'm thankful for writing. I thank God for the creative outlet it allows, for the "other" world it lets me enter, for the unique connection it brings between fellow writers. I'm grateful that I can be myself in ways I can't be otherwise, through writing. And, I'm grateful for the magic that happens (occasionally) when the Muse sprinkles generous portions of her creative pixie dust onto my fingers as I type.
Because when I'm in that "zone," when everything else is shut away except the words I'm placing on screen, that's magic. There's nothing else like that high, and I'm most grateful for it.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Let it BREATHE...
I'm sure you've heard this advice before: "At some point in the writing process, put the manuscript aside and let it breathe. Leave it alone for a few days, even a few weeks, and come back to it with a fresh, more objective eye."
I've taught this to my students for years, and have always believed in its core value: that distancing yourself from your own (very subjective) work can help you see things in it later on that you wouldn't normally see. The distance provides a small amount of objectivity.
I've never before experienced this "truth" to such a great degree as I'm experiencing it right now. A bit of background info: Last summer, I spent 6 glorious, difficult, intense weeks writing the first draft of a new novel. I wrote about 10 pages a day (sometimes more) - every single day - in order to complete the manuscript before my first faculty meetings began. I knew that once the semester started, I wouldn't have the time to finish the novel. I would have to work it in between meetings and lesson plans and essay-grading and classes. Nope, I'd rather "rush" to finish it, all in one gulp.
Well, because of that rushed timeframe, I wasn't able to do what I usually do with a first draft - each day, I normally get my bearings by reading over the pages I'd written the day before, then write fresh pages. But, this time, I only read maybe the last couple of paragraphs and then dove in to write the new pages. Thus, much of this new novel had been written, but never reviewed.
So, now, as I'm editing the manuscript four months later, having let the material "breathe," something amazing is happening. There are entire passages, even entire chapters, that I barely recall writing. It's like looking at someone else's book -- which is exactly the point. Fresh eyes! I'm seeing not only the strengths in the writing, but the glaring flaws and inconsistencies, too. Things I might not've been able to see so well, if I'd "known" the material from many read-throughs.
Another good reason to let the material breathe is that sometimes we can grow tired of our own work. We get a sort of manuscript-fatigue if we work on something too hard, too long. It's almost like friends who see each other too often. If they take a break, the next time they see each other, there's more to talk about - the relationship has been refreshed.
And I must say, I'm enjoying reacquainting myself with this new novel, revisiting characters I'd only just met a few months before. Absence does make the heart grow fonder.
I've taught this to my students for years, and have always believed in its core value: that distancing yourself from your own (very subjective) work can help you see things in it later on that you wouldn't normally see. The distance provides a small amount of objectivity.
I've never before experienced this "truth" to such a great degree as I'm experiencing it right now. A bit of background info: Last summer, I spent 6 glorious, difficult, intense weeks writing the first draft of a new novel. I wrote about 10 pages a day (sometimes more) - every single day - in order to complete the manuscript before my first faculty meetings began. I knew that once the semester started, I wouldn't have the time to finish the novel. I would have to work it in between meetings and lesson plans and essay-grading and classes. Nope, I'd rather "rush" to finish it, all in one gulp.
Well, because of that rushed timeframe, I wasn't able to do what I usually do with a first draft - each day, I normally get my bearings by reading over the pages I'd written the day before, then write fresh pages. But, this time, I only read maybe the last couple of paragraphs and then dove in to write the new pages. Thus, much of this new novel had been written, but never reviewed.
So, now, as I'm editing the manuscript four months later, having let the material "breathe," something amazing is happening. There are entire passages, even entire chapters, that I barely recall writing. It's like looking at someone else's book -- which is exactly the point. Fresh eyes! I'm seeing not only the strengths in the writing, but the glaring flaws and inconsistencies, too. Things I might not've been able to see so well, if I'd "known" the material from many read-throughs.
Another good reason to let the material breathe is that sometimes we can grow tired of our own work. We get a sort of manuscript-fatigue if we work on something too hard, too long. It's almost like friends who see each other too often. If they take a break, the next time they see each other, there's more to talk about - the relationship has been refreshed.
And I must say, I'm enjoying reacquainting myself with this new novel, revisiting characters I'd only just met a few months before. Absence does make the heart grow fonder.
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Waiting Game
If you're trying to get published, it's inevitable -- you will be forced to master The Art of Waiting, like it or not.
By now, I have just about mastered this "art." And I've got the war wounds to prove it. Just two examples: an article I got published in 2007 took 3 YEARS to see the light of day. I submitted a query, waited a few months. Got a request to see the full, waited a few more months. Got a "We're interested in maybe, perhaps, possibly publishing it, but would you be willing to make a few changes?" email, waited a few more months. By the time I went to the bookstore and got the edition in my hot little hands, so much time had passed that a tiny part of me wasn't even joyful about it. The grueling process itself had practically sucked some of the joy away.
Another example: a huge (I'm talking big-wig, best-of-the-best, stellar) NY agency requested a full manuscript of my novel. Then, they sat on it. For 18 months. I sent four VERY polite, professional email inquiries, but to no avail. Totally ignored. Finally, I sent a (still-professional) hard copy letter to the office, saying another agency was interested in seeing the full (which was true). The next day, I received a form email rejection, saying my material "wasn't for them." It took 18 months for them to decide that.
Those are extreme cases, and most of the time, agents/editors are very courteous to stick to their word, to their projected turnaround times.
But the main point is, if you're a writer trying to get published, you WILL be made to wait. It's a natural part of the process. So, what to do during that time? Try to forget about it, let it go, and KEEP WRITING.
As a matter of fact, right now, I'm awaiting a response from the agent who (very kindly!) requested re-writes on my novel. The holidays are a very busy time for everyone, agents included, so I really don't expect to hear anything before Christmas. This agent is a rare breed, in that she's been nice enough to keep me updated/informed about her turnaround time along the way, which has lessened my wait-anxiety.
Here's what I'm doing in the meantime - I'm pushing the agent situation to the back of my mind, and biding my time by editing the second book in my series. It's keeping me very busy - and very focused on something else besides the gnawing anxiety that I might get rejected. Or, heaven forbid, that I might actually get accepted!
So, remember - keeping busy and staying productive kills the frustration/anxiety/impatience bug. Well, maybe it doesn't totally kill it. Maybe it just maims it a little bit. ;-)
By now, I have just about mastered this "art." And I've got the war wounds to prove it. Just two examples: an article I got published in 2007 took 3 YEARS to see the light of day. I submitted a query, waited a few months. Got a request to see the full, waited a few more months. Got a "We're interested in maybe, perhaps, possibly publishing it, but would you be willing to make a few changes?" email, waited a few more months. By the time I went to the bookstore and got the edition in my hot little hands, so much time had passed that a tiny part of me wasn't even joyful about it. The grueling process itself had practically sucked some of the joy away.
Another example: a huge (I'm talking big-wig, best-of-the-best, stellar) NY agency requested a full manuscript of my novel. Then, they sat on it. For 18 months. I sent four VERY polite, professional email inquiries, but to no avail. Totally ignored. Finally, I sent a (still-professional) hard copy letter to the office, saying another agency was interested in seeing the full (which was true). The next day, I received a form email rejection, saying my material "wasn't for them." It took 18 months for them to decide that.
Those are extreme cases, and most of the time, agents/editors are very courteous to stick to their word, to their projected turnaround times.
But the main point is, if you're a writer trying to get published, you WILL be made to wait. It's a natural part of the process. So, what to do during that time? Try to forget about it, let it go, and KEEP WRITING.
As a matter of fact, right now, I'm awaiting a response from the agent who (very kindly!) requested re-writes on my novel. The holidays are a very busy time for everyone, agents included, so I really don't expect to hear anything before Christmas. This agent is a rare breed, in that she's been nice enough to keep me updated/informed about her turnaround time along the way, which has lessened my wait-anxiety.
Here's what I'm doing in the meantime - I'm pushing the agent situation to the back of my mind, and biding my time by editing the second book in my series. It's keeping me very busy - and very focused on something else besides the gnawing anxiety that I might get rejected. Or, heaven forbid, that I might actually get accepted!
So, remember - keeping busy and staying productive kills the frustration/anxiety/impatience bug. Well, maybe it doesn't totally kill it. Maybe it just maims it a little bit. ;-)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Book Lovers, Unite!
Passing along this link that many of you might already be aware of -- Goodreads.com. It's a book lover's dream! It has book reviews and recommendations, author interviews, quotes, trivia, reading groups, etc. You can also stay in touch with your friends and find out what books they're currently reading - and create a "book list" that helps you keep track of what you're reading.
So, if you love to read, you should definitely check out Goodreads! It's book heaven!
So, if you love to read, you should definitely check out Goodreads! It's book heaven!
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