It's Baaacckk: NaNoWriMo 2015

 

Wow, it’s almost November, and you know what that means: National Novel Writing Month

I attempted NaNoWriMo for the first time last year, and to my shame it’s been almost 12 months since I’ve updated my blog. That’s not because I haven’t been writing, I just haven’t done nearly as much as I'd hoped. The fact is I’m still working on the novel I started for NaNoWriMo last year. I have 15 chapters which are rough but it’s starting to take shape and now I just need to find out how it’s going to end. So the plan this year for NaNoWriMo is to finish the damn book (the first draft anyway), and then get down to the real nitty gritty of trying to pull it all together and make it work.

The goal is 10 3000 word chapters by the end of November, which is 30,000 words. I’m guessing I’ll probably need to write furiously for at least an hour every day to achieve this. This will mean forsaking all other entertainments, which Foxtel have decided to help me with by cutting  our service. It’s good to know the universe is taking care of me.

Looking back on my last post about NaNoWriMo I haven’t really taken the lessons on board. I haven’t been writing every day or setting daily writing goals and I haven’t made any efforts to become part of a writing community. These are all things I plan to rectify in the near future, so may NaNoWriMo 2105 be the first step in the write direction! (bad pun intended)

I strongly urge all writers to take the NaNoWriMo challenge this year. It’s just like the All Bran Challenge in many ways: it’s very good for you and is known to produce  a lot of crap ; - )

Hemmingway said it best:

 

 

Are You a Plotter, Pantser or Plantser?

Are you the type of writer who likes to have everything planned out in great detail before you set pen to paper and begin writing your novel or story? Do you create detailed character profiles and plot diagrams for every twist and turn well before you have composed the first sentence? Do you already know in advance what your themes are and how your characters will develop over the course of the book? If you answered yes to these questions then you, my friend, are a planner.

 

On the other hand if you start writing with no clear idea of where your story is going, who your characters are or even what the story it is about then you fall into the category of pantser. You thrive on uncertainty and see writing as a journey which is as exciting for you as it is for the reader. You delight in coming up with connections and ideas on the run and you give your unconscious a lot of leeway to create.

 

 

These are the two extremes of the writing world, but my guess is that most writers probably fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum, making them plantsers. I'm definitely in the plantser category because I begin with a basic outline for each chapter and an overall idea I want to express, but I don't fill in the details till I actually start writing. Once I begin writing the story and characters change a great deal from my original plan. I believe in giving the unconscious room to play and for me the most satisfying part of writing is seeing connections I hadn't even realised were there, and the plot twists I didn't consider when planning, but which suddenly seem ideal. In a sense, writing is a lot like reading, and if your story doesn't entertain and thrill you as you're composing it, then chances are it won't thrill anyone else either.

I love the term plantser because it really captures the organic process of writing. Just like a plant a story has to begin with a seed planted in the fertile soil of the imagination, and as it begins to grow the roots develop to hold the story together and keep it anchored. Above the soil is the story itself, growing and blossoming in beautiful and often unexpected ways.

Everyone has their own approach to their craft and you have to go with what works for you, but I believe plantsers manage to avoid the pitfalls that come with being a planner or a panser. Planners risk overthinking things and losing spontaneity. Pantsers on the other hand often find that they start out with great enthusiasm but then come to a grinding halt because they don't know how to finish the story. Their characters can come across as superficial because they haven't spent enough time thinking about the motivations and how they will develop. I know this from experience because I have taken a pantser approach with my current WIP and I've found it far more difficult than my previous books. It's not approach I'll be taking again in a hurry.

I've discovered I'm a plantser through and through because this approach combines the best of both worlds. It provides a solid grounding to build on while also allowing the imagination to run free and do its magic. Who could ask for more than this?

What type of writer are you?

Pinterest: A Powerful Tool For Authors?

Dazzling or distracting?

No one could ever accuse me of being an early adopter of social media. I'd heard of Pinterest but I didn't have much of an idea about it until I read a tweet today which made me take a closer look.

To cut a long story short, I had put aside this Sunday afternoon to do some writing, but after opening an account on Pinterest that did not happen. Instead I spent the whole afternoon creating boards for each of my books and also for my WIP. You can take a look at them here.

I love this site for so many reasons. As a visual person I get a lot of inspiration from images and this site is brimming with amazing pictures. Since I started writing I've always made Powerpoint presentations with photos of characters and settings, so this is really no different from what I've been doing anyway, but it's more exciting when you can share it.

I was surprised to discover that Pinterest is the fastest growing social media site ever.  I can understand the attraction, but part of me worries that I'll now spend hours trawling through images when I could be writing. I really don't need anymore distractions. I also read somewhere that it's a bad idea to put pictures of your characters on your book cover because it robs the reader of the chance to use their imagination. Are sites like Pinterest and also book trailers doing readers a disservice by providing the images of characters and settings for them? Is this site just another exampe of image and spectacle superseding content?

It's difficult to tell what social media trends are going to catch on and which ones will fizzle out and die. From the very brief research I've done on Pinterest so far it seems like it could become an excellent tool for communication and collaboration between readers and authors. This is the direction I see publishing heading in, and I believe online fanfiction communities are the precursors of this.

What do you think of Pinterest? Is it a powerful tool for authors and readers or just another distraction?

Life Lessons From Writing

People often accuse writers of being dreamers who retreat into their own worlds to escape the harshness of reality. While there is definitely a grain of truth in this stereotype, I have to say, my own experiences as an author have taught me many valuable life lessons that it may have taken many years to learn otherwise.

Far from allowing you to escape from the real world, sending your writing out there to be judged will quickly dispel your illusions and give you a strong dose of reality. Authorship is not for the faint-hearted dreamer, I can assure you, but a guaranteed way to rip your head out of the clouds and plant your feet firmly on solid ground.

Here are the top 5 lessons I've learnt from writing, which have helped to make me a healthier (and humbler) person:

1. Getting published will not change your life: It seems that everyone on the planet has a desire to write a book. There's just something about being a writer that is so appealing to the majority of the population, but as many writer's manuals point out, only a tiny percentage of people ever manage to start, let alone finish a book. When they do actually manage to finish a novel, most author's see it as a life-changing event. When that novel gets picked up for publication (or you self-publish) it's like the heavens themselves have split open and choirs of angels have appeared to herald your success. You dream of the new-found respect and income that will surely soon be yours. Then the book comes out, and if you're lucky some people who don't know you and aren't related to you buy it and read it. Some love it, some hate it, some think it's okay.  And life goes on as usual.

Life lesson:  Your achievements don't really mean that much to anyone besides you. Even your own family and friends don't care that much and some won't find the time or energy to buy your 0.99 cent book on Amazon.

2. Some people just won't be that into your books: Even when you've poured your heart and soul into a book and are convinced that everyone who reads it will fall instantly in love with it, it is an absolute certainty there will be many people out there who simply don't like your writing, don't appreciate your message and don't think you should continue to kid yourself that you can actually write. Even if you manage to write the greatest novel the world has ever known, there will still be people who feel this way about your book. 

Life lesson: Many of the people you meet in life are not going to like you or understand you. Don't ever let this prevent you from living (and writing) your own truth.

3. Criticism can be good for you: The other day I made a comment in a writer's forum about how I won't review books that are below 3 stars in my opinion because it could make me vulnerable to pay-back reviews from disgruntled fellow-authors and their fans. Someone implied on the forum that even a 3-star review these days is considered insulting to some authors and could have the same result. Since when is a 3-star review considered a 'bad' review? There are so many 4 and 5 star reviews being thrown around for first-time authors that I believe it's making the whole review system irrelevant. I know that reviews are based on subjective opinion, but when the classics and Shakespeare are being ranked alongside a first-time indie book that is riddled with typos and grammatical errors, then something is truly rotten in the state of Denmark (yes, I include my own self-pubbed books in this assessment). There is such a thing as literary merit, and authors (especially newbies) need to toughen up and accept that their first books are not works of sheer genius deserving only of unqualified praise.

Life lesson:  Don't ever believe you are beyond criticism. Keep an open mind and don't let your ego get in the way of the truth, no matter how painful it might be. Develop the wisdom to know the difference between constructive advice and mean-spirited comments designed only to tear you down.

4. Sour grapes are a waste of energy: It can be very discouraging for authors to see books they consider undeserving rocket to the top of the bestsellers lists while their own books languish at the bottom with all the other undiscovered masterpieces.

Life Lesson: Newsflash: Life is unfair. Get used to it.

5. Don't believe the hype: Everyone knows that if you continue to try your hardest and keep believing in yourself, you will eventually get what you deserve. Wrong. How many authors toiled away in obscurity only to be discovered after they died? How many great works were rejected by short-sighted publishers and then thrown on the fire by despairing authors? How many ground-breaking books are mouldering in dusty attics even as I write this, and will never see the light of day?  How many brilliant books are there are on Amazon that have been drowned in the tsunami that is self-publishing and will never gain the readership they deserve? Sobering questions, but ones every author needs to ask themselves.

Life Lesson: If at first you don't succeed, try and try again....but don't be naive enough to think you'll actually make it big.

It's true that many authors enter the world of publishing with unrealistic ideas, but it doesn't take very long for reality to set in. If writing and publishing are fraught with disappointment and shattered dreams, why do so many people continue to write? I can only answer for myself when I say I do it because I couldn't live without it. Writing fulfils a need in me that nothing else can. If writing makes you happy and complete, then all of the other stuff doesn't matter. To find the courage and determination to follow your heart and do what you love, even if you never gain any recognition for it, is the most valuable life lesson of all.

This above all: To thine own self be true, And it must follow as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet

My Own Private NoProMo

I've blogged previously here about my diminishing attention span and gift for procrastination, so in an attempt to combat these tendencies I'm starting my own project called No Procrastination Month (NoProMo). I urge others struggling to write in the face of so many distractions to do the same. The beauty of NoProMo is that there is no set month, no rules and no goals, apart from the ones you set for yourself.

Here are my rules:

1. I cannot check my sales figures or rankings on Amazon during NoProMo.

2. I cannot read any reviews of my books over this month.

3. I will focus completely on my WIP and finish it during this time.

4. When I am writing I cannot look at the internet under any circumstances.

5. When I'm not writing I cannot waste valuable time googling myself and looking for references to my books in hopes of finding some kind of validation (believe me, it doesn't work as I discovered last night when I found a very mediocre review on a blog I never would have known existed if I hadn't gone looking).

6. I can continue to update my blog and engage in social media activities, but within reason.

I'm currently working on the final novella in my Eternal Hunger vampire series which I will definitely finish within a month if I can stick to these rules. In keeping with my WIP I plan to start NoProMo on Friday 13th July. This is going to be particularly challenging as I've got a free novella on Amazon on this day, and I love watching those figures creep up, even if they're not real sales. I'm sure I can do it and I know my writing, not to mention my mental health, will improve if I can stick with the plan.

The purpose of NoProMo for me is not just to overcome procrastination but to bring it back to what really matters - which is the writing. Sales, reviews and rankings are about what other people think, and worrying about this is a sure-fire way to cripple creativity.

Bring on NoProMo, and writing for the sheer love of creative expression!

Writers Getting Hot and Sweaty

One of the biggest downsides to writing has got to be the fact that so much time is spent sitting down in front of a computer. For a person who leans towards a sedentary lifestyle at the best of times, this has really not been a good development for me when it comes to my health. I now seem to spend so much time in front of my computer that I've gone from sedentary to practically comatose. My situation has been compounded by the fact that four months ago I moved to a "town" (I use the term loosely) where there is nothing to do. And I mean that literally. We are 56kms from the largest real town and even there choices for recreation are limited.

So what's a girl to do? The best form of exercise and the one I have always enjoyed the most is walking. There are a lot of dirt roads around my house which I could in theory traverse everyday for exercise. The problem is not just motivation (and sheer laziness), but also fear. When you've spent most of your life in the city it can be hard to get used to being in the wide open spaces without another human being in sight. When you have a very overactive imagination like me it's even worse because you begin to imagine all sorts of terrible scenarios involving serial killers and rabid dogs appearing out of nowhere. These are not very comforting thoughts on a lonely stretch where no one can hear you scream.

Once upon a time many years ago I used to be an aerobics junkie and I do know what it's like to have an exercise high. The only problem is it takes a lot of sweat and effort to get to this point and this is where my great plans to get fit always get stuck. Thankfully I now have a couple of jobs where I'm on my feet for most of the day, but I've written this entry to try to inspire myself and hopefully others to get out there and start moving again.

Here are some tips for writers to help stay active:

1. Have a set time that you will spend in front of the computer and stick to it. Without this time limit I find that hours pass where the only part of my body moving is my fingers.

2. Use exercise time to think about your WIP or come up with new ideas for stories. This will help to make exercise more enjoyable and productive.

3. Develop an exercise plan that is realistic and incorporates things you enjoy. Find a buddy if you can, or join an online forum where you can chat with people who are also trying to improve their fitness - just don't use this as an excuse to spend more time on the computer and less time exercising!

4. Don't spend long periods of time slumped in front of the computer. Get up frequently and go for a walk around the house, or do something physical that will help to refresh and energize you, even if it's just for a few minutes.

5. Do stretches at your desk to prevent stiffness and get the blood pumping.

6. Every now and then put on your favourite music and dance like a crazy person.

Now I've just got to start taking my own advice! This picture is frighteningly realistic.

Writing in the Digital Age - Pros & Cons

There are many benefits to being a writer in the digital age, but there are also drawbacks. Below are what I consider to be the top five positive and negative aspects of being a writer today.

Pros

1. Research: All the information you could possibly want is right at your fingertips. Need to know the rectal temperature of a Madagascan hummingbird? No worries. Just google it and Bob's your uncle. Imagine what it must have been like in the 'olden days' when authors had to spend hours trawling through library books to find or confirm simple facts.

2. Email queries: Again, imagine what it was like when authors had to print out multiple copies of manuscripts and then haul them to the post office. Now all this inconvenience and expense has been done away with at the click of a mouse (apart from the few agents / publishers who refuse to accept email queries. Like the early denigrators of electricty they are patiently waiting for this ridiculous fad called the internet to run its course).

3. Online communities: How wonderful it is to find like-minded souls ready at any time of the day or night to answer your writing questions or just commiserate with you over the fact that the world has yet to recognise your genius.

4. Self-promotion: Authors are now far less dependant on publishers for promotion and they can reach their readers in a way which has never been possible before.

5. E-publishing and self-publishing: Have made the joy of authorship available to so many. Now people who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to see their words in print are free to express themselves and share their creations with the entire world.

 Cons

1. Research: All the information you could possibly want is right at your fingertips. The other day I found myself googling the question "what is a good name for a town in a novel," because I just couldn't be bothered thinking one up for myself. The information superhighway is making people lazy and dulling the imagination (at least in my case).

2. Email queries: Now that it's so easy and convenient to send out multiple queries, the agony of suspense and rejection has been multiplied many times over.

3. Online communities: Why bother writing a book when you can spend hours chatting online with people about your plans to write a book?

4. Self-promotion: Authors are now far less reliant on publishers for promotion, and can reach their readers in a way which has never been possible before. Only problem is that with so many social networking sites around, self-promotion has become a full-time job and there's no time left to actually write.

5. E-publishing and self-publishing: Have made the joy of authorship available to so many. Now people who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to see their words in print are free to express themselves and share their creations with the entire world.