writing

More Writer’s First Aid–A Must-Own Book for Busy Writers

Kristi Holl’s More Writer’s First Aid: Getting the Writing Done is the perfect resource for writers who want to carve a writing career out of a life that seems already full of family, work, and just the “stuff” of living. I printed my PDF review copy, because I read better that way. I used sticky notes to highlight the parts that stood out and that I could mention in this review. I ran out of sticky notes. There were gems in almost every chapter.

This is a book that gives you permission to be human—to be confused, frightened, crazy-busy, in pain, and a first class procrastinator. Kristi offers accessible solutions to the challenges of a writer’s life without being trite or condescending. She writes with a voice that has “been there, done that” and has sought solutions in the work of other writers as well as from her own instincts. She shares her solutions and the struggles to find them and make them work, without a smidge of “holier than thou.” She speaks as a fellow traveller and survivor who has worn all of life’s hats, along with that of writer. Reading the book is like having a special writer friend give you a hug and a nod of complete understanding—just when you need it.

This is not a how-to-write guide. There are no tricks for writing great dialogue or creating a compelling story arc. Chapters are grouped under these headings:  ENJOYING THE WRITING LIFE—EVERY DAY!, WRITING HABITS THAT HELP YOU, A WRITER’S EMOTIONS, FAMILY MATTERS. She deals with the hard stuff. How to work after a loss, while working the day job and juggling family, when serious illness hits you or a family member. And the practical: how to stop procrastinating, the realities of finding writing time—and equally essential—thinking time, in a life full of demands on your time and attention.

I’ve read a lot of books about writing over the years. (I even wrote one!) Only three have made my annual reread list. Now there are four!

Blogger KRISTI HOLL is the author of 39 books, including MORE WRITER’S FIRST AID.

 

On Reading William Zinsser – Part 2

“Trust your material if it’s taking you into terrain you didn’t intend to enter but where the vibrations are good. Adjust your style accordingly and proceed to whatever destination you reach. Don’t become the prisoner of a preconceived plan. Writing is no respecter of blueprints.”  On Writing Well, p. 52

 Zinsser writes these words in Chapter 8 encouraging journalists and non-fiction writers to let their material lead them in an “unexpected direction” and not to “fight such a current if it feels right.” But, I think the words apply equally as well to novelists and short story writers.

 Even in my not-particularly-vast experience, I know that what I have planned for my characters isn’t always what happens to them. I learn something new about them as they and the story grow, and that “something new” takes them and the story in a new direction. In one WIP, I changed the voice part way through. I had started in third person limited, but my character was so strong that he got tired of being a “he” and decided to become an “I.” Free to talk in his own voice directly to the reader, he blossomed into an even more lively, funny and spunky character.  I would have missed all the fun if I hadn’t let him take over.

 The intimidating part was going back to the beginning of the book to see if it would work with the material I’d already written. I had polished those first pages so many times I practically had them memorized. Now, I was going to throw all those finely tuned words and take a risk with a new voice. A scary experiment, but it worked. The opening is faster, cleaner, funnier and tells a better story.

 Have you ever amended, erased, thrown out your blueprint? What happened? How did you feel about the result?

 

On Reading William Zinsser

Photo by Jamie Anderson published under Creative Commons License

I’m not doing any joywriting at all at the moment– and I’ll spare you the whine about that situation—so instead I’ll share with you what I’m reading.

On the weekend I began the 30th anniversary edition of William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. I generally fly through reading material, but this book requires a different speed. Like good chocolate, its contents are rich and meant to be savoured.

Twenty years ago I read an earlier edition of this book, when Zinsser still referred to typewriters and the personal pronoun of choice was always “he.”  I’m a considerably older and more experienced writer and teacher now, and I’m sorry I stayed away so long. I’m only 36 pages in and already I’m underlining sentences and marking pages with sticky notes. I’m also doing a lot of head nodding and muttering things like “soooo right!” and “sooooo true!” and “exactly!” and enjoying every reading moment.

On page 9, Zinsser writes, “Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it’s because it is hard.”

I nodded my head at that one, too. He just nailed one reason (and yeah, there are others) why I haven’t done any joywriting lately. I’m quitting before I start. After writing three novels and another few halves, I know how hard the work really is, and there’s a part of me that I can actually hear groan at the thought of going down that road again. Yup. I’m a wuss. But at least I know I’m a wuss.

My sister-in-law’s favourite expression at these moments is: “Suck it up, buttercup!” Well, I’m no buttercup, but I like to call myself a writer, so I’m giving myself two weeks to get my act in gear, carve out some writing time and earn the name “writer.” In the meantime, I’ll keep you posted on my reading of On Writing Well–and hope that, in the meantime, you too are “writing well.”

Photo “Buttercups along the old CN tracks in Kitsilano” from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamieanderson/2568278918/ published under a Creative Commons license

Not A Resolution/Goal Setting/Business Plan Post

I like marketing.

I knew that, when I self-published my book, getting the word out and making sales was going to be my job. And it turns out I enjoy it. It’s like a treasure hunt, trying to find places that will accept the book for review, or tracking down the right person at a school board who might consider adding it to library or classroom shelves. I’ve reached out to teachers, book stores, distribution companies that supply schools and libraries and companies that take book fairs into schools.

Lots of reaching out–not an equal amount of returned interest, of course–but each time I have a success, it’s a nice affirmation of all the work that preceeded it, and it keeps me digging for more opportunities to get the word out. Who knew it would be fun?

And the joywriting? Yes, well, that has definitely taken a back seat while I’ve been wearing my marketing hat. All the “what ifs” that have been ricocheting around my marketing brain have, like little PacMans (PacMen?), chewed up the “what ifs” that used to occupy my story-telling brain, and though I miss the stories, there’s a lot of compensation from getting a good review or seeing a positive rating on Amazon or hearing good things from a reader.

I’m back to teaching next week and ahead are writing workshops for teens that I’m offering at the local library and a workshop presentation at the CITE conference at Ridley College in April. All good. All I will enjoy.

And the joywriting? I haven’t given up. It will come. Marketing is for now; writing is forever.

Numbers Do Count

Yes, sometimes number do count, and yesterday was one of those times. I checked my Amazon.ca ranking and my book, that had fallen off the chart for a couple of weeks, was ranked #1 and #2 in its two categories.

If my royalty statements are anything to go by, and if you consider the size of the categories, my meteoric rise probably represented the sale of one book. But, oh how good that sale felt!

I also got my first royalty cheque yesterday, and though the numbers on it are small, they represent my book landing the hands of teenagers who love to write or teachers who love to teach them. I’m tickled pink to think that there are people turning the pages, filling in the worksheets, and writing stories or helping others write them.

My book is for sale online in the US, India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. How neat to think that someone thousands of miles–and multiple time zones–away could be reading my book.

If this is what it means to be an author, I’m so glad that I took the risk and sent my words out there. As my ranking begins its traditional downward slide today, I’ll think of that one book, and that one reader, and be very happy. Numbers count, but no more than that one.

Do What I Love Month Comes Undone

Life happens. Over the last week and a half, my mother-in-law has become very ill and the time to write has disappeared, replaced by worry, visits to hospital and home, and the kind of tired that comes when life hits you upside the head and you just want to escape into sleep. And, of course, the other life goes on, too. Music lessons, making meals, laundry, driving my son to school, and the day job, all done during the most beautiful fall days you could ask for. So NaNo is done for now, and the story will wait. My family and I will be living in the “now” of life, today and every day, until there are answers and verdicts from specialists and a road map, if possible, for what’s ahead. A stronger, bigger love sits at the core of this life. I’m blessed to have it, blessed to give it, and blessed to recognize the gift.

Sadly, we lost my mother-in-law on November 21st.  We will all miss her very much.

Do What I Love Month

Okay. I thought I had a plot. I thought I had characters. And then I woke up this morning and realized that I really didn’t want to spend a month with this story.

So.

I’m starting again.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a writer, it’s to forgive myself when things don’t turn out the way they planned. Sometimes stories just fizzle and that’s okay. Sometimes you find yourself going in a different direction than planned, and that can be okay, too. Today I’m off in a different direction, and whatever happens, I’ve decided that my goal is to enjoy my month of  writing with whatever characters and plot are ready to go on Monday. I mean, how often do the words “a month of writing” occur in my life. If I don’t enjoy it, I’m missing the point of NaNoWriMo, and more important, I’m missing the point of being a writer. Writing is all wrapped up in the “do what you love” part of my life that often gets overrun by the “do what you must”, “do what others need”, “do what– write your own version here.” 

So, onward into a new plot with new people. The countdown begins. “Do what I love” month starts Monday

Characters and Enough of a Plot

Some characters dropped by two weeks ago with a bit of snappy dialogue and a dim idea for a story, and I thought, “Yes! I’m on my way!”  Then they took a hiatus while schoolwork and life got attended to. In that time, they lost a lot of their lustre and I wondered if they weren’t just a cute premise and not a real story.  Today, I invited them back for a visit and did my best to find out more about them and to see if I could find a way to brighten up that “dim idea.” I mean, in order to meet my NaNoWriMo goal, I need to complicate their lives sufficiently to sustain me and the story through 50,000 words of  beginning, middle and end.

I can honestly say now that these characters and their story have possibilities. I only have a name for one of them right now, and of course, that may change as I learn more about her and see her in action. But I have something to work with right now. My next step is to get names for all the other main characters, so I can listen to them talk and see what they have to tell me between now and November 1st. If people are going to be carrying on conversations in my brain for several weeks, they definitely need names. I’m going online to check out baby name sites and see what I can find.

And I’m going to practise typing the name a few dozen times, too, before I settle on it. I had a character named Philip in a romance novel, and I got extremely tired of typing that particular combination of letters. I guess because they mostly used only three fingers of my right hand and typing Philip seemed just plain awkward. He was the villain in the first novel I wrote, and I decided to reform him and make him a hero in a second book. I changed his name to Simon–still mostly a “right-hand” name, but my little finger was out of the action and I was much happier. Hence the typing practice.

Do your characters  just introduce themselves–first, middle, last name complete? Or are they X and Y until you find just the right name for them? Have you ever changed a character’s name part way through or after you’ve written a story or novel? Do you have a favourite name that you’re just waiting to find a story for? Have people left such strong negative impressions with you that you would never use their name in a story–unless, of course, they were perfectly horrible characters?  How do you find the names for your characters?

Getting Ready for NaNoWriMo

 Yes, I have signed up for NaNoWriMo again this year and am looking forward to a whole month of writing and creating. Last year I managed around 23,000 words before another book took over and I abandoned my nightly creative free-for-all in favour of “purposeful” writing. Though I didn’t win NaNo, I did finish the book and had it published this spring. So, for me, a win.

This year, I have no books burning to be written, in fact, I don’t even have an idea for a story. I’m not an especially good “pantser,” so I’ll be spending the rest of October looking for characters, a setting, and 50,000-words-worth of conflict. When it comes to plotting, taking a look at the Hero’s Journey is definitely on my to-do list. I wrote a blog about it last year during the run-up to NaNo.

If you’re stuck for a story idea, too, I’ve been posting a series of writing prompts at http://wrightingwords.wordpress.com/writing-starters/  for other NaNo writers and anyone else who needs a creative boost.

What are you doing to get ready for NaNoWriMo? Are you a pantser or are you going to have a detailed plan for your novel before you begin? If you have any tips for success or sites to recommend to others taking on the challenge, please share.

If you sign up for NaNo and are looking for a writing buddy, I’m “wrightwriter” and I’d love the company.

Eden Mills and Me

Last Sunday, with some trepidation, I set up my table at the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival  and waited for the day to unfold. The weather cooperated, and the sun and warmth brought out thousands of visitors to hear wonderful authors read from their new works.  And all of them walked down Publishers’ Way at least once and past my table.(http://www.edenmillswritersfestival.ca/)

I overcame the awkwardness (for me) of striking up conversations with total strangers and talking about the merits of my book. I met parents of teens who love to write, teens who love to write, teachers, and therapists who use writing in their work with teens. I got reacquainted with people I had worked with years ago and former students, and I met and chatted with fellow CANSCAIP member, Janet Wilson (http://secondstorypress.ca/books/206-our-earth) and Jon Fear and Louisa D’Amato from our local newspaper The Record.  And I sold a few books, too.

My son helped me set up and went to hear some of the YA author readings. He kept me company (did his geography homework), and bought food. At the end of the day, he introduced author, Shane Peacock, at the YA authors’ event and was “paid” with all four books in Shane’s fantastic boy Sherlock Holmes series (http://www.shanepeacock.ca/index2.html), which he duly got signed by the author and is now happily reading.

I was totally out of my element that Sunday and survived. I was exhausted by the end of the day, but energized, too, by the support of strangers for my book and its purpose. And that is what will stay with me for a very long time.

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