by lcelum@yahoo.com | Jan 2, 2021 | #AuthorToolboxBlogHop, Blog, FAQ
“I have an idea for a book I want to write. Where do I start?”
This is, by far, the number one question about writing that I get asked. My answer has two parts.
The first part is very simple: write down everything you already know about the story. Whether that means details about characters, freewriting about story elements or direction, snippets of scenes or (if you’re lucky) entire scenes, whatever you have in your mind, get it all down. Don’t edit. Don’t censor. For now, just dig and discover. Commit every. single. thing. you can think of to the page. Push to find all of the tidbits you possibly can. You’re not writing the story now; you’re just brainstorming, so you can’t do anything wrong at this point as long as you keep going. When there’s nothing left, push again. Look for more.
When you’ve exhausted all you already know and all you’ve discovered about the story, put it aside for a while. Designate a set amount of time (longer than you think is comfortable) during which you absolutely cannot write anything relating to your idea. This will achieve one of two things. It will either give you some peace because the idea is as developed as you can currently make it, or it will generate more tidbits about the idea. Repeat this process until nothing else springs up.
It is very important that you do as much as you can with this discovery process, before you do anything else. This is because everything else is hard work and is often accompanied by lots of doubt and misgiving, so you want to get the original idea down as purely and as completely as you can imagine it for those moments when you can’t seem to find which way is up. This does not mean your idea won’t change. Expect it to grow and develop as you go through the rest of the process. But completing this step before any other will help you remember why you wanted to write this particular story in the first place.
The rest of my answer is not so simple and will require a lot of focused effort and time. I’m giving you a list today, but each step is nuanced and layered. If all goes as planned, I will go into detail about each of these steps in future posts. For today, however, here’s the list. Keeping in mind that what I’ve already told you counts as step one, then:
2. When you’re not writing, work on your social media platform. Develop your on-line presence authentically, in a way that is genuine. [Read more here.]
3. Go back to your idea. Organize everything you wrote in step one into something with structure and shape. Turn that collection of ideas into a plan and begin your first draft. [Read more here.]
4. Start a website. A blog is good because it gives readers a taste of your writing, but if you feel that you can’t commit to a blog, then you need to have a website at the very least. [Read more here.]
5. Edit your first draft. Complete this step as often as necessary. [Read more here.]
6. Start an e-mail list. [Read more here.]
7. Enlist alpha readers who will give you story feedback. [Read more here.]
8. Once your book is as polished as you can get it, enlist someone else to edit it. [Read more here.]
9. Decide how you want to publish (indie or traditional) and study the process. Learning the necessary details will save you a lot of time and, potentially, a lot of money in the long run. [Read more here.]
10. Start the next story!
If it sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is, but don’t worry… you’re up to it! All you need to do is take one step at a time. Start with step one… get your fabulous idea down on paper, then tune in for the next installment in this series to find out how to proceed with step two.
For those of you who are already knee-deep in any part of this cycle, I’d love to hear which parts you find easiest and/or most difficult and why. Let me know in the comments!
This post was originally written for Lands Uncharted on 8.14.2018.
by lcelum@yahoo.com | Apr 17, 2019 | #AuthorToolboxBlogHop, Blog, Book Reviews, Creativity and the Writing Process
As I mentioned last month, I have this thing for how-to resources about writing. There’s something about studying the craft of writing that makes me feel content and inspired, so much so that I have to be careful to make sure that any extensive studying I do does not become a thinly-veiled form of creative procrastination.
Because of this, I’ve read enough that the
basic advice is becoming ingrained and is beginning to sound repetitious. You
know, in the same way a sunrise becomes repetitious because there’s never a day
when the sun doesn’t rise. It’s not that each sunrise is not uniquely
beautiful; it’s just that every dawn contains the same basic elements and
follows a pretty standard process.
This is why I was so surprised by Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors, by Brandilyn Collins. I began reading it with the expectation that I would find basic ideas about character development. However, I was delighted to find that, while the book does deliver those ideas, it also does so much more.
Getting Into Character approaches character development through the system of Method Acting, a set of techniques formalized by Constantin Stanislavsky. In this system, method actors use the techniques of Personalizing; Action Objectives; Subtext; Coloring Passions; Inner Rhythm; Restraint and Control; and Emotion Memory to delve deeply into a character’s emotions and motivations so that they may portray characters in a fully-developed way. Brandilyn Collins identifies each of these techniques very briefly, then spends one chapter per technique discussing in detail how to apply each to developing story characters.
I am only one third of the way through
this resource, but already I have learned so much. For example, I have known
for a while that, in order to build a rich plot, characters should have
internal and external goals and those goals should be somewhat related.
However, in the chapter on Action Objectives, Collins coaches readers to state
these goals as a two-pronged Desire in which a plan of action is followed by an
ultimate goal. To demonstrate how this works, Collins gives the following examples:
“I want to never again lie to my husband
so that I can rebuild trust in my marriage” as opposed to “I want a happy
marriage.”
“’I want to hurry my roommate out the door
so I can have some time to myself’ rather than ‘I want to be alone.’”
Collins then goes further to detail to discuss how this two-pronged Desire helps create scenes of conflict that are organic to the story and fight the dreaded mid-story plot sag.
These tidbits alone have helped me streamline my writing process, transforming the plot development of my third novel in such a way that, by itself, this technique makes the book worth what it costs. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this resource holds.
What about you? What new writing tips or tricks have you learned in the past month?
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by lcelum@yahoo.com | Mar 20, 2019 | #AuthorToolboxBlogHop, Blog, Creativity and the Writing Process
I received a package today: a box of books. Specifically, a box of writing books.
Since I’m an author, it’s no surprise that
I love books. My collection would likely disturb Marie Kondo on a deep level,
since there are very, very few I can bare to part with, but they all bring me
joy! Another thing that’s probably no surprise is the significant portion of my
personal library that is dedicated to books about the craft of writing.
I consider myself a journeyman of this art,
but it’s my goal to become a master, so I consistently indulge in resources
designed to help me achieve my ambition. I also consistently buy those books in
paper format because I’m a kinesthetic learner, so it helps me to highlight,
underline, and annotate what I’m studying, not to mention how much easier it is
for me to find my way around a book when I can physically flip through the
pages.
While every book on my shelves has
something to offer, there are a specific few that I return to over and over
again. My top three are:
The Weekend Novelist by Robert J. Ray
This is the resource that taught me the
fundamentals of plot structure and how to use those fundamentals to craft a
story. It discusses character development, scene building, plotting, and
drafting through implementation of the three act plot structure, and it’s
designed to help authors write a complete novel during the course of a year,
dominantly on the weekends. It has been revised to include content from Jack
Remick, who is listed as a co-author on the updated version. However, I don’t
connect with the update as much as I do with the original 1994 edition, which
is my dominant resource during my drafting phase.
Between the Lines: Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing by Jessica Page Morrell
My copy of this book has so many page flags and notes that I will never, ever exhaust its resourcefulness. What The Weekend Novelist does at the macro level of storytelling, this book does at the micro level, specifically addressing such areas of art and artifice as cliffhangers, tension, suspense, pacing, imagery, and sensory surround. This is my dominant resource during my revision phase.
The Writer’s Digest Character Naming Sourcebook by Sherrilyn Kenyon with Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet
I use this resource so much that the
hardback cover is scarred with scratches, nicks, and dings. I love this
resource because it has two parts: a section discussing names and the
significance of naming from a linguistic and cultural perspective, and a
section of male and female names (with variations and meanings) grouped by
culture for thirty-five different cultures. I have yet to find any naming
resource on the internet that compares with this book.
So there you have it: my top three writing
resources. I’d love to hear about your favorites. Please tell me about them in
the comments below.
Until next month, happy writing!
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by lcelum@yahoo.com | Feb 20, 2019 | #AuthorToolboxBlogHop, Blog, Book Reviews
I have a problem.
I can’t write a short story to save. my. life.
I want to. Heaven knows I’ve tried. But
every time I sit down with an idea that I think works well for a short story, I
discover more and more layers and nuances to the idea until… viola!… I’m wrestling
with a new novel-length project.
Apparently, I’m not alone. I’ve heard
several novelists say they struggle in this area, as well. It seems the
prevalent thought is novelists write novels because, well… they are good at
novels, and the same for those who write short stories. This is good, I
suppose, in a misery-loves-company sort of way. And yet, a part of me refuses
to be satisfied. I yearn to master the short story form, not to be mastered by
it.
Whenever this urge becomes strong enough
that I’m tempted to try again, I do what I always do in situations like these:
I turn to the indefatigable library of writing how-to books and research
another author’s instruction on the form.
During my most recent skirmish with the short story form I discovered a short-ish resources titled How to Write Short Stories and Use Them to Further Your Writing Career, by James Scott Bell. Intrigued as I was by the first five words of the title, I didn’t fail to notice the rest. “Further Your Writing Career” had a definite ring to it. I decided this was The Next Book to help me master the skill that eluded me and promptly curled up with it in my favorite chair with my favorite blanket and began to study.
This book begins much as any other writing
how-to in that chapter one introduces the short story form and chapter two
discusses the structure, including the subtle ways short story structure differs
from novels. In Chapter Three, James Scott Bell introduces what he calls The
Big Key. This is the idea that a great short story is about the fallout from
one shattering moment.
If you’re worried that I’ve spoiled the
resource with that revelation, don’t be. In order to understand the full impact
of that statement (which is explained in the rest of chapter three) and how to
apply it to your writing (chapter four), then you need to read the book
yourself. Added bonus: the next chapter has a load of ideas for story
generation and is followed by a primer on how to publish your short stories on
Kindle.
Why is it that a person can hear something
all of his or her life but not fully appreciate the meaning of that something
until someone comes along and says it in a slightly different way that really
makes it sink in and connect? Whatever the reason, this book did that for me.
Reading it made me feel as if I finally understood how to approach the short
story form, and it gave me a new way to start sparing with it once again. If
you struggle as I do, I recommend this resource as one for you to try.
What do you think about writing short
stories? If you have any recommendations, tips, or tricks about how to do it, I
would love to hear them!
Until next month,
Cheers and happy writing!
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by lcelum@yahoo.com | Oct 17, 2018 | #AuthorToolboxBlogHop, Blog
You may not know this about me, but I’m relatively new to the whole concept of podcasts—I shared my discovery of this form of media only last year. While my list of useful podcasts has grown, I have recently discovered the Novel Marketing podcast, and I am jaw-dropped amazed.
Branded as “the show for novelists who aren’t necessarily fond of marketing but still want to become best-selling authors,” this is the podcast I wish I had found years ago, when my debut novel was released and I realized how much work I needed to do to get it discovered by those beyond my personal circle. Hosted by Thomas Umstattd Jr and James L. Rubart, both of whom are proficient authors and speakers, there are 159 episodes (as of this writing) of useful information, including shows titled “How to Blog Your Book Ahead of Time,” “How to Build an Email List Before Your First Book Comes Out,” and “Amazon Book Ads—Everything You Need to Know”.
So far I have only listened to three episodes (I told you I’ve only JUST discovered it), but I’ve already learned how to make an author press kit and where to place it on my website, the type of content readers most want to see when they visit an author website, and tips tricks, and unspoken practices for using Fiverr to the greatest benefit of my marketing efforts. These episodes were so packed with useful information that it’s going to take a few weeks, at least, to implement everything I’ve learned.
In addition to the actual Novel Marketing podcast, Thomas Umstattd and James Rubart have supplemental venues, as well. There is a free Facebook group , a Patreon page, and a step-by-step guide through the first five years of your writing career titled 5 Year Plan to Become a Bestselling Author. Please note, these are NOT affiliate links. This is just information that I have spent many moons searching for and that I am sharing with you in case you are on the same quest.
I’m curious to know if you’ve found any resources as beneficial to your writing career as this one is proving to be to mine. If so, I’d love to hear about it! Please share the details in the comments below!
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Please note the #AuthorToolboxBlogHop will be taking a break for November and December 2018. We will be back in January with more awesome content!
by lcelum@yahoo.com | Sep 19, 2018 | #AuthorToolboxBlogHop, Blog, Creativity and the Writing Process
One of the more popular suggestions I’ve heard for becoming a better writer is to study the works of authors who write well in the forms you want to produce. I’ve tried doing this in many ways, including re-reading a specific work until I have it practically memorized; writing paper-and-pen notes that detail a story’s plot, scene structure, character development, or any other specific plot element; and even copy-writing, where I rewrite a passage I think is especially well worded over and over again until I have an internal sense of the author’s word flow or tone. All of these techniques are highly recommended and are said to be very useful, but none of them really clicked with me.
Then I discovered annotation. If you are unfamiliar with this term, annotation is simply the act of writing notes in the margins of a work as you are reading. Sometimes it is the simple things that have the most profound impact.
I had already heard of annotation, and had tried implementing it in my upper level classes to some extent, with mediocre results, so I had never even contemplated utilizing this technique in my quest to grow as an author—until this summer.
A bit of background: I teach high school English at a private school. This means I’m not required to be certified in, or to have a degree in, education or curriculum development, at least in the state where I teach. Instead, my degree is in English literature studies with a minor in creative writing. This also means I don’t necessarily know all of the teaching techniques someone trained in education would be familiar with. I am, however, constantly searching for and studying new ways to equip my students for success in their collegiate literature classes or communication-based future endeavors. It was my engagement in this pursuit that led me to discover a new way of teaching annotation this summer.
Another bit of background: the private school where I teach is very small. In the nine years I’ve worked there, the average number of students in the entire high school has never exceeded fifty. I am the only high school English teacher, so I teach every class: on-level 9th through 12th as well as junior and senior Advanced Placement (AP). This fall I tried introducing (or re-introducing) annotation in every class, rather than just the junior and senior class. Each group received it differently, which is to be expected, but my epiphany didn’t spark until my last session, when I modeled annotating a story for my freshmen.
The story was “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry, a story that I’ve taught for—you guessed it—nine years. My students read individual copies of the work while I marked a digital version on the classroom SMARTBoard, explaining what notes I was making and why. It could be because this was my sixth time through the lesson in a week, or it could have been the fresh perspective brought about from teaching the same thing differently to reach a different group, but for some reason my writer’s brain seemed to enjoy a slow explosion of realization. I began experiencing all sorts of insights into the story and how it was put together. I noticed characters’ mannerisms that explained their behavior later in the story. I noticed setting elements that answered questions about how certain things could take place. I noticed foreshadowing and well-placed details that made the story’s ironic ending work in a way that was most satisfying. For the first time, I really noted what tools an author used to achieve a specific effect, not as a teacher seeking to help students appreciate, but as an artist studying the work of a master in order to gain more skill in their shared craft.
It is one of the most helpful lessons about writing I have ever experienced.
While I have only begun implementing this process (I’m currently annotating Caraval and Legendary by Stephanie Garber), I cannot wait to see how my own writing will grow.
If you would like to try this technique yourself, but are not familiar with the process and/or don’t know where to start, I recommend reading the essay “How to Mark a Book” by Mortimer J. Adler. As I tell my students, it will feel awkward at first, but it will become natural as you grow in proficiency, and your appreciation for a well-told story will grow from the practice.
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