Re-Reading Challenge

 There are so many enticing offerings to read. I know several people who buy books intending to read them, and they get to some, others clutter their houses or devices in a waiting to be read queue. There's nothing wrong with that. My philosophy is to only buy books I have already read or by author's I totally trust, and even then, only books I intend to read more than once.

This past year I put that to the test. Instead of checking out new fiction (well, except a couple of new release novels by one of those trusted authors I mentioned), I spent the last year re-reading the books I already had. It was like entering a time machine or opening a time capsule, taking me back to when I first read those stories, with characters, events, and lines of prose that reached out to me as remembered friends. And since time had passed, before I opened the covers of one of those books, I wondered how well the story and how it was written would pass muster now that I was older and more experienced in the ways of story craft.

Some books gave me a sense of, "Hey, look what they could get away with back then and still be a best-seller!" Others had a story so enticing that despite me best intentions to look at the book from the lens of an editor or analyst, the story quickly roped me in and I forgot to get technical at all. True gems. A couple of books I realized I had outgrown and no longer felt I would read them again. They've been donated to a local thrift store for someone else to try. Most passed muster and will stay on my shelves to be taken down again in the future. Some books I was able to delve into deeper than I ever had before, catching details and bits of conversation I missed in a previous reading that suddenly made the story even better.

Sometimes you don't need to search for something new to fulfill a reading craving; what you want is already at your fingertips and merely needs to be dusted off. 

And now I need to dust off my library card and make sure they haven't taken me out of their system so I can revert to a hybrid pattern of still enjoying old favorites while finding new ones.

To you, dear reader, I extend the challenge to re-read what is already in your personal library. Give it a try and see what still passes your personal reading needs checklist. Or, let me know what books are your irresistible re-reads, the ones that would top your list of favorites because of how much you read and love them. 

Accountability

There is a lot of writing advice on how to write, how to market, suggestions for what to write and how to follow trends, but there is a dearth of information on writing accountability. I'm not talking about fact checking for a nonfiction piece, or whether or not you should smear your sibling's reputation in your memoir. I'm not referring to creating the good habit of writing each day either. I'm talking about being accountable for what a fiction writer serves up for readers and how it might influence, change, or desensitize them.

I noticed from a young age that there are many calibers of fiction writing. Not just the quality of good prose, but the quality of subject and how it is treated. For many years I've witnessed online debates among writers about pushing envelopes to see how much they could get away with including certain topics, scenarios, and even words in their writing. The flow of this river seems to always want to pick up as much dirty debris off the banks as it can and gather energy over the rapids to make it become the new normal. There's the age-old conundrum of art reflecting society and society reflecting the art it consumes. Kind of a chicken before the egg or egg before the chicken scenario.

I'm not here to profess an answer, but I am a firm believer that you are what you consume - whether it's food, medicine, music, movies, books, news, etc. That, of course, implies that consumers should be responsible for their choices, and they should. But what if all a consumer was offered was junk food? Or the only medicine they could afford had six horrible side effects? It's the same with our media consumption. If all that is being put out is dark, violent, sexual, rude, biased, mean, promotes abuse, or is of one type of ideology, then what are consumers to do? It goes beyond trends. If this art we produce is what we feel society is like, aren't we also promoting that type of society?

I've seen society's moral compass rapidly slide into the trash bin. I find it highly disturbing, and as a consumer, it has greatly limited my options for consumption. I used to get excited to try out new media, and now I approach it all warily, ready to close the book, switch channels, or turn off the streaming service as soon as something horrible pops up. I don't care how compelling the story is. I'm sick of the vulgarity, darkness, violence, and sexual unreality. 

Writing is one of the oldest influencer arts there is. Writing should reflect life, but I dare to ask, why are we so focused on reflecting the worst of us rather than the best of us? What is with this drive to create the baddest, darkest, most gritty version of a story in order to feed the consumer? True, there are stories that creep into inspirational when a character travels through a dark world and comes out victorious, but is it really inspirational when so much mud and filth has to smack the reader along the way? 

I know when I was a teenager there was much eye-rolling going on over stories about perfect people. Perhaps the fall into the mire was a result of defying those norms. It is possible to balance these. Writers make choices over what to focus on in their writing. So even if the MC is going through a gritty world, do we have to spell out every detail of that world? Do we have to make the MC make subpar choices because it's now the norm in society? Where are the MCs who defy the norm by having higher standards? Where are the powerful meek characters? You know, the ones with great discipline, who don't stoop to roll in the mud with their counterparts because they know better? Meek characters aren't arrogant, or revengeful, or "in your face" (which is something the modern teen has so few role models for). Where are the noble characters who have a sense of duty and sacrifice? Where are the loving characters who show respect for the person they love by not undressing them but by serving them and being there for them? 

There is no publishing or government agency (at least not in the USA) that sets a bar for accountability of this kind. I'm not saying there should be. I do say that whatever we write, we are accountable for to society at large. Once you write and publish something, it's out there, and there's really no going back. Your words are powerful, and they will influence the thoughts of someone else. Thoughts lead to actions and expectations. If you're adding the worst and most profane vocabulary to your stories, those words will stick in readers' minds. Words like that have become more common now because they became more common in the media consumed by people. We creators helped in a large part to make it more acceptable. If you're illustrating through words scenes of passion or abuse, then those images will be in your readers' minds. And some readers are so impressionable that coming across something like that distresses them, and they can't get those images out of their heads. If you're choosing to take your readers through one violent action after another, they will become inured to that kind of horrible behavior. That doesn't always translate into action on their part (because the reader has the power of choice and accountability too), but you influenced them. If your aim is to shock, bend the rules, or push boundaries, you are accountable for the effect on reader's minds. It's lying to yourself to say that readers know what they are getting into, because there is no regulation on books and their contents to prewarn them.

To desensitize means to expose yourself or others to something so often that it no longer disturbs, jumps out at you/them, or is noticeable to you/them. The point I want to make, is that the person was sensitive to that certain thing originally. If you think of a child, pure and wholesome, and then life and the influencers around that child create a level of environment that either keeps those sensitive guardrails intact or tears them down. Why do we think that becoming a teenager and then an adult means we have to weaken ourselves by partaking of horrible or harmful things? Why is that a rite of passage? I'm glad that a person can choose to re-sensitize and step back from the sheer cliffs of "adult" material. The walk up the mountain of life really is nicer when you aren't on the edge or constantly stumbling down never-ending pathways of addiction to "adult" content. Things of an "adult" nature are designed to addict, and content creators always have the challenge of coming up with worse material to one-up the industry. It's a death spiral for one's moral compass and grip on reality.

I know, this is a shot in the dark, an echo chamber against the powerful new norm. I miss the days when there were more choices for consumers out there. When I could pick up a book even in the MG or YA section of the library, open and read it without having my inner guard up for the moment the story violates my sensitivity level. I haven't been to a movie in a very long time, and the last handful I went to were rather subpar kids' films. I've been re-reading the books I've bought rather than take a gamble on something new for a couple of years. And I'm kind of tired of watching the same older shows and movies because new content on TV turns me off from the preview. A few things have passed muster, but not much. If this narrowing of my options has taught me anything, it's that I need to be accountable for what I create and dish up to consumers. Am I wallowing in the dirt of the worst realities or am I showing paths to inspire better behavior, better societies, better choices, and better outcomes? Good can be a reality too, things that are light, clean, bright, wholesome, and focused more on moral character than outrageous attitude. I know it can, because I've lived with people who are wholesome - not perfect or without flaw - but who try to emulate the best possibilities and are encouraging. Hope thrives among them, self-sacrifice, patience, love, virtue, kindness, determination, and respect. 

Art doesn't reflect the life I know. The chasm between them is impossible to ignore. 

It's your choice as a writer, as a consumer. I'll not deny you that. But regardless of choice, there is accountability of one type or another. We can help to lift or drag down our society. What kind of world do you want to live in?

The Joys of Prewriting

 I think my favorite stage of the writing process is prewriting, or brainstorming, if you will. The most word-vomitty part of the process, where I jot down any and all ideas, make diagrams, sketches, first come up with plots and subplots, and characters start to materialize. Everyone's process is different, and I've found that for me, every story is different in how I approach it. 

My chief rule is that the story idea needs to be complete. Whether its a two paragraph summary with a beginning, middle, and ending laid out, or a series of random notes where I take a character or plot and follow it through. Seldom do all of these first ideas make a final cut, but it sure is fun coming up with them. 

Everything is written down. I keep notebooks and usually do it by hand, although some stories have digital files of random notes for their inceptions. It's in this process where I really get a feel for whether the idea will go anywhere, if it's just a shadowy copy of another story, and my enthusiasm level for it. All of these factor in whether there will be a first draft or not. If a story idea is a shadowy copy of another, it usually means I need to revisit the original story and start again from another angle or incorporate my new ideas into it. 

Have you ever noticed a common theme in the collected works of an author? Have you noticed a common theme in your own? Does that same theme reflect in your choice of books to read by other people? It's fascinating to recognize that driving factor - our ultimate soap box issue, pivotal experience, or driving need. In my prewriting stage, it's easiest to see my pet themes, and also easiest to remedy the tendency to be redundant in how the story addresses them compared to my other stories.

The prewriting stage is a stage for mistakes, analysis, silliness, initial research, throwing crazy ideas at a wall and hoping they stick. It's not for the eyes of anyone else. It's the most freedom in writing, I believe, because there are no editors, critics, or checklists. My stories usually start with a situation and develop from there. I don't typically have much luck if I start from a solitary character. That character may be interesting, charismatic, or have something special about them, but without a situation or plot there's not usually a point in developing a story around them. Maybe other writers are different, and that's okay. I find that if I have a situation or plot in mind then the characters will come later. There is no story without a plot, only a state of being. 

I've blogged before about world-building - which is my most intensive part of prewriting, writing, and editing. Character development usually comes out of the plot phase when I ask questions like: what type of character would carry this plot? What type of character would have the most growth and conflict in this plot? What other characters would drive the plot or be good antagonists or helpers? Subplots emerge from this part of the prewriting process. Then comes the fun part of intertwining them. 

Prewriting isn't limited to the first phase of my writing process. Often before tackling a scene I do a session of prewriting, revisiting my original idea and then playing with it. This helps me get a better feel for how well this will fit with what previous scenes have done while making sure the new scene is headed in the right direction and focusing on what will move the plot and characters forward. Often a lot of changes happen at this point, and it becomes easier to dig deeper into the psyche of the characters. Over time, this method of prewriting before a scene has saved me from extensive edits later.

The joy comes from the act of mental creation, from the freedom of inhibition, and the discipline of getting the story down in a physical form. For many a story that won't make it to novel form, it's the journey of prewriting that makes me not regret my time on it. 

Prewriting Ideas:

1. Have a setting in mind and draw up a list of what if's to get a plot forming.

2. See how quickly you can write down/type all the ideas, thoughts, and impressions that come to your mind in regards to a plot, character, or setting.

3. Grab one aspect of your initial thoughts, like a character, and go crazy with what ifs and ideas on how you can develop it.

4. Come up with a list of rules or laws and then brainstorm conflicts or situations where those rules/laws will make life difficult for your characters.

5. Follow one character's basic arc from beginning to end by writing down one event or choice they make after another.

6. Pull something from your own experience and find a way to retell it or incorporate it into your story.

7. Look at a chain of events you've come up with and reverse one link in an entirely new direction. Then replace/edit the subsequent events with the consequences. See if you can still reach your main climax and resolution. Or - did you just come up with something better?

8. Write down a list of ideas for a plot sequence, then choose your last one as the way to go.

9. Create character profiles complete with physical details, backstory facts, motivations and desires, and capabilities or roles in the story.

10. Use a notebook as a writing diary. As you write for the day, take moments to record your experience in the process, jot down brainstorming ideas, lecture/encourage yourself, or hold a conversation or interview between yourself and one of your characters.

What do you do for prewriting? Do you like this stage of the process? Do you have any interesting or quirky suggestions for someone who might be new to prewriting?

Still Here and Moving Forward

 It's been too long since I posted anything. Family health issues and the death of someone very close to me are my reasons. And they are likely going to hobble my future posts for a bit too. However, I am still moving forward with writing and publishing.

In fact, progress has been good lately. The end is in sight for the next two Trefury novels. I've also finished a revision on an entirely different book, and written a few shorter projects.

I'm sure that, like me, writing is a healing vent for many of you - especially when real life socks you in the gut. We can take the pieces of what we are feeling or experiencing and remold them into a story, maybe make the outcome better now that we are wiser. I like trying to see things from multiple character angles, because in trying to see someone else's point of view or justifications, I grow more empathetic.

Photo by Emily from pexels.com

 This past year I've done something different with my reading, aside from a couple of newer books, I've been re-reading the books I already have. It goes into my philosophy of only buying books I intend to reread, and the library provides the new stuff to try out. So I've experienced nostalgia rereading books I bought because I intended to read them again. They've ranged from classics from other centuries to novels for kids, fiction and nonfiction, short story collections as well as door-stopper size novels. One thing I noticed about the books I've bought, I like stories that have a tone of hope in them. I'm not into gritty, dark, and sordid things - at least, those are the kinds of books I haven't bought because no matter how well written, I didn't have a desire to read them again. Books that were all flash or glitter haven't made the shelf cut in my home either. They were fun to read at the time, but they lacked depth in either plot or character to warrant a second visit. And I like romantic emotional payoff without crossing the line into details. The more self-restraint two people have the better, because it creates the kind of romantic tension I enjoy most. And once they get together, the story ends usually, keeping what is sacred and beautiful between two people private, not imagined out in gross and demeaning details meant to give a dirty thrill to the reader. I've noticed I've bought more children's, MG, and YA books than any other. (Well, aside from all the nonfiction I have.) I enjoy a wide range of genres. 

In short, rereading what I have has taught me about myself and my tastes. I've also pinpointed what stories influenced me me most. I liked the experience of rereading so much that I've decided to do it again this year - since there was no way I was going to get through my whole library last year! 

The one thing I feel I lack is my sense of writing community. I haven't had the time to participate, and have been left by the wayside - perfectly all right. No one needs to hold my hand. I have missed critiquing worthwhile projects from my peers, and receiving critiques in return. Having seen other writers disengage, for whatever reason, and disappear, it's interesting to be in that position myself. A learning opportunity, certainly. 

So to those of you who are still with me and have read this, hello again! And I invite you to look at your bookshelves and analyze your tastes to see what you can discover about yourself. What books do you reread or would reread and why?  If you're a writer, I especially wish you the hours and inspiration you need to make the vision in your mind a reality in manuscript or book form.

AoF #13: I Want to Share Something Beautiful with You

I'm kicking off a new series of blogposts, celebrating anything that falls under the tenets of my church's 13th Article of Faith (see bottom of post for full article): "... If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." This is dear to my heart, because what we ingest intellectually influences us and helps shape our character. I'm adding a new page to the blog that will showcase some of my overall favorites in different categories, and I'll be posting about other things I've found to be of worth in the coming months. And I invite you to look for and share the things that are lovely and praiseworthy in your life with someone else.

I wanted to do a huge shout-out to my cover artist, Nicolle Murray. She not only designed the banner logo for this blog, but did the cover for my novel. 

AND ... she has this amazing coloring book series featuring mythological creatures and monsters from all different cultures around the world. Rather than a scary rendition, hers are child-friendly and educational because she includes facts about where the mythological beasties come from and what they do. Parents needn't worry about appropriateness either, since all pictures are modest, and no explanations are explicit in any way. Beautifully detailed, each page even satisfies an adult craving to color. Or you might be like me and just want to keep it as a good reference set. 

She's also debuted the second coloring book in a carousel series. Fine attention to detail make these coloring books treasures. Nicolle used to work as an operator for a carousel that is over 100 years old (and is still in use!); it was the inspiration for the first carousel coloring book.

Right now, like many people, she's caught in the home-building price crunch. Rising interest rates and construction price hikes have taken what would have been an easy matter two years ago, into a nightmare of constant revolving doors. Her young family experienced homelessness for several months, but now have a rental. Meanwhile their home savings is depleting. So she's launched this fundraiser to help keep that from happening.

So if you or someone you know loves horses, mythological creatures, or high-quality coloring books, consider purchasing some. They make great gifts for any occasion, and hey, Christmas is coming up. I have all but the newest one (which I plan to change soon), and I love them!

For a closer peak, check out the direct link to where you can purchase all of her books.

The 13th Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul--We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

Writing Forums: What I've Given, What I've Gained, and Saying Goodbye

 The end of this month also marks the end of my experiment in belonging to writing forums. It was quite the experience, and one episode in my life I can't just let fade away without some kind of tribute. So here goes.

At first, I was content to just join a writing forum. I knew I needed to connect with other writers, I needed advice on how to scale the mountain that is publishing, I needed to become a better writer. I also knew I had a modest amount of experience under my belt. After all, I'd been a rabid reader all my life, I'd been a critique partner before, in person, and I was willing to do the time and research it would take to up my game. I plunged into the writing pool. Some sites were full of participants, others less so. I quickly found the good spots where people had actually shared advice, if you took the time to read it. I made some initial connections, but became frustrated when the moderators for one forum suddenly stopped visiting, stopped giving advice and encouragement, just stopped everything. 

I learned you can be categorized as a forum participant. There are those who are very vocal and eager to throw their experience around (most good and legit, others are full of hot air and like attention). There are those eager to get everyone else to do the research and work for them. There are lurkers who never say anything. There's the sweet novice, just starting the journey, and the jaded veteran dripping with sarcasm and reality-checks. The PAY ATTENTION TO ME NOW!!!! type is only one degree less annoying than the spammer who only posts to try to sell something. The morose mingle with the bubbly, the dewy-eyed with the predatory. It's a strange sort of place, with the same general end goal: to write and publish a book.

I was an amateur, not a novice, and I was willing to do the work and share what I found out in order to help others. I spent hours researching and sharing. Once that first initial forum proved a bust, I moved on and found another. The second one was huge. I mined through the threads for new information to add to what I'd already learned. While people were friendly, the forum was too large for me. It was impossible to make real connections without turning into someone annoying. 

Third time was the charm. This one was suggested by a contact from the first forum. It was still fairly new, yet on the web long enough to have an established reputation for good information. It also had a forum format that allowed users to form their own groups. So I did. I used the forum search algorithms to send invites to anyone who fell under the same genre bracket as me, and the Speculative Fiction Group came into being.

It's a scary thing to find oneself as a moderator or administrator. I didn't claim to be anyone of note in the industry, or to be super in the know about it either. People tend to treat you that way when you're in a leadership role. It weirded me out sometimes. But there was something special about those first few years. Lots of people joined, and most stuck around and participated. We got group chat nights going, started up yearly critiquing marathons, shared industry news, and talked about all sorts of things. I met some amazing people and some really good writers. The best part, is most of the time, I didn't feel like I was sitting on some moderator pedestal; I was just one of the group.

I devoted more hours to critiquing. And I learned a ton. My insights as a reader bore fruit; and I was humbled a lot by my own deficiencies. I cheered when others met with success and mourned with those who didn't. I made new critique partners, some who are still with me today. Other people reached success and moved on. It was sad to see them go, but I understood. They'd outgrown a writing forum. 

After a number of years, the host forum ended. My group moved to their own forum hosting site. We tried to be the same, but we weren't. And I had found my own writing path by then, diminishing my need to research and share things that were pertinent to the main body of remaining writers. I'd outgrown a writing forum. The biggest difference was that the writers in my forum weren't a bunch of novices looking for someone to guide them. They had at least amateur status or higher, knew where to find their resources, and really only wanted a safe place to share and critique each other's work. I didn't want to let anyone down, so I kept the forum up.

But my time there diminished; I'd become like the moderators from my first writing forum, absent a good deal. No one else wanted to sink in and do what I'd done to keep things robust and alive, at least not at the same level. They didn't have to; and I didn't really expect anyone to. So as hosting a forum became just another thing on my plate, and life became more demanding, I was advised to let it go. And I have. It's a bit of a relief, letting go of that responsibility, of the expectations I can no longer fulfill. Yet, I don't regret being part of a forum all those years. It served it's purpose.

Thank you to everyone who touched my life in any of those forums. Thank you for the lessons, for the experience, and for the collaboration. To anyone in search of a good writing forum, let me give this one parting piece of advice: a forum is only as good as you're willing to make it. Don't expect others to create the experience for you. It's a team effort, and you play a part in its success or failure.

 

Stock Photo by Pixabay

Why I Write

Pixabay stock photo

 I've been reflecting on the reasons I write, sort of a self-analysis, if you will. Sometimes one needs to step back and look at the broader picture to understand the smaller parts. After all, there are many types of writers out there. I've tried fitting my hexagonal peg into round and square holes in an attempt to find my place. All in vain, naturally. So then one wonders if writing is worth continued pursuit, hence the self-analysis. Conclusion? Yes, I'm a writer. Not a traditionally-published-bestseller-career sort of writer. And I'm okay with that. I think my love of writing would shrivel up and die if I was trying to be that.

 So what are my reasons for writing? For continuing to do it if it's not going to make money or win me fame? (Which, by the way, I think are shallow reasons for doing anything.)

1. Love of language. Not necessarily my primary reason, but I have always loved studying my language and other languages - to play with usage and form. From an early age I loved random study in the dictionary in order to learn new words and their meanings. I tend to enjoy older literature because of the rich language usage. It's like composing poetry in prose form, if that makes sense.

2. Love of stories. Can't get enough of them. Books, movies, anecdotes shared verbally with someone, memories and memoirs - oh, the study of humanity and what makes us tick. Our reactions and actions, our triumphs and sorrows - real or imaginary. It's another rich and fertile ground with so many possibilities. Stories that make me feel something aid in my personal learning journey.

3. I have ideas to share. There are so many of us on this planet, and only a few are heard or have the power to get their messages out. Everyone has something to say. Writing helps me speak out. Whether ideas on improvement, or concerns for something, or perhaps wanting to share the inner joy or sadness I feel over a situation or person. This is the experience mode that bleeds out onto the pages of what I write. I can't walk into City Hall and effect change, or influence anyone in a powerful position, but in an imaginary world, I can express and show my ideas, while playing with the possible results both good and bad. 

4. To keep my sanity. Yes, you read that right. Writing is a vent for me, a means to let out my pent up anxieties, anger, or whatever else I'm feeling. Often, this is writing in a journal or a letter to a friend, but it comes out in my fictional writing too. An hour or two of this kind of expression makes me a calmer, more clear-headed person. It's akin to sitting down at the piano and just playing out what I'm feeling. 

5. To keep me humble. Writing is hard work as much as a pleasure. It's a drive, but it isn't something I can just scribble off and be done with. I make lots of mistakes and errors. I've learned much, but always I'm reminded I have further I can go. Since writing is an act of communication, I have to make sure whether I'm jotting a note for someone or writing a novel, I'm being clear and understandable. Knowing there isn't an arrival point is sobering.

So whether I've had the opportunity of exchanging correspondence in some form or other with you, or you've read some of my blog posts, or my novel, or unfinished novels, you're getting a glimpse of a person who is learning and growing, who makes mistakes, who feels deeply, and one who couldn't give up writing even though she's wanted to in recent years. It's too embedded in who I am. I suppose that is the sum total of my self-analysis. 

 Of late, I've looked at people who aren't writers who seem to have more time, happier outlooks because their inner drive isn't constantly hammering at them to write, and I've envied them. Momentarily. Because when I plug myself into that kind of scenario (note, this is being a storyteller again), the richness of the meaning of my life is missing. Other key components are there, and I'd be lost without them, but the drive and one of the prominent fulfillments in my life is absent. I'm stuck. I'm a writer. So now the goal is to take this acceptance and continue down the path I'm on.

Pixabay stock photo

If anything, I'll probably have a very entertaining autobiography for my posterity to read.

Ten Other Ways to Write When Sitting at the Keyboard Doesn't Work

 

Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels

 Whether it's writer's block, outside circumstances demanding your time, lack of sleep/energy, depression or anxiety crushing your creativity, or you just don't feel like writing, you can still write. Like with anything, doing something is better than doing nothing. And it piles up to gains in the long run.

1. You can brainstorm anywhere. Whether cleaning house, running errands, taking a break at work or school, even while staring up at a darkened ceiling at night when you can't get to sleep - you can be putting together the pieces of a story puzzle in your head. Perhaps just diving in deeper to a theme you want to explore, or a character's motivations or backstory. Maybe its envisioning a setting, or a play-by-play of an action sequence. Brainstorming's a vital step to writing, and you have to take time to do it anyway, so why not utilize those moments and hours when you can't sit in front of a keyboard to get this vital process done?

2. Another task is evaluation. Stepping back from a manuscript - especially if it's already written and you're in the revising phases - to see how tight or accurate or well-paced the story is. How is it doing as far as size? Too bloated? Too slim? Too pedantic? Too rushed? Are you hitting the right beats where they're supposed to be? Do you get an overall satisfied vibe from the draft? Make a list of what is going well and what needs work.

3. Along with #2's suggestion, would be outline tweaking, and synopsis, query, and blurb writing. Again, stepping back from the story, can you summarize it in a nutshell? Is it following your initial vision? Usually not, so how has it evolved? Is this good or bad? Stepping back can help you avoid wasted hours of writing by making a course correction.

4. Visuals. Whether you're an artist or not, doodling can help your creative juices. Draw a map (or mark a map if the setting's a real place), draw a character, or a setting. Design a vehicle. Make a schematic for a machine, or whip up a treasure map. Make a stick-figure storyboard and play with key dialogue and action. Decorate your writing space with objects that will help keep you in the zone for what/where your story is about.

5. One of my favorites is to create a first and last lines list for chapters. Do they hook the reader? Do they leave the reader with enough of a cliffhanger so they'll keep reading? It also helps you analyze where your chapter or section breaks are, and how you might play around with those breaks for a better impact.

6. Many books don't use chapter titles, so for fun write up a list of what each chapter would be called if they did. Then use it when you do face that keyboard to keep on track - and make sure you fit the spirit of the title.

7. Get hands on. If a character is supposed to be a baker, hone your own baking skills. If a firefighter, talk to actual firefighters and visit your local firehouse. Through experience we are able to write better, giving a validity to what we write. If possible, visit a place you put in your story and take notes and/or pictures of everything you experience. Act out a scene, especially an action sequence (I'm not advocating jumping off high buildings or trying to fly, mind you! Don't do anything stupid.), to make sure what you've written or are going to write is believable. 

8. Read a scene, chapter, or your entire story out loud. You'd be surprised at how many things stick out from this. It might be poor dialogue or sentence phrasing, to noticeable gaps, or lengthy descriptive passages you don't need. Even made-up names spoken out loud can be either hilarious, suggestive of something you don't intend, or too close to a well-known person's name to work well with what you want to do. 

9. Good old research is another side-writing staple. Similar to #7, this type of research is more sedentary: reading books or online articles,or sitting down to interview someone. If you're writing about interstellar travel, find out what others have done or discovered about it. Want to knock off a victim in a murder mystery? -  maybe you need to learn more about poisons. Even small details like what people wore in the 1940's, to when toothpaste was invented might make a difference in how authentic your story sounds.

10. Compose or work on your "Writing Bible." Get your notes organized and compiled. Do you have your ducks in a row regarding where your characters are from scene to scene and what they are doing? Do you know their backstories, and what parts of these will need to be revealed and when? Do you have lists of information, like foreign phrases (real or made up) you need to keep handy? Or a list of character names, descriptions, and occupations? 

You don't have to do all of these, but chances are you will need to do at least one in your writing journey. Don't beat yourself up if a lack of time, energy, or drive is keeping that novel from completion. Work around it by doing side-writing. You'll still be moving forward, keeping your story alive. Just watch that side-writing isn't all that you ever do. Many a tale has failed to be born because it never developed past the side-writing stage.

Question for you: Do you have another suggestion for side-writing? Or a further suggestion on one of the ten I've listed? Please share it in the comments.

Soliloquy

Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels

 I survived. 

Came out from the ruin and ashes of what I once was.

Examined what was left and wondered how to begin again.

Bits and pieces of what I loved float around me--elusive ashes.

I grasp and reach, unable to spark the old flame inside.

Desire remains, ability impaired

I'm not the same.

A new crater waits for me to climb out.

The horizon's changed, few people remained.

Once fallen a failure, now rising back defiant.

And in my hidden places inside, some are weaker, more are stronger.

I'm raw and unfinished, yet bridled and wiser.

Will I come off triumphant? Will I make it through more?

Will my voice become silent? Unmissed and unsought?

What's my contribution?

Swept out to sea. Alone on an island where a world used to be.

Yet I linger, intelligence intact, spirit much stronger, the wind at my back.

Crying out again,

Dare to dream.

 

Joyce R. Alton, Sep. 28, 2021

Can a First Chapter Make a Great Short Story Submission?

This is one topic I've been mulling over for some time. I like to read short stories; I'm not so good at writing them, and I've learned that many speculative fiction writers aren't either. I think our problem caters back to the necessity of world-building, the common practice of using a large cast of characters, and lots of plot and/or character development. Let's face it, most speculative novels are door-stoppers in size and scope.

So when a speculative writer wants to submit a short story for a contest, magazine, or anthology, all to often the train of thought seems to be: "I'll submit the first chapter of my novel and that will entice readers to want to read the rest of my novel!" Meh. Points for trying to be original about short-cutting your marketing strategy, the problem is, nearly everyone's trying to do the same thing - and I don't know of any first chapters being accepted as a true short story.

Because they're not.

The other form of logic may run: "I don't have time or energy to write out a short story because I'm working on my novel, but I really really want to be part of (insert whatever your submitting to), so I'll just submit the first chapter." You may want the writing credits or a prize to help boost your chances of landing something bigger with your entire novel down the road. Let's be honest, this is lazy. And it still falls back on the fact that a first chapter is NOT a short story.

Nope. There are no arguments to the contrary.

And there are a couple of good reasons why.

To start with, what is a first chapter? It is the beginning of a story, meant to draw in a reader and introduce them to your characters, your world, and the problem they are facing. First chapters don't resolve the main problem, they present it. First chapters don't reveal (or shouldn't anyway) your main character's entire backstory. They don't show off all the nuances of your novel's theme. You're just putting your story into gear and moving forward.

Now, maybe if you took your first chapter and completely rewrote it to the barest of barest bones, tacking on your ending chapter's resolution you could call it a short story. You'd have to pare your character list way down, skip nearly all of your world-building, chop out all your subplots, keep your action down to a minimum, cram your book's theme into one to two scenes, and still make it enthralling enough to read. But then, we've just destroyed your novel. And this grossly stunted version won't entice readers to want to go pick up and read the expanded form of the same story.

See what I mean?

So what is a short story? Let's turn to some resources for the answer:
From Merriam-Webster:
"...an invented prose narrative shorter than a novel usually dealing with a few characters and aiming at unity of effect and often concentrating on the creation of mood rather than plot."

From Wikipedia: (not my favorite go-to place as a resource, but I like this definition)
"A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood, however there are many exceptions to this."

From universalclass.com:
"Because of the length of short stories, most short stories just have an exposition, climax, and an abrupt ending. Short stories are known for having a "moral of the story" or a practical lesson, although this is not expected or required."

From liminalpages.com: (I recommend reading this entire blogpost, even though it's going in the opposite direction from short story writing to novel writing.)
"...let's think about the main difference between a novel and a short story:

• A novel is a journey - not only for the characters, but for the writer and the reader.
• A short story is an intense experience - something to linger over and savor (sic).

To capture these differences, you're going to have to write in a different way."

For a step-by-step guideline, you could take a look at this wikihow.com demonstration. It's pretty easy to understand and gives concrete examples.

From jerz.setonhill.edu:
"A short story is tight - there is no room for long exposition, there are no subplots to explore, and by the end of the story there should be no loose ends to tie up."

Just about every reference I've found or that you may find will also recommend reading short stories to get a handle on them. If you want to write fantasy short stories, find some legit ones to read, the same goes for any genre.

One strategy I thought of that might be helpful is to look at your novel and ask yourself if you have any side stories you could use as a short story, or any "episodic" parts with a beginning and a conclusion. There are lots of side stories that end up on the editing room floor as you revise. Why not pick one of them up and see if shows promise? If you have an "episodic" or short subplot in your novel, you could strip out the references to the rest of the novel at large and focus on that "episode" as a short story. Side stories are especially useful to garnering a readership for your story world.

To recap:

• A short story has a limited number of characters and settings - really limited.
• A short story has a conclusion. You don't leave the reader hanging, wondering where the rest of the story is. You don't entice readers with the idea of a full-fledged novel.
• A short story is smaller in scope, but should pack a punch as far as reader experience.
• A short story most often has one central conflict that is introduced and resolved. No tangents or subplots.
• A short story is concise. You don't have room for elaborate world-building, tons of action scenes, lengthy character development, etc. No lengthy build-up either. You get right into the heart of the problem at the get-go.
• Writing a short story is a different process from writing a novel and it will show if you're trying to get away with a first chapter. They are two different animals.

And there we have it.

You'll actually save time and effort on your part - and on the part of whatever contest, magazine, or press you're wanting to get into, by writing an actual short story. Sending in a first chapter usually means a polite rejection answer.

I hope this doesn't discourage anyone from wanting to write short stories. They're good practice at showing instead of telling, getting to the point, and being concise. All of which are great skills to have as a novelist too.

And I'm sure there are some anthologies, magazines, and contests out there that specifically want first chapters for the purpose of enticing readers. But don't they usually have a stipulation that the novel the chapter goes to be finished and/or published first? It makes practical sense.

If you know of any other good resources or references to the art of the short story, please share in the comments. Likewise if you've ever been on the receiving end of submissions for short stories and you'd like to share some friendly advice.

Elephant's Bookshelf Press Call for Short Story Submissions: Science Fiction

Matt Sinclair, a long-time writer/publishing colleague and friend of mine, has launched a call for submissions for Elephant's Bookshelf Press's latest anthology. The genre is science fiction with a connecting theme of flight for all submissions. Word count is up to 5,000 and the deadline is Jan. 15th, 2019. No erotica. Submissions are vetted by a panel, and go through a complete editing process if accepted.

The theme is more broad reaching than you might think. To quote directly from Matt's announcement:

"One of the reasons I like this theme is because it’s a term that has multiple meanings and therefore multiple interpretations. Of course, flight can involve human or alien spaceships, heroes with super-human abilities, winged creatures, but it just as easily could include flight from danger. Heck, I bet there’s a clever person out there who can make a flight of stairs into a vital element of a science fiction story.

"I don’t want to be too restrictive in this description. The story should incorporate flight; I leave the details to you."

While contributors aren't compensated monetarily, you do get a free print and ebook copy of the anthology. This will count as a viable writing credit for your bio. You'll also be in good company with other published writers who have contributed to past anthologies.

Previous anthologies published by EBP
 
Why not give it a whirl?

NaNo Aftermath

Every November that I set out to do NaNo, whether with new or old material, instead of collapsing on December 1st, I find my momentum is still charging ahead. There is a story to be finished! I hope you feel the same after the last month of work and discovery.

Whether you end up trying to revising a polish the story you were working on for publication or not, I hope this madcap adventure helped you to find out more about yourself as a writer. If anything, that setting goals and working towards them brings more of a harvest than not setting goals or working hard.

If you feel like sharing your total word count for November in the comments, I'd love it. My writing project was more of a third draft than a first, so word count was sketchy. The point was I accomplished a lot and came closer to my long-term goals.

I've often used NaNo as a tool to garner more writing time. Yes, some of it has been about revising, more about the hours spent than the word count. But the same tactics I've shared over the past month still go into play whether I'm working hard at a second draft or a first. Next year I hope for new material.

That aside, what tips and tricks (whether from me, someone else, or your own creativity) did you find the most helpful? Would you do NaNo again?

Best of luck with your continuing journey as a writer.

Tip 1: Stuck? Do Some Jumping
Tip 2: Details, Details, Details
Tip 3: Exposition Help
Tip 4: Verbal Tornado

NaNo Tip: Verbal Tornado

We're almost there! How'd you do this past week? Are you staying on top of your daily or weekly goals? Did you fall behind a bit? Are you beyond what you thought you could do?

Ready for another NaNo tip?

This one's fun to do. Take a scene, or a string of them, and just write dialogue. Except for the tags, or if you absolutely have to write a short (and I do mean short) word or two of action, keep to only what the characters say and see how much you can convey through their dialogue.

What I love about this tactic is it makes the pages fly by and it's easy to get into. It also helps you narrow down your characters' quirks and verbal style. Arguments and explanations are great for filling in word counts.

Want to take it up a level? Pick two characters, major or minor or both, and for a day or two, only write their encounters with each other. Skip everything else, and show - through dialogue - how their relationship develops or unravels.

Paul and Betty may start off as old school mates who haven't seen each other in years. Their initial encounter would probably contain pleasantries, leading into a bit of reminiscing about people or their old school. Perhaps this makes them want to meet up again, maybe it doesn't.

Needless to say, they meet up again a few days (or hours) later. This time are they more open, or does their dialogue take another turn. Do they rub each other the wrong way?

Then write their third encounter, and the fourth. You might want to bear in mind what's been happening with the rest of the story. After all Betty and Paul's conversation may cover something going on with one of the other characters or an event.

Hopefully this might help you get through the home stretch. And like always, over done or bad dialogue can always be trimmed later. Get the gist of what you need to happen in the story down now while it's fresh and simmering in your brain.

I've also learned it's possible to pull off 10,000 words or more in a solitary week, so don't give up if you have that much left to do. Do your best with what time you have and don't let the stress of word count slow you down.

NaNo Tip: Exposition Help

So we're past the half way point ... go NaNo'ers!! Are you hanging in there?

I've got another tip, if you'd like one.

Focus on internal exposition, no matter what POV your story is supposed to be in. Dive into your character(s)' psyche. Learn what their voice is. Even if it's only for one scene. How does character A see a particular event or place? What ghosts from the past does it bring to light? What emotions? What schemes or desires?

And for further mixing it up, write the same scene from someone else's POV. Or do it from multiple POVs. What this does is add depth to your characters (and words to your word count), which you can later utilize to show even side characters as having a life rather than being dumb extras as stage props for your MC.

Don't worry about whether you'll use this internal exposition later on. Write it. Work on your character development. It doesn't matter how far into your story you are right now or where you're determined to be by the end of the week.

I think one of the most common problems with reaching that 50,000 word goal is thinking you have to finish the story, therefore you have to skip all the good stuff in favor of the action. Action is only one aspect of a story. Exposition helps you (and more importantly your readers) get to know your characters. And at this phase of the writing process you don't need to stress about how much exposition. There is such a thing as too much, which can slow your pacing down. But that is a revision consideration, not a first draft one.

Try it out, you might be surprised how much this helps your word count goal for the week.

Don't miss out on each weekly tip!
Tip 1: Stuck? Do Some Jumping
Tip 2: Details, Details, Details
Tip 4: Verbal Tornado
 

NaNo Tip: Details, Details, Details

Hi everyone! How did you do this past week? Are you still going strong or ready to throw in the towel?

I have another tip for you to keep going: details.

Use some of your writing time to just sit and write a setting, character, or action description. Don't worry about order of any kind. Let your imagination run wild and spill out everything that comes to mind about your topic. It counts toward your word count. Chances are you'll later restructure and toss out or amend what you write now - but that's later.

Fleshing out details can awaken your creativity and get your juices flowing again. All of a sudden you've got loads of new ideas for where your plot can take you, or twists you can add in.

Imagine going from: Carol walked through the park to get to her appointment.
To something like this:
Men wearing green and gold-braided uniforms stood like doormen at either side of the entrance to the park. Crowds of people milled in lines along the pathways, the line moving to Carol's right carrying bright colored balloons and the line going left with either their hands in their pockets and eyes watching their feet or carrying crude picketing signs that said things like: "Give What You've Got!" and "We Want the Combustion!" The wind blew newspapers, empty popcorn bags, and other trash between the marchers' legs. More than one balloon was snatched and floated across the man-made stream towards Carol. The voices, the onslaught of debris and balloons, the confusion - Carol unfroze, looked dubiously at the snooty men by the park entrance, and dashed behind a group of newcomers.

It's rough, but you get the idea. All of a sudden we have details we can play with that might have an impact on Carol later in the story.

Use the five senses. What does your character smell? Hear? See? Feel (physically)? Taste (if applicable)?

Go for the unusual and the pertinent. What stands out about a place, person, or event? What helps move your plot along? What makes your character react in some way? Maybe Carol hates balloons and seeing a bunch of them blowing wildly toward her is what freaks her out. Maybe she knows there are hidden messages in those balloons that could implicate her. Maybe she's supposed to be one of the organizers for one of the marches and instead she's ducking out to go to an appointment. So many possibilities. Don't be afraid to go a little crazy or go big.

Happy writing this week!


Don't miss out on each weekly tip!
Tip 1: Stuck? Do Some Jumping
Tip 3: Exposition Help
Tip 4: Verbal Tornado
 

NaNo Tip: Stuck? Do Some Jumping

Hi fellow NaNo'ers. How have things been the first week? Are you going strong or stuck?

Here's a trick I learned a few years back: ditch chronological or linear order. Seriously. Sometimes it's easier to picture scenes at the end of your story or in the middle rather than at the beginning. Go write those scenes while they are fresh in your mind. Don't worry about how things transition together or if you'll have to throw out these poignant scenes later. Write them! Go out of order. It's okay.

I found that following this non-linear pattern usually led to more ideas, as the ones bugging me were finally put to rest on paper, so to speak. It can be so frustrating to try to stick to chronological order, knowing you've got to come up with transitional material and certain beats while that other dynamite scene or chapter is on constant re-play in your mind.

And ... knowing your ending and/or main plot points can help you nail down those excruciatingly hard beginnings.

Give it a try and keep your writing pace going.


Don't miss out on each weekly tip!
Tip 2: Details, Details, Details
Tip 3: Exposition Help
Tip 4: Verbal Tornado
 

National Novel Writing Month Eve

It's that time of year again! Who's planning on flexing those writing endurance muscles this year?

Suggestion before Nov. 1st kicks off: know what you intend to work on.

Make an outline, write a brief summary, make some goals. It doesn't matter if you are a proud pantser or outliner, get your compass out and make sure you have a plan. It makes the whole month easier. It can be as simple as: Character A meets Character B and that leads to plot points 1, 2, and 3 with such-and-such ending in mind. You go into writing knowing that at any moment things can change, but at least you have a direction start in. It sure beats staring at a blank screen with good intentions and feeling a story.

You've got a couple of days, why not do some brainstorming now?

Good luck fellow NaNo'ers!


Don't miss out on each weekly tip!
Tip 1: Stuck? Do Some Jumping
Tip 2: Details, Details, Details
Tip 3: Exposition Help
Tip 4: Verbal Tornado
 

Music to Write By #10: Forever Enya

Ever since I was a young teenager, my muse has been Enya. I can't count how many stories I've written while using her music as my background soundtrack. She sings in different languages, even one she and Roma Ryan made up! The instrumental pieces are lovely, and her voice in the others is ethereal. Moods can range from joyful to grim with everything in between. She's great for relaxing as well as inspiration, without getting too elevator-ish, if you know what I mean.

Here are just a sample of some of her different styles and sounds from each of her major albums:

First up, the title track from her album "The Celts." This one's a nice mix of vocal and instrumental, magical and uplifting:

The next album is "Watermark," and everyone's heard "Orinoco Flow," so instead I'd like you to experience the more serious and grimmer, "Cursum Perficio":

After that comes "Shepherd Moons." From this album I'd like to showcase the haunting "Afer Ventus":

Then we get to my all-time favorite album, "The Memory of Trees," which I solely used to write one specific novel. I love everything on this one, but to give you another sampling of Enya's broad reach, let's listen to "Once You Had Gold," which has a sad/regretful tone:

Next is "A Day Without Rain."One by One," tells a story of taking chances and letting go:

This is followed by "Amarantine." We'll do the upbeat "The River Sings":

Then we have "And Winter Came." While at least half the tracks on this album can be classified as Christmas music, I'd like you to try "Last Time by Moonlight," a song about remembrance:

And lastly, "Dark Sky Island," choosing "The Loxian Gate" which is one of her pieces where the lyrics are completely in her made-up language.

Are you an Enya fan too? What are some of your favorite songs? I also love playing the sheet music to these albums. There are also some great compilation albums out there to give you a smattering of her work: "Paint the Sky With Stars," and "The Very Best of Enya."

I've grown up listening to Enya and to this day, she is still my favorite artist. Her music touches my soul, and has been an inspiration. Be sure to check out not only the video links above, but also her other wonderful songs from your favorite music retailer. Whether for relaxation, pure enjoyment of good music, or because you need "music to write by," you can't go wrong here. (And no, I'm in no way affiliated with Enya, although it would be a pleasure to thank her in person someday for sharing her talents.)

Do you want even more ideas for music? Be sure to check out the entire on-going series on my blog of "Music to Write by":
 Music to Write By #1: OCRemix Doom 'Jade Spawn'
Music to Write By #2: 'The Different World' by Peter Schilling
Music to Write By #3: OCRemix Deus ex 'Siren Synapse'
Music to Write By #4: OCRemix Chrono Trigger Aqueous Transgression
Music to Write By #5: OCRemix Chrono Cross Another Inspiration
Music to Write By #6: OCRemix The Binding of Isaac 'The Clubbing of Isaac'
Music to Write By #7: Valentine's Edition
Music to Write By #8: Groovin' with Command and Conquer
Music to Write By #9: Adiemus

In Which My Feminine Side Gets the Better of Me

I've always loved girly clothes: lace, ruffles, silky fabrics ... Of course, I like them in good taste and never over done. I think that's one reason I loved princess stories and why they resonate with girls little and not so little - the fashion. I mean, how cool are puffy sleeves and floofy skirts with multiple layers beneath?

www.serendipityretail.co.uk

(Isn't this cute? Perfect for little girl dress-up!)

Clothes like that are highly impractical and as a grown-up, I've often felt amazement at the women in history who had to wear things like corsets and hoopskirts and snoods while trying to raise kids, clean house, or organize community projects. Historical costuming aside, there is still a couple of traditional regalia out there that I think rock in the modern age. What are they? Keep reading.

(Okay, so women who wore these probably didn't have to mind the kids or make bread, but their poorer counterparts who had less pretty versions of these dresses did.)

I really hate Western fashion. For the average woman, it's frumpy, or constrictive, immodest, or gaudy. And please give me the right to say that fashion designers are clueless (okay, that's harsh, maybe strapped by modern standards would work better) when it comes to workable, good-looking clothes for everyday wear. Maybe it's our cultural downward spiral into extreme casualness to blame. Well, whatever the reason, I'm locked into Western fashion because that is where I live and unfortunately, my cultural background and identity has taken fashion in directions I loathe.

This one says, "I just threw something on. Oh well.":

www.aliexpress.com

 Who could walk comfortably in this thing?:

fashionfuz.com

I wish we had more clothing like this:

Mirraw Designs

Mirraw Designs

Kaneesha.com

Indian fashion is so pretty! Of course it can get too opulent and impractical too. Any cultural fashion type can. But how comfortable and gorgeous these clothes are! (I'm not a fan of the missing mid-drift, but that aside ...) I follow a couple of Indian fashion houses on Facebook just so I can look at the pictures and my hope in femininity can be rekindled.

Kaneesha.com

Kaneesha.com

Kaneesha.com

I admit that Indian fashion helped shape some of the clothing in my stories. And I wish I had the cultural background to get away with wearing Indian fashion. I'd stick out around the people in my community, or get censured for not having the right cultural identity to wear things like that. I don't have much of a glamorous night life either for the really glitzy stuff. *sigh* A girl can dream, right?

The pictures say so much more than I can, so I'll leave you with a few more. Tell me what you think. Do you like what you see? What traditional cultural garb do you wish you could get away with wearing? And for fun, what's your favorite color?

This one's my favorite:

Kaneesha.com

Kaneesha.com

Kaneesha.com

Kaneesha.com

Kaneesha.com

Beautiful colors. Beautiful fabrics. You can move in these! And most Indian fashion is modest. Proving you don't have to show a ton of skin to draw attention. To me, these clothes say, "I respect myself. I'm comfortable with my femininity. I take care to look my best."

And yes, to the snarky person who is thinking, "You can't chase kids or clean the bathroom in most of these outfits," most of these you couldn't. But there are simpler, less dressy versions of these styles that Indian women wear every day to do mundane chores. They are still feminine.

The Atlas of Beauty

(I am in no way affiliated with either Mirraw Designs or Kaneesha.com. I'm just a fan who is happy to share their work.)