Okay, my exams finished a few weeks ago, so now it's time for me to jump back into the blogosphere and writing world. My reading rate has already picked up again, as shown over on my review blog (which I can't remember if I've mentioned previously but here's the link just in case, here).
So this is just my post to show that I have not completely disappeared. Getting back into the writing swing is taking longer than I expected: WIP has not picked up any speed and my fanfiction needs a jumpstart. This is my way of trying to give myself a kick in the pants and get going again.
Hopefully I'll be back on my metaphorical feet soon.
W-O xxx
Monday, 16 July 2012
Monday, 7 May 2012
Calling a break :(
Okay, this is going to be hard but I know it has to be done. I have to make clean cut decisions and take control - I'll lose too much if I don't.
As I may have already said, I'm preparing for my final school exams: the ones that will decide whether I get to go to university or have to find some other direction for my life. I want to go to uni.
So here's the tough decision: I'm stopping blogging. Not forever - I'm not just going to end it here - but until these exams are over and there's nothing more I can to about them. There's just too much temptation to take time out of my studies and write a blog post (kind of like what I'm doing now), and I really don't need things drawing me away right now. This should only last for a month or two, as my exams finish at the end of June, but until then this is goodbye.
My other projects - painful as it is - are also taking a backseat, so my WIP will be put at a snail's pace and have to wait until life gets less serious. Fanfiction will stop and plot bunnies will be locked up at double speed. I need to focus on the real world for a while.
I feel I'm at a good palce to stop right now: I have four chapters of my WIP done and dusted and several more in progress, so I don't feel like I'm just being lazy (it's not much for most people but it's a good chunk for me - I like to get it as perfect as possible before I call it finished). I may take breaks and write little bits during the next month or so, but I won't be specifically looking for time to write - I'll just do it when I really need a break from work.
So this is it for now.
See you in July
W-O xxx
As I may have already said, I'm preparing for my final school exams: the ones that will decide whether I get to go to university or have to find some other direction for my life. I want to go to uni.
So here's the tough decision: I'm stopping blogging. Not forever - I'm not just going to end it here - but until these exams are over and there's nothing more I can to about them. There's just too much temptation to take time out of my studies and write a blog post (kind of like what I'm doing now), and I really don't need things drawing me away right now. This should only last for a month or two, as my exams finish at the end of June, but until then this is goodbye.
My other projects - painful as it is - are also taking a backseat, so my WIP will be put at a snail's pace and have to wait until life gets less serious. Fanfiction will stop and plot bunnies will be locked up at double speed. I need to focus on the real world for a while.
I feel I'm at a good palce to stop right now: I have four chapters of my WIP done and dusted and several more in progress, so I don't feel like I'm just being lazy (it's not much for most people but it's a good chunk for me - I like to get it as perfect as possible before I call it finished). I may take breaks and write little bits during the next month or so, but I won't be specifically looking for time to write - I'll just do it when I really need a break from work.
So this is it for now.
See you in July
W-O xxx
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Monday, 23 April 2012
Pros and Cons of Wordcounts
Okay, I'm writing this to (just about) coincide with two word count milestones that I've achieved in the last week.
First: I managed to clear the 1000 word mark on Chapter 2 of my WIP.
You may well say: "Hang on! You've been writing this thing for around six months (or more) now and you still haven't gotten past Chapter 2. Isn't that a bit slow going?" Well, yes, it is slow going at the moment, but I haven't been that slow. Chapter 2 has just been causing me problems for a while, I simply skipped past it and started work on Chapter 3 - which (for the record) I finished months ago - and the Chapter 4 (and 8 and 13). But last week I decided enough was enough and actually sat myself down and started really writing this chapter. It's now starting to properly take shape in my head and is no longer the blank spot it was a few months ago.
Secondly (and the more important milestone): the combined efforts on Chapter 2, plus additions to other chapters have meant I've now passed 9000 words!
It may not be much in terms of a novel, but it's giving me a boost right now and I just keep thinking: "Nearly at 10k!", which certainly does feel like quite the milestone.
Well, enough about me and onto my Thought of the Day: Is it good to keep a word count?
Right now my answer is an emphatic 'yes'. The thought that I've managed to get past 9k is giving me a boost and making carrying on just that little bit more enjoyable. It also lets me know how much further I have to go and lets me keep track and not write too much - which I tend to do.
But it has Cons as well:
First off is limiting you. There's a certain amount of emphasis today on not making books too long or drag out too much, as it makes the reader get bored and people can get turned away by just the sight of a large book (a la Breaking Dawn - it's massive! Though I'm not saying it's unnecessary.). But for some stories it may be necessary to get all of the important information in, or it simply is a long story (as I said). It depends on the book and plenty of people may feel pressured to cut things short, leaving their plans for the book unfulfilled.
Second, it may make you write more than necessary. Kind of the other side to the story. Aspiring authors will want their book to have equal shelf space with all the other novels out there. This can cause them to stretch things out; making a book that would be brilliant at 50k into one that drags along and comes in at 80k. There's no need for this.
So, my overall summary: write what is right for your book, do not follow trends of long or short books, finish your story when it feels right. So long as you do this - by all means - use word count as a morale booster, you're sure as anything going to need it sometimes, but don't let it dictate how much you write and what you write.
Not really much usefull in this post, but I felt the need to share my joy at getting past my markers.
Hope someone enjoys this.
W-O xxx
First: I managed to clear the 1000 word mark on Chapter 2 of my WIP.
You may well say: "Hang on! You've been writing this thing for around six months (or more) now and you still haven't gotten past Chapter 2. Isn't that a bit slow going?" Well, yes, it is slow going at the moment, but I haven't been that slow. Chapter 2 has just been causing me problems for a while, I simply skipped past it and started work on Chapter 3 - which (for the record) I finished months ago - and the Chapter 4 (and 8 and 13). But last week I decided enough was enough and actually sat myself down and started really writing this chapter. It's now starting to properly take shape in my head and is no longer the blank spot it was a few months ago.
Secondly (and the more important milestone): the combined efforts on Chapter 2, plus additions to other chapters have meant I've now passed 9000 words!
It may not be much in terms of a novel, but it's giving me a boost right now and I just keep thinking: "Nearly at 10k!", which certainly does feel like quite the milestone.
Well, enough about me and onto my Thought of the Day: Is it good to keep a word count?
Right now my answer is an emphatic 'yes'. The thought that I've managed to get past 9k is giving me a boost and making carrying on just that little bit more enjoyable. It also lets me know how much further I have to go and lets me keep track and not write too much - which I tend to do.
But it has Cons as well:
First off is limiting you. There's a certain amount of emphasis today on not making books too long or drag out too much, as it makes the reader get bored and people can get turned away by just the sight of a large book (a la Breaking Dawn - it's massive! Though I'm not saying it's unnecessary.). But for some stories it may be necessary to get all of the important information in, or it simply is a long story (as I said). It depends on the book and plenty of people may feel pressured to cut things short, leaving their plans for the book unfulfilled.
Second, it may make you write more than necessary. Kind of the other side to the story. Aspiring authors will want their book to have equal shelf space with all the other novels out there. This can cause them to stretch things out; making a book that would be brilliant at 50k into one that drags along and comes in at 80k. There's no need for this.
So, my overall summary: write what is right for your book, do not follow trends of long or short books, finish your story when it feels right. So long as you do this - by all means - use word count as a morale booster, you're sure as anything going to need it sometimes, but don't let it dictate how much you write and what you write.
Not really much usefull in this post, but I felt the need to share my joy at getting past my markers.
Hope someone enjoys this.
W-O xxx
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Having The Time Of Your Life Vs Acting Your Age
I've noticed it's been a while since my last update, so I'm going to do something about that. So, here's my Thought of the Day:
Okay, I will confess now: I love acting like a kid. It's so relieving to suddenly drop all your responsibilities and worries and just run around giggling, as if the world is just a giant playground. I miss my innocent days. Also, there's frankly it's funny to see those who are meant to be sensible suddenly act like they are five again: it reminds us that we all have the capacity to have fun.
Some of my best memories are when I got to forget everything and throw myself into something, like a water fight or Trick o' Treating at Halloween (plus you get free sweets with that one). Deep down I'm still a little kid waiting for the games to begin.
This is all very well, but sadly at my age I'm expected to act with a little more maturity than that. A part of me embraces the independence of it, while another feels pressured and closed off by it all. I don't like to feel like my whole life rides on my decisions - which they more-or-less do nowadays. There is immense pressure to grow up quickly and learn the ways of the world, so that you can survive in it, but is it at the cost of our childhood?
I know what I face in terms of fast growth is nothing when compared with a few centuries - or even decades - ago: I'm not expected to marry by the time I'm 15 or live with the effects of wars (not noticeably anyway). I know I'm incredibly lucky to have the life I do and I am grateful for it, yet I'm still plagued by doubts and wishes to be elsewhere.
Think about it: by the time we're five years old we're in school and having to learn life skills; soon homework starts to appear and you're expected to do it or face the consequences. These are small children who are being made to worry about getting things done, when really this is the time of their lives when they should have very few worries. Okay, I may be being melodramatic here, but my point still stands: children are being made to grow up quickly. By the time the summer rolls around I'll have been in full-time education for 13 years - that's an awfully long time! These years have certainly been fun - I'm not going to deny that - but there's been an awful amount of stress, too, and they certainly weren't the carefree days that childhood is often portrayed as.
So I'm going to embrace every childish moment that comes around. I will do until I'm in my fifties and sixties, because we all need some time to be carefree - completely carefree, not with the threat of something looming over us. You can't be serious your whole life.
Okay, I may have deviated from my original topic a little but I think most of this makes sense.
Hope it's interesting to someone.
W-O xxx
Okay, I will confess now: I love acting like a kid. It's so relieving to suddenly drop all your responsibilities and worries and just run around giggling, as if the world is just a giant playground. I miss my innocent days. Also, there's frankly it's funny to see those who are meant to be sensible suddenly act like they are five again: it reminds us that we all have the capacity to have fun.
Some of my best memories are when I got to forget everything and throw myself into something, like a water fight or Trick o' Treating at Halloween (plus you get free sweets with that one). Deep down I'm still a little kid waiting for the games to begin.
This is all very well, but sadly at my age I'm expected to act with a little more maturity than that. A part of me embraces the independence of it, while another feels pressured and closed off by it all. I don't like to feel like my whole life rides on my decisions - which they more-or-less do nowadays. There is immense pressure to grow up quickly and learn the ways of the world, so that you can survive in it, but is it at the cost of our childhood?
I know what I face in terms of fast growth is nothing when compared with a few centuries - or even decades - ago: I'm not expected to marry by the time I'm 15 or live with the effects of wars (not noticeably anyway). I know I'm incredibly lucky to have the life I do and I am grateful for it, yet I'm still plagued by doubts and wishes to be elsewhere.
Think about it: by the time we're five years old we're in school and having to learn life skills; soon homework starts to appear and you're expected to do it or face the consequences. These are small children who are being made to worry about getting things done, when really this is the time of their lives when they should have very few worries. Okay, I may be being melodramatic here, but my point still stands: children are being made to grow up quickly. By the time the summer rolls around I'll have been in full-time education for 13 years - that's an awfully long time! These years have certainly been fun - I'm not going to deny that - but there's been an awful amount of stress, too, and they certainly weren't the carefree days that childhood is often portrayed as.
So I'm going to embrace every childish moment that comes around. I will do until I'm in my fifties and sixties, because we all need some time to be carefree - completely carefree, not with the threat of something looming over us. You can't be serious your whole life.
Okay, I may have deviated from my original topic a little but I think most of this makes sense.
Hope it's interesting to someone.
W-O xxx
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Getting Behind and Staying in Reality
Okay, I'm a rather ashamed to admit this but - I haven't been working on my WIP as much as I should have lately.
This isn't just forgetting to write a couple of times. I went at least two weeks now without writing a word on it.
This. Is. Not. Good.
Not only does it mean I'm behind on my plan, I'm also pretty ashamed about it. I told myself I would not let this happen, and yet I let it do just that.
After realising this huge failure of mine I immediately set out to correct it. Hence I have now added over 1000 words to my WIP in less than two days. This is progress. It has also brought me very close to the 8000 word mark *breaks into happy dance*.
So the point of this post is (it seems at the moment not a lot of my posts really have a point):
Don't ever give up. Keep writing until that manuscript/ blog post/ article/ anything else you may be writing is finished.
Don't worry if you're writing complete tosh - you can always go back and redo it later. The point is that you finish it. Not matter how good or bad it is, you will have gained something and can say "Yes, I have managed to do this." It's a nice little ego boost for you.
Second point:
Know your priorities.
(I know I've done another post on this, but I will say it again because it is feeling relevant to me right now.)
We all can struggle with prioritising. We may know there is something important hanging over us and yet we carry on with something else. For me, writing is the 'something else' most of the time - much as I wish it were otherwise. I cannot pretend to myself that my schoolwork and getting into University do not matter to me that much. They do matter. A lot.
And they take time and energy. Things that I would often prefer to spend writing. But I know that writing is not usually a very lucrative career choice and I'd have a much better chance of earning money if I follow the school -> university -> job path.
So this is my second piece of advice: don't let the world pass you by. Writing may be your way of escape and - you never know - you could turn out a very successful author/journalist/*insert other job here*. But if that doesn't work out, you need a firm base in reality (I think it's a good idea not to starve).
If you're young, focus on schoolwork and get your qualifications. If you've left school, don't quit your day job until you're certain writing is enough. You don't have to take this advice, but (for once) I don't think it's bad advice (I'm not normally good at this sort of stuff).
Okay. I think I'm done being serious and responsible for now.
I apologise for the very down-to-earth post. I got some exam results today, so this sort of thing has been on my mind a lot.
Hope this was useful to someone.
W-O xxx
This isn't just forgetting to write a couple of times. I went at least two weeks now without writing a word on it.
This. Is. Not. Good.
Not only does it mean I'm behind on my plan, I'm also pretty ashamed about it. I told myself I would not let this happen, and yet I let it do just that.
After realising this huge failure of mine I immediately set out to correct it. Hence I have now added over 1000 words to my WIP in less than two days. This is progress. It has also brought me very close to the 8000 word mark *breaks into happy dance*.
So the point of this post is (it seems at the moment not a lot of my posts really have a point):
Don't ever give up. Keep writing until that manuscript/ blog post/ article/ anything else you may be writing is finished.
Don't worry if you're writing complete tosh - you can always go back and redo it later. The point is that you finish it. Not matter how good or bad it is, you will have gained something and can say "Yes, I have managed to do this." It's a nice little ego boost for you.
Second point:
Know your priorities.
(I know I've done another post on this, but I will say it again because it is feeling relevant to me right now.)
We all can struggle with prioritising. We may know there is something important hanging over us and yet we carry on with something else. For me, writing is the 'something else' most of the time - much as I wish it were otherwise. I cannot pretend to myself that my schoolwork and getting into University do not matter to me that much. They do matter. A lot.
And they take time and energy. Things that I would often prefer to spend writing. But I know that writing is not usually a very lucrative career choice and I'd have a much better chance of earning money if I follow the school -> university -> job path.
So this is my second piece of advice: don't let the world pass you by. Writing may be your way of escape and - you never know - you could turn out a very successful author/journalist/*insert other job here*. But if that doesn't work out, you need a firm base in reality (I think it's a good idea not to starve).
If you're young, focus on schoolwork and get your qualifications. If you've left school, don't quit your day job until you're certain writing is enough. You don't have to take this advice, but (for once) I don't think it's bad advice (I'm not normally good at this sort of stuff).
Okay. I think I'm done being serious and responsible for now.
I apologise for the very down-to-earth post. I got some exam results today, so this sort of thing has been on my mind a lot.
Hope this was useful to someone.
W-O xxx
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Julie Kagawa ARC Contest and Learning More About Blogger
Okay, first things first.
The wonderful author of the 'Iron Fey' books series, Julie Kagawa, is hosting a giveaway over on her blog for a signed ARC copy of her new book, The Immortal Rules. It's international, so you don't have to worry about where in the world you live and it definitely looks like a good book :)
The linky for it is here.
And onto a slightly more serious topic - though not much more!
I've been on Blogger since November-time. So far I've worked out most aspects of the Dashboard and how to write, edit and decorate my blog. Unfortunately my expertise does not extend much beyond that.
Up until about ten minutes ago I had no idea how to put in a hyperlink. As shown above ^ I have now worked out how it is done.
But I realised when I first joined that I'd have to learn a lot, in order to make my blog interesting.
Sadly I still haven't worked out how to put pictures in, therefore so far my posts have not been very exciting in that respect.
If anyone knows how I include pictures, please, feel free to share your knowledge with me. I won't bite (much).
This probably won't be a very useful post to anyone, but thanks for taking the time to read it anyway.
W-O
The wonderful author of the 'Iron Fey' books series, Julie Kagawa, is hosting a giveaway over on her blog for a signed ARC copy of her new book, The Immortal Rules. It's international, so you don't have to worry about where in the world you live and it definitely looks like a good book :)
The linky for it is here.
And onto a slightly more serious topic - though not much more!
I've been on Blogger since November-time. So far I've worked out most aspects of the Dashboard and how to write, edit and decorate my blog. Unfortunately my expertise does not extend much beyond that.
Up until about ten minutes ago I had no idea how to put in a hyperlink. As shown above ^ I have now worked out how it is done.
But I realised when I first joined that I'd have to learn a lot, in order to make my blog interesting.
Sadly I still haven't worked out how to put pictures in, therefore so far my posts have not been very exciting in that respect.
If anyone knows how I include pictures, please, feel free to share your knowledge with me. I won't bite (much).
This probably won't be a very useful post to anyone, but thanks for taking the time to read it anyway.
W-O
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Joys and hardships of Plot Bunnies
They're lovely, fluffy little things that jump around and make us smile. They are there to be played with, nurtured and allowed to grow into fully-fledged adult bunnies. We love them dearly.At the same time, we hate them with a passion.
Sure, they're cute and cuddly and stop us from getting bored, but they are a lot of work. And things get very difficult when we have a lot of them: we neglect some while playing with others.
They're adorable little distractions.
I've heard lots about plot bunnies, and the problems they cause writers, while searching the interwebs. People often get side-tracked from one plot by another and end up abandoning their original to pursue the new one - only to repeat the same process a month or so later. This definitely doesn't get things done and leaves many, perfectly good, stories abandoned and unfinished (such a waste).
There are many arguments for leaving bunnies by the way-side: "this new one is better/ more commercially viable" or "I don't like this one any more". I have to admit, I've considered dropping things before; because I have a block that I can't seem to get past, or I start thinking that it isn't really that great a story.
But - in the end - what I'd say to these arguments is: if you can't finish this project, how do you know you'll be able to finish the next?
Even if your current story never actually goes anywhere, just sits in your Documents gathering figurative dust, you'll still have gained something from it - be it the confidence to finish something else or an actual improvement in your writing. You never know, in a few years you may look back on it with a more objective view and decide it's actually worth something. Maybe with some re-writing and/or editing it could actually be a good book in itself.
What I'm really saying is: every plot bunny deserves to be played with and allowed to grow, but you can't just leave one to shrivel and die because it is no longer your favourite.
One way to combat this would be multi-tasking and trying to write several stories at once (when I was younger I often had hundreds of fanfictions on the go at the same time - though I never wrote any of them down). However, this isn't an easy thing to do and puts more stress on you as a writer - that's what I've found anyway.
So far in my writing process I haven't had to worry too much about plot bunnies, as my brain has decided to be cooperative and only focus on one thing (for once!). But two days ago it - once again - decided to throw another idea into my head in the form of a dream (though thankfully not involving any hot, blood-sucking men). I was really quite surprised how well-formed the idea was, considering its source (my subconsciousness is not known for its rationality), but I know I can't work on it at the same time as my current WIP.
What I've decided to do is put the rest of my bunnies on ice or slow-growth food while I work on my book. I write the all the ideas down, in a newly-designated 'Plot Bunny Notebook', as they come to me: including all the details or plot that I've come up with so far and any images that stuck in my mind when thinking about it (I had a lot of images in that dream!).
Then I leave them.
Let them sit until my WIP is done and dusted, then I'll get out the notebook and decide which bunny I want to write next.
Another technique, that I've untilised on a fanfiction that I'm working on, is the slow-burn method. I don't focus much time or energy on this project. Just occasionally when I'm going through a slow patch with my WIP or I need another way to get the creative juices flowing, I sit down and write a chapter or two on my fanfiction. Fanfictions don't require much character development or world-building as a novel - most of it's been done for you - but it's a good way of warming up your writing muscles before you get on with your own book. And of not letting that other, smaller, project drop.
So, that's my thoughts for the day.
Hope someone finds it useful.
Thank you to those of you who are actually reading this blog - especially RaeAnn your comments always cheer me up :)
W-O
Sure, they're cute and cuddly and stop us from getting bored, but they are a lot of work. And things get very difficult when we have a lot of them: we neglect some while playing with others.
They're adorable little distractions.
I've heard lots about plot bunnies, and the problems they cause writers, while searching the interwebs. People often get side-tracked from one plot by another and end up abandoning their original to pursue the new one - only to repeat the same process a month or so later. This definitely doesn't get things done and leaves many, perfectly good, stories abandoned and unfinished (such a waste).
There are many arguments for leaving bunnies by the way-side: "this new one is better/ more commercially viable" or "I don't like this one any more". I have to admit, I've considered dropping things before; because I have a block that I can't seem to get past, or I start thinking that it isn't really that great a story.
But - in the end - what I'd say to these arguments is: if you can't finish this project, how do you know you'll be able to finish the next?
Even if your current story never actually goes anywhere, just sits in your Documents gathering figurative dust, you'll still have gained something from it - be it the confidence to finish something else or an actual improvement in your writing. You never know, in a few years you may look back on it with a more objective view and decide it's actually worth something. Maybe with some re-writing and/or editing it could actually be a good book in itself.
What I'm really saying is: every plot bunny deserves to be played with and allowed to grow, but you can't just leave one to shrivel and die because it is no longer your favourite.
One way to combat this would be multi-tasking and trying to write several stories at once (when I was younger I often had hundreds of fanfictions on the go at the same time - though I never wrote any of them down). However, this isn't an easy thing to do and puts more stress on you as a writer - that's what I've found anyway.
So far in my writing process I haven't had to worry too much about plot bunnies, as my brain has decided to be cooperative and only focus on one thing (for once!). But two days ago it - once again - decided to throw another idea into my head in the form of a dream (though thankfully not involving any hot, blood-sucking men). I was really quite surprised how well-formed the idea was, considering its source (my subconsciousness is not known for its rationality), but I know I can't work on it at the same time as my current WIP.
What I've decided to do is put the rest of my bunnies on ice or slow-growth food while I work on my book. I write the all the ideas down, in a newly-designated 'Plot Bunny Notebook', as they come to me: including all the details or plot that I've come up with so far and any images that stuck in my mind when thinking about it (I had a lot of images in that dream!).
Then I leave them.
Let them sit until my WIP is done and dusted, then I'll get out the notebook and decide which bunny I want to write next.
Another technique, that I've untilised on a fanfiction that I'm working on, is the slow-burn method. I don't focus much time or energy on this project. Just occasionally when I'm going through a slow patch with my WIP or I need another way to get the creative juices flowing, I sit down and write a chapter or two on my fanfiction. Fanfictions don't require much character development or world-building as a novel - most of it's been done for you - but it's a good way of warming up your writing muscles before you get on with your own book. And of not letting that other, smaller, project drop.
So, that's my thoughts for the day.
Hope someone finds it useful.
Thank you to those of you who are actually reading this blog - especially RaeAnn your comments always cheer me up :)
W-O
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Being You Own Worst Critic
Okay. So, self esteem is something most people have problems with. We all hate certain things about ourselves and things we would like to change. For example: I'm a huge procrastinator and bad prioritiser. I have no acting or public speaking ability and a strong dislike of bossing people around.
Sometimes these are things I go to sleep at night worrying over, thinking that they will ruin any chance I have at doing something with my life. And yet I still have the willpower to get up every morning and go about my life. So they really can't be that bad, can they? They never occupy my thoughts for more than an hour or so at a time.
Sure, I am often self-conscious and berate myself afterwards about certain things, but they don't really stop me from living.
So why is it, when it comes to things that really matter - like whether I am actually good at writing (or the subject that takes up the other half of my existence) - do I have so many more doubts and worries? Ones that keep me awake, not just some nights, but every night.
And yet, at other times, how I feel about my work is what comforts me when I've had a bad day at school. Thoughts and fantasies about my future are what lull me to sleep and give me good dreams.
Talk about yo yo-ing.
Sometimes I think my writing is awful. I think about something I wrote a day or two beforehand and think "What on Earth was I thinking? How did I even consider this as passable stuff?"
But other times think: "Wow! Did I really write this? This is good!"
What I'm really trying to say here is this: You can never truly judge your own work.
In your head you can have an idea of how good (or bad) it is, but - truly - you can never really know. This is because you can never view it completely objectively (unless you look back on it in a decade or two). Your opinion of your work will always vary, depending on your mood and outlook at the time.
So, here's my piece of advice for today:
Don't worry about what you think of your writing at any one time, your view will always change. It is others who will tell you whether or not you are any good; you simply keep writing and see what they say once you've finished.
The worst that can happen is that they say you're not good enough. All I'll say to that is: at least you didn't give up! And you will still have gained something from it.
Seriously, though; it's bad enough without you criticising yourself. Let other people do that - they will probably be much kinder about it.
Is it me, or does none of this really make any sense?
I apologise for this.
My mind is currently a little preoccupied with the hot chocolate fudge cake, that I am about to go and prepare. Don't worry, I'm not actually making it from scratch (thank goodness for microwaves); though maybe I should be a little concerned that I'm only a few months away from having to cook for myself, and yet I cannot actually cook. Hmm... starvation or ready-meals both seem plausible options at the moment.
Oh well, if I stop posting around October you will know what's happened. Feel free to send flowers to my funeral.
Sorry if this whole post comes off as a little bleak. I'm trying to instill confidence, but I don't know if it's working.
Thanks for reading
W-O
Sometimes these are things I go to sleep at night worrying over, thinking that they will ruin any chance I have at doing something with my life. And yet I still have the willpower to get up every morning and go about my life. So they really can't be that bad, can they? They never occupy my thoughts for more than an hour or so at a time.
Sure, I am often self-conscious and berate myself afterwards about certain things, but they don't really stop me from living.
So why is it, when it comes to things that really matter - like whether I am actually good at writing (or the subject that takes up the other half of my existence) - do I have so many more doubts and worries? Ones that keep me awake, not just some nights, but every night.
And yet, at other times, how I feel about my work is what comforts me when I've had a bad day at school. Thoughts and fantasies about my future are what lull me to sleep and give me good dreams.
Talk about yo yo-ing.
Sometimes I think my writing is awful. I think about something I wrote a day or two beforehand and think "What on Earth was I thinking? How did I even consider this as passable stuff?"
But other times think: "Wow! Did I really write this? This is good!"
What I'm really trying to say here is this: You can never truly judge your own work.
In your head you can have an idea of how good (or bad) it is, but - truly - you can never really know. This is because you can never view it completely objectively (unless you look back on it in a decade or two). Your opinion of your work will always vary, depending on your mood and outlook at the time.
So, here's my piece of advice for today:
Don't worry about what you think of your writing at any one time, your view will always change. It is others who will tell you whether or not you are any good; you simply keep writing and see what they say once you've finished.
The worst that can happen is that they say you're not good enough. All I'll say to that is: at least you didn't give up! And you will still have gained something from it.
Seriously, though; it's bad enough without you criticising yourself. Let other people do that - they will probably be much kinder about it.
Is it me, or does none of this really make any sense?
I apologise for this.
My mind is currently a little preoccupied with the hot chocolate fudge cake, that I am about to go and prepare. Don't worry, I'm not actually making it from scratch (thank goodness for microwaves); though maybe I should be a little concerned that I'm only a few months away from having to cook for myself, and yet I cannot actually cook. Hmm... starvation or ready-meals both seem plausible options at the moment.
Oh well, if I stop posting around October you will know what's happened. Feel free to send flowers to my funeral.
Sorry if this whole post comes off as a little bleak. I'm trying to instill confidence, but I don't know if it's working.
Thanks for reading
W-O
Monday, 13 February 2012
Breaking The Mould
Let me make one thing clear: I have never truly been a rebellious teenager.
Sure, I've had bad days, and arguments with parents, siblings and friends (though luckily not many), but on the whole I've been a good girl.
I do have some issues, that would categorise me as being a bit lazy and not having my priorities straight: eg. I always get writing and other fun stuff done before homework (this causes problems). But I like to think I am usually a hard worker and someone who doesn't give up on things, who does what she's told.
I don't usually keep secrets, and even when I do there is always one person I share them with - or who knows that something is going on. But not about my writing.
This is why this whole thing is rather scary for me. No-one knows about it, it's not what they'd expect of me and I have no idea how they'd react. It sometimes makes me feel guilty that I'm not telling them, but I really don't know how I'd start. I've said before that this is completely different to the other path my life seems to be taking - as in becoming an astronuat vs being a pole dancer (don't worry, neither of these are in my current plans).
My family are always trying to help me make plans for that other life; things that'd make me stand out from the crowd or get me valuable experience. But a lot of these things get in the way of writing and I either have to do them, losing me time on my book, or turn them down and face the disappointment, confusion and guilt of not doing something my family have worked hard to help me with.
It's hard to make those choices.
So, I may not be breaking out in the ways a lot of people do - certainly not a dramatically. But to me it's a big step outside my comfort zone and away from my family, and - to be honest - I'm completely terrified about it. But it's still not going to let it stop me (did I mention earlier that I don't give up on things easily?).
I suppose I'll just have to live with my choices.
Not much useful for anyone else in this post, but it's good to get these things off my chest.
Hope you enjoyed it (though I don't blame you if you didn't)
W-O xxx
Sure, I've had bad days, and arguments with parents, siblings and friends (though luckily not many), but on the whole I've been a good girl.
I do have some issues, that would categorise me as being a bit lazy and not having my priorities straight: eg. I always get writing and other fun stuff done before homework (this causes problems). But I like to think I am usually a hard worker and someone who doesn't give up on things, who does what she's told.
I don't usually keep secrets, and even when I do there is always one person I share them with - or who knows that something is going on. But not about my writing.
This is why this whole thing is rather scary for me. No-one knows about it, it's not what they'd expect of me and I have no idea how they'd react. It sometimes makes me feel guilty that I'm not telling them, but I really don't know how I'd start. I've said before that this is completely different to the other path my life seems to be taking - as in becoming an astronuat vs being a pole dancer (don't worry, neither of these are in my current plans).
My family are always trying to help me make plans for that other life; things that'd make me stand out from the crowd or get me valuable experience. But a lot of these things get in the way of writing and I either have to do them, losing me time on my book, or turn them down and face the disappointment, confusion and guilt of not doing something my family have worked hard to help me with.
It's hard to make those choices.
So, I may not be breaking out in the ways a lot of people do - certainly not a dramatically. But to me it's a big step outside my comfort zone and away from my family, and - to be honest - I'm completely terrified about it. But it's still not going to let it stop me (did I mention earlier that I don't give up on things easily?).
I suppose I'll just have to live with my choices.
Not much useful for anyone else in this post, but it's good to get these things off my chest.
Hope you enjoyed it (though I don't blame you if you didn't)
W-O xxx
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Drawing On Experiences
We're always told to do it in our writing and deep down we all know that it'll make our work better. Yet some of us still struggle with it, saying things like: "my life has been too boring" or "no-one's interested in what's happened to me".
That. Doesn't. Matter.
Maybe not everything in our lives is book-worthy, but that doesn't mean none of it is. Something as simple as experiencing a failed relationship or losing a pet can be drawn from and used in the story. Not necessarily every detail (that would be a bit too much personal info), but the emotions would be the same: the pain or the grief, and could be drawn from.
This is where us younger writers have a slight disadvantage to older ones: we just haven't lived as much as they have. They have a whole encyclopedia to draw from whereas we only have a notebook or two (in most cases anyway).
But even these little things can be usable, and we can always use those wonderful things: our imaginations! Just think of the situation you want, and imagine how you'd feel in the place of your character and hey presto!
Okay, maybe it won't be that easy, but it's a way to get started. Most of us - if we pay attention to things around us - will have an idea of how people will react to certain things. All we have to do is tailor that reaction to our character.
For example: I was bullied for chunks of my childhood; not in the physical way, but certainly emotionally, and it's only in the last few years that I've managed to get out of my shell a bit more.
Well, my main character is a bit excluded from the majority of her society; so I'm drawing on some of my feelings of isolation and emptiness, to make it more effective and realistic. I'm not using everything, but just enough to make it believable.
Your book doesn't have to be your life story. But if you can't use real emotions, you're going to find the writing proccess a whole lot harder.
On slighty different note: thank you RaeAnn for being my first follower and commenter!
It's good to know someone out there is actually reading my blog :D
Hope you liked this post
W-O
That. Doesn't. Matter.
Maybe not everything in our lives is book-worthy, but that doesn't mean none of it is. Something as simple as experiencing a failed relationship or losing a pet can be drawn from and used in the story. Not necessarily every detail (that would be a bit too much personal info), but the emotions would be the same: the pain or the grief, and could be drawn from.
This is where us younger writers have a slight disadvantage to older ones: we just haven't lived as much as they have. They have a whole encyclopedia to draw from whereas we only have a notebook or two (in most cases anyway).
But even these little things can be usable, and we can always use those wonderful things: our imaginations! Just think of the situation you want, and imagine how you'd feel in the place of your character and hey presto!
Okay, maybe it won't be that easy, but it's a way to get started. Most of us - if we pay attention to things around us - will have an idea of how people will react to certain things. All we have to do is tailor that reaction to our character.
For example: I was bullied for chunks of my childhood; not in the physical way, but certainly emotionally, and it's only in the last few years that I've managed to get out of my shell a bit more.
Well, my main character is a bit excluded from the majority of her society; so I'm drawing on some of my feelings of isolation and emptiness, to make it more effective and realistic. I'm not using everything, but just enough to make it believable.
Your book doesn't have to be your life story. But if you can't use real emotions, you're going to find the writing proccess a whole lot harder.
On slighty different note: thank you RaeAnn for being my first follower and commenter!
It's good to know someone out there is actually reading my blog :D
Hope you liked this post
W-O
Friday, 20 January 2012
Sequels, Creating Tension and Prioritising
OK, so this post is going to cover a few topics at once, because I want to get them all down now and not have to worry that I'm forgetting points.
Sequels
It seems to today that all (OK, I'm starting to sound like the Family Guy theme) books come as part of a series or trilogy. There aren't as many standalones and writers quite often - to me at least - seem to be churning out sequels just because it's what's done right now.
Is it necessary?
I would say "No!"
You see, the problem with these sequels that seem to come out of the wazoo, is that they really are never as good as the first book. There are exceptions - as there always will be - but often these really are just superfluous and unnecessary. If your first book is good and you don't feel there are any more stories left to tell: Leave. It.
On the other hand, if there are plot points that are still unresolved or characters that you are desperate to explore in more depth, then by all means: keep going.
I've recently decided to add a sequel to my plan.
Remember that second main character that I decided to introduce a while back? Well, her POV is gone from my first novel - which, incidentally, now has 2 completed chapters, several more in progress and a much better plot plan! This decision almost halved my word count and gave me a lot more work to do to get this one right; but it also made things a lot less complicated for the reader, gave my other main character some more space to play - which I think they both deserve a lot more than I was giving them - and is really letting me let loose on some of the things I'd planned not to put in the first novel.
My second main character will have her own story in the sequel, and play just a secondary part in the first book. I have many plans for this second book and no plan yet to add a third because - quite seriously - it doesn't need it - yet (I'm not ruling it out, hehe).
Creating Tension
This is something I have always struggled with, as I like things to all end up happy and my characters to lead simple fulfilling lives. But this doesn't really work if I want people to read my book.
So I've taken a solid piece of writing advice and put my character in the situation they most dread. Don't worry, I have a plan to get her out of it, but for now I'm letting her wallow in all the angst that it's going to cause. She'll have to do a lot of work and develop as a person before she gets a break.
I was originally very tentative about doing this - it not being my usual style - but now that I've done it there are so many possibilities for character arcs, development and things to keep the reader interested.
Do I regret causing my character pain? No way.
Prioritising
I should probably add 'and procrastinating' to that title.
We all struggle with this: what should come first? What am I willing to give up? Why can't I just get my head down and do it? And it's a never-ending problem. There's always something to distract you or stand there with it's hands on its hips saying "You know I'm more important than what you're up to, so get over here and do me!" (is it just me or does that sound a bit dirtier than I meant it to?).
I'm having many of those problems at the moment, not least due to the fact that I am still in school and am currently in the middle of my January exams (which I should really be revising for right now) and yet I am still taking time out of my day, sacrificing sleep, so that I can work on my book. My family don't know, so they can't even help me with finding time (my plan sounds worse and worse all the time doesn't it? But I have really brought it on myself).
Yet, at the same time, I feel like I'm hardly getting anywhere with my book: I may have over 5000 word done, but so what? I'm sure plenty of people have been at it for half as long as me and have three times as much.
It's an uphill battle and one that I'm not always sure I'll win, but so far I'm muscling through it. I know I'm doing so much better than I would have done six month ago and I'm proud of it.
Let's just see where it takes me, eh?
Hope my rant was useful, even if you just think I'm a complete twit.
W-O xxx
Sequels
It seems to today that all (OK, I'm starting to sound like the Family Guy theme) books come as part of a series or trilogy. There aren't as many standalones and writers quite often - to me at least - seem to be churning out sequels just because it's what's done right now.
Is it necessary?
I would say "No!"
You see, the problem with these sequels that seem to come out of the wazoo, is that they really are never as good as the first book. There are exceptions - as there always will be - but often these really are just superfluous and unnecessary. If your first book is good and you don't feel there are any more stories left to tell: Leave. It.
On the other hand, if there are plot points that are still unresolved or characters that you are desperate to explore in more depth, then by all means: keep going.
I've recently decided to add a sequel to my plan.
Remember that second main character that I decided to introduce a while back? Well, her POV is gone from my first novel - which, incidentally, now has 2 completed chapters, several more in progress and a much better plot plan! This decision almost halved my word count and gave me a lot more work to do to get this one right; but it also made things a lot less complicated for the reader, gave my other main character some more space to play - which I think they both deserve a lot more than I was giving them - and is really letting me let loose on some of the things I'd planned not to put in the first novel.
My second main character will have her own story in the sequel, and play just a secondary part in the first book. I have many plans for this second book and no plan yet to add a third because - quite seriously - it doesn't need it - yet (I'm not ruling it out, hehe).
Creating Tension
This is something I have always struggled with, as I like things to all end up happy and my characters to lead simple fulfilling lives. But this doesn't really work if I want people to read my book.
So I've taken a solid piece of writing advice and put my character in the situation they most dread. Don't worry, I have a plan to get her out of it, but for now I'm letting her wallow in all the angst that it's going to cause. She'll have to do a lot of work and develop as a person before she gets a break.
I was originally very tentative about doing this - it not being my usual style - but now that I've done it there are so many possibilities for character arcs, development and things to keep the reader interested.
Do I regret causing my character pain? No way.
Prioritising
I should probably add 'and procrastinating' to that title.
We all struggle with this: what should come first? What am I willing to give up? Why can't I just get my head down and do it? And it's a never-ending problem. There's always something to distract you or stand there with it's hands on its hips saying "You know I'm more important than what you're up to, so get over here and do me!" (is it just me or does that sound a bit dirtier than I meant it to?).
I'm having many of those problems at the moment, not least due to the fact that I am still in school and am currently in the middle of my January exams (which I should really be revising for right now) and yet I am still taking time out of my day, sacrificing sleep, so that I can work on my book. My family don't know, so they can't even help me with finding time (my plan sounds worse and worse all the time doesn't it? But I have really brought it on myself).
Yet, at the same time, I feel like I'm hardly getting anywhere with my book: I may have over 5000 word done, but so what? I'm sure plenty of people have been at it for half as long as me and have three times as much.
It's an uphill battle and one that I'm not always sure I'll win, but so far I'm muscling through it. I know I'm doing so much better than I would have done six month ago and I'm proud of it.
Let's just see where it takes me, eh?
Hope my rant was useful, even if you just think I'm a complete twit.
W-O xxx
Saturday, 14 January 2012
Chapter Shuffling
Well, this is something I can say I have a fair amount of experience with.
It's not easy, it's often painful, but it is often necessary to make a book better and the narrative and flow more effective.
Have you ever reached a point where you know that something isn't working, but you love everything you've written and know every point you've made has to go into the final draft? (Oh, the unattainable joys of perfect writing.)
Well, chances are that this little chapter you've put in where Chapter 3 would go would work just as well - if slightly tweaked - as Chapter 5. It may not be nice; having to say to the chapter "Sorry, I can think of something that will fit here better than you." just so you can add in that lovely piece of exposition and add to the tension of you new Chapter 5, but in the end it'll be better for your overall story.
I've had a lot of issues of chapters no longer seeming to fit where they are: whether it's due to a certain piece of information that needs to go beforehand, but it won't fit into any of the previous chapters, or just that the flow isn't working as it is. I said a few posts ago that I had to cut out my prologue: well, now I'm adding it back in - with a lot of editing - as my chapter 2 and shifting my former Chapter 2 to Chapter 4. It's meant a lot of moving things around, but I'm happier with the overall result.
And one more tip:
If you decide to completely cut a chapter, never delete it! Just remove it from your main manuscript and make a note of why you cut it. You never know: it could be used again, much later.
Thanks for reading (I don't really think anyone is, but for some reason I'm still updating)
W-O xxx
It's not easy, it's often painful, but it is often necessary to make a book better and the narrative and flow more effective.
Have you ever reached a point where you know that something isn't working, but you love everything you've written and know every point you've made has to go into the final draft? (Oh, the unattainable joys of perfect writing.)
Well, chances are that this little chapter you've put in where Chapter 3 would go would work just as well - if slightly tweaked - as Chapter 5. It may not be nice; having to say to the chapter "Sorry, I can think of something that will fit here better than you." just so you can add in that lovely piece of exposition and add to the tension of you new Chapter 5, but in the end it'll be better for your overall story.
I've had a lot of issues of chapters no longer seeming to fit where they are: whether it's due to a certain piece of information that needs to go beforehand, but it won't fit into any of the previous chapters, or just that the flow isn't working as it is. I said a few posts ago that I had to cut out my prologue: well, now I'm adding it back in - with a lot of editing - as my chapter 2 and shifting my former Chapter 2 to Chapter 4. It's meant a lot of moving things around, but I'm happier with the overall result.
And one more tip:
If you decide to completely cut a chapter, never delete it! Just remove it from your main manuscript and make a note of why you cut it. You never know: it could be used again, much later.
Thanks for reading (I don't really think anyone is, but for some reason I'm still updating)
W-O xxx
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Getting Feedback On Your Writing - Betas and Critiquers
We all know that, at some point, we will have to do this. There is no point going ahead if you don't know whether people will like it, or that you writing is definitely good stuff.
The slight difficulty with this - though it should be easy enough - is actually finding people to read your work.
The obvious group of people to go for would be family and friends: that rock in hard times and the people you know (or hope) will love you no matter what, but unfortunately that familiarity is also their downfall. Can you trust them to give unbiased advice?
So, if you're not going for people that you really know, who is left? I've heard many stories of people asking tutors or teachers to read through their stuff, and this seems to go down fairly well. However, there is also a slight uncertainty of honesty and the embarrassment of the teacher not liking what you have.
And then there is that fountain of knowledge and danger: the Internet. We all know how to use it (or if you don't, where have you been?!) but can scarcely ever find exactly what we're looking for. There is the good old-fashioned google search and seeing what comes up, but it usually comes up with sites showing tips on how to find critique partners, rather than people who are really looking for them. And the ones you do find: how do you know they are who they say and can they really give good advice?
It's a bit of a problem, and one that I haven't quite found an answer to yet.
But if you are just looking for a site to get quick and fairly good feedback, there is one that I can recommend. It's not necessarily a sure-fire place to get top quality advice, but it is far from the worst and is definitely a place to find book-lovers: FictionPress.
On this site they have a system for beta-readers set up. Anyone can become a beta so long as they fulfil certain requirements - and therein lies the slight danger - but you are able to select who you send your work to beforehand, by looking at their beta-profiles for their reading preferences and general profiles for some information on the people themselves. These can usually tell you enough about them, for you to be happy for them to read your writing.
They have a secure system for sending files: both parties must agree before a connection to send can be established and you can withdraw your files if you want. Nothing is public unless you decide to announce it.
I already had an account on this site and last week decided to make use of the beta system. I sent off my first chapter to two beta readers I had selected - I seemed to hit the jackpot as far as good readers were concerned - after first checking if they were interested. Within a hour or two I had their feedback with me.
I was particularly looking for if my first chapter was interesting enough to keep people reading, and if the flow was good. Thankfully, they both seemed to enjoy the chapter and wanted to know more; this gave me a nice little boost (I was very hyper for the rest of the evening). One gave me a few tips on flow and how to make things a bit easier on the reader, and they both were able to point out some typos and little mistakes, that I had missed on my read through. One of them also added that it had the potential to be bookshelf material (*squee!!!*).
One word of warning:
Although there are plenty of active betas on the site, there are many who are no longer active, but are still listed as being so. It's a good idea to search their profiles for when they were last on the site, to see if they are still there: I recommend no-one who hasn't been on in at least six months.
Hope this was useful
W-O xx
P.S. If my two betas ever read this and work out who I am: thank you, I love you both!
The slight difficulty with this - though it should be easy enough - is actually finding people to read your work.
The obvious group of people to go for would be family and friends: that rock in hard times and the people you know (or hope) will love you no matter what, but unfortunately that familiarity is also their downfall. Can you trust them to give unbiased advice?
So, if you're not going for people that you really know, who is left? I've heard many stories of people asking tutors or teachers to read through their stuff, and this seems to go down fairly well. However, there is also a slight uncertainty of honesty and the embarrassment of the teacher not liking what you have.
And then there is that fountain of knowledge and danger: the Internet. We all know how to use it (or if you don't, where have you been?!) but can scarcely ever find exactly what we're looking for. There is the good old-fashioned google search and seeing what comes up, but it usually comes up with sites showing tips on how to find critique partners, rather than people who are really looking for them. And the ones you do find: how do you know they are who they say and can they really give good advice?
It's a bit of a problem, and one that I haven't quite found an answer to yet.
But if you are just looking for a site to get quick and fairly good feedback, there is one that I can recommend. It's not necessarily a sure-fire place to get top quality advice, but it is far from the worst and is definitely a place to find book-lovers: FictionPress.
On this site they have a system for beta-readers set up. Anyone can become a beta so long as they fulfil certain requirements - and therein lies the slight danger - but you are able to select who you send your work to beforehand, by looking at their beta-profiles for their reading preferences and general profiles for some information on the people themselves. These can usually tell you enough about them, for you to be happy for them to read your writing.
They have a secure system for sending files: both parties must agree before a connection to send can be established and you can withdraw your files if you want. Nothing is public unless you decide to announce it.
I already had an account on this site and last week decided to make use of the beta system. I sent off my first chapter to two beta readers I had selected - I seemed to hit the jackpot as far as good readers were concerned - after first checking if they were interested. Within a hour or two I had their feedback with me.
I was particularly looking for if my first chapter was interesting enough to keep people reading, and if the flow was good. Thankfully, they both seemed to enjoy the chapter and wanted to know more; this gave me a nice little boost (I was very hyper for the rest of the evening). One gave me a few tips on flow and how to make things a bit easier on the reader, and they both were able to point out some typos and little mistakes, that I had missed on my read through. One of them also added that it had the potential to be bookshelf material (*squee!!!*).
One word of warning:
Although there are plenty of active betas on the site, there are many who are no longer active, but are still listed as being so. It's a good idea to search their profiles for when they were last on the site, to see if they are still there: I recommend no-one who hasn't been on in at least six months.
Hope this was useful
W-O xx
P.S. If my two betas ever read this and work out who I am: thank you, I love you both!
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
The Difference Between 'If' And 'When' - Knowing What You Want To Do
Aka. Making The Decision To Write The Darn Book.
Today I'm going to address a problem that has plagued me ever since I decided I liked making up stories and writing them down. I'd always start something and never finish it, despite thinking towards the beginning that I was going to turn it into a book at some point.
This could happen for a number of reasons:
The main one however was the lack of drive that I had. OK, I'd thought I may make a novel out of it and I always initially thought my ideas were good ones, but I never just said to myself "Right. No more mucking around; I am actually going to make a good go of this and get this thing finished." This was the problem: because if you're not sure if you're really going to do it, then no-one else can take that step for you.
I had this problem even up until less than a year ago: I had an idea and I was thinking "Yeah, I'm not a child any more, maybe I could make a go of this." but I never truly made the decision to take it seriously and that project failed like all the others.
It's no use going over in your head what could happen if you do publish it, because that's all it will be: just vague imaginings. However, if you think in terms of what could happen when you get it published; it means there is no uncertainty in your own head and though the thoughts of what could happen are still just ramblings of your creative mind, they are still a whole lot more likely to happen than when you're thinking in terms of ifs.
I know I can already see the difference between this project and the others.
Most of the others I never got much past starting chapter one or two and and having a vague idea of what's going to happen next.
This time I have nearly two chapters finished and several more on the go, plus pages and pages of planning, background and character profiles, not to mention several different notebooks all for different purposes - be them name ideas or just jotting random things down.
And another project (a fanfiction if you must know) done in a similar way to this now has eighteen completed chapters and the next close to completion, and with a definite plan of what's to come.
As you can see: much better.
So, how about you? Do you know this is definitely what is going to happen? Will you finish it, get it published and never look back?
Now, everything I've said here may not apply to you at all and you may be able to rattle off a book without really thinking about without even realising it's happening- and if you can please can you tell me your secret - but I think for, most of us, we all need to have that drive and know what we want to do.
Thoughts?
Well, that's my rant for today over with.
Hope it was enjoyed
W-O xxx
Today I'm going to address a problem that has plagued me ever since I decided I liked making up stories and writing them down. I'd always start something and never finish it, despite thinking towards the beginning that I was going to turn it into a book at some point.
This could happen for a number of reasons:
- writers' block (which I could never be bothered to get over when I was younger),
- lack of time for writing (still a problem even now - but a less substantial one),
- losing confidence in the story (a frequent problem),
- not actually having an idea for an ending (believe me you need one or you'll just end up floundering around until you run out of steam)
- or just running out of ideas.
The main one however was the lack of drive that I had. OK, I'd thought I may make a novel out of it and I always initially thought my ideas were good ones, but I never just said to myself "Right. No more mucking around; I am actually going to make a good go of this and get this thing finished." This was the problem: because if you're not sure if you're really going to do it, then no-one else can take that step for you.
I had this problem even up until less than a year ago: I had an idea and I was thinking "Yeah, I'm not a child any more, maybe I could make a go of this." but I never truly made the decision to take it seriously and that project failed like all the others.
It's no use going over in your head what could happen if you do publish it, because that's all it will be: just vague imaginings. However, if you think in terms of what could happen when you get it published; it means there is no uncertainty in your own head and though the thoughts of what could happen are still just ramblings of your creative mind, they are still a whole lot more likely to happen than when you're thinking in terms of ifs.
I know I can already see the difference between this project and the others.
Most of the others I never got much past starting chapter one or two and and having a vague idea of what's going to happen next.
This time I have nearly two chapters finished and several more on the go, plus pages and pages of planning, background and character profiles, not to mention several different notebooks all for different purposes - be them name ideas or just jotting random things down.
And another project (a fanfiction if you must know) done in a similar way to this now has eighteen completed chapters and the next close to completion, and with a definite plan of what's to come.
As you can see: much better.
So, how about you? Do you know this is definitely what is going to happen? Will you finish it, get it published and never look back?
Now, everything I've said here may not apply to you at all and you may be able to rattle off a book without really thinking about without even realising it's happening- and if you can please can you tell me your secret - but I think for, most of us, we all need to have that drive and know what we want to do.
Thoughts?
Well, that's my rant for today over with.
Hope it was enjoyed
W-O xxx
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