KaraBosshardt

Writing Hacks. Are they helpful or hurtful? I, for one, have never cared for the word hack in this instance because it makes it sound like you are potentially BS-ing your way through your writing goals, thus leaving your integrity at the door. I’ve also never really understood the entire “hacking” trend because in so many instances they are just using the word hack in place of the words tip or advice. However, with all that being said, we’ll say that hacking is a good thing for our purposes today because it helped me find some new techniques for novel writing that I couldn’t have found any other way. So, here are my top five writing “hacks” for the week (the titles are pretty self-explanatory):

#1: Top 5 Writing Hacks to Distract You from the Nightmare of Your Daily Life

#2: Writing Hacks – Using A Bulletin Board

#3: The Hack’s Guide to Writing while the Kids are at Home

#4: Meal Planning Hacks to Maximize Your Writing Time

#5: The Hack’s Guide to Writing During a Pandemic

Happy week and happy writing to you all.

Until next time,

Kara

These rules to writing that Hemingway has come up with are certainly interesting. I'll give him that.

I can appreciate that his first rule about using short sentences helped changed novel writing today. Now we can use long and short sentences interchangeably to create different types of pacing in our stories when we need to. However, I also think he created this rule because he had his own personal contention with the style of writing during his time. It's certainly not one that I would suggest that writers adhere to now.

As for the other three rules, well...

Whether you watch this video or not, that's up to you. I, for one, didn't find it to be all that helpful.

I found John Steinbeck's writing advice to be a bit vague and generalized. There were a couple things I agreed with like no rewriting until you've gotten everything down because otherwise that can be an excuse for not finishing the story. Been there, done that, so this makes sense to me. I also liked his mention that scenes nearest and dearest to your heart may not have an actual place in your story. However, take this piece of advice with a grain of salt because there can indeed be scenes in your book that you love AND are absolutely crucial to the overall plot. Just keep this in mind incase there's a scene you're hanging onto that you're only keeping because you love it. Make sure it enhances your story instead of bogging it down.

I certainly didn't understand his advice about writing for a single person. To me, that's much more ominous than a general audience because then you're weighing your entire project on the likes and dislikes of a single individual and whether or not they would like what you're writing. It just doesn't sound like a good idea to me. It could sway what you're writing too easily and your story wouldn't be what it was meant to.

Overall, I didn't find this video to be very helpful, so feel free to skip it, unless you really like Steinbeck and want to hear what he has to say.

My very first manuscript was horribly cliché and pretty much plotless. In fact, it didn’t even have an ending to it. I never bothered writing one. It was clear to me that by 80,000 words there was no point in wasting my time on devising a resolution because there was never even a climax. It literally turned into one very lengthy exercise in getting to know my main characters—because I hadn’t bothered doing that before I started to write my novel. And this was okay at the time. I was brand new to creative writing and I just wanted to test my hand at being a writer since I’d never done anything like it before, unless you count the horrible required writing assignments in English 101, which I don’t.

My point is that in order to get out of those cliched beginning manuscripts and onto something really high concept and novel—pun intended—then we have to become more creative as writers. So, with that being said, I have just one top pick for the week that centers on this very concept of creating something new in your writing.

#1: Novelty and the Novel

Literary agent Donald Maass keenly points out the need for authors to write stories that have more unique and novel settings, characters and plots. I would recommend that you pay extra special attention to the bulleted list of questions he has come up with for you to ask yourself about your story. These are gold and well worth your time pondering over them if you need to get yourself out of a cliched writing rut, or if you need inspiration to breathe new life back into your story.

Happy week and happy writing to you all.

Until next time,

Kara

When it comes to my all-time favorite fictional character it will always and forever be Andrew Wiggins, better known as Ender. I have loved fictional stories ever since I could read. I especially love fantasy and sci-fi. However, I had never really connected with a main character very deeply in a novel until I read Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card, when I was in the latter part of Junior High school. I have since read that story multiple times and my 14-year-old self connects just as deeply every time. Every author’s dream, right, to have their stories cherished for decades?

But why did I completely fall in love with this particular character? I was a teenage girl who secretly dreamed of becoming a princess one day, while Ender was a 6-year-old savant, battling in space. Well, the answer’s simple. I felt like Ender from page one. He was bullied because he was a Third, he was small and weak, and felt like no one wanted or liked him, with the one exception of his angel sister, Valentine. But then, as the story progressed, he had to overcome his obstacles in super creative ways, conquer his bullies and eventually he became someone the other kids looked up to and followed.

I wanted to do what Ender could do. But other than seeing myself in Ender, I couldn’t really tell you why I loved him so much. At least that was the case until I decided to become a writer and learned all the intricacies of novel writing.

It’s one thing to conceive of a particular character for a story and to see them in your mind, but to translate the images in your head to words on a page can be a very difficult thing. Orson Scott Card had to not only see who Ender was in his imagination, but he also had to write him in a way that would create sympathy from a reader. He had to make you care about Ender and what happened to him. He had to create scenes and moments in the novel that would show Ender’s personality, his ability, his vulnerabilities and fears. You learned about Ender little by little as the story unfolded, but in a way that created sympathy, mystery and kept you intrigued about what Ender would do next, and how he would react. Essentially, the author created a very appealing, but also realistic character arc; the protagonist starts out in a place of weakness, but then becomes the humble hero by the end—which is just one example of a character arc.

We all connect with different characters for different reasons, but that is the very goal of all good authors. They need readers to care about their characters in order to sell their books. I can’t tell you how many books I have literally stopped reading within just a few chapters because the MCs have zero likeable or sympathetic qualities. I simply did not care what happened to them and the story was no longer interesting.

So, how do you get your writing to a place that you can create these deep connections between your characters and your readers? I’ll let my top picks for the week explain:

#1: Love me, love my characters

This article is about the good and bad character traits generally present in romance novels, but it can be applied to other genres too, especially if you have an a**hole character that you’re including in your story.

#2: The Bedrock of Character Development

This is an interesting take on how to develop a character. If you’ve struggled with rounding out your MCs, or can’t seem to get past surface details about them then you may want to try a new approach.

#3: Use Writing Prompts to Dig into Character Development

While this title is a bit misleading, as there is only one writing prompt that they actually give an example of, I still find this helpful. Using this technique may be just what you need to dive deeper into your character’s head than you were able to before.

#4: Creating Complex Characters: A ‘Mass Effect 2’ Case Study

This is a super in-depth article that focuses on the RPG Mass Effect 2—something I’d never heard of until running across this article—and the complexities of those particular characters. It is a pretty lengthy read though, so I recommend viewing it when you have some extra time on your hands.

#5: For the Love of Moira – The Arc of a Memorable Character

This is the perfect example of a character and their evolution. Character arc is so very important to your story and this article demonstrates how that can be executed correctly.

Happy week and happy writing to you all,

Until next time,

Kara

Truthful, authentic, honest. All these words mean roughly the same thing, but in this case, I’ve chosen these words to describe writers and the stories they create. I’m sure you’ve all heard phrases such as “find your own authentic voice,” or “write your truth,” or “be true to your craft.” Or even “be honest with your readers.” I realize that these phrases are ambiguous at best and are usually tossed around at writing conferences to make a speaker sound like they know what they are talking about. So…what am I getting at?

To be honest in what you are writing, or to be truthful in the story that you create means showing a side of yourself that you may not want to. To be authentically you as a writer means to be vulnerable, to let down your walls just a little bit, or a lot, and let people into your world. It’s a scary reality, but when it’s done well, it shows in your writing and enhances your story significantly.

Any character you create, or any setting you envision all have bits and pieces of you, of your imagination, of your ideas, of your creativity. If you aren’t connecting with one of your characters neither will your readers. If you’re painstakingly writing every word just to get the book done, your readers will feel that as well. Stephenie Meyer said that she will not write a sequel to Midnight Sun because she experienced a great deal of anxiety every time she sat down at her computer to write Edward’s story. Guess what? I felt nothing but anxiety every time I picked it up. No joke.

This stuff is real. Your emotions, your beliefs, your humor, everything about you ends up on that page and if you’re afraid of judgement, criticism, or “what will my family think?” then you’ll likely become less and less authentic and your story will suffer because of it. Your readers aren’t going to know precisely why they don’t like a scene, or heaven forbid your book altogether, but it will happen nonetheless if you start censoring your writing voice.

If you find that you aren’t allowing yourself or your characters to explore certain emotions or situations because it’s uncomfortable for you as the writer then this should be a wakeup call. If you’re fighting this, but keep feeling pulled to write something you don’t particularly want to then it probably means that you need to put on your big girl or big boy underwear and do it. Even if it’s scary. Even if it means putting a little more of you on the page for everyone to see than you are currently comfortable with. In the end, you’ll be glad that you did.

In full honesty (no pun intended, or maybe a little), I’m not perfect at this yet either. I’m guilty of taking whole scenes out of manuscripts because I was afraid of what other people would think. In the end, my stories suffered because of it.

With all this being said, you certainly don’t have to take my word for it. Instead, take the word of my top picks for the week:

#1: Terrified About Writing Your Novel? Excellent!

The author of Waisted goes into depth about the fears she had to face in order to write her fictional story about weight obsessed women and the society they lived in. She not only had to face her own weight obsessions and body image issues, but also the criticism after her story was published.

#2: What Gandhi Taught Me About Telling Stories that Mean Something

Kelsey Allagood encourages writers to not only tell the truth, but also to create stories that push the boundaries of current societal belief. “Of course our readers are going to look at our stories through their own lenses—the ones that stories have helped them shape over the course of their lives. Our role as storytellers is to write stories that help shift those lenses.”

#3: How Honest is Too Honest? 6 Books That Straddle That Line

While most of these books listed are either memoir or self-help, I still find this article helpful for friction writers in order to see just how much truth previous authors have put on a page and lived. Perhaps this article will give you the courage to explore those ideas or scenes in your story that you’ve been avoiding.

#4: Write of Way #15 – Write True to You

“I think it’s a lesson all authors learn that, whether we intend them to or not, our books reflect things about ourselves that we might not have even realized.”

“If your creativity is flowing through a filter, you risk losing themes and ideas like that. You might not notice you’re losing them, but you will be, all the same.”

Spot on, A.Z. Anthony. Spot on. Oh, and the rest of the article is good too.

#5: Make it as Honest as You Can - Neil Gaiman

This is actually a short video I linked from the Novel Writing Advice Videos section of Author Connect. It’s Neil Gaiman talking about how he found his own style of writing by being honest with himself. It’s definitely worth the 5 minutes it takes to watch it.

Happy week and happy writing to you all.

Until next time,

Kara

I completely agree with Elise on this one. Having a computer program randomly generate your characters is a neat idea if you're just practicing, or warming up to the idea of writing a novel, but beyond that I don't find this video useful. In fact, I got really bored watching it and the novel idea that was created to demonstrate this plot structure was also boring and full of clichés.

I realize that Shaylynn (or however she spells her name) was doing this spur of the moment, and I'm sure she did the best she could, but I think that's where the main problem began. This video could have been so much more inspiring if she'd taken even just 30 minutes beforehand to plan out a story idea that had a bit more depth and creativity to it. I probably might have even considered trying out this type of plotting template, but now I have no interest in doing so.

Feel free to pass on this one and save 24 minutes of your life.

Meg Latorre's "11 ways to improve your writing" are worth learning about if you're a new writer. While I find that she covers a lot of the same points that have already been addressed in other videos, there were a couple things that stood out that I think new writers should definitely take note of.

Critique groups vs. beta readers - Meg takes the time to explain the difference between these and why you would find them useful during the editing phase of your manuscript. More than once she kindly encouraged writers to be open to making changes to their story upon receiving constructive criticism. She also helps new writers understand how to discern between useful feedback that should be taken into consideration, and feedback coming from someone who is an "outlier."

I also really like her point about grammar: 

Quote

"While good grammar doesn't make a good story, bad grammar can pull you out of one."

This also goes along with her points about editing and I definitely agree with her that writers need to take the time to edit their manuscript before sending it out for anyone else to read.

Conflict should be at the very heart of every story you write. Its presence throughout your manuscript, or lack thereof, can literally make our break your ability to get published. Your main characters need internal conflict, they need conflict between themselves and other characters (more than just the conflict raised by the antagonist). There should also be conflict within the setting of your novel like a picturesque countryside that isn’t entirely what it seems, etc. etc. etc.

Without conflict, or tension or raised stakes for the main characters, beginning with the first scene and ending with the resolution, stories meander, they are quiet and your readers get bored. Conflict helps readers care about the fate of both protagonist and antagonist (if your antagonist has sympathetic qualities) and it gets readers hooked. So hooked, in fact, that they will read your entire book just to find out how the story ends to get their much-needed resolution from all the said conflict you’ve created.

Since this is such an important topic for all fiction writers and even some nonfiction categories, I’ve chosen seven picks for the week. Feel free to read them all, or choose which ones speak to you.

#1: Confessions of a Conflict-Avoidant Writer

#2: Create Conflict in Your Characters

#3: 6 Tips for Creating Good Bridging Conflict

#4: What Dungeons and Dragons Taught Me About Story Conflict

#5: Levels of Conflict

#6: The Science Behind Conflicts in Literature

#7: Conflict, Plot Lines, And The Devil Wears Prada

I think the title of this clip is what throws you off because it uses the words "writing advice." Like Michael and Joe said, there isn't much writing advice substance to it. This clip isn't going to give you advice about the craft, but rather it's advice on an emotional level. What Neil Gaiman actually says is that this is how he "took his darkest period and turned it around." I always appreciate when famous authors allow themselves to be vulnerable and let people know what they went through in their early days, which is exactly what he does.

I also think his use of the word "honest" to describe the main characteristic that writers should have would have made more sense if he'd used the word "authentic." He talked about how his work got rejected multiple times in the beginning and he realized that he was worried about judgement and letting people in to see who he really was. I can relate to this, especially in writing and I think most people are afraid to put themselves out there for fear of the criticism that may come their way. He also admitted that he could have mimicked the style of other writers that were popular and probably done it well, but then he never would have created his own authentic voice and style in his writing.

All in all, I don't think you should watch this if you're looking for "how-to" type of advice because there isn't any. However, I still think it's worth the watch if you've ever struggled with your own sense of self as a writer, or have yet to find your own voice in your writing. It just may help for you to know that you're not alone. 

Creating your author’s platform can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking, and for good reason. There’s lots to worry about. What do I say about myself? What photo of me looks the best? What if I’m nowhere near close to being published? Do I start with a website first, or a presence on social media? Rest assured that all these questions, and more, get answered in my top picks of the week:

#1: Your Author Platform – Is it Ever too Soon to Start?

The short answer is no. It is never too soon to start and I’ll let Karen Cioffi explain why.

#2: Do I Need a Platform and If So, How High?

Are you an expert on what you’re writing about? This article gives tips on how to become one to help you get seen and eventually published.

#3: Social Media for Authors: An Interview with Leili Mckinley

Learn from social media expert Leili McKinley. In this article she gives the answers to a few burning questions authors want to know about social media marketing.

#4: A Smarter Author Platform for the Digital Era of Publishing

This really gets into the meat of social media, websites, and other marketing strategies. If you’re ready for a hefty dose of information that really digs deep into the author platform then this one is for you.

Happy week and happy writing to you all.

Until next time,

Kara

While I'm not a writer of romance, nor is this a genre that I reach for at the bookstore, I can appreciate Jenna Moreci's advice. It sounded solid and down to earth. She really seems to know what she's talking about and her delivery is downright humorous. A few points she made that I very much agree with if you are going to commit to the task of writing sex scenes in your novel were:

Don't make sex sound gross. Be mindful of your adjectives.

Use sexy verbs.

What does this moment in the book mean for your characters on an emotional level.

Make sure the timing of these scenes come when they are appropriate in your story.

And, above all, understand how sex works!

If you are writing romance, or have a sex scene in your novel, I definitely recommend this video.

Have you ever had a hard time figuring out what genre your story fits into? Or, maybe you know the genre of your story, but you don’t know how to structure it. Perhaps your book keeps switching from one genre to the next depending on which chapter you’re writing. If genre is feeling a bit hazy for you, or if you just want to understand it better then this week’s picks are for you:

#1: Tinker, Tailor, Wizard, Spy: The Joys (And Dangers) of Blending Genre Elements

W.L. Goodwater states, “When readers browse the genre shelves at the bookstore, they are looking to sign a contract with the writer: I, the undersigned, will purchase and read this book, but only under the following terms. Writing genre is not simply about meeting readers’ expectations, but managing them.” And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why understanding genre is so important.

#2: Mixing Genres Is All About Messing with Structure

Stuart Turton explains about the structure of different genres and how he was able to get his stories to fit snuggly within the right ones. While he specifically mentions genres like mystery, time-travel and sci-fi, his methods of fixing his stories could work for any writer, no matter your genre of choice.

#3: A Taxonomy of Nonfiction; Or the Pleasures of Precision

As an assistant professor of creative writing, Karen Babine explains in detail, genre, subgenre, form, mode and shape of nonfiction writing. Ever thought about writing a memoir, or essay? Consider this article as your basic 101 course.

#4: Genre Labels: What Makes A Book More Thriller Than Sci-Fi?

Writing a sci-fi thriller? This article lists five main points about how to scrutinize your story and determine where it falls on the spectrum between science fiction and thriller. You’ll know exactly what you need to change to balance your story correctly within these two genres.

#5: Writing a Genre That’s New to You

A short read and to the point about how to get started writing in a new genre that you’ve never written in before. Or, perhaps you’ve only toyed with the idea, but haven’t been brave enough to try it yet. According to the author, Greer Macallister, “No one can stop you from writing in a new genre but you.”

#6: In Psychological Thrillers, The Abyss Stares Back

This article is an interesting and even freaky example of how writing and the genre you choose to write in can mirror your own life, without you even realizing it. The uncanny experience of author Sebastian Fitzek and his not-so fictional story shows firsthand how our lives can bleed into our work, thus giving us a new perspective of our own past and how it has shaped our present.

Happy week, and happy writing to you all.

Until next time,

Kara

Just like Joe, I too will probably be biased in this review, as I learned the majority of my plotting and story structure from Brandon Sanderson as well as from his friend Dan Wells, whom he mentions. While Brandon states that his advice is for those participating in NaNoWriMo, I think it can be used for just about any novel writing circumstance.

I really appreciate how he goes in depth into plotting and story structure for beginners, instead of just skimming the surface like many others do. His advice to borrow your initial plot structure from a favorite movie in a favorite genre is fantastic advice to help any new writer ease themselves into writing novel length stories.

Writing a monologue with your main character(s) to get to the heart of who they are and what they need or want is priceless advice. This is a little golden nugget he got from his author friend Dan Wells, and who I learned it from first. It is really helpful when you need to figure out backstory. I recommend it to all. It's what I have done for all my characters (major and minor) in all my stories and it works every time to help me know their personalities, quirks and how they will behave in any given scene. This way, you never have to worry about a character doing something really weird or spontaneous, thus hijacking your story.

"Prime your mind" is good advice for keeping yourself focused on your writing, even when you can't write. However, I'm sure I'm not the only writer who needs pen and paper close by anytime I'm brainstorming or even thinking about my story because inevitably, if I do not jot it down right then then I forget what my 'ah-ha' moment was about. So, while this point wouldn't necessarily work for me, I'm sure it can benefit many others and is still worth trying it out.

In summary, I think this is a great video for any writer and definitely worth 12 minutes of your time.

On 2/2/2021 at 7:08 PM, elisehartkipness said:

For someone who claims in the video that mental health is important, Alexa certainly isn’t considering the mental health of new writers.  Just to list a few of her pointers: Your first draft sucks; You will never have an original idea; If you’re young, no one cares about your life. Wow! Where did such omniscience sprout from? Sure, your first novel might suck. And your second and your third. How about some advice to avoid that? What have you learned that you can share (besides “Just Write!”)? 

And how can she claim that every 20-something year old woman or man working on a memoir hasn’t had an interesting experience worth writing about? I mean the generalizations in this video are exhausting. 

Speaking of generalizations, the one about family and friends actually made me feel bad for her—momentarily. Until I remembered how much she yelled at me. I’m sorry if Alexa’s circle doesn’t care about her work, but don’t generalize about my family and friends!  Honestly, that’s just rude. This video is all about Alexa Dunn and not about the new writer or any other writer. Take a strong pass on this one. Unless you happen to like getting screamed at. Or you’re looking for a new drinking game—a shot of tequila every time Alexa mentions Reddit.  

Thank you, Elise, for putting into words what I could not because I was too irritated. I love that you bring up the mental health of new writers because that is for sure an incredibly important thing when you're just starting. It's such a vulnerable process in and of itself until you gain some confidence. You definitely don't need someone shouting at you on top of it all.

Overall, I think this video makes some good points, but you may consider watching it through twice (or at least drink your coffee first) because it's delivery is pretty swift.

"Love your characters like friends." I don't think you have to love your characters, but if you don't at least care about them then neither will your future readers, and like he says, you may not even want to write about them.

Keeping a list of notes on the side of what to change in your plot is great advice because he's right, you waste a lot of time going back and forth trying to change things that may have to be changed again later on.

Definitely let yourself write the scenes that you are excited about writing rather than putting them off. This way, you get those out of your brain and onto paper so that you can free up mental space to continue with your normal writing process.

I agree with Joe that this video is geared towards beginning writers/novelists and is for the most part helpful advice.

It’s here! The much anticipated second part to getting published. These articles will round out the information you already got in Part 1, but also give you more to consider when picking your publishing path. Ready or not, here are my top picks for the week:

#1: How to Secure a Traditional Book Deal By Self-Publishing

Jane Freidman brings up a lot of really good points about why, or why not, a writer should ever consider doing this. I warn you, going this route is not for the faint of heart. I’ll let Jane explain why.

#2: Friday Speak Out!: No More Query Letters

Why one woman decided—only after many years of writing—that the traditional publishing career path was no longer for her. The author also points out the stigma that has loomed over those who self-publish and how she dealt with it.

#3: It's Okay to Make Mistakes

“…one of the biggest obstacles writers face--no matter where you are in your writing or publishing career--is getting over the fear of making a mistake. It can paralyze you, no matter where you sit on the perfectionist spectrum.” -Margo L Dill. Need I say more?

#4: My Novel’s Heroine is Doing Better in the Publishing World Than I Did

The title pretty much says it all: Ellen Feldman’s recounting of her own career in publishing versus the character in her published novel. It’s quite humorous, but also very revealing about the questionable past of New York City publishing and the male-dominated world it once was.

#5: Morgan Entrekin on the Hope of a Post-COVID Publishing Landscape

It only felt right to end this two-week journey into publishing with this article about the future of it. Morgan Entrekin, publisher of Grove Atlantic and co-founder of lithub.com, recounts his own tale of suffering from COVID and how it has impacted his life and family. However, when it comes to the future of books, it may not be as bad as it seems. While face-to-face author interactions have been paused, negatively affecting libraries and brick and mortar bookstores, authors have become more accessible to their fans and audience due to the ease of online interactions. Entrekin however, is “getting sick of Zoom calls.”

And there you have it folks. I hope all of you are a bit wiser now about where you want your own personal writing career to go and why you are going there.

Happy week and happy publishing to you all.

Until next time,

Kara

I suspect that most writers have “Get Published” on their list of goals for the year. Given that this assumption is correct (and I’m pretty sure it is), I’m dedicating this week’s post and next week’s to getting published and what to expect in the process. Whether you’re looking into the traditional route or self-publishing, I’ve got something for everyone. Without further ado, here are my top five picks for this week:

#1: Podcast 365. Sunrise, Sunset, and Behind the Scenes in Publishing: Hanging out with Abby Zidle

Abby Zidle is the senior editor and associate director of marketing at Gallery Books. While this podcast is mostly geared toward the romance genre, Abby makes some really interesting points about women in publishing, women authors, and how they are changing the face of the industry. She also talks about how Amazon and eBooks altogether have shifted what sells. Mass-market paperback, anyone? This is about a one hour listen, and it might even make you laugh.

#2: To Self-Publish or Not to Self-Publish

R.S. Ford gives a no-nonsense approach to the self-publishing world and why you would, or would not, want to be apart of it. In my opinion, it seems like he is almost trying to talk writers out of this route, but that’s probably because he’s just getting down to the brass tacks of it all. It’s incredibly informative and definitely worth your time if you’ve been thinking that self-publishing might be for you.

#3: 5 Reasons to Turn to Traditional Publishers Rather than Self-Publishing

On the flip side of things, Writer’s Unboxed gives some very enlightening reasons to avoid self-publishing. This isn’t to confuse or muddy the publishing waters, but rather my hope is that this information helps writers really think about the path they want their writing career to take.

#4: Published Authors Share Wisdom from their Debut Journeys

This gem of an article contains the advice of multiple different 2020 debut authors—who all published traditionally—and what they wished they would have known ahead of time or done differently. I recommend this to all.

#5: I Choose Joy, Dammit!

If you’re in the throws of a hectic life and schedule right now then you’ll definitely want to read how one author dealt with it all. Full of clarity and passion, Julie Carrick Dalton shares her insight into how she conquered her stress when faced with increasing demands on her time after publishing her first book, facing a deadline with her publisher for her second, and all while trying to take care of her family and home. I may or may not have shed a tear while reading this.

Holy sh*t!

I'll be just as blunt as Alexa was in her video. I hated it. When the madness finally ended even my husband shouted to me from the other room, "Were you as annoyed by her as I was?" And he's not even a writer. Her cynicism was so loud that I couldn't hear the so-called advice she was giving. The whole video felt more like her own personal tangents rather than the constructive criticism I'm assuming she was trying to get across to her viewers. "Write the damn book" is the only thing she said that made sense out of this entire 10 minute clip.

"Inspiration is for people who don't finish books." ??? WTF! I'm sorry, but she wouldn't have even become an author if she weren't at least a little inspired by storytelling and novel writing.

"Traditional publishers aren't making as much money as you think they are." Hmm...Well, she could've have fooled me. Simon and Schuster is owned by the CBS corporation. I'm pretty sure money is what makes their world go round. Perhaps small publishers don't make a lot of money, but she didn't bother to differentiate between the two.

I would never show this to a new writer, or any writer for that matter because it is completely soul crushing. It makes me wonder just how many writers she's driven away from their passion. Or perhaps writers aren't allowed to have passion either.

Overall, I found this video to be quite positive and helpful. It's the kind I would have loved back when I was just starting on my first novel. Writing can definitely be full of disappointments, so her encouraging attitude is refreshing.

I like the way she presents the info in 8 succinct steps. I also like that she didn't sugarcoat anything. "Embrace the crappy writing." Absolutely! She definitely hit the nail on the head with first drafts.

"Don't edit while writing," is also a very good reminder for any writer, unless you've published a bazillion times and have become superhuman. Otherwise, leave it alone and wait until your first draft is complete.

She did a good job covering all the major steps to completing a novel. However, only part of me loves how she simplified the process. The other part of me, the part that has slaved over multiple manuscripts, is squirming in my seat because writing a novel is anything but simple. But, kudos to anyone who can make it sound as magical as she did. This is in no way a jab. I really mean it.

On 1/26/2021 at 5:14 PM, MichaelNeff said:

All good points. And you're right, it does work out for him. IMO don't you think we need to look at King's work in the context of a long career writing horror and becoming popular as a result? So many popular authors can engage in flights of fancy, just the kind a breakout author would be disallowed from attempting.

I agree with what you say in terms of the context here-long career of being published vs. just starting out, etc. However Stephen King wouldn't be who he is today if he never allowed himself to write the way that he does. If he'd rigidly adhered to the rules of plot structure when he was first starting out then we may not even be talking about him in this post. Take an artist, for example. How do they know which medium works best for them until they allow themselves to try multiple kinds? Any writer cannot truly find their own unique and authentic voice and style of writing until they give themselves the opportunity to try different things.

Perhaps the middle ground here is a semi-loose plot outline that gives you points A, B and C then "pantsing" your way to each? Or, if people are curious but nervous to let their characters lead the way, then perhaps a short story would give them the ability to try it out without having to fully commit. A tasting, if you will.

I guess I should clarify that I'm not pro pantsing, nor am I pro-detailed outlining. I'm pro figuring out what works best for you.

Stephen King clearly trusts his intuition as a writer and advices other authors to do the same. This is apparent in several of the points. I love this! With #3 “Go where the story leads you," I find it intriguing how much he releases control over to his characters time and time again. It obviously has worked out for him. There’s certainly nothing wrong with taking the risk at least once to see what it feels like. I think, as writers, we tend to be a bit overcontrolling, which often puts us in the pickle of over-editing our work and stressing over fine details that may not even matter in the end.

“If you don’t succeed, get a bigger nail.” I think it’s always helpful to know that even the most successful authors had to work at it in the beginning.

“The good ideas will stay with you.” I find this very encouraging because who hasn’t had an idea stick in their mind for months or even years, but then waiver on whether or not it’s a good one. According to King, there’s something to it, and I agree.

Overall, the points he makes are definitely worth taking into consideration. None of it is mundane or run-of-the-mill advice. There's a lot here, but I don't recommend that any writer try to do it all at once. This is what works for Stephen King, but we all have to develop our craft in our own way and what works best for us as individuals.

While this video is based on helping people write a novel, or to at least be happier while trying, I have to confess that I did not feel happier after watching this. The overall tone did not make me want to run to my keyboard and start working on a new manuscript (forget that I’m already at it typing this post). On the contrary, I kind of got depressed.

                #2-Set realistic goals. Yes, this is good advice in theory, but the way he puts it across makes me feel like all writing goals, no matter how small, are hard to reach. Not very encouraging if you’re new to the writing scene.

                #3-Be prepared to fail. I’ve heard this 1,000 times, but it’s an awful phrase no matter who is saying it. No offense to this speaker, but why can’t this instead be worded as, “Be prepared to create some new experiences even if they do not go in the direction you would like at first”? Sure, it’s a bit wordy, but this is much more encouraging to me than the alternative.

                #4-Be flexible with how you get there. I completely agree with this! But for some reason he didn’t expand on this nugget of information. I think, being flexible is key to any writer new or old.

All-in-all, if you’re truly just starting out as a writer then this speaker’s advice is helpful, but like JoeHallUk said, take it with a grain of salt.

Book Report

• 1. How did the book help you as a writer? What overall aspects of it taught you something?
• 2. What two or three major lessons did you learn from the book that you can apply to your writing and/or your novel?
• 3. Was there anything in the books that obviously conflicted with lessons and readings in our novel writing program. If so, what were they?

The Art of Fiction, by John Gardner

1. It taught me that the rules of writing a novel have roughly been the same ever since the beginning. It also taught me that all rules to writing are breakable and many of the early authors broke these rules to some degree or another. Therefore, if I feel that a rule should be broken for my own writing, then I'm at liberty to do so. This is comforting as well as empowering because it gives me a freedom as a writer that I didn't know I had before.

2. The first lesson I learned is that every author has their own style, but whatever your style is you need to own it. Also, style is not something an author should force, but let the process happen naturally. The second lesson was about the real reason to read fiction or poetry. It's to enjoy the experience, to get caught up in the world the author creates. Gardner specifically mentions that the critical analysis of literary work in school "has had the accidental side effect of leading to the notion that the chief virtue of good poetry and fiction is instructional." This is exactly why Les Miserable was ruined for me as a teenager and to this day is tainted. My English teachers analyzed the hell out of it until the entire class was bored to tears. While themes in stories give them depth and texture, books without huge, overarching themes and lessons can still be just as fun to read. This helps me relax a bit when I think about my own writing because I no longer stress that I'm not filling it with enough themes and morals.

3. I did not find anything that conflicted with the novel writing program within this book, but to be honest there could have been. This was a hard read for me due to the older English it was written in and the constant referencing of stories that, most of which, I've never heard of. The author also used older writing terms that I am unfamiliar with and couldn't place what those terms may be called today.

Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass

1. This book had a little bit of everything to teach me from plot to publication, which helped me a great deal. The fact that Maass is not just an author, but also a literary agent gave me a different perspective on this entire process of writing a novel and trying to get published. He pointed out several things that I can improve upon, but also helped me realize that much of what is required for a breakout novel are things I already have in place.

2. I learned so many little things (and huge things) that could help to improve my story it's hard to pick just a few to talk about here. One of the first 'Ah-Ha' moments I had was when he wrote about setting, specifically the psychological effect your setting has on your characters. I had never before analyzed setting in that way; to describe it according to the way it makes my characters feel, rather than describing according to looks or what objects are there. The second point I learned a great deal about was the entire section on subplots. I always thought I knew what a subplot was until I read this. I like that he mentioned to keep subplots to a minimum and that some stories may not even need to have a subplot at all to be successful. This was so refreshing because I have often worried about the scant number of subplots in my story and whether or not I had enough. It also helped to read about the section on Narrative pace and Maass specifically mentions that authors use trusted readers, instinct and 'an iron conviction.' Not many books about novel writing, that I've read anyway, speak much about instinct, but I find that this is something I use all the time when editing my manuscript. So, it was nice to hear someone mention it with years of experience in the industry. The last really important thing that I learned from this book was about voice. I especially liked this passage:

"You can facilitate voice by giving yourself the freedom to say things in your own unique way. You do not talk exactly like anyone else, right? Why should you write like everyone else?"

This was so marvelously freeing to hear. I had often worried about whether or not I was finding my 'voice' in writing and then worried if I was getting it right. Thank you, Mr. Mass, for helping relieve that burden from my shoulders!

3. I didn't find any lessons from this book that conflicted with the online novel writing program. To the contrary, I found much support in what I've already learned so far as well as a boat-load of material that, I believe, adds to and even expands the novel writing program. I think this book is a great addition to this course.

The Writing Life, by Annie Dillard

1. Overall, I learned that every writer appears to struggle with the same things. We all want to write because we are passionate about it, but despite our enthusiasm for our work it is still a desperate struggle to focus day in and day out to get a project done. It's nice to know this battle is fought by even the best of us. This means the difficulties I encounter with my writing are normal.

2. One lesson learned is that to be a slow writer is normal. I've often anguished over how long it has taken me to get my story to a place where I finally feel like it is as good as I can get it without professional help (is there such a thing as novel therapy?). To know that the process of completing a manuscript is slow for everyone alleviates the pressure I've put upon myself. The other major lesson learned is that I am not a literary writer. I knew this to an extent, but when Dillard wrote the small excerpt about a writer who asked a potential writer/student if they liked sentences then I knew. I knew in the moment I read that passage that I am not a literary writer. I do not like constructing intricate sentences or making each one sound flowery or ornate. I like writing stories. This is why my grammar is often incorrect and my punctuation are absolutely abysmal (stupid commas), but the reason I persist is because I want my stories to be read by others. I want my characters to see the light of day, to become real people in the minds of my readers. I am not writing my novel because I like sentences. I write to open people's minds to the world I have created.

3. Since this wasn't a 'how-to' book, but more of a collection of Dillard's experiences as a writer and the lessons she's learned then it can't really contradict anything that's been taught in this writing course.

Write Away, by Elizabeth George

1. It taught me that my novel is somewhere between a seven-step story outline and a reverse hourglass plot. It taught me that putting a physical setting map in a visible location while I write would be a good idea. It taught me that I'm already doing some things correctly with my writing. Most of all though, it taught me that the reason I like writing is for those satisfying ah-ha moments when I've finally figured out a solution to a complex problem within my story after wrestling over it for hours, or even days.

2. One major thing it taught me was to let go of the rule book that I've created in my head. There are no rules! As long as I'm writing well and finding solutions to the problems with my writing then I can do whatever the hell I want to do. This is where I always get stuck because I'm so paranoid I'm never going to get published because of some rule I didn't follow that I've never heard of. It was nice to have George reemphasize this point over and over again: there are no rules to writing. None!

Something else that I found very informative was George's explanation of plotting. She specifically mentions that in order to create suspense within your plot you need to give your characters intentions and to let these intentions be known to your readers. Thank you! I knew my characters' intentions, but I haven't always let these things be known in the story. Many I've kept for myself as backstory, but now I know which characters need to be clearer about their intentions to fill in what's been missing this entire time and build the element of suspense and/or foreshadow.

3. If there is anything in this book that contradicts the writing course it would be about plotting. George gives several examples of different plot structures and how each one can work depending on the type of story you are creating. This course only emphasizes the 6-Act, 2-goal plot structure as being 'more' successful than all others. Perhaps that's true, but I have seen within my own novel that it doesn't fully follow the 6-act structure and is actually a cross between a hero's journey, a 7-point plot and a reverse hourglass plot structure. This is why I liked George's emphasis about how there are no rules to writing because to force my novel into a perfect 6-act structure feels, well, forced.