Tag: Writing

Month in Review-February ’19

Here we are, at the end of another month. So that means it is time to check in and see how it went. Read on for a glimpse at my February 2019 Month in Review.

Image by Sophieja23 on Pixabay

This little spot here:

I feel good about my blogging efforts this month. This will be my second post for the month, which means I hit my goal. I made a goal for my career that included posting two blog posts each month. I felt this was something I could handle as I got back to doing what I love.

Now, I often feel like I should be doing more, but I am working hard to stifle my need to compare. Comparison to another person often leads to disappointment. No one likes disappointment, so why set yourself up for failure. I had let my blog go dark for way too long. I was a bit depressed, but not writing did not help me. Looking back, I totally should have been writing anyway, it may have gotten me out on the other side a little sooner. I want to see what my readers want more of, so make sure you leave a comment to tell me just that.

Image by freephotocc on Pixabay

Being a Wordsmith:

I don’t feel quite as good as I want to about this item. I have stopped going forward with my latest story, Camille, because I got stuck in the wheres and hows needed to move the story forward. In response to this, I have been on a month long journey to learn more about planning and plotting novels.

My idea was that I could plan, more fully, what I wanted to say in the book, then re-plot my original idea into a complete story. The re-plot would be a more detailed road map of where I was going and how I might get there. I still think this is a grand idea, unfortunately anxiety indecision has struck. Deciding on a plan has been hard. I just keep finding more and more websites and videos on how to do it.

There has also been no starting the re-plot because I can’t seem to land on a plotting scheme that fits. I am doing the same as with the planning. My anxiety often rears its head in my thoughts as I can’t get it right, because I don’t have enough information. I make copious notes on what I need to do, without doing much else. I endeavor to break this cycle next month.

On the other hand, some positive movement is happening with my finished manuscript. It is titled Life in Time, but I am pretty sure it won’t stick! Anyway, I have been researching developmental edits. In this type of edit the editor will look at your story, making sure it is a fully realized story, the characters are well rounded, the pace is good, etc. So, I have movement on that and a plan. It makes me happy.

Image by CharuTyagi on Pixabay

Daily Efforts:

My habit tracker is looking good, mostly filled in. I hurt my leg late last month, so my goals for walking have been left in the dust. Hardly any walking was done this month. I also realized through my habit tracking, that I need a better cleaning system/schedule. I am leaving a lot of cleaning on the table, so to speak, as I go through my days. So, next month I “plan” to have a better plan. Hah!

Now, as far as journaling is concerned, nope! I really didn’t do well here. Very little mention of gratitude, very few entries as to my days. I don’t really know why this happened. Journaling and seeking daily gratitude are goals in my emotion category. I feel it not only helps me process my feelings, but I often look back on it and realize things weren’t half as bad as I thought.

What’s the March Plan?

This is a great question for the end of the month. Looking back to see what worked for you and what didn’t. Then you can tweak your plans and goals to get the results you desire.

I believe, my blogging goals are okay, for now. I am working on consistency first. Writing needs some work. I must buckle down and stop the endless educational loop I’m in. If I need to go back and revisit something, I will. But, I’m hoping to spend more time plotting in order to get back to the story. With habits and journaling, I am committing more time to actually journaling. Or at least, jot down a one sentence gratitude. These things make me feel better, more aware, and show me the positive when I have forgotten. I also plan to work on that cleaning schedule and get to work. Next month, I need to have a better report in that area.

Alright, I’ve shared my wobbly month, how about you? Did you make goals at the beginning of the month? Did you meet them, some of them? Let me know. And don’t forget to let me know what kinds of things you like to read about here.

Happily waiting,

Janshea

4 Ideas to Spark Your Creativity

Hello to all my creatives, this post is for you. I mostly write and am working on a new novel. This is slow going, because I am still working on how to structure a story and keep it going till the end. It is much harder than it sounds, but all writers are constantly getting better… what we like to call ‘perfecting our craft’. I imagine many creatives have a similar stance. So, today, I want to talk about a few ways I like to spark, or even reignite, my creativity.

  1. Change of scenery. I work at a desk in my home office and by office, I mean the corner I keep my computer and desk in. Because of have young kids, this doesn’t always lend itself to productive actions. It also means a lot of my writing gets done in the evening, especially during the summer. When I really need to keep going with the story, I like to grab my laptop and try the park or even the ubiquitous coffee shop. Some like it for the people watching, that they then use in their writings. But mostly, I use it as an opportunity to zone out to the sound of my keys and the voice of the story. 
  2. Change of story. This might sound counter to what you are trying to accomplish at that time. Yet, often putting down your current project to start or continue another, gives your brain a chance to stretch in a different way. Then when you come back to the current work, your words may flow a bit better. As a writer, my brain is often thinking about characters in the background, so leaving and returning often has given my brain time to work on any problems without me being totally present. It is like when you get those flashes of insight and great ideas when you are in the shower. Mostly, that’s because you are not laser focused on the problem and have moved on. So, then your brain can work out the sticking points.
  3. Change of background. This one sounds weird and really similar to changing your scenery. But I use it in a different manner. Background for me is often the sounds of a home with kids arguing, televisions going, and interruptions even though I am supposed to be in a ‘no talk to Mommy’ zone. Some people write with music and have whole play lists devoted to their book. Or they just use it as white noise so they can focus. If you usually work to background noise, maybe try working in a place where there is no noise. Maybe you will hear that character who couldn’t get through your background. If you normally work in a  mostly quiet environment, you can try music, or the television on a channel that doesn’t distract you but, can focus you. You don’t have to have a work in progress (WIP) play list, you could just put on a music genre you enjoy. The different stimuli may spark a new idea or direction, or just focus the one you are on.
  4. Put it down and pick up a book. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the story we are trying to create for the page that when we get stuck, we feel like we can’t stop. We have a goal and are adamant about reaching it. Yet, that isn’t always realistic, so when all else fails me, I pick up a book. Most writers I know love to read, and they don’t just read the types of books they write. Going off into a new world provided by a book just gives me a respite from the work of writing.

Now, these four ideas are certainly not unique and you may have heard of one or all, but I hope you got some new ideas about how you can avoid the occasional burn out of perfection. These are mostly ideas for writers, but I can see where others could adapt the ideas for their own use. Let me know what types of things you use to spark your creativity and keep it alive. I look forward to hearing from you.

Readying for NaNoWriMo

If you don’t have any idea what NaNoWriMo means, don’t fear, I will explain and you can read about my first involvement here. NaNoWriMo is an acronym for National Novel Writing Month. It is also a great website where you can be supported in your writing endeavors and share your dreams with other dreamers. At the NaNoWriMo site, you can sign up to participate in writing a novel in one month, track your writing progress, get support, and connect with writers online and in person. If you find yourself signing up, look me up and be my friend, I am JansheaAuthor there.

One of the biggest wins for me last year was discovering the rich bounty of writers in my area, and all the wonderful, supportive ways I could be involved with getting better at crafting stories. In the other months that I am not participating in NaNoWriMo, I can participate with local writers and online ones with the continuing writing camps held and months dedicated to polishing up your new masterpiece.

So, we are only in the month of September, why would I bring up NaNoWriMo now? Well, we have a bit over a month to decide what will be working on in November and many of us are still trying to figure that out. Some of us have pages of ideas and partially fleshed out stories, some of us write works for publishing year round and may know what is next on the schedule. Yet many of us could benefit from a little time to decide on a subject matter and start outlining a broad picture to work from. Now, I am not a huge outliner before writing, but in spending time crafting, I have found it a great help to have an overview of storyline, characters, setting, time, and possibly theme. It is much easier than you might suspect to forget the details when using names, dates, or familial connections. It brings the story to a screeching halt when writers get distinguishing details wrong during the course of a book. Readers are discerning, while the writer sometimes misses things from constantly reading the story. You can probably guess, I found this out the hard way in my own work.

As such, I am starting the thinking, deciding, and big picture work for this year’s NaNoWriMo. I found those little reminders and ‘atta girls’ doled out when participating, really felt good and helped with goal setting. Sometimes writers get lost in all the ideas and have a terrible time focusing. Occasionally I am even paralyzed to inaction from too many thoughts and poor focus. So, if you are like me, try starting now and set some small goals in preparation for the marathon of NaNoWriMo. If you are more put together as a writer than I am, feel free to share your skills in getting there! Either way, I hope you spread your wings with your writing this year. May you soar to a new level in  your writing.

I am starting with subject matter. I will spend the next week deciding exactly what subject I plan to tackle this November. What will you work on to prepare for NaNoWriMo? Let me know in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Research: Four Areas of Importance for Writers

Many writers I have met have been writing for years. Whether it is in a journal, stories in school, or just stories for their own love of them, many have been crafting for a significant time. One of the challenges when you want to write for others, is all the pieces you need to put together to make your story enjoyable. This means a level of research needs to be done. Some things to think about include character history, language of the time, any historic actions that will impact your story, and naming of characters and places.

Character History

Don’t be fooled thinking you only have to know how your characters are connected and what they are doing during the arc of the book. For characters with depth, it is a good idea to know characteristics that might not even make it into the book. Consider these tips on character development from the book, Story Engineering: Mastering the 6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing by Larry Brooks. We want multidimensional characters that engage readers and keep them invested in our book. Mr. Brooks proposes there are three dimensions of character that should be explored and decided when composing your story.

  1. Surface Traits, Quirks, and Habits.
  2. Backstory and Inner Demons
  3. Action, Behavior, and Worldview

If you spend time knowing what these dimensions are for your characters, even if you don’t use every bit of the backstory or worldview, it will help write people that seem like the ones you encounter in the real world. This level of reality helps keep the reader engaged and can be researched with known facts about real people as a starting point.

Language of the Time

If you are writing a story set in a real place or in a historic and real era, one of the keys to a fluid story is making sure the language used isn’t too modern if set in the past, nor too old or dated if set in the present or future. Research on the language can include reading history books, books published during the era, or stories set in that era. A really good one, if your era isn’t too far in the past, is movies and plays from the time. These give a very immediate feel to speech and slang of a time. When writing a futuristic tale, the writer can take more liberties with language, even adding new words and meanings for their envisioned time. Many in the writing world will tell you that reading books set in the time of yours, or in the same genre, can be good ways to get into the feel of your own fictional story.

Historic Actions

If you are writing a fictional story based in a known era, there are a number of occurrences that could add to your story. Maybe you write about the era of World War I, or Regency England, or Colonial Africa. Many actions commence during such times and can be researched to use as a backdrop. Placing known events in your story helps people relate to it and its characters. When your story is set in the future, research into scientific themes can add a level of believability and build a bridge to your new world. Characters have the opportunity to be a part of these occurrences and even impact them, a la Forrest Gump. Interaction with historic figures, or plausible future happenings are a rich ground for compelling stories.

Naming Characters and Places

Here is an area where your imagination has a chance to make huge moves. Amazingly the amount of time placed in names of people, and places they interact in a novel can pay off in large dividends at the conclusion of the story. How many people have whole memories around names like Hannibal Lector, Harry Potter, or Frodo Baggins? I know I do and you could probably spend all day listing the people and places that have stayed with you long after the last page is read and the cover closed. There is a nifty website that generates names for a host of different occasions. The Fantasy Name Generator has a large selection of names that cover a multitude of people, places, and things. You can name armor, or restaurants. You can choose fantasy names, or real names, or even names from specific cultures. It is a great tool for a starting point or actual combinations when you have hit the naming wall. Try not to get too bogged down in a name everyone will like. Often, when the author loves a name and feels it works in the story, that is enough. We all know we can’t please all the readers all the time. Sometimes our stories are located in real places, so there is less worry. But, it is always beneficial to change actual business names, sometimes to even change where or what is located in a spot.

These are just four areas that I find essential to a writing project. Sometimes the research involved may be extensive and involve travel. But, if that isn’t in your budget, yet, use the internet. It is a fantastic tool filled with information just waiting for you to discover and use in your next acclaimed piece of fiction. So, get out there and create your masterpiece. Feel free to share any tips you have found that could help our readers.