As a writer it is important to know what type of writing methods work best for you. Experiment with the differing types of ways to express ideas and different methods of writing itself.
For some writers, doing a novel outline before ever writing a word of the first draft is essential for them. Others woulnd't think of doing a novel outline as they consider it to conforming and strangles the creativity right out of the piece.
It really depends on what works best for you. But you should try everything that you can, or at least what sounds interesting and might work for you.
I create a novel outline before I ever start writing a book. For me, it helps with staying on coures. It is more of a guide post than anything else and I will stray from the novel outline if I think it will improve the story. If I do this, then I normally will write it into the novel outline so I can see where it fits into the whole story.
Try creating your own novel outline before writing your next book. It might help with coming up with the story ideas and also will help get you that much closer to actually finishing the book if you already have an idea of how the book will finish.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Sunday, November 26, 2006
The first draft
Many people are practically frozen, caught staring at their blank computer screen. They break out into a cold sweat thinking about what they should write and how they should write it. Here are a few thoughts I have on the first draft of any short story or novel.
Before writing the first draft of any short story or novel, I like to know a little about my characters and what direction the plot is going to go in. For a short story this usually means a few notes jotted down, depending on how many scenes there are. For a novel, I usually make a rather detailed outline. Now this may not be the best approach for you, it's just what works for me. Although, if you have never tried making an outline before your first draft you might want to give it a try.
When I am working on the first draft, I already know the direction of the story by thinking it through and preparing an outline. To me this works best because I don't have as much re-writing to do. However, while writing the first draft, I don't let the mechanics of writing slow me down. I will write grammatically incorrect sentences and change and let the behavior of characters change at will. The first draft is the place to get the story down. You can refine it after you've finished the first draft. Just keep writing and get the story!
The logic behind writing the first draft this way is to get the story down without having to worry about any of the mechanics or nitty gritty items of writing. That can all come later.
That doesn't give you free reign to write a horrible first draft. You should always strive to write well. NO BAD WRITING! That's a mantra I use on a daily basis. As you can see here, it doesn't always work that way, but, I try.
Think about your first draft. Give the first draft direction and then just write your heart out until it is finished. Good luck.
Before writing the first draft of any short story or novel, I like to know a little about my characters and what direction the plot is going to go in. For a short story this usually means a few notes jotted down, depending on how many scenes there are. For a novel, I usually make a rather detailed outline. Now this may not be the best approach for you, it's just what works for me. Although, if you have never tried making an outline before your first draft you might want to give it a try.
When I am working on the first draft, I already know the direction of the story by thinking it through and preparing an outline. To me this works best because I don't have as much re-writing to do. However, while writing the first draft, I don't let the mechanics of writing slow me down. I will write grammatically incorrect sentences and change and let the behavior of characters change at will. The first draft is the place to get the story down. You can refine it after you've finished the first draft. Just keep writing and get the story!
The logic behind writing the first draft this way is to get the story down without having to worry about any of the mechanics or nitty gritty items of writing. That can all come later.
That doesn't give you free reign to write a horrible first draft. You should always strive to write well. NO BAD WRITING! That's a mantra I use on a daily basis. As you can see here, it doesn't always work that way, but, I try.
Think about your first draft. Give the first draft direction and then just write your heart out until it is finished. Good luck.
Friday, November 24, 2006
New Novelists
I've just finished reading this and I think it would be a great rescource for anyone who is new to writing and would like to learn some of the inside tips to being a novelist. I highly recommend it, as I've found some of the daily things I do as a writer and even better-I found things that I am going to try out.
Click here to read more
Click here to read more
To make it as a writer
There are as many ways to make it as a writer as their are different ways to say I love you.
To make it as a writer you need a certain set of qualities. After that point it just depends on what you consider "making it" as a writer is.
The first quality is wanting to writer. There are millions of people out there who want to have written, but few who actually love to get down in the trenches are slug it out word for word. There are days when I wish I had already written so I can get on to other activities through the day, but you get that with any job from time to time. You have to have the writing bug in you and you need to write every day.
Second, you have to want to get better at your writing. Anyone can write down a sentence, but it takes a writer to craft that sentence into a word painting. Something that a reader can indentify with and be able to say, "Ah, yes. I know what that is like."
Finally, it takes commitment. Writing is not a career for those who have to be told what to do all the time. Quite often it takes a person who can motivate themselves to stare at the computer and not wince, but also someone who can handle working in a secluded evironment day in and day out. Unless you are one of the few that thrive on chaos all around them while writing, then you should consider this profession to be a lonely one.
These are just a few small details to the writing profession that often get overlooked. Take some time to think about what type of writer you want to be and what it means to you to be successful at it.
To make it as a writer you need a certain set of qualities. After that point it just depends on what you consider "making it" as a writer is.
The first quality is wanting to writer. There are millions of people out there who want to have written, but few who actually love to get down in the trenches are slug it out word for word. There are days when I wish I had already written so I can get on to other activities through the day, but you get that with any job from time to time. You have to have the writing bug in you and you need to write every day.
Second, you have to want to get better at your writing. Anyone can write down a sentence, but it takes a writer to craft that sentence into a word painting. Something that a reader can indentify with and be able to say, "Ah, yes. I know what that is like."
Finally, it takes commitment. Writing is not a career for those who have to be told what to do all the time. Quite often it takes a person who can motivate themselves to stare at the computer and not wince, but also someone who can handle working in a secluded evironment day in and day out. Unless you are one of the few that thrive on chaos all around them while writing, then you should consider this profession to be a lonely one.
These are just a few small details to the writing profession that often get overlooked. Take some time to think about what type of writer you want to be and what it means to you to be successful at it.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Starting out as a writer
I have been writing since I was eight years old, and submitted my first short story for publication at nine. I'm still waiting to hear back about that article. In my years of learning how to write and get paid for my writing, I have racked up a few tips to help starting out as a writer.
First, If you are the type of person who gets cranky and moody unless you have written something, every day, than writing should be in your blood. This is the first essential to starting out as a writer. So many people want to write books but say they don't have the time, or do start and then stop soon after. This must be a passion that consumes you, in order to get good at it and make money from your scribbles. I know, I have been there and now can support myself completely off my writing alone.
Second, you need to write. Then you need to read. Then you need to write a lot more and then you need to read even more. This is the training grounds for any writer. You must write a lot of words in order to find your voice and learn the craft. (Don't ever think that the learning stops either. The more you write, the more you will learn that the learning never stops.)
In the next post I will add onto this topic. Please comment on these topics if you like. I check my blog often and will try to write back with answers to questions.
First, If you are the type of person who gets cranky and moody unless you have written something, every day, than writing should be in your blood. This is the first essential to starting out as a writer. So many people want to write books but say they don't have the time, or do start and then stop soon after. This must be a passion that consumes you, in order to get good at it and make money from your scribbles. I know, I have been there and now can support myself completely off my writing alone.
Second, you need to write. Then you need to read. Then you need to write a lot more and then you need to read even more. This is the training grounds for any writer. You must write a lot of words in order to find your voice and learn the craft. (Don't ever think that the learning stops either. The more you write, the more you will learn that the learning never stops.)
In the next post I will add onto this topic. Please comment on these topics if you like. I check my blog often and will try to write back with answers to questions.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Maintaining that word count
One of the best ways to track how much work you've done in a day, or how much work you need to do, is have a word count.
Some of you may not be aware what a word count is, and that's fine. We all have to start somewhere, right?
A word count is the amount of words that you have written either that day, or the total words that you have written on a project. It is a great way to track the amount of work you are doing.
For example, when I am working on a novel I usually like to get in around two thousand words to five thousand words, depeding on if I am ahead or behind schedule. Also when I have written my word count for the day, I can easily sit back and relax, knowing that I have met my goal for the day.
So what is a good word count for you?
That all depends on what you are trying to accomplish and knowing a little about how you write. If are working on a novel it would be a good idea to start with how many words you want to have by the end of the book. For me, I like to get about a hundred thousand or so words. Usually more in the first draft, but that's for a different time.
Once you know how many words total that you want then divide that by the amount of days you want to work on this project. Don't forget to include days off or days that you know you just can't possibly get any writing done due to some outside situation. Then you will have your word count that you know you need to keep in order to accomplish your project.
Here are a few things that I've picked up along the way, usually the hard way. Don't have too large a word count. I tried this thinking that I would work my but off on one of my novels and ended up getting burnt out and frustrated. So try to keep a reasonable level for you and what you can realistically do. When I was starting out I wrote about a thousand to fifteen-hundred words at one sitting. This was a good number because it got me used to sitting for a length of time, focused on one thing. It also was enough that I was accomplishing a good pile of work by the end of the week, without getting burnt out.
The other point is not to make your word count so low that you are not really getting enough writing accomplished. I did this too and would write for a half hour, meet my word count, and then sluff off the rest of the day. By the end of the week I had little to show for it.
So, to wrap up this little sermon, try out what works best for you, but just try it.
One final word of caution. Don't write just for the sake of meeting your word count for the day, it can affect your writing if you are just putting down words. Be sure to be selective of your words, this is still a wonderful craft and not just a word marathon.
Let me know what you think of this blog and if you have questions or comments, leave them here. I will do my best to write back.
Some of you may not be aware what a word count is, and that's fine. We all have to start somewhere, right?
A word count is the amount of words that you have written either that day, or the total words that you have written on a project. It is a great way to track the amount of work you are doing.
For example, when I am working on a novel I usually like to get in around two thousand words to five thousand words, depeding on if I am ahead or behind schedule. Also when I have written my word count for the day, I can easily sit back and relax, knowing that I have met my goal for the day.
So what is a good word count for you?
That all depends on what you are trying to accomplish and knowing a little about how you write. If are working on a novel it would be a good idea to start with how many words you want to have by the end of the book. For me, I like to get about a hundred thousand or so words. Usually more in the first draft, but that's for a different time.
Once you know how many words total that you want then divide that by the amount of days you want to work on this project. Don't forget to include days off or days that you know you just can't possibly get any writing done due to some outside situation. Then you will have your word count that you know you need to keep in order to accomplish your project.
Here are a few things that I've picked up along the way, usually the hard way. Don't have too large a word count. I tried this thinking that I would work my but off on one of my novels and ended up getting burnt out and frustrated. So try to keep a reasonable level for you and what you can realistically do. When I was starting out I wrote about a thousand to fifteen-hundred words at one sitting. This was a good number because it got me used to sitting for a length of time, focused on one thing. It also was enough that I was accomplishing a good pile of work by the end of the week, without getting burnt out.
The other point is not to make your word count so low that you are not really getting enough writing accomplished. I did this too and would write for a half hour, meet my word count, and then sluff off the rest of the day. By the end of the week I had little to show for it.
So, to wrap up this little sermon, try out what works best for you, but just try it.
One final word of caution. Don't write just for the sake of meeting your word count for the day, it can affect your writing if you are just putting down words. Be sure to be selective of your words, this is still a wonderful craft and not just a word marathon.
Let me know what you think of this blog and if you have questions or comments, leave them here. I will do my best to write back.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Pre-writing
It is about five in the morning and I'm gearing up for another day of writing for my cients, my little treat is that when I'm done with work, I get to work on my own novel which is one of my main passions.
So one of the ways I get started in the morning is by doing a little pre-writing. It helps loosen the gray matter and gets the mind and body cranking up to get ready to do some serious word play for the rest of the day.
I do this through writing on my blog, or writing in my journal. Journaling is a great way to do the pre-writing since you shouldn't be worried about the content or the grammatical errors, it is just a place to get some ideas done. I highly recommend it to get the fires burning first thing in the morning.
For some it might sound tedious, but it is a great mind stretcher to get prepared for writing for the day. I know, I usually writing about ten hours a day.
Let me know if you have your own ideas of how to get prepared for writing for the day through your own pre-writing ritual.
So one of the ways I get started in the morning is by doing a little pre-writing. It helps loosen the gray matter and gets the mind and body cranking up to get ready to do some serious word play for the rest of the day.
I do this through writing on my blog, or writing in my journal. Journaling is a great way to do the pre-writing since you shouldn't be worried about the content or the grammatical errors, it is just a place to get some ideas done. I highly recommend it to get the fires burning first thing in the morning.
For some it might sound tedious, but it is a great mind stretcher to get prepared for writing for the day. I know, I usually writing about ten hours a day.
Let me know if you have your own ideas of how to get prepared for writing for the day through your own pre-writing ritual.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Writing 101
Hi there.
This is my new blog for all of writing ranting and ravings from a professional writer. I plan on talking all about what I love best, which is writing.
Topics such as, the writing life, how to write, do's and don'ts of writing, and many other things.
But it is late here and my words are starting to blur together worse than my chocolate and peanut butter,(just kidding).
This is my new blog for all of writing ranting and ravings from a professional writer. I plan on talking all about what I love best, which is writing.
Topics such as, the writing life, how to write, do's and don'ts of writing, and many other things.
But it is late here and my words are starting to blur together worse than my chocolate and peanut butter,(just kidding).
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