Big Beginnings

I'm a believer in books starting off big in the first chapter. You need to get your reader hooked as early as possible. It doesn't have to be on page one, but before you end that first chapter, you need a big piece of action, or a large chunk of drama. Don't simply set up your character with back story and static action. Readers don't want to be introduced to your character as he or she is going through a normal day (unless a normal day is packed with more action than most people experience in a year, and even then you need to ramp it up). I'm not saying to forgo characterization in chapter one. No, not at all. After all, what better way to see how someone ticks than how they react to danger or other stressful situations? I'm willing to bet you'll find it easier to introduce your main character to your readers that way.

For example, in my novel, Dragon Guard, we meet fifteen year old Ben Phillips as he's walking to school, as he does every weekday. His mind is on his unfinished math homework and how his teacher is going to yell at him in front of the entire class. Pretty mundane so far, so to ramp things up, I have Ben run into a couple of zombies. Not only does the excitement level elevate (Hey, zombies!), but it helps set up the main story while giving the reader more insight into Ben than they would have received had he simply continued on to school, dreading math and wondering how best to not sweat during PE. And, as an added bonus, the reader also sees how Ben's world works. Based on his reaction, zombies and other supernatural things shouldn't exist. This action scene is a much more satisfying way to set up the story than simple exposition.

Sometimes you need to build up to the big bang of your main plot. It might not get there until chapter two, three, or four. (If it happens later than that, you'd better have a ton o' short chapters or it might be time to think about restructuring your story.) So what does this mean for the big beginning? One thing you can do is tease the main plot. You might start with someone other than the main character as the viewpoint character for the first chapter. Some people argue that you must start with your main character, but I'm in the camp of as long as he or she shows up by chapter two or three, you're fine. You might also start your story with a prologue, meaning your main character can still be there for chapter one. There are many anti-prologue sentiments out there, but I believe, as long as you do them right, prologues can be powerful storytelling devices.

If you decide you simply do not want to touch your main plot in chapter one, you have another option for your big beginning: subplots. Your novel is going to have them, so why not use one to hook readers into your story? Even if you want the main plot to unfold slowly, you can't have the story itself start slow, or you will lose bored and frustrated readers. A subplot can work great for a big beginning. Just as if the subplot were your main plot, it needs to set up the main character and setting in an organic way. And, of course, like all subplots, make sure to wrap it up before the end of your story.

What do you think about big beginnings? Do you agree with me that they are necessary, or do you have no problem with stories slowly building up? Do you have any favorite novels that started big, ones that always stick in your mind?

The Blessed "Ah-Ha" moment

I'm guessing most writers are like me: when we write, we live for that "Ah-ha" moment. That time when something in our story clicks to bring the story new meaning, or make it bigger/better. You might have your own definition of your "Ah-ha" moment, but for all writers, it's a wonderful thing. Your subconscious just saved your bacon (even if you didn't realize it needed saving).

Honestly, since I plot so heavily before I even attempt my 1st draft (heck, my outline could probably be called my 1st draft), I don't get the "Ah-ha" moment all that often. I know where I'm going, and I know how I want to get there. It's simply a matter of filling in the blanks. My "Ah-ha" moments come before I really start--so that's the hook of the story; so that's how I want to end it; so that's the villain's master plan; etc. It works well for me, and when I start plotting, I can usually chug along pretty well without huge surprises.

Which makes days like today especially worthwhile. I'm almost done plotting the second book in my modern fantasy trilogy (the first one should be available sometime in the beginning of 2013 thanks to Hunt Press), and I know how it's going to end. I'm just filling in a few more blanks to get there. As I was plotting today, I started on the final climactic battle, and my blood ran cold. What the heck? I hadn't done anything I hadn't planned on. And then it dawned on me (my subconscious mind decided to finally spill the beans): a horrific event to my two main characters was about to happen. No, I told myself. That can't happen. What does it mean to the rest of this book and to book 3? And then it dawned on me: Ah-ha! It means much despair and hardship for the two main characters, plus it makes the ending to this book much more believable. Ah-ha!

I think if my subconscious hadn't spoken up, I would have still had a great, compelling ending that led well into book 3. But now I have something even better. So what I'm saying is listen to your subconscious, you muse, as some writers like to say. It'll likely take your story in a way you hadn't anticipated, but that's great. If the subconscious mind thinks it's a great idea, you should probably listen; it likely would have buried it in a corner of your mind where you never would have seen it if it wasn't any good. And just for the fun of it (I know it was great fun for me today), when this happens to you, say it out loud: Ah-ha! Happy writing, everyone!

Novel Descriptions

I've been picking up quite a few free books on Amazon for the Kindle lately, and my method has taught me something that should help me in my own writing career. And it could help you, as well. I'm talking about the description of the novel. This is basically all the readers have to go on when deciding whether to read your book or not. Yes, covers do sell books, as well, but in my view, a good description is a much bigger selling point.

I've found that if a description is too long or too short, I'm probably not going to go with the book. Yes, there are exceptions, of course, but these are few and far between. The sweet spot for me seems to be a single paragraph of about five or six sentences. Think about a cover blurb on the back of mass market paperback books (remember those?). There's not much room on there, so each sentence, each word, has to carry weight. Back cover blurbs are not overwritten; they get to the heart of the story and tell exactly why you should read that book. Even though Amazon lets authors create much longer descriptions, the best keep theirs short.

Your novel took many months, sometimes years, to complete, so don't sabotage it by not taking the time to craft an impressive description. Spend time crafting every word; don't just dash off a quick intro to the book and be done with it. You want to sell the thing, be it for money or for the advertisement of free so you get good word of mouth. Make it easy and worth their time, and readers will download your book. I know I'm going to follow this advice for my next venture into ebook marketing, and you might want to give it a try, as well. After all, I came up with this with my reader-hat on, not my writer-hat.

The Underpants Gnome Problem

If you're like me, beginnings and endings to novels come relatively easy. Maybe a great opening scene and a bang-bang, satisfying to everyone ending take some thinking, but the general opening and closing of the novel are there almost from the inception of the idea. But, of course, more than half the novel is neither of these; it consists of the middle of the book. While I usually have a few ideas of how to bridge the gap, most of this chunk of the book is a mystery to me as I start planning. Thanks to South Park, I like to think of it as The Underpants Gnome Problem.



Sometimes this middle section of the novel seems like it'll never materialize. Little scenes come, but nothing major, nothing that will wow the reader. But fear not, there are things you can do to defeat this dreaded Underpants Gnome Problem. Here are a few things I like to do.

1) Freewrite: If you're not sure what comes next, simply grab a blank sheet of paper or open a new file in your word processor, and write. Don't worry about making much sense, simply jot down ideas that come to you. Keep your pen (or fingers) moving, and put down ideas that come to you, no matter how silly they seem. Sometimes those silly ideas turn out to be gold, either on their own, or with a bit of tweaking. Or those silly ideas might be blocking the golden ones. Whatever the problem, often freewriting will help.

2) Work on something else: Maybe your brain simply needs to marinate the idea. Work on a short story, watch TV or a movie, or read a book. While you're concentrating on these, your subconscious mind will be playing around with ideas for your novel. Give it a day or two, and then go back to it. You might find that you now have a nugget of awesomeness waiting for you!

3) Start plotting: You know how you want to start, so plot that first act. When you get to the final scene, you might be surprised to see you know where you want to go next. And if not, plot the ending. If you're still blocked, plot minor scenes from the middle, ideas that have been floating around but aren't those big blockbuster scenes you need to bridge the gap from beginning to end. Put all of these scenes on 3x5 cards and spread them out so you can see them at the same time. Chances are, something will click. You'll see ways to put these scenes together, and those big blockbuster scenes will come.

4) Know your characters: Get to know your characters. Often they will dictate how the middle of the novel should go. You know the major problems, so give your characters quirks that work with or against these problems in interesting ways. Your characters could very well be the key to getting your novel from beginning to end seamlessly.

If you try one or all of these tips, you should be well on your way to bridging the gap between collecting underpants and profit. That big dreaded question mark should fall away. Remember, whatever you choose to do, it can always be changed later, either while you're writing (there's no rule saying you can't amend your outline) or during revision. Since the middle is the biggest part of the book, it can be daunting, but these simple tips should help you out. So get out there, collect those underpants, and make a profit. I have no doubt you'll figure out how it works!

What I'm up to (why no #fridayflash stories)

Since I'm not posting many Friday Flash stories anymore, I thought I'd give a quick update on to what I've been up to, writing-wise. About a month ago, I finished the first draft of a young adult modern fantasy book--it involves a teen who discovers he has interesting powers thanks to meeting his true love, who happens to be a dragon. I always let my drafts sit for a month, and I figured in that time I would dash out quite a few flash fiction stories to have ready for Fridays for the foreseeable future. I got two done and posted them, but then something unexpected happened. A new novel-length idea came to me, and it wouldn't let go. This one isn't a YA book, but one a horror story for adults. I dived right into planning it, knowing I wouldn't really have time to write the thing with my YA novel due to be revised at the beginning of July. But I started plotting anyway. Today, after a couple of weeks, I finished with the plot outline, only to discover I need to add a few things that will change the outline, maybe not significantly, but enough to be more than simple paste-in jobs. But I really like this story, and I think these additions will only make it stronger. I have a feeling that starting next week I'll be revising the YA story and writing the first draft of this adult story each day. Busy, busy, busy, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. I've never worked on two things at once before. Should be interesting.

So what does this mean for my Friday Flash stories? There will be none for the foreseeable future. If inspiration strikes, I may occasionally post one, but don't expect anything. Feel free to check out my past stories here on this blog (or you can download my first 50 for free at Smashwords--click the link on the right side of the page). I don't believe I'm done with Friday Flash, but for the moment, I'm having too much fun working on longer pieces. So now you know what I'm up to, writing-wise. See you all on Twitter and/or Facebook!

A Break from the Project--Revision Process Pt. 1

For many authors, this step is the toughest. You need to let the first draft rest. Preferably for as long as a month. That might seem like forever, and you might think you'll lose valuable momentum on your novel, but trust me, this is important downtime away from the book. The reason you want to wait is so when you do start tearing into that first draft, the words and story will seem fresh to you. This makes it much easier to catch mistakes and to be open to changes that need to be make in order to create a better story.

What can you do in this downtime? I like to work on other projects, such as short stories or thinking up new novel ideas. I also occasionally take time off from writing anything and simply read more than normal. It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you take your mind off your first draft. You'll be worrying enough about it in the coming months, so enjoy this time now.

That's it for this week. Simple advice, but sometimes difficult to achieve. When the new year gets rolling, I'll get into my actual revision process. Until then, keep writing and/or reading.

Contents Page for my How I Write posts

If you missed some of my posts on writing (or want to read them again), here they are. I'm not putting dates on them, but I will put them in order, oldest on top. I'll update this page each time I have a new article.

Ideas

Writing Flash Fiction

Friday Flash

Novel Ideas

Novel Writing: Pre-First Draft Part 1

Initial Construction of Characters

Outlining a Novel--Pre-First Draft Part 2

Outlining a Novel--Pre-First Draft Part 3

Final Outline--Pre-First Draft Part 4

How I Write My First Draft

Final Outline--Pre-First Draft Pt. 4

Now that I basically have the story outlined, it's almost time to begin the first draft. But not quite. I still have a few things I need to do before I'm comfortable starting. It's now time to construct my working outline.

My working outline consists of 3x5 cards. I write one scene per card. I usually copy the scene directly from my notebook, though I occasionally need to modify them. I believe the scene description should fit on one side of the card, so if it's too long, I've been too wordy with the outline (meaning it'll suck the life out of the draft) or I need to break the scene into two parts. There are always exceptions (for example, I might be wordy in the outline because I need the scene to play out in an exact way for continuity sake), but one side of a 3x5 card is usually a pretty good indicator for me.

After I finish, I lay out my 3x5 cards in order. I want to see them all at once, so it takes a big space--I lay them out on the floor or a card table because my writing desk is too small. I then read through them to see if I like how the story flows. The reason I like all the cards laying out in view rather than flipping through them while I read is because it's easier to rearrange scenes if they're all out and visible. Even if I'm happy with the order, I'll still play around with moving a few cards to see if something brilliant comes from an unexpected place.

Once the order is set, I'll renumber the cards if necessary and stack them in order. This time I do read through them one by one to make sure I'm happy with the final order (or that I didn't make a clerical error). I'll then make any last minute notes, and I'm ready to start!

Next week I'll talk about my first draft process. Until then, keep writing and/or reading.

Outlining a Novel--Pre-First Draft Pt. 3

Last week I gave the framework for how I outline my novels (click here to see that post). This week I'm going to focus on how I use that framework. It all basically boils down to one technique: freewriting.

I tackle my ten scenes first. I don't plot these scenes at this point. Instead, I simply write a sentence, maybe two, about them. As I said last time, these are nothing but anchors to get me started. Later in the process is when I'll mold them into workable scenes.

I usually have a pretty good idea for a few of the ten scenes. I'll write them down first. Then, building on those I know, I'll freewrite ideas for the rest of the scenes. What I mean by this is I'll get a blank sheet of paper and write down ideas. I turn off my inner critic and go for anything, no matter how cliched or absurd. After awhile (sometimes an idea or two, sometimes ten or more), something will grab my attention, and I'll plug it into my scenes. I'll continue building until I've constructed the list of ten.

Once my ten scenes are complete, I'll see a pretty good framework for the story. But between each of those scenes are plenty of others that need to be imagined. Now it's time to freewrite some more. But I don't just wade in and hope something sticks; I like to play the "What if?" game.

If you are unfamiliar with the "What if?" game, it's when you ask yourself question after question about your story (usually starting with "What if") and come up with answers. I start with mundane questions and work myself up to the absurd. I then hone down my answers until I find something I'm happy with. I do this based on each of the ten scenes and everything in between until I'm satisfied I have enough material to construct a full outline.

To create my outline, I return to freewriting. I put a 1 on my page and flesh out the first scene of the novel. Once I'm satisfied with that scene, I'll put a 2 on the page and do the same with the second scene. I continue this way until I have my entire manuscript mapped out. I use my ten scenes and "What if?" questions (along with the various other freewrites) as guides. Sometimes as I go I'll decide to add scenes (or subtract scenes), but that's simple at this point. I just add or subtract the numbers.

My outlines have a pretty good amount of details, but they don't have everything I'll want to say when I start writing. For example, if there is a fight scene, my outline will say something simple like, "So-and-so fights so-and-so." I'll leave the details to my first draft. I also don't do much describing in my outline (except for vital descriptions that need to be in the story) so I can be creative in the first draft process. Basically I don't want to have to worry about structure while I'm writing, but I still like to be creative. How I construct my outline lets this happen.

Once this process is done (and it can take multiple writing sessions), I still have a few more steps before I'm ready to write. I'll get to those next week. Until then, keep writing and/or reading.

Outlining a Novel-Pre-First Draft Pt. 2

As I've said, I need to outline my novel or the story won't get written. I've tried too many times to simply start writing, and each attempt has resulted in a few chapters that went nowhere. When I plot it out, however, I actually get a finished manuscript. Today I'll show you how I begin my outlining/plotting process.

I use a form of the three act structure. Act one goes from a strong opening scene to the first turning point--or first really big problem for the protagonist. Act two is obviously the large middle section of the book. For my purposes, I break it into two sections. Part one of act two goes from building on turning point one by intensifying the problem to the temporary triumph for the protagonist--it looks like he or she has won, but we'll soon learn that it won't last. The second part of act two goes from the reversal--where we see how the protagonist's triumph has gone sour--to the second turning point of the story--the lowest point for the protagonist, where it looks like it's all over. The third act goes from the protagonist discovering what the final obstacle is and moves forward to the final resolution of the story. Of course, for readers to really remember the story after they've finished the book, it should end with a bang.

In order to start plotting, I use that three act structure and break it down into ten key scenes. These scenes are the anchors to my plotting. A novel, obviously, is much more than ten scenes, so these ten are an excellent place to put the initial dots I need to connect. I will list below the framework I use for the ten scenes. 1 and 2 are act one; 3 through 5 are act two, part one; 6 through 8 are act two, part two, and 9 and 10 are act three.

1) Decide what the opening should be (should be a strong scene).
2) Decide what turning point #1 is (what makes the story big, or the first huge problem for the protagonist).
3) Decide how the problem intensifies (how the story gets bigger, more meaningful).
4) Decide what big even can happen in the middle of act two, part one (relates to the protagonist solving the problem).
5) Decide what the temporary triumph for the protagonist is.
6) Decide what the reversal is (how the protagonist's triumph goes wrong).
7) Decide what big event can happen in the middle of act two, part two (relates to the protagonist solving the problem).
8) Decide what turning point #2 is (this should be the lowest point for the protagonist--it looks like he or she can't win).
9) Decide what the final obstacle is for the protagonist to overcome.
10) Decide what the resolution to the story is.

That's the beginning framework I use. Bear in mind that if the story later calls for it, I'll move things around. I'm only strict in my structure at this point because I don't yet know much about the plot--but more on that in weeks to come. Next week I'll give you a look at how I fill in the details of these ten scenes. Until then, keep writing and/or reading.

Initial Construction of Characters

Today I want to discuss how I create my characters for my novels. As silly as it seems, I don't spend a huge amount of pre-writing time getting to know my characters. Believable characters are a huge part of what makes a story successful, so it would stand to reason that I should, but I don't. Here's why and what I do at this stage.

I find my characters come to life while I write, which is the opposite of my plot, which is lifeless if I don't map it out. For the most part, I flesh out their characteristics and personalities on the fly. That's not to say I ignore them before I actually start writing, however.

I need a name for a character before I start. I can't begin giving them life before a name is attached. Usually for an important character, if a name doesn't jump out at me, I'll brainstorm a bunch of different names and look them over. I gather these names from baby name books, character naming books, and my own imagination. It's not an exact science, but almost always two or three will jump out at me. Of these few remaining names, one will sound best for the story and situation of the character. (I go through the same process when picking names for places and anything else that needs a name.)

Once named, based on what the story is about and the character's place in said story, I'll give a couple of key characteristics, be it physical, psychological, or whatever. I do this for all the important characters. The reason I tailor the characters to the story is because the characters are tools to make the plot work (and be entertaining). My job as an author during the first draft and subsequent revisions is to make it seem like the story is a character-driven one instead of how I constructed it. The readers can't see the characters as mere tools that move the plot along, so I need to be wary of that as I write since that's exactly how I created them!

At this point in constructing the novel, that's all I do with characters. I simply decide how many are considered main characters, name them, and give them a couple of key traits. As I continue plotting, I'll write down ideas to flesh them out, but the bulk of it happens during the first draft. When I revise, the first few chapters are usually heaviest with changes and tweaks because I need to fix up where I didn't yet have a handle on the characters. I need them to match up with how they act later in the book.

Next week I'll get into more of the heart of how I plot. I'll show how I organize my outline (and what I mean by outline). Until next time, keep writing and/or reading.

Novel Writing: Pre-First Draft Pt. 1

Once I have an idea for a novel, I can't simply start writing my first draft. I know many authors like to take an idea and run with it to see where they get, but I can't write that way. I need structure. Over these next few weeks, I'll show you what I do to get that structure.

My process is a mish-mash of many I've read about throughout the years (in writing books, magazine articles, and Internet sites). I've taken my favorite parts of many of these and mixed them into my own style. I believe this is the best way to go about writing anything--find different sources and use the parts that work best for you.

I begin with story. I know many experts say you should begin with character, but I don't think this is necessary. Don't get me wrong, characters are an extremely important part of the story, but I find I prefer constructing them and fleshing them out after I see what they'll be required to do.

The first thing I do is write a single sentence that summarizes the main idea of the story. This might sound like a huge task at the very beginning--not much of the story is known at this point--but remember it's nothing more than a jumping off point. As I continue through the process, this single sentence might still be the best indicator of what the story is about, or it might be a shadow of what the novel turns into. It doesn't matter. As long as this sentence gets me thinking and plotting, it's done its job. I sometimes take an entire day or more with this step. I find that as I tinker with different wordings and phrases, new and better ideas pop into my brain. Sometimes the first sentence I construct turns out to be the best, but I find the story as a whole is better because I've played around with the sentence for so long.

After I have my single sentence summary, I expand that into a paragraph. I do my best to keep it to four or five sentences: the first for how the story starts, the next two or three for key events in the middle, and the last for how the story ends. This gives me a great starting point for plotting the novel. I may come up with better ideas for all of these points, but I need them to get ideas to flesh out the story. Like with the one sentence summary, I don't take the first idea that pops into my mind, but I play with many different ideas. These first two steps alone could take me a few days to a week, but they lay the groundwork for everything that is to come.

The last step before I move onto characters is to discover the hook of the story. This is what draws readers in, what distinguishes the book from others of the same genre. By this point I usually have a pretty good idea of what the hook for this particular story is, but I like to write it down anyway. This hook should be a strength of the story, so I want to occasionally look back at it to keep it firmly in my mind as I plot and later write.

Now I'm ready to start thinking about who populates this story. Next week I'll show you how much characterization I do at this point of the process. Until then, keep writing and/or reading!

Novel Ideas

Coming up with ideas for a novel is different than coming up with them for short stories. Sure, the basic process is the same--ideas are all around us, and any can make a captivating story. Ideas for novels, however, need to be bigger. They need to be grand. That's not to say they necessarily need to be better than short story ideas (short story ideas can be just as good), but they need to be able to carry a story much further.

When I begin to choose which idea I want to use for my next novel project, I think through two things. First, is the idea enough to take me through 60,000 or so words if I'm writing a young adult novel (or 75,000 to 100,000 words if I'm tackling one tailored for adults)? Second, and possibly more important, is this an idea that I'm excited about and will still be excited about months down the road?

Let's look at that second question first. You will be working on this project for quite a while. The process usually takes me a minimum of six months (times will, of course, vary by author, but the entire process takes awhile). If the idea doesn't excite you at the beginning, chances are it will downright bore you before you even get halfway through your first draft. And that speaks nothing of the revision process, which, in my opinion, is the biggest part of writing a novel. If that original idea is not strong enough, you will probably rather tear your hear out than read through for revision again, and your story will no doubt suffer because of it.

Now back to the first point: picking an idea that is big enough for a novel-length work. At this point in the process, I don't write anything down. I take an idea that excites and intrigues me, and I think about things I can do with it. When I discover a neat thread that will make a good story, instead of jumping right into the process like I would with a short story, I continue expanding and dissecting the idea. Is there potential for great conflict? Is this a problem that will not have a simple solution (or if it does, will that simple solution be well guarded)? Is there enough potential emotion to fire up not only a protagonist, but an antagonist and various minor characters as well? Does this main idea lend itself to believable subplots? If I can answer yes to these questions, I know I have the makings of a novel, and I can take the first few baby steps in creating this story.

Next time I'll go through what those first steps are. Some people can dive right in once they have that initial workable idea, but I need to go through a bunch of pre-first draft exercises. Until then, keep writing and/or reading.

1st Draft Done

I'm quite pleased with myself this week. I finished the first draft of my novel last night. As I've mentioned before, I've finished a couple of other works that I thought would be novels when I started, but they didn't work out--didn't have a high enough word count and just didn't feel like novels. This one actually feels like a novel to me. It still needs a ton of work--I have quite a few notes about revisions I'd like to make--but I'm off to a good start.

After I get it all typed up into Word (the whole thing is written in longhand), I plan to put it away for a month to let me look at it with a fresh eye. In the meantime, I'll get back to short stories. Other than the #fridayflash stories I've worked on for the past month or so, I've neglected them since I started on the novel. I need to market those I have ready, polish up some I've written, and get started on some new ones. I also need to get my already published stories in a ebook format to sell in the Kindle Store (or where ever is best).

This has been exciting for me. I have no idea if this novel will ever end up selling, but I think the experience is making me a better author. That's all I have for you this week. I'll be back on Friday, of course, with another #fridayflash story. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.

My Writing Process

I've stated before here in my blog that I've noticed many writers obsessed with how others work. They want to compare their practices with others to see if they are on the right track. While writers need to just sit down and get their own work done, I believe it is helpful at times, especially when you feel you're in a rut, to peek into the writing lives of others. For this reason, I will give a quick look at my own writing process on my newest work in progress. Maybe it'll give some of you ideas of how you can get your own work done, or it might just fuel your voyeuristic pleasure. Either way, I'm happy with however it helps.

I start by taking some time to write out random ideas about the story to get it solidified in my mind. I think briefly about who the characters should be and write that down. After that, I write down ten or so brief scenes that will be used throughout the book. This gives me a rough outline, which grows bigger as I connect the dots, so to speak. I keep the descriptions of these scenes brief, on one 3x5 card for each. Of course some of the scenes may take multiple chapters to complete, but they're still brief on the card. I don't do much to flesh out the characters at this point--no bio, no card. I jot down notes when I think about things I need to know about them. Instead, I think it's more important to get to know the characters during the draft. The revision and rewriting stage is where I will flesh them out and make it look like the story started with just the characters instead of plot.

When I have my scenes on my cards, I put them in the order that I believe they go in and start writing. I feel this is a good balance between free-writing the first draft (sometimes referred to as "pantsing" as in writing from the seat of your pants), and working from an outline. It gives me freedom to explore my story and world while having a solid foundation to be anchored in. Plus, if I choose a different route than I'd originally envisioned in the outline, it's easy to make up new cards and set aside the old ones that no longer fit.

As I write, I keep plenty of notes for various reasons. Since I've just created a small outline, I need to make things up as I go. When I do create new rules, characters, or whatever, I jot those down so I don't have to search through many pages later to remember what I'd done--place names, character names, character traits, etc. I also make notes about revision ideas I have. I feel it's counterproductive to go back and fix already written work when I know I'll be changing things in my revision/rewriting stage anyway. It's more important to get that first draft done, so a quick note about what I want to change works much better for me.

That's really all there is to it for me. The main part of getting the first draft done is simply sitting down and putting words on the page. My simple outline gives me the freedom to enjoy the writing and creating process. Let me know what you think about my writing process, and feel free to share your own. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!

Novel writing process

I recently started working on a novel, and I'm happy with how I went about all of the pre-writing exercises to allow for an easier first draft experience. I got a book called Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt, not because I wanted to pound out a book in thirty days, but because it looked to have a good structure. I honestly feel that I've had trouble in the past getting a novel written because I lack structure in my writing process. I've tried other methods, but nothing has ever really sung to me. This one looks like it has promise.

I'm using many of the exercises and worksheets provided (though I'm doing so in a separate notebook, not right in the book, because I'm cheap that way), and I'm tweaking others to fit me. The book is set up to use each of the 30 days, with reminders of things to be looking for and exercises on how to throw a creative curveball into the mix. I've decided, since I don't want to dash it out so quick, that I'd move on to the next page with every 7 or so that I write--that'll get me to a good word count for a middle-grade novel. I made scene cards on 3x5 cards, and those have become my outline for the story. I sketched out my main character with enough information--using the book's character guide--and I'll fill it out more as I write. This seems to be an excellent way to get going on a novel for me.

The tough part, of course, will be actually writing the thing. I've set myself a goal of two pages a day/6 days a week. I like to set my writing goals low so I have a hard time missing them. Often I write more than that, so it's a nice little confidence boost for myself when I do write more. I started in the middle of last week, and so far I've met my goal every day. I'm confident this system will serve me well not just through the first draft, but through the revision process as well. That's all I have for you this week. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.

Writing Without an Outline Pt. 2

I've discovered something about myself that I sort of figured. I can't write a long piece without an outline of some sort. The novel I talked about last week that I was winging just isn't happening. I've written myself into so many corners that I have to keep pasting entire writing sessions in a different file (the I don't like but don't throw away file). This seems counter-productive to me. I want to have freedom to play with the words, with the story, with the characters, but I'm learning that no outline is just too much freedom. It works for some other writers, but not for me. I don't like the idea of making a huge, elaborate outline with no wiggle room for fun writing time, but I do need something to keep me on track. My little writing exercise experiment has failed, though it really hasn't because I now know what doesn't work for me. That's a good thing.

While I get back to the drawing board, if you feel so inclined, add a comment about how you write. Are you a seat of your pants writer? Do you use an outline? Is it a bare-bones outline, or do you outline each chapter/plot point? Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!

Writing Without an Outline

I've found writing my latest attempt at a novel to be a strange experience. Not that I've tried my hand at many novels--short stories have been my forte so far--but when I have, it has been with an outline. This newest one, however, I just took an idea and ran with it. I sort of tricked myself into getting going on it. I've tried writing a novel without an outline before, but I always bog down, thinking I'm just going to mess things up for later since I don't know where anything is going. But this time I just told myself that it was a writing practice exercise, and it's seemed to work so far.

I write all my short stories without outlines. Almost every time I set out to write one, I just have a vague idea, and I make it happen. Occasionally I'll know exactly what's happening and where everything is going, but that's pretty rare. That's why I really wanted to write a novel without an outline. Novels and short stories are two different beasts, but I thought I could probably make it work. It's still a work in progress, but I'm pretty happy so far.

As I'm writing, I decided that I'd make a separate word file with revision ideas. I can see things that I'd rather do, but instead of stopping momentum by going back and fixing it right away, I can do so in the revision process when the first draft is done. I also have a file with about ten pages or so of a few scenes that were taking the story in the wrong direction. Instead of just erasing it all, I decided to save it in case I can fish out some good ideas from it during revision. I doubt I will, but why not keep it around just in case?

Writers work in many different ways. I'm still not certain how I'm going to go about writing the novel after this one. If this process continues going well, I may just write it from the seat of my pants again. I doubt I will write a full outline, as I find that my writing doesn't have any room to have fun to flesh out unknown parts of the story, but I my write a partial outline. I'll see what I decide to do when this project is done. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!

Random Musings

I'll probably use that title more in the future. It works for posts like this. I don't have much to say today, but I thought I'd give an update on how my writing is going.

I had decided to split my time between working on my novel and working on my screenplay. Then I decided that was kind of dumb. Why not just work on the novel, get it done, and while I'm waiting for it too cool down for the first set of revisions, I can get started on my screenplay? Made sense to me, so that's what I've decided. I'm close--closer than I thought, really--to getting to the actual first draft of my novel. I have the rough outline done, meaning I have it structured, who the POV character is going to be for each chapter, and the basic idea of what each chapter is going to be about. I don't want to over-plot since that takes some of the fun out of the actual writing process, but I do want to know a bit about what's going on with each chapter before I start. I'm hoping I'll actually be writing by early next week, but I'll see how the rest of the outlining goes.

I had a couple of early mornings in the last couple of weeks thanks to short stories. Dreams woke me up somewhere around 5 AM both times, and I couldn't think of going back to sleep because these stories needed to get written. The first time was really kind of surreal. I had a dream where I was a writer in a class and I wrote a short story. I don't know how well the story was received in my dream because I woke up before anyone saw it. I rushed to my computer, turned it on, and fired up Word. A little while later I had the entire thing written. It was actually pretty easy since, in a weird, twisted way, I'd already written it. I knew the beginning, middle, and end before I even dragged my buns out of bed.

The second time wasn't as easy. This time it was more of your classic dream situation. I had the dream and woke up with the idea burning in me. I knew it wouldn't wait, so again I fired up the computer and Word and got typing. This time I didn't have the whole thing in my head, just a vague idea that I found really cool. I wrote 12 pages that day and 7 or 8 the next, so I guess it really needed to get out of my head (I'm usually a 3 or 4 page a day guy). I haven't looked at either story yet, but I think they're pretty good (I'll disagree with that when I read through them for the first time, but my trusty red pen will make 'em good).

That's it for today. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!

My Novel Writing (1st in a series)

I've decided what my novel will be about. And then I decided to start a second one while I was planning the first. Counter-productive, yeah, I know, but I have a reason.

The novel I decided to write has all the buildings of a stand-alone fantasy epic, with suspense, action, romance, and all the good stuff that go into a great novel. So if I fail to deliver, I know it's not the fault of the idea. I'm in the process of planning it out, which may take some time. But that's a good thing, as it'll make for a deeper story right out of the chute. I will probably run through my process of building and plotting and all the other good stuff at a later date, but for now I want to continue with the process first.

With the second novel I decided to start on, I'm taking a whole different approach. This was the one I was originally going to do when I thought about it a week or so ago, but I just couldn't think of enough things to make it long enough to warrent writing. With my plotting, it was going to turn into just a long short story or a short novella. Not what I wanted, so I hit upon a better idea.

But this idea wouldn't go away. I still didn't have the makings for anything longer, so I decided I wouldn't plot it. I'd let my imagination run wild with it and just start typing. If it was destined to not become long enough to be a novel, I'd at least have something written. And who knows? Maybe my subconscious has a plan for it since it wouldn't let it go. I guess I'll find out. I've decided to write at least 2 pages a day, 6 days a week to find out. So far I've written 3, 3, and 4, so I'm doing better than my goal. My other project is not really taking a backseat as I'm still plotting it, but it may be a bit slower than I'd originally anticipated. They are two very different ideas, so I like that I don't get them jumbled in my mind.

That's all I'm going to post for now. As you can tell by the title of this particular post, I'll revisit this topic from time to time (maybe weekly, maybe bi-weekly, maybe whenever I feel like it). Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!