Apologies for allowing so many weeks to pass between posts. I have been furiously trying to complete the first draft of my novel that, according to my book resolutions, is woefully behind. I've also been reading some fantastic books.
Which brings me to a question that I've been asking myself quite a bit lately.
As a writer, I've often wondered if one should forgo reading as they are working on a novel, especially when writing a first draft.
Now I love reading, I always have, but I worry that as I'm reading a particular author or genre of books, if it will influence my own writing. And for the record, I think influencing and inspiring are two very different things.
I know this is a very short entry - but what do you think? Any thoughts?
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Guilty Pleasures ~ A Valentine's Day Post
So it would appear that the most "romantic" day of the year is upon us.
Valentine's Day.
The holiday, also known as the Feast of St. Valentine, has been around for over five hundred years now and is varyingly viewed as a celebration of love (women), or an elaborate conspiracy of the greeting card and candy companies (men).
Some look forward to showing that special person or the people in their lives just how much they care. Some dread the day, feeling an overwhelming sense of inadequacy at living up to their partner's expectations. Others loathe it as the lemon juice to the paper cut of their "unattached" state of being.
No matter how you look at it though, Valentine's Day is a holiday. And what is a holiday without a few traditions? Cards, chocolates, flowers, dinner reservations, wine, champagne, or for those of you who hate the day ~ dressing in all black. I've spent V-Day with sweet boyfriends (and some not-so-sweet ones), and on my single years, I've gone out with groups of girlfriends in similar situations to celebrate ourselves with good food, romantic movies, and fun company. No matter what my romantic status is, I've never hated Valentine's Day. Even if I don't have a significant other, I still see it as a day to celebrate all of the ones that I love in my life ~ especially family and friends.
This year I'm single and looking forward to a quiet night in with one of my Valentine traditions ~ a good meal, a glass of wine, and a great piece of literature (i.e. a romance novel).
Now, I'm really not one to read very many romance novels. I only crack one open two, maybe three times a year (February 14th being one of them), and I usually keep them a secret. They are my guilty pleasure and something about this day makes me want to get lost in one of those extremely sappy bodice-ripping regency sagas with awful dialogue, laughably heightened emotions, and highly improbable yet exceedingly satisfying scenarios usually involving a rakish duke, a villainous lord, an innocent yet sensual lady, and a horse.
There is always a horse (not in a nasty way ~ I'm not into those kinds of novels).
They always employ predictable formulas and there's always a happy ending (usually several of them, if you catch my drift), but they always put a smile on my face and I suppose that's all that matters.
So, my wish is that you may enjoy this day, whether you're single, attached, hopeful, jaded, or cynical. Love is a wonderful thing, and I think it's perfectly acceptable to have one day a year to celebrate it indeed.
And now I'm off to choose my guilty pleasure.
Some of these Scottish Highland novels look pretty interesting...
Happy Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day.
The holiday, also known as the Feast of St. Valentine, has been around for over five hundred years now and is varyingly viewed as a celebration of love (women), or an elaborate conspiracy of the greeting card and candy companies (men).
No matter how you look at it though, Valentine's Day is a holiday. And what is a holiday without a few traditions? Cards, chocolates, flowers, dinner reservations, wine, champagne, or for those of you who hate the day ~ dressing in all black. I've spent V-Day with sweet boyfriends (and some not-so-sweet ones), and on my single years, I've gone out with groups of girlfriends in similar situations to celebrate ourselves with good food, romantic movies, and fun company. No matter what my romantic status is, I've never hated Valentine's Day. Even if I don't have a significant other, I still see it as a day to celebrate all of the ones that I love in my life ~ especially family and friends.
This year I'm single and looking forward to a quiet night in with one of my Valentine traditions ~ a good meal, a glass of wine, and a great piece of literature (i.e. a romance novel).
There is always a horse (not in a nasty way ~ I'm not into those kinds of novels).
They always employ predictable formulas and there's always a happy ending (usually several of them, if you catch my drift), but they always put a smile on my face and I suppose that's all that matters.
So, my wish is that you may enjoy this day, whether you're single, attached, hopeful, jaded, or cynical. Love is a wonderful thing, and I think it's perfectly acceptable to have one day a year to celebrate it indeed.
And now I'm off to choose my guilty pleasure.
Some of these Scottish Highland novels look pretty interesting...
Happy Valentine's Day
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Driven to Distraction
Well in checking over my resolutions from the beginning of this month I can see that I'm doing exceptionally well in some cases, satisfactory in others, and piss-poor in at least one.
The book reading is going beautifully and I've already read five books since the first of January, which is probably why my writing is suffering. I've been spending my free time with my nose in a book instead of actually working on one.
So my next priority will need to be learning to organize my time in a more productive fashion. I will readily admit that I get distracted too easily...especially if my laptop is getting wifi. In fact, the time between writing this sentence and the previous one was the length of four Lizzie Bennet Diary videos. Yes, I have a problem.
I wouldn't necessarily label it as procrastination...(dots signify time spent looking up procrastination definition on dictionary.com, which lead to looking up dawdle, which is a variant of daddle, which means to toddle, which reminds me that I'm watching my niece in the morning, which makes me think I need to call my sister to check on the times, which, oh my word what was I doing in the first place, oh yeah), since it's not as if I'm trying to put off writing my novel ~ not like I would a homework assignment or cleaning the bathroom ~ I just get distracted.
I needed some incentive, something to make me really focus, the way nano did all of November. So I went ahead and sent out the first eight chapters to my beta readers. Now I know that it's end their hands and soon they'll be wanting more, so I really have to get myself in gear.
Beta readers are wonderful things and we'll discuss them in a future post. For now though, I have to stop talking to you and get back to work.
...After two more Lizzie Bennet Diaries...
Happy Writing
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Resolutions
Well, it's that time of year again. The exciting new beginnings time that bursts out of the gate on January first in all of it's good intentions and clean-slatey gloriousness.
I'm sure we all have simply lists of things that we hope to accomplish in the next 365 days. I, for one, have never been the type to make any New Year's resolutions ~ something I'm reversing starting today.
You see, I actually do have a list of things that I hope to accomplish this year. Two lists if I'm being really specific ~ one for my personal life (which I'll keep to myself), and one for my writing life, which I'll share with you now.
I've been mulling over this list for the past week, trying to decide what I need to get done this year in regards to my novel and what seems like a feasible schedule to work with. I've never really done this before so my plans may need to be pretty flexible, but I'm hoping to be able to stick with it as closely as possible.
So, without further adieu....
I'm sure we all have simply lists of things that we hope to accomplish in the next 365 days. I, for one, have never been the type to make any New Year's resolutions ~ something I'm reversing starting today.
You see, I actually do have a list of things that I hope to accomplish this year. Two lists if I'm being really specific ~ one for my personal life (which I'll keep to myself), and one for my writing life, which I'll share with you now.
I've been mulling over this list for the past week, trying to decide what I need to get done this year in regards to my novel and what seems like a feasible schedule to work with. I've never really done this before so my plans may need to be pretty flexible, but I'm hoping to be able to stick with it as closely as possible.
So, without further adieu....
Writing Resolutions 2013
- Finish first draft of Novel by January 31st, 2013
- Give book to Beta Readers by February 1st , 2013
- First edit/revisions by April 1st, 2013
- Second edit/revisions by June 30th, 2013
- Query letters to agents by August 1st, 2013
- First draft of second novel complete by December 31, 2013
Other Resolutions
- Blog several times a week
- Keep a journal
- Read 4 books a month
- Read at least 50 books this year
I have to admit, I feel a lot better having written all this down. Having a plan is great motivation and, I think, helps to keep one from getting too distracted in the long run. Plus, it will be fun at the end of the year to see how far I've come and what all I've accomplished. (Unless I've accomplished nothing, in which case it will be very depressing.)
So, Happy New Year to you all. I hope each of you is successful in your plans.
What resolutions have you made for 2013?
Happy Writing.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
NaNoWriMo Eve
Happy Hallowe'en! Or, as I'm referring to it this year, NaNoWriMo Eve.
For those of you thinking, "What the heck is NaNoWriMo?", it's a rather long yet much loved acronymish referal to National Novel Writing Month - which happens to be the month of November. The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. (Draft is more like it - but all novels are born of first drafts are they not?)
You can find more information about National Novel Writing Month on their webpage - www.nanowrimo.org
Now, if any of you followed my pathetically few posts over the summer, then you will know that I also participated in Camp NaNoWriMo, which was basically the same thing, just in the month of June. It came with a campy theme full of fireside pep-talks, virtual smores, and messy cabins where you roomed with other campers (online of course).
I came up dreadfully short on my word count over the summer so now I am returning with a vengence here in November and I am determined and focused and optimistic and a little bit scared. But there it is, and all one can do is try.
The best thing I have going for me this year is an idea - one that I've been mulling over for years in my head, so it's had a bit of time to bake in my oven of a brain which I think will be an immense help. My main characters have been hanging out with me for a while so I feel like they're ready to fill pages and, while I think I know them pretty well by now, I haven't ruled out the very great probability of them surprising me repeatedly over the course of the next month.
I will try and update this blog as much as possible during November, just to keep you posted on my progress (and my state of sanity), but I can't make any promises on how insightful (or coherent) those posts may be. Just know that I'm working hard. Feel free to keep me motivated and accountable. Demand posts and updates. Or better yet, join me! It's free, but not easy. But then, nothing that's worth anything is ever come by easily is it?
Happy Writing.
For those of you thinking, "What the heck is NaNoWriMo?", it's a rather long yet much loved acronymish referal to National Novel Writing Month - which happens to be the month of November. The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. (Draft is more like it - but all novels are born of first drafts are they not?)
You can find more information about National Novel Writing Month on their webpage - www.nanowrimo.org
Now, if any of you followed my pathetically few posts over the summer, then you will know that I also participated in Camp NaNoWriMo, which was basically the same thing, just in the month of June. It came with a campy theme full of fireside pep-talks, virtual smores, and messy cabins where you roomed with other campers (online of course).
I came up dreadfully short on my word count over the summer so now I am returning with a vengence here in November and I am determined and focused and optimistic and a little bit scared. But there it is, and all one can do is try.
The best thing I have going for me this year is an idea - one that I've been mulling over for years in my head, so it's had a bit of time to bake in my oven of a brain which I think will be an immense help. My main characters have been hanging out with me for a while so I feel like they're ready to fill pages and, while I think I know them pretty well by now, I haven't ruled out the very great probability of them surprising me repeatedly over the course of the next month.
I will try and update this blog as much as possible during November, just to keep you posted on my progress (and my state of sanity), but I can't make any promises on how insightful (or coherent) those posts may be. Just know that I'm working hard. Feel free to keep me motivated and accountable. Demand posts and updates. Or better yet, join me! It's free, but not easy. But then, nothing that's worth anything is ever come by easily is it?
Happy Writing.
 |
| 30 Days and Nights of Literary Abandon |
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Show vs. Tell
Every writer worth their salt has heard the oft used admonishment, "Show, don't tell."
It's a mantra for some, a guide for others - the idea that an writer should allow the reader to experience the story through the development of a character's thoughts, feelings, and senses rather than the author's own exposition or description.
When I first started writing in earnest, I remember obsessing over every scene, wondering if I was showing enough or telling too much. It slowed me down immensely and led to endless bouts of frustration. When is it enough? When is it too much?
Telling can often seem like a lazy form of writing. It's would be very easy for me to tell you, for instance, that Billy was anxious - but it would take much more effort for me to show you through Billy's own thoughts, his upset stomach, the fact that his grip was much tighter than necessary on the steering wheel of his car. Even those small windows into the character's emotional state of being allow the reader greater access to the story at hand. We all know what a nervous stomach feels like - the better to relate to what Billy is feeling. And when we can relate to the characters, we find ourselves caring about them.
On the other hand, it would be impossible to always show what a character is experiencing - books would be very long and overly drawn out if everyone followed the show, don't tell rule to the tee.
James Scott Bell said, "Sometimes a writer tells as a shortcut, to move quickly to the meaty part of the story or scene. Showing is essentially about making scenes vivid. If you try to do it constantly, the parts that are supposed to stand out won't, and your readers will get exhausted."
In other words, there is a time and place for everything including showing and telling. In my experience, it just takes intuition and practice - and possibly a couple of incredibly perceptive test readers to offer valuable feedback.
I recently found a wonderful resource that offers incredible examples of the physical, internal and mental manifestations of dozens of character emotions. It's called, quite simply, The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression, by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, authors of one of my favorite blogs, The Bookshelf Muse. It has been an invaluable tool to me in the endeavor of my newest novel and I highly recommend it to any and all writers.
You can find it on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com and it's available in print or e-book form.
Happy Writing.
It's a mantra for some, a guide for others - the idea that an writer should allow the reader to experience the story through the development of a character's thoughts, feelings, and senses rather than the author's own exposition or description.
When I first started writing in earnest, I remember obsessing over every scene, wondering if I was showing enough or telling too much. It slowed me down immensely and led to endless bouts of frustration. When is it enough? When is it too much?
Telling can often seem like a lazy form of writing. It's would be very easy for me to tell you, for instance, that Billy was anxious - but it would take much more effort for me to show you through Billy's own thoughts, his upset stomach, the fact that his grip was much tighter than necessary on the steering wheel of his car. Even those small windows into the character's emotional state of being allow the reader greater access to the story at hand. We all know what a nervous stomach feels like - the better to relate to what Billy is feeling. And when we can relate to the characters, we find ourselves caring about them.
On the other hand, it would be impossible to always show what a character is experiencing - books would be very long and overly drawn out if everyone followed the show, don't tell rule to the tee.
James Scott Bell said, "Sometimes a writer tells as a shortcut, to move quickly to the meaty part of the story or scene. Showing is essentially about making scenes vivid. If you try to do it constantly, the parts that are supposed to stand out won't, and your readers will get exhausted."
In other words, there is a time and place for everything including showing and telling. In my experience, it just takes intuition and practice - and possibly a couple of incredibly perceptive test readers to offer valuable feedback.
I recently found a wonderful resource that offers incredible examples of the physical, internal and mental manifestations of dozens of character emotions. It's called, quite simply, The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression, by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, authors of one of my favorite blogs, The Bookshelf Muse. It has been an invaluable tool to me in the endeavor of my newest novel and I highly recommend it to any and all writers.
You can find it on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com and it's available in print or e-book form.
Happy Writing.
Friday, August 17, 2012
I've Been Bad
I have been bad. Oh so very bad. I've completely neglegted my writing for the better part of the summer. Every day I think, I need to write, and every day the sun seems to set on my paper and pen with nothing new to offer. I feel guilty, as if I fell off the writing wagon. I think of all the pages I could have written during this time, the fact that I might possibly even have an almost complete first draft if I had just stuck with it. Then I get mad at myself and I attack my writing with a vengence which, honestly, doesn't do me one bit of good. So, I just have to take a deep breath, forgive myself, pick up the pen with a humble heart and let myself be free.
I will do better.
Happy Writing.
I will do better.
Happy Writing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)