Creative Writing

Well, we’ve made it through another year.  I hope this finds everyone feeling fine and not too hungover from last night’s entertainments.  I was a good kid and stayed home.  Not much of a stretch for me, as I rarely go anywhere anyway, but I thought it would be a good idea to bring in the new year doing what I love best; writing.

I’ve been reading several other blogs the past few days, and it seems that everyone is posting their New Year’s resolutions and goals for the coming year.  There are all the usual ones like losing weight and giving up various vices, but you won’t find those things here.  First of all, I haven’t made a New Year’s resolution since the 80’s and I’m famous for breaking every major goal I’ve ever really set for myself.

I do have a couple goals set for this year, but I’m going to try and keep them at a minimum so I’ll have a better chance of meeting them.  My goals for this year are to keep my blogs updated a little better than I have been, and to finish the e-book I’ve been working on for the past several months.  I figure that if I can achieve those 2 goals, I’ll have done something wonderful.

What types of goals have you set for yourself this year?  I think writers should set goals for themselves, but I don’t think they should go overboard.  When setting goals for yourself, keep in mind the other things that happen in your life and factor that into the equation.  Family, real-world jobs, and sort of thing.

I remember when I was in school, one of my teachers gave a speech about short range and long range goals.  As a writer, I’ve found that this is one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever heard.  As you look at the goals you’ve set for yourself, see which ones fall into which category.  For instance, say one of your goals is to get that novel published.  That would be the long range goal.  Now, figure out what it’s going to take to make that happen, and work on the short range goals.  Goal #1, get that first draft done.  Goal #2, do your editing and revisions.  And so on.  By meeting each of your short range goals, you’ll soon find that your long range goal is in sight and can become the reality you’ve been dreaming about.

I know many of you will read this and think, “Well, duh”.  However, there are a lot of times when we all forget that it takes baby steps in order to run a marathon.  I wish for you all to meet your writing goals this coming year and I hope you’ll come by and share your achievements with the rest of us.

To all my writing minions, have a happy and creative new year!!!

How many times have you been sitting in front of your computer, trying to come up with something to write about, when it dawns on you that you’re not suffering from writer’s block–you just don’t feel like writing?  Ok, maybe this is just something I go through, but I doubt I’m the only one out there.  There have been many times when I could think of a ton of things to write about, I just didn’t have the ambition to do so.

In fact, I’ve been going through this very thing for the past couple of weeks.  I think a lot of it had to do with trying to get things in order for the holiday, but even after Christmas was officially over, I just didn’t feel like writing.  So, how am I getting myself over this?  I’m just writing.  I’m not stopping long enough to really pay attention to what I’m writing, I’m just writing.

A few years back, I wrote my first e-book for writers.  It was filled with cool ideas for fiction writers.  In the past couple months, I’ve been working on my second e-book, with writing prompts for non-fiction writers.  The problem is that there have been a lot of times that I just didn’t feel like writing anything.  It makes writing an e-book almost impossible.  But, I keep going, even if I only bang out 3 or 4 prompts a day.

When you get to a point where you start to feel stale, just write.  Don’t think about what you’re writing, just write.  It doesn’t even have to make any sense, just write.  I can tell you from experience, you will get past that blah feeling and the writing will start to have real emotion again.  You might even find that while you’re free writing, something amazing will pop up that you’ll want to share with the world

It seems that this time of year is one of the busiest for us writers.  Not just with all the things we need to do to make sure our families have a wonderful Christmas, but all the writing we try to get done before the big day.  Not to mention the fact that we have a lot of Christmas gifts to get for everyone we’ve ever met in our lives.  Now I can’t speak for everyone, but for me personally, I always forget to get something for the one person who needs cool freebies the most; me.

So, here are a few ideas for all my writer buddies out there, as a way to run out and get a few things for yourself this Christmas season.  And being the cheap skate that I am, these are all ideas that are totally free of charge.  I know some writers make a comfortable living through their work, but I’m not one of those people.

First of all, go find yourself some free e-books on the craft.  Honestly, there are hundreds of free e-books out there on just about every aspect of writing you can think of.  Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, if you write for children or for adults, there is an e-book out there that will help you further your craft.

Check out some of the free software for writers on the market.  There’s a lot out there.  Html editors, novel writing software, and so much more.  There are even calendars that will help you keep up with deadlines, and stay on track.  What better way to keep up with your writing than with some cool software that didn’t cost you a dime.

Join a couple of the many writer’s group online.  I know how lonely being a writer can sometimes feel, but writer’s groups help you improve your skills while reminding you that you’re not alone.  You might also check out a couple of the free writing e-zines out there.  I’d be lost without a couple of the e-zines I get each month.  They’re filled with tips and tricks, and offer some interesting ideas that spark new avenues for my writing.

Finally, sit down and write something strictly for yourself.  Don’t worry about who’s going to read it, don’t think about trying to make it work for your readers, do it only for you.  Don’t worry about editing your work, just let the words flow without stopping.  Cuss, scream, laugh, cry, or whatever else you feel like doing.  Just do it for you and don’t worry about anyone else.  It will help get all those emotions out of your system and you’ll feel like a new person.

I wish all my writing friends and blogging buddies a very Merry Christmas.  May you and your families be embraced by the spirit of the season and may all your writing dreams come true.

I apologize for not posting for so long, but sometimes you have to step away from the computer and spend some time with real people.  LOL.

As I sat here tonight, thinking about why it is that I can’t seem to find anything to write about, I decided to go through some of my old articles and things I had written years ago.  That’s when I ran across a weird little thing I wrote a few years back that seemed perfect to finally post here.  I had originally written this for a writing contest, but just never got posting it.  So, I sat down and made a few adjustments and have decided to add it here for pure amusement.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you

Reasons For Not Writing

My excuses for not writing, well, let’s see.  There are so many.

1.)    First of all, there are the piles of laundry that need to be done.  In fact, I still have Wet clothes to throw in the dryer.
2.)    Then I have to get the carpEts vaccumed and the kitcheN needs mopped.
3.)    I have to make someThing for supper, so my children won’t feel neglected.
4.)    I have a ChristmaS program to be at, and cHocolate pretzels tO dip.
5.)    Then I should Probably get some writing done.  But wait, there’s the Phone.  I should answer that.
6.)    I have to let the dog out before she has an accIdent on the floor.
7.)    I should probably cleaN up my kitchen before I get to comfortable.
8.)    Okay, now all I have to do is finish readinG my email and I can sit down and get some writing done.

Will you look at the time.  It’s getting late and I’m so tired.  I need to get some sleep.  I can always sit down and spell out a few words tomorrow.

The key component to a great story is in great characters.  Unfortunately, many writers create characters based on what they think they know about a certain culture or population.  I read a great post today about bad writing , and the very first point that Nanette made was about the way writers stereo-type country folk.  Though this was not her only point, it did get me to thinking about character creation.

It is just a good idea to do a little research about your character’s background before introducing them to the world.  For instance, if your character is a young English woman, do a bit of research to find out about the area you’re going to have her come from.  This will also depend on the time in which she is to come from, but I think you get the idea.  In essence, a proper young English woman would never have journeyed into the White Chapel district of London during the time of the Jack the Ripper murders.  Not on her own, anyway.

As your characters begin to take on a life of their own, make sure you know a little bit about the realities of their surroundings.  Going back to the original idea, not all country people are bumbling, uneducated dingbats.  They don’t all drive pick-ups, they don’t all have teeth missing, and they don’t all look for mating partners in their own families.  I know this because I am a country girl, and have been my whole life.

Just because you think you know something about a certain culture, take the time to get the facts. Adding a few bits of realism into your stories will turn a good character into a great personality.  What’s the point of writing a story, if your characters are going to be its downfall?  Know the details behind your character before you let them loose on the world.

Well kids, today is the last day of NaNoWriMo, and I am sad to say that I didn’t make the 50K mark.  But, I’m not all that bummed out about it either, as I had a lot of other things going on to keep me busy.  I did manage to make it just over the 18,000 word mark.  It’s not that my story got stale, it’s just that more pressing issues were at hand.

Now, for the cool part.  Even though November is over, that doesn’t mean that all the fun needs to end.  I’ve met a neat lady who is introducing a new portion to the novel writing world.  Tomorrow, December 1st, is the start of something new.  Announcing the first annual National Plot Writing Month , being held by Plot Whisperer, a.k.a., Martha Alderson.

The idea behind this month-long event isn’t going to be about how much or little you can write in a month’s time, but more about taking your basic idea, and shaping it into a creative work of art that publishers would love to read.  Each day, Martha will post a different tip or idea to help your plot line evolve.  Though this event is in no way associated with National Novel Writing Month, it is a creative way to take that first draft to the next level.

For more ideas each month, check out Martha’s newsletter, Blockbuster Plots.  This monthly e-zine gives you more tips and tricks each month that can help with just about any storyline you’ve got in mind.  You can find the link on the homepage of Martha’s site and the e-zine is free.

I’m pretty excited about getting in on the ground floor with this idea.  Martha, herself, isn’t quite sure where this whole idea will go, but I have a feeling that it’s going to be fun getting there.  I’d like to think that somewhere down the road, this will be another one of those things that we writers look forward to each year.

I get a lot of my ideas from the various writing groups I belong to and ran across one this evening that made me think.  It has to do with creating plot lines in your writing.  In essence, it said that bloggers didn’t need to worry about creating plot lines and characters, but I don’t think this to be the case.

No matter what a person writes about, they create a plot line in their post.  For instance, the plot within this post is about, well, plots.  Someone who writes about making money online, creates a specific plot in their posts, as does someone who runs a cooking blog.  Though they may not realize it, they have created a plot line for their piece.

The same is true for characters.  Each post carries a particular voice, which is the blog’s character.  When you write a post about what you had for dinner, you take on the character of cook, or just as diner.  However, when you blog about the intricacies of monetizing your site, you take on the character of teacher or expert.  Though these two different types of posts can be found on the same blog, they have distinctly different characteristics.

When you read a particular blog on a regular basis, you might find that you’ve created an image of the blogger in your mind.  Just like reading about a certain character in a book, your image is probably totally different than someone else who reads the same pages.  Ironically, if you were to meet that blogger walking down the street, you would probably find that they didn’t fit your perception at all.

Whether you write fictional stories, or non-fictional blog posts, pay attention to the plot behind your words, and the character’s voice in which you write.  You might even realize that as you write your posts, the characteristic voices in your mind sound different per each post.  And that, my friends, is the basics to true creative writing.

Do you write for and/or about the holidays? This is one the reason I’d rather write online than for print publications. Granted, getting published in print is a huge honor, and one that I’ve felt a couple times in my life. My biggest problem is that I’m not a patient person, and in order to write for print publications, you have to wait for weeks and months at a time before you get to see the end result.

Anyway, back to writing for the holidays. If you write for print publications, you have to send seasonal or holidays pieces in anywhere from 6 months to a full year ahead of time. With online venues, you’re only looking at a few days or weeks before seeing your work published. And, if you run your own site, it’s a matter of a couple hours. Plus, right now is the perfect time to start posting about the holidays. People are already beginning to search for various holiday topics, and the sooner you get your posts out there, the sooner people will be coming to your site.

So, what do you write about? I know a lot of people who post about the different Christmas sales that will be happening for the next few weeks. I also know some people who blog about the different Christmas traditions we all contribute to each year. There are even some people who write recipe posts, as there are going to be hundreds of people looking for special dishes to make for the Christmas holidays.

Whatever it is that you write about, now is the best time to get those posts up and running. With Christmas just around the corner, someone out there is going to be searching for the information you have to offer.

I approved a really cool comment today, and I’m glad I did as this comment got me to thinking about my own writing abilities. Now, normally, I’d post a link to the comment, but I have to be honest and say that I’m not pleased with the fact that this person used an affiliate link to a “pay-me” site, but the words that this person left were pure gold.

Anyone who has ever done any fictional writing can tell you that one of the keys to making a good story better is by adding just the right details. The comment left on the site said something to the effect of creating a scene as though painting a picture, and called it “landscape writing”. I love it. The words hit me like a bullet. Of course, create your scenes as though planting a garden or putting in some new trees. But in this case, let the words create an aura that will keep your readers wanting more.

I remember that there used to be a guy on PBS that did some of the coolest paintings I’ve ever seen. I believe the man’s name was Bob Ross, and I was always mesmerized by the way he could just paint and entire landscape scene, start to finish, in half an hour. When I heard the term “landscape writing”, I immediately thought about this gentleman and the way his brush danced across the canvas. And that’s what the words should do in creative writing. They should seem flawless, magical, as though painted into the scene.

I’d love to take credit for this cool term, but sadly I can’t. However, I can use it in all my future writings, and hope I can do justice to the term “landscape writing”.

Ok everyone.  It’s time for my first NaNo update.  First of all, I need to thank everyone who gave me the willpower to go ahead and work on my NaNo novel.  I am so happy that I did, as it’s only the 7th of the month and I just hit 10,088 words.  Granted, I should have about 1,600 more than that, but I’m not going to complain.  Fortunately, it’s the weekend, and even though I have a couple of writing gigs to get done, I will still have plenty of time to work on the book.  I am so happy about this.

So, here’s what my book is about.  The title of my book is “A Life In Ruins”.  It’s about a female archaeologist and her old college professor.  There is no romance between the two of them, he’s more like an older brother and she still works on all of his digs.  Anyway, they are looking for some old stones that have symbols carved into them.  They are starting out in a small village in Africa, south of Egypt, and are currently looking through the archives of the church which has been in this location since the early 1200’s. 

I know there are a lot of people who spend days before NaNo starts, working on characters, creating outlines, getting their plotlines worked out.  But that’s just not me.  I’m letting my characters write the story themselves.  It’s so much more fun that way, as I really have no idea where they’re going to take me next.  I do know that eventually, they’re going to take me to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia, called Susac.  But that’s still a long way away. 

I’m also doing a things a little different this year.  The past 2 years, I always tried to end my day’s writing at the end of a chapter.  This year, I’m not worrying about chapters, I’m just letting the story go on and on.  When I get to the end of a really good scene, then I stop writing, or when my fingers just can’t go on anymore.  But, I’m having a blast this time.  Last year, I forced myself to finish my story.  I think that’s why it’s still sitting in a folder on my hard drive.  Once NaNo was over last year, I put the story away and I’ve never looked at it again.  Kinda dumb, but that’s just the way I am.  LOL

There is something different about the story I’m writing this year too.  I can’t explain it, but it seems to actually be writing itself.  I mean, last year, I was well into the second week of the month before I hit 10,000 words and had to really cram and jam toward the end to make the 50K mark.  This year, I might actually be done before the end of the month.  I won’t say that I will be, cause sure enough, that will cause the story to end in my head.  LOL. 

Thanks again to everyone who encouraged me to go ahead and write my NaNo novel.  If I keep up the pace I’ve been going, and continue to let my characters write the story, I might actually go for it and try to get this one published.  I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one, but you never know.