Every now and then I’m asked to be featured on another author’s blog. I should have posted this earlier so you all would’ve had a chance to win a copy of my book, but a nasty cold kept me down for a few days. If you’re interested in checking out my interview, here’s the link:
http://katieslegacy.blogspot.com/2011/01/blogiversary-party-day-4.html
The author of this blog, Katy McCurdy, is a delightful young lady, so consider following Legacy of a Writer after you read the interview.
I don’t know about you, but the Christmas season is a busy time for me. With holiday parties, school functions, and family gatherings to attend–not to mention shopping for gifts–writing has been shoved to the back burner. After participating in NaNoWriMo and writing 50,000 words in less than 30 days, I can use a break. Christmas is a nice reprieve, so I don’t mind putting aside my manuscript for a few weeks. In fact, it’s a good idea no matter what time of year to set aside your writing for a period of time. When you look at it again, you’re looking at it with a fresh prospective.
I found myself stressing a little about not focusing on my latest novel. I haven’t so much as glanced at it since the first of November. Realizing the world wouldn’t come to an end if I didn’t work on it, I made a deal with myself to start anew come January. I let myself off the hook and it feels great.
As long as our priorities are in order, I think we all could benefit from not being so hard on ourselves when we fall behind in areas that are not so important. Don’t fall short when it comes to our relationship with the Lord; be responsible when it comes to our families and our jobs; and keep the bills paid in a timely fashion. Everything else can take a backseat if it causes stress and makes a negative impact on our spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being.
Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, and to count our blessings. Despite the state of our economy, we still have tons of blessings to be thankful for. It would take me an eternity to list everything I’m thankful for, but right now I’ll just say, “thank you, God, for my husband, my daughter, my job, our home, my family, friends, and the talents you’ve given me to share with the world.”
One of the many blessings I’m counting: my daughter, Michelle
Merry Christmas, everyone!
I’ve been actively networking on the internet for over three years now. During this time I’ve run across some great blogs that not only provide useful writing tips, but encouragement as well. Some authors even share personal anecdotes on their blogs, a reminder that that even the most celebrated novelist is human like the rest of us.
Blogs authored by writers usually fall into three main categories: teaching, showcasing other authors (including book reviews), and encouragement. What I like about the blogs I follow is the fact that the authors have been in my shoes. They had to start at the bottom before making their way up the ladder to publication. They remember what it’s like to be a new author and are willing to share what they’ve learned along the way. I like to think of these blogs as personal writing tutors. After a while, the people who write them begin to feel like old friends.
The best way to get connected to blogs is to join online writing groups or social sites. Start networking with authors who share similar interests and genre. You’ll find that many of the writers you meet own a blog, or know of someone who does.
Many of the blogs I discovered came to me by word of mouth. Writer friends would either recommend the blog, or would announce their involvement in one. Many have contests that entice readers to visit their blog. I followed many this way and even won a few books.
The following are just a few of the blogs I currently follow:
Faith, Fiction, Fun and Fanciful
There are many, many more great blogs out there, but this short list will get you started. Pay them a visit, and if you like what you see, “follow” their blog and tell them The Country Author sent you!
No, it’s not a greeting from another planet. It’s short for National Novel Writing Month. It’s that crazy time of year when authors dare to commit themselves to writing 50,000 words in 30 days.
I learned about NaNoWrimo back in 2007. Eager to prove myself as a dedicated writer, I jumped in with both feet (along with my computer, nimble fingers, a quiet room, and a cup of tea) and accepted the challenge. Although I started a week late, I managed to exceed the 50,000 word goal. I patted myself on the back and downloaded the cute little “winner” badge to display on my new website.
2008 was not a good year for many reasons. The last thing I wanted to do was force myself to spit out that many words in such a short time. Fortunately, when November of 2009 rolled around, I happily joined in. This time I was under the gun to finish within 20 days. Weekends were (and still are) 
reserved for family time; therefore, the computer stays off. We also planned to go out of town to spend Thanksgiving with family. Since I have a desktop computer, I’m “computer-less” every time we leave home. These issues did not prevent me from once again achieving my goal. Another “winner” badge!
This year I’m aiming to get this thing done in twenty days. I did it before, I could do it again. Here it is day #3 and I’m already at 7,614 words. I figured if I can do at least 2, 500 words a day, I would have no problem reaching 50,000 by Thanksgiving week.
If you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, check out their website. This exercise in total writing abandonment and bliss is great for new authors and multi-published writers alike. It’s fun to do because you’re not expected to edit your work. Just write whatever you want. Editing comes later. In many cases, manuscripts hastily put together during NaNoWriMo become great books. I have high hopes for mine.
Why don’t you give it a try? You’ve got nothing to lose. It’s only been a few days, so you can easily catch up if you start tomorrow. If you don’t make it this time, don’t despair. Consider this year a trial run. Besides, it’s good practice whether you put out 100 words, 1000 words, or 50,000 words.
Happy writing!
Most bloggers know that in order to get the best search engine rankings, they need to post at least once a week. Well, I failed miserably in that regard. Will I lose sleep over it? Nope. The reason I didn’t post since the first week of October was totally out of my control. My computer fell ill. When the first symptoms made themselves known (weird noises, squiggly bars on the screen), I feared a disk crash. What made matters worse, the computer froze, preventing me from backing up my precious files. I powered my PC off, then turned it back on after a few minutes. It rebooted and allowed me to work for about an hour and a half. During that time, I came to the conclusion that my PC wasn’t so sick after all, that is until the squiggly bars came back and my computer froze. I shut the thing off and called it quits for the night. In the days that followed, the problem only got worse. I finally took it seriously and backed up my important files just in case. I’m so glad I did because after that, my computer worked for only ten minutes before freezing up for good. Once I shut it off, I couldn’t get it to start up again.
I took my PC into town to the local computer repair shop. They phoned later with the good news that the RAM card had slipped out of place. The computer guy showed me how to replace it if it were to happen again. What I thought was a huge, expensive problem, turned out to be minor. The shop didn’t charge me. Double blessing.
I learned an important lesson through this and that is BACK UP your files regularly. I have hundred of pages of manuscript residing on my hard drive. An author’s worse nightmare would be to lose months of work. It can almost compare to Kathy Bates setting James Caan’s completed HAND-TYPED manuscript on fire right in front of him. I felt his pain. At least we don’t have to worry about fans like Kathy Bates’s character in Misery, nor do we have to pound out our books on typewriters. Computers are awesome tools for authors, but they aren’t perfect. Anything can happen.
Back up your files, my friends. You’ll be glad you did.
As I meet other authors, I find that very few have any formal training in creative writing. I know a few authors who have a journalism background and have achieved a degree in this field of work. It seems natural for someone with this kind of experience to gravitate toward writing novels, however, most authors I’ve crossed paths with come from professional careers totally unrelated to writing.
The great thing about becoming an author is that you’re not expected to have a series of letters following your name. If you can wow a reader with your words, you’ve got what it takes. This is not to say that you shouldn’t consider seeking an education to improve your writing skills. There’s always room for improvement no matter how good you or others think you are. The worse thing any author could do is get to a place where he or she feels they know all there is to know. The literary market is always changing. It ebbs and flows as readers’ interests change, what is fashionable at the time, and what’s newsworthy. A smart author must keep a pen in one hand and an ear to the market. Know what readers want and then find out what publishers require in order for you, as an author, to deliver.
So, if not college, then what? There are so many opportunities to learn and grow as a writer. For starters, you can network. That’s what I do. If you’re reading this blog, then you’re well on your way. Internet access opens up a world of opportunities to network your heart out. There are social sites where you can introduce yourself and your writing, there are blogs authored by literary professionals, and there are sites designed exclusively for writers. As you get acquainted with these websites, blogs, and forums, you may find that many offer writing workshops, webinars, and other venues for improving your skills. One of the first writing sites I joined was American Christian Fiction Writers. There is a fee to join, but the wealth of information it offers is priceless. In addition to the internet, consider purchasing books on writing. Look into classes offered by a local college, join a writers group, or attend a weekend workshop. If you can afford it, attend a writers conference. Humbly, I’ll admit that I have yet to attend a conference, but someday, as God provides the resources, I’ll have the opportunity to attend one. Hopefully, this will cheer you up if you’re like me and haven’t been able to go.
As an author with just a few years under her belt, I’m thankful that all I need to pursue my creative interests is the ability God gave me to do so. I don’t need an AA, BS, MS, or PhD after my name to put my thoughts on paper, fulfill my dreams, and accept God’s call.
What are your thoughts? What formal training, if any, have you had before you became a writer? Did you simply get a spiritual thunk on the head (sort of a wake-up call from God) like I did before I realized God gave me a gift to write and I should do something with it? I’d love to hear from you!
There are two types of writers: the SOTP (Seat of the Pants) writer and the writer who meticulously plots the story before she even types “Chapter One”.
I’m a SOTP writer. The only plotting I do is in my head in addition to research notes and jotting down ideas as they pop into my brain. I often tell myself that I need to study up on the process of plotting a story and start implementing it. My comfort zone is sitting down in front of my computer and going for it. SOTP writing comes easy for me, but I suspect that once I master the art of plotting, it will come easy too.
Most of us seat-of-the-pantsers don’t know a whole lot about plotting. It does seem complex, even confusing. Do we want to take the time to learn, or just stay in our SOTP comfort zone? I suppose, as with any other endeavor, we can start with the basics. Allow ourselves to learn a few things and put them into practice. After a while, we’ll grow comfortable with this alien form of writing (well, it’s alien to some of us) and it’ll come second-nature.
As a practiced SOTP writer, I’m willing to explore the world of plotting. I’ve read about it, and heard all about the fine points many authors use. From white dry-erase boards to post-it notes to the “snow-flake” method, there are a plethora of plotting techniques.
This week, I challenge my fellow seat-of-the-pants authors to pick one simple form of plotting to try. Don’t try to tackle anything too confusing, just stick to the basics. Here’s a list of several strategies I’ve come up with:
Simple List: Decide what the basic premise of your story will be, the main characters, the secondary characters, and the setting(s). Once you’ve made this list, you can either dive into writing and see what evolves, or you can take this simple list to the next level and add more info about characters and setting.
Characters: Some authors go into great detail describing each character (main and secondary) before they begin writing. Some simply list the names of all the players in the story, while others note each character’s goal, motivation, conflict, and any catastrophe they may face in order to achieve their goal. Some even decide ahead of time the character’s hair and eye color, stature, tone of voice, and other mannerisms.
Scenes: This step can be quite involved, but helpful in keeping track of where you want your story to go. If you decide to accept this mission, keep it simple. Come up with a beginning, middle, and an end. Decide who the major players are and what their role in the story is, where the story is set, and the main goal of the story and its characters. When you’ve tackled this much, you may add more information and begin to divide each part (beginning, middle, and end) into individual scenes.
Keep in mind, these “strategies” are very basic and come from someone who is a “plotting novice”, but I think it’s a good start. Have fun with this. I know I will.
Before I end this, I want you to know that if you are a SOTP writer, don’t be ashamed. As far as I know, there are no hard and fast rules in the publishing world that state you can’t be a seat-of-the-pantser. Some authors do very well writing this way, while some writers take days–even weeks–plotting every single detail and still can’t produce a good story. It goes back to one of my first posts: Were you born to write? Do what works for you, but don’t be afraid to try something different that may improve your gift to write.
When is a good time to write? Early morning before the rest of the family awakes? Noon, during your lunch break? Evenings, after the day’s activities are behind you?
Most authors know that inspiration can hit at any time, and not always when it’s the most convenient. Have you ever struggled for hours in front of your computer trying to come up with the perfect cliffhanger only to have it hit you at three in the morning, waking you from a dead sleep with no pen and paper close by and you’re too tired to get up and write it down? Or, perhaps you’re in the middle of a business meeting and your mind wanders to your latest manuscript, then suddenly the writer’s block that plagued you for the last two weeks is gone and all these ideas pop into your head. What do you do? Our creativity can peak at the oddest times, but there are ways to work around it. Don’t fight the urge to write. Losing a few minutes of sleep is worth getting up and writing those thoughts down. Getting them out of your system just may give your mind the rest it needs. Keep a notepad and pencil on your nightstand so you’ll be prepared for those middle of the night mind forays. When you’re stuck in a meeting or in class, getting up out of your chair to write down your thoughts isn’t what I’d recommend. However, you might be able to inconspicuously sneak a few words on paper, or wait until you have a break. A small notebook is a must-have tool, just don’t get it mixed up with your homework or business paperwork, and don’t allow your writing to cause inconsideration of others.
There is a season for everything under heaven, including writing.
Can you think of other times the urge to write may happen? While grocery shopping? When driving to and from work or school? During a phone conversation? Sometimes we can excuse ourselves long enough to jot down a phrase or two, but often we can’t. As Christians, we need to ask God to help us remember the ideas we get. Praying before we sit down to write should become a habit. As we learn to listen to God, we’ll hear Him tell us WHEN to write, and how we can retain those ideas when we aren’t able to put them onto paper.
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