This question was posted by a prolific writer on one of my loops this week. And I have to say there were various answers to the question of how do we deal with it. The answers ranged from: force yourself to write to research and read.
I was the one who suggested reading and researching. I do this to help refill the well, jarring the writer out of a dead-end funk. I've tried the write through it phase and all I had was a bunch of crap that I had to delete. . . and it was more frustrating than it was worth. If I think about the problem for a day or two (walking is a great way to sort it out) or read to get my mind off it, then I seem to come up with an answer.
The key is to find a way that works for you.
What tricks do you use to keep working on your manuscript?
11/12/08
11/10/08
the purpose of goals
One reason to have daily goals is to push yourself as a writer. Last week, I had a goal of writing 10,000 words. I made it to 6516 or 21 pages, still an admirable accomplishment. I allowed a couple of non-writing things get in the way, which prevented me from reaching my goal.
Some ideas when setting up goals:
1) make it doable, plus some more. For example, if you know you can write 3 pages in your allotted writing time, then shoot for 4 pages.
2)take into account your work/family life when setting your goal, whether it is a daily, weekly, or monthly goal. If you have a sick kid, full work week, appointments, etc. don't take away from family time to write. Family is important. Besides who needs to sleep?!
3)make it realistic. Don't have a goal that depends on anyone else. For example, becoming a NYT best selling author is entirely out of your own hands, but writing the best damn book out there is realistic.
This week, my goal is to write 10K, which means a daily count of 2000 words. So I better get started, since blogging doesn't count. :-(
Some ideas when setting up goals:
1) make it doable, plus some more. For example, if you know you can write 3 pages in your allotted writing time, then shoot for 4 pages.
2)take into account your work/family life when setting your goal, whether it is a daily, weekly, or monthly goal. If you have a sick kid, full work week, appointments, etc. don't take away from family time to write. Family is important. Besides who needs to sleep?!
3)make it realistic. Don't have a goal that depends on anyone else. For example, becoming a NYT best selling author is entirely out of your own hands, but writing the best damn book out there is realistic.
This week, my goal is to write 10K, which means a daily count of 2000 words. So I better get started, since blogging doesn't count. :-(
11/7/08
book returns
I read quite a few blogs first thing in the morning, and this blog today (11/7/08) thoroughly explains this insane practice. No wonder the industry is in a world of hurt. This is the most backward practice I've heard of in modern times.
1) I would never consider returning a book after its read, but it seems that many people do just that. My question is why would the Big Chain Stores (BCS) even consider returning the customer's money if the book is obviously used?
Pass the book to other potential readers, greedy puss!
--Sell it at a used book store, donate it to the library, send it to soldier overseas, take it to the local women's shelter, or to the local prison.
2) I know its a crapshoot as to how well a book will sell in the stores, so don't order so many! Yeah, yeah, easy to say, but in Oklahoma they can't give TWILIGHT books away! Methinks someone over-guesstimated that one! Make it go into more print runs. If the big pubs aren't doing their magic with computers, they need to get with the program. It can't be that hard.
3) Though the print pubs don't want to face reality, it is stupid to have huge print runs. Yes, you need to get the book out there, but with computer technology being what it is, POD (Print on Demand) is the way the world is going. True, I love walking in my local B&N and fondling new book, but many times they don't have want I want. Either they don't have the author on the shelf or the particular book I need. Yes, I could have them order it, but then I would have to come back to pick up the book. Why wouldn't order it online and have the dang book delivered to my home?!
Over the years I've received numerous rejections for my manuscripts, and many seasoned authors stress that its simply business. The pubs want a sure thing to make money. And I'm okay with that--took my six years to get it--but I get it.
If it is all about making money, why are the pubs perpetuating this crazy practice of allowing books to be returned? They claim that if the BCS don't have the books visible, then they won't make money. The times are changing, computers are king, and this way of thinking needs to go the way of the dodo bird.
What are your thoughts on this practice?
1) I would never consider returning a book after its read, but it seems that many people do just that. My question is why would the Big Chain Stores (BCS) even consider returning the customer's money if the book is obviously used?
Pass the book to other potential readers, greedy puss!
--Sell it at a used book store, donate it to the library, send it to soldier overseas, take it to the local women's shelter, or to the local prison.
2) I know its a crapshoot as to how well a book will sell in the stores, so don't order so many! Yeah, yeah, easy to say, but in Oklahoma they can't give TWILIGHT books away! Methinks someone over-guesstimated that one! Make it go into more print runs. If the big pubs aren't doing their magic with computers, they need to get with the program. It can't be that hard.
3) Though the print pubs don't want to face reality, it is stupid to have huge print runs. Yes, you need to get the book out there, but with computer technology being what it is, POD (Print on Demand) is the way the world is going. True, I love walking in my local B&N and fondling new book, but many times they don't have want I want. Either they don't have the author on the shelf or the particular book I need. Yes, I could have them order it, but then I would have to come back to pick up the book. Why wouldn't order it online and have the dang book delivered to my home?!
Over the years I've received numerous rejections for my manuscripts, and many seasoned authors stress that its simply business. The pubs want a sure thing to make money. And I'm okay with that--took my six years to get it--but I get it.
If it is all about making money, why are the pubs perpetuating this crazy practice of allowing books to be returned? They claim that if the BCS don't have the books visible, then they won't make money. The times are changing, computers are king, and this way of thinking needs to go the way of the dodo bird.
What are your thoughts on this practice?
11/5/08
Falling in the Research Pit
I started writing a new UF series, per the request of a small press publisher--Squee!
Over the last 4 weeks, I researched the city I wanted to place this new story, the paranormal creatures that would belong in it, and thought about plot points, character, dialogue, arcs (character, book, and series arcs) etc. You name it, I thought about everything . . . .
but not quite.
As I was writing, I needed to see where the city's morgue was located in relation to a hospital, the supposed headquarters of my organization and another important building.
Mapquest is freakin' AWESOME! That particular research tangent took less than five minutes. *Note the time*
My next research tangent involved a POS (piece of shit) car that had been souped up with a Vette Z07 engine and low profile, run-flat tires. I pulled up the Chevy website thinking they always have engine requirements on cars--but not on Vettes. About ten minutes later, I said 'screw this'. I realized that I was wasting valuable writing time doing research.
So I wrote in highlighted capital letters, INSERT HOPPED UP CORVETTE ENGINE INFO. Yes, I copied that directly from my manuscript to this page.
Word to the wise--If your 'research' takes longer than 5-10 minutes, put a note in your manuscript and go back to it later. Tough to do, but you won't lose your forward momentum if you set a time limit.
What do you do when you have to stop writing to look something up?
Over the last 4 weeks, I researched the city I wanted to place this new story, the paranormal creatures that would belong in it, and thought about plot points, character, dialogue, arcs (character, book, and series arcs) etc. You name it, I thought about everything . . . .
but not quite.
As I was writing, I needed to see where the city's morgue was located in relation to a hospital, the supposed headquarters of my organization and another important building.
Mapquest is freakin' AWESOME! That particular research tangent took less than five minutes. *Note the time*
My next research tangent involved a POS (piece of shit) car that had been souped up with a Vette Z07 engine and low profile, run-flat tires. I pulled up the Chevy website thinking they always have engine requirements on cars--but not on Vettes. About ten minutes later, I said 'screw this'. I realized that I was wasting valuable writing time doing research.
So I wrote in highlighted capital letters, INSERT HOPPED UP CORVETTE ENGINE INFO. Yes, I copied that directly from my manuscript to this page.
Word to the wise--If your 'research' takes longer than 5-10 minutes, put a note in your manuscript and go back to it later. Tough to do, but you won't lose your forward momentum if you set a time limit.
What do you do when you have to stop writing to look something up?
11/4/08
A good reading experience
I just skimmed an interesting blog (yes, skimmed, I hate reading freakin' long blog posts as it wastes too much of my time). After digesting this for a little while, I asked myself, why do I write? Who is my audience?
I'll digress a little and relate this to movies that I like watching. I LOVE, love, love action packed movies that take me along for a fun ride. I will not watch chick flicks, angsty protagonists, historical epics (except LOTR), or anything along those lines. I don't want to cry or feel like I learned something. I want to escape reality and have a good time along the way.
I write the same vein: to escape reality. I want to tell a story that is fun, action packed and full of surprises that takes me to a place I've never been before. I will never be a literary author and don't want to be, except they seem to command more of an advance that genre authors--bummer. And they tend to be picked by Oprah and book clubs to explore their 'deeper meaning'.
But give me a fun read any day of the week.
What do you like to read or write?
I'll digress a little and relate this to movies that I like watching. I LOVE, love, love action packed movies that take me along for a fun ride. I will not watch chick flicks, angsty protagonists, historical epics (except LOTR), or anything along those lines. I don't want to cry or feel like I learned something. I want to escape reality and have a good time along the way.
I write the same vein: to escape reality. I want to tell a story that is fun, action packed and full of surprises that takes me to a place I've never been before. I will never be a literary author and don't want to be, except they seem to command more of an advance that genre authors--bummer. And they tend to be picked by Oprah and book clubs to explore their 'deeper meaning'.
But give me a fun read any day of the week.
What do you like to read or write?
BIAW & vote
Okay, I tried, I really tried to hit the 2000 word mark on my new manuscript, I made 1458 words.
So for today, I have 2542 words to write. I think it helps that the TV blew last night and I won't have anything to distract me. :-)
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!
So for today, I have 2542 words to write. I think it helps that the TV blew last night and I won't have anything to distract me. :-)
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!
11/3/08
The timer trick
Ah, once I finish tying up a few loose ends (getting the first load of laundry in the washer, heating up a cup of joe, emailing a rose reminder to my chapter, eating-because if I don't I'll faint from hunger or dive into the kiddo's Halloween candy) I'll be starting my timer set for 30 minutes.
Why 30 minutes?
Because it's doable. It might take the first 5 or 10 minutes to get into the groove, but BICHOK for 30 minutes--not a problem! When I tried two hours--hell, then I'm up and wandering around and wind up spending less than 15 minutes total actually writing. Whereas, I can do 4 30-minute segments, and really write for 2 hours.
After I write for 30 minutes, then I can take a 30 minute break: to read email, refresh my coffee, move the laundry to the dryer, etc.
Try it, you just might like it!
Why 30 minutes?
Because it's doable. It might take the first 5 or 10 minutes to get into the groove, but BICHOK for 30 minutes--not a problem! When I tried two hours--hell, then I'm up and wandering around and wind up spending less than 15 minutes total actually writing. Whereas, I can do 4 30-minute segments, and really write for 2 hours.
After I write for 30 minutes, then I can take a 30 minute break: to read email, refresh my coffee, move the laundry to the dryer, etc.
Try it, you just might like it!
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