All Write Already: Year Of Your Book
Page 11
Writer’s often use this technique to build a case for whatever point they wish to prove. Here are a few examples:
She wanted him. He looked hot (1), smelled good (2), and when he smiled, her world felt right (3).
Wind whistled (1), and branches slapped together (2). Shadows writhed (3). Had a night ever creeped me out more?
Her house had become a menagerie, filled with dogs (1), cats (2), and the insects they brought in (3).
Other examples:
Blood, sweat and tears
Stop, drop and roll
Past, present, future
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Bonus assignment: Locate a place in your project that you can utilize the rule of three. Does it enhance the realness of the scene?
Day 89
You’re Not a Journalist
Have you ever skipped over big blocks of information as you read a fictional book? Perhaps that information was something that excited the author...and only the author. Remember, as you write, you add more than a journalist detailing facts of a story, or a professor giving a lecture. You are an artist who breathes life into people, places and things.
To avoid crafting blocks of narrative that might bore the reader, consider scrolling through your story and rereading every wall of text you come across—possible information dumps. Can one or more of the facts in your exposition be placed elsewhere? Would the information be more exciting if separated from other information? Would it be better delivered through word of mouth instead of narrative? Is the information relevant to the story where it is? Are there places to weave in emotional responses and sensory details?
Focus. Magnify. Accomplish. Triumph!
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 90
Decision Tree
A decision tree is a thought tool that (might) resembles a tree by the time you finish. Or, if you are like Gena, it will resemble a jumbled ball of yarn. You start with a single question (trunk), add the different answers (branches), then add the possible consequences to each decision (leaves).
We like to use this method for our characters any time they must make a major decision. The goal is to avoid making your characters appear all-knowing, as though they have the right answer for every problem, and no thought is needed.
Here’s an example of a simple decision tree. (Yours will be much more complex, with lines pointing to different answers.)
(Trunk)
Character comes to a crossroads. Should they choose:
(Branches)
Left: paved road
Middle: road straight ahead
Right: gravel road
(More branches)
Left: The paved road leads to Enchantia
Middle: The road straight ahead leads to nowhere
Right: The gravel road leads to Zombieland
(Leaves)
Left: Battle the evil sorcerer
Middle: Learn to fight
Right: Be crowned queen
Each choice leads to new choices that must be made, as well as fresh implications and complications, every decision causing the “tree” to branch out.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Bonus assignment: Consider a choice your character must make and the possible outcomes of their decisions. Craft a decision tree to help.
Day 91
Reflect and Catch Up
Understand that there will be days you make a lot of progress toward your goal and days you don't. How you handle the setbacks can make or break you. Understand there will be certain things that are out of your control. Don't allow yourself to be discouraged. Keep going. You'll get to the finish line.
–New York Times bestselling author Mandy M. Roth
Day 92
Your Ideal Work Space
Carving out time to write can be difficult. Finding a place to write can be just as challenging. When you do find the time and place, you may need to enact “on the job” rules for your loved ones. This rules can include:
No texts or phone calls unless you’re seriously hurt
No blood, no vomit = no interruption
Ask yourself if your query is worth awakening the beast lurking inside the author
Let’s backtrack a moment, though. Today we’ll focus on finding the best space for you to write. Tomorrow we’ll cover the necessary boundaries.
So. What do we know about writing space? Every author needs one. Someplace comfortable to you, where you are at ease and able to focus for extended periods of time. Some authors work well with a messy desk (both Jill and Gena), some require organization. Whatever your preference, you may want to avoid leaving reminders of incomplete tasks. Every time you work, your mind will wander to those tasks, distracting you.
Often you’ll hear of writers going to a favorite coffee shop, ordering a drink and then writing uninterrupted until their drink is gone.
As we mentioned on Day 41—This Way or That Way?—what works with one book might not work with another. If the words aren’t flowing as smoothly as usual, allow yourself some flexibility. A change in scenery might just do the trick!
JILL: Even though Gena and I have collaborated on a book before—Dating the Undead—the process we used to complete this manuscript was different. For All Write Already, we divvied up assignments. Then, we did some brainstorming on two different seven-hour long car trips. We also spoke on the phone multiple times, typing in our shared document in real time.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Bonus assignment: What can you do to set the tone for your workspace? Can you tidy your desk, hang up a sign, or light a candle? Try some things out and write an extra 350 words.
Day 93
Boundaries
You might need to set work time boundaries with your family and friends. Occasionally, non-authors do not understand that writing is a job, even if you aren’t getting paid—yet.
GENA: If you want to make money as an author, you must treat your writing like a job and do your required work even when you don’t feel like it. This will help train you to meet your deadlines.
There are multiple tricks you can utilize to help set boundaries for yourself and others. If necessary, hang a sign on your door: No Interruptions Unless There’s Blood or Fire. Silence your cell phone. Turn on your auto-reply email telling people you’ll reply as soon as you’re able. Lock yourself out of social media for a set time.
JILL: Honestly, this can be your biggest challenge. I still have family members who don’t think I have a “real” job because I don’t leave the house every day and work in an office. As a new writer, you may struggle with finding the balance between family obligations with children, appointments for aging parents/grandparents as well as the 9 to 5. The cold, harsh reality is that there is no perfect balance. Instead, I work for situational balance. Clearly, kids need attention, but eventually they’ll learn to fold clothes, work the kitchen and entertain themselves, and these are good things. Designate one appointment day for your elderly relatives, so you’re only chauffeuring one day a week instead of several.
There’s a saying that goes something like this: Real writers write every day. But, that kind of schedule can be brutal if you’ve got a full time job, a family, or any number of other responsibilities. It’s okay to write when you can. Once I gave myself permission to take a day off from writing due to other obligations, a weight was lifted. That thinking allowed me to enjoy those days with my grandparents instead of wondering if I’d have time to get my word count in before I had to pick up the kids from school.
This may mean your books will be published further apart. That rapid release schedule might not work for you. Harsh truths, I know, but one thing I can promise you is that change happens. You won’t always have to divide your time. I recently became an empty nester, and as I always suspected, my productivity soared through the roof. (Sorry kids.)
You’ve had
time now to evaluate your writing space. Is it meeting your requirements? Do you need to reassess? Create a plan of action so your current writing space/budget meets your needs. Look at your calendar and craft a plan of action to ensure your boundaries are respected.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 94
Villain's Backstory
Like your main characters, your villain needs a backstory. This information can help explain why he’s like he is, what he wants—aka his endgame—and any strengths and weaknesses he’ll display as the story progresses.
What are three major life events that helped shape your villain? A traumatic incident or the loss of a loved one? The first stirring of a predatory instinct? A betrayal?
Are any of these events tied to the main character(s)?
Is your villain a created being or a born one? If created, what is the science/logic behind her creation? How does she react to certain stimuli?
Whatever type of villain you are writing, make sure to give them at least one redeeming quality. Most people—even monsters—are not all bad, just as heroes are not usually all good. By giving a villain a positive trait, you help flesh out the character to make them real, no matter the species.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 95
Drop a Bomb
Get stuck again? Consider dropping some kind of bomb on your characters to really shake up their world!
In the TV Show Lost, the writers always kept the viewers engaged by dropping a new revelation. These included discovering there were other survivors, when Walt was taken, finding the hatch or when Charlie warns Desmond the boat they thought was there to save them was not Penny’s boat. The characters literally discovered a bomb in one season.
Adding a surprising twist will definitely keep your readers on their toes. They might even stay up extra late, despite having to work the next day, because they must, must, must know what happens next.
Keep your bombs logical so that they don’t strain a reader's suspension of disbelief.
You can add unexpected suspense to your story to keep your readers turning the page.
Give a character a secret they must keep from another.
Add an eerie feeling to a certain room or character.
If your characters have broken a bad habit, tempt them to do it again.
One character catches another in a lie.
Add a deadline or ticking clock. Think about the story of Cinderella and how you worried as midnight approached.
Unpredictability can ratchet up suspense. Think—What would I, as a first time reader of this story, expect to happen next? Then, consider writing the exact opposite.
Go with your gut. If it feels right for your story, run with it.
Your assignment: Double your daily word count! Write roughly 500 words for your novel.
Day 96
Layer, Layer, Layer
We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again. Your rough draft doesn’t have to be perfect. You can fix any mistakes you find when you edit. The rough draft doesn’t even have to be the full story.
The rough draft can act as the bones of the story. The main events and developments. Then you can go back and add the muscle—the emotion, transitions and connections. The flesh and frosting—the descriptions, one-liners, using more dynamic words.
Is your story missing any layers? Action? Reaction? Emotion? Thought/consideration? Hooks? Foreshadowing? Transitions between scenes? Sometimes it’s easier to read the book once, adding the missing action, then reading it again to add the missing emotion, and so on. Sometimes it’s easier to add everything at once. What method will work best for you?
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 97
Works Outside But Not In
Just because something works outside of your story—a line you love, a situation you’re excited about, a joke or stunt—doesn’t always mean it will work in your story. Forcing something into your story just because it’s awesome will not have an awesome result. It can tear readers out of a story faster than you can kick your own butt.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 98
Reflect and Catch Up
Ideas Can Come From Anywhere
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with an idea burning to be told? Or how about when you’re in the shower? Or at a restaurant? For me, the best ideas rarely strike when I’m sitting at the computer willing them to come. Often when I’m not thinking about it and I’m relaxed is when they tend to pop into my brain, and not always at the most convenient times.
In fact, I came up with this, my best beginning worldbuilding advice and the reasoning behind it, at 6 AM, sitting in a parking lot while waiting to go to a film shoot with my husband. I used voice to text on my phone because I wanted to remember what to tell you.
I don’t know how many times I’ve thought I would surely remember an idea because it was so amazing. But in the end, I’d wake up the next morning only to find that the awesome idea had slipped through my fingers. Though, I do occasionally wake up to a very cryptic note I can't decipher. I'm still not sure where I was going with "bird men and potato chips".
I keep notebooks everywhere–my nightstand, the car, my purse. Some of them even have notes I scribbled on restaurant napkins. I know other authors also do this, and I highly recommend it to anyone working in this field. Whenever an idea strikes, write it down. Whenever you observe something interesting, write it down. Whenever you hear a snippet of inspiring conversation or unique dialog, write it down. Your ideas notebook is a wealth of inspiration.
How you organize it is up to you. Random observations I'll write in the back and turn the pages forward to separate them from the ideas relating to my current projects at the beginning of the notebook. Others I mark with symbols in the upper corner so I can quickly see what kind of idea it is, like a star for something I think is great and an empty box for something that needs checked off my list.
Whether you decide to type notes on your phone or keep a notepad by your nightstand, I find it a good idea to have something to write with at all times so that you can capture those brilliant thoughts and inspirations as they come to you. These will be the little snippets of ideas that you flesh out later when it comes to writing your book.
–NYT & USAT Bestselling Paranormal Romance Author Michelle M. Pillow
Day 99
Not Based On Real People
Have you ever noticed the paragraph in books and movies that claim “these fictional characters bear no resemblance to real people alive or dead”? There’s a reason for that—liability. As enticing as it is, do not name and describe your characters based on real people or call a haggard otherworld species after your ex. Save yourself from a potential lawsuit later on.
Your assignment: Double your daily word count! Write roughly 500 words for your novel.
Day 100
Words, Words, Words
Anytime we begin a new scene, we try to ground our readers in the “reality” of the moment with a description of the world/scenery around the characters. This doesn’t have to be an information dump—too much information offered in one place. You can sprinkle in the details throughout the opening, adding more as the scene progresses.
The five senses can help you paint this scene. Temperature? Smells? Sounds? Is the location crowded with multiple people having different conversations? Or is the place empty and silent? What landmarks do your characters encounter? Is anything unique about this location? What is the tone/mood/vibe? Help the reader read the room.
Tip: You can write your scene as usual. Then, go back and read that scene and highlight any descriptions. Then, go through your highlighted sections and add details as necessary. This is a more concentrated form of layering.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 101
Let’s return our attention to our main characters. As we write, certain descriptive words can get lodged in our heads. Handsome. Fierce. Brave. Beautiful. Smart. Flighty. Bumbling. Brooding.
We have a tip to help prevent you from overusing the same descriptive words. And how to recognize if you might be over-describing your character.
Every time you write a descriptive word, highlight it in the same color.
When you finish your rough draft, scroll through your document or flip through your notebook to find the highlighted portions. Are there too many? Too few? Are they too close together, relaying the same information?