Are You an Outliner or a Seat-Of-The-Pants Writer?

I learned something about myself this year. I am a seat-of-the-pants type of writer. My first trilogy was written scene by scene, without any knowledge of what was going to happen in the next chapter. Sure, I had the general idea of how to finish the book, but other than the beginning and the end, I was clueless of how the story would turn out.

However, after attending some writer’s conferences and reading books on writing, I got the idea that writing an outline makes the revision stages of a book easier, because you don’t have to re-puzzle all the scenes together. (Something I know all too well about by writing my books in seat-of-the-pants mode.) It’s true! If you don’t outline, chances are, you’re going to move your scenes around, and in moving them, you’re going to have to rewrite many of them.

So I tried outlining. I started writing a new book, sure to outline the entire thing first. I got about 20,000 words in before I got bored. I already knew what was going to happen, and even though my readers wouldn’t know, I still didn’t see the point in finishing the book. It was the same feeling a reader might get if they picked up a book, skimmed through all the chapters, and then decided to read it. The book wouldn’t be quite as exciting because they would already know what was going to happen in the next chapter.

However, I thought it was the story that bored me, not that fact that I had outlined it, so I began a new book with the same approach- I outlined the entire thing. I didn’t even get 10,000 words into this one before I got bored again. I began thinking that maybe I was a one-trick-pony, that writer who writes ONE story and never writes again. I was discouraged and wondered if I should even bother writing again.

But I wasn’t about to give up. I picked my third story idea, (I have about a dozen ideas buzzing around in my head,) and I decided NOT to outline. I wrote it scene by scene, just the way I had written my original book. The outcome? I am currently 30,000 words into the story and I can’t wait to sit at the keyboard and write more!

You see, outlining and seat-of-the-pants writing  have their pros and cons. I can’t speak for everyone but here’s what I think.

If you outline, you’ll know every part of the story (no surprises!), BUT you’ll have a lot less work to do when you revise your book, because you will have already thought through the scene orders and the benefits of putting certain scenes in certain places. If you want to get that book done quickly, outlining is probably the best option.

Seat-of-the-pants writing, on the other hand, is like reading one of those books with the options at the end of the chapter “If you want Andrew to fall into the ocean, go to this page. If you want Andrew to hike through the dark forest, turn to this page.” But even then, you have more options than two. You have dozens of  scenes to choose from! How exciting! You are literally writing the book you’ve always wanted to read, and you’re calling all the shots AS you read. Seat-of-the-pants writing is FUN. But it’s harder work in the long run. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve revised and revised and revised my first trilogy. I’ve even gone so far as to turn Book One into two books (adding 80,000 more words), and then going back and turning it back into one book (which resulted in cutting out 100,000 words). It is A LOT of work, and it takes a lot of dedication. But if you’re passionate about your work, if you want to present the best story for your readers, you know the effort is worth it.

But all minds think differently. This is just my opinion and my experience. To all aspiring novelists who are just starting out, try both approaches before you decide on only one. You may like the seat-of-the-pants approach, but you might find outlining a lot easier for you, or vise-versa.

Of one thing I am certain: make sure you are having fun!!

The 3 Stages in a Writer’s Journey

Has anyone been watching American Idol this year? I just started watching the show three years ago. I love the first half of the show most. The part where the judges travel to different cities and watch a wide variety of people perform, all who hope to become the next American Idol. Some people are really good. Others, well… they clearly haven’t heard themselves sing.

I think the singer’s journey on American Idol can easily be compared to the writer’s journey.

The beginners.

It never ceases to surprise me how those who lack the talent of singing react to the judges. Some of them receive the critique with cool maturity and move on with their lives. Others flip off the cameras, shout profanities, and declare that the whole world will know their name by the end of the year. Well, the whole world might know them, but not in the way they had hoped….

In the same way, some new writers receive feedback from others and they build on that. In turn, they study the craft and grow and become better writers. But then there are those who proclaim to agents/editors, “God gave me this story and told me it must be published, so if you don’t publish me, you are sinning against God.” Or something along those lines. The say their book is the next bestseller, and instead of taking the agent’s/editor’s/reader’s advice on honing their craft, they go and self-publish it before it’s ready for an audience.

“I think it’s the people who have no doubt that every word they put down is gold that probably don’t write very well.” ~Dean Koontz

The in betweeners. 

Then there are those singers on American Idol who are in between beginners and experienced singers. Those people who are almost there, but their voice just isn’t strong enough. Sometimes the judges even tell those singers to come back next year.

This is the place in a writer’s journey where their persistence is truly tested. They know they’re almost at the point of being published, but they’re not quite there, and they’re not sure how long it’ll take to get there. They receive feedback from multiple professionals that their writing still needs work. Maybe the characters in their stories are well developed, but their plot is found lacking or vice versa.

In the beginning stages, this feedback may anger or humiliate a writer. But the more we writers work at our craft, the more we come to appreciate, and even seek out, that special critique. That’s why critique groups can become a writer’s best friend.

The experienced.

Finally, there are the really really good singers in American Idol. Those who get the golden ticket. Those how have received confirmation from the professionals that, yes, they have potential in the music industry, and yes, they could be the next American Idol. But at the Hollywood rounds, the judges still have to weed out the best of the best from, well, the best. They can’t take all two-hundred contestants to the final round. The singers rejected in this round may be rejected because their genre doesn’t fit what’s popular right now, or their singing, though brilliant, my need just a little bit more work.

In the same way, those writers accepted by agents may still be rejected by editors because their genre doesn’t fit a category in that publishing house, or their writing is only subpar to the other submissions editors receive. At this point, I think it’s okay to seek out other options, or even go the indie publishing way (such as self-publishing), which is a rapidly growing option in the writing industry now. Many best-sellers have made their beginnings as self-published books. Just make sure, if you self publish, that your book has been edited by a professional and is truly ready for the masses.

Reality show for writers

Wouldn’t it be fun if a reality show was created for writers? It would be something like American Idol meets Shark Tank, where the writers show/read their work to the judges. Then the writer is either sent home or offered another chance in round two, and the winner is offered a publishing deal.

What about you? Any writers out there feel like they’re stuck in one of the stages above? How do you move past rejection? How do you work with the critique offered?

Write What You Know (with a creative twist)

People often say to use your experiences to write a book. Or, as the old adage goes, “Write what you know.” Unfortunately, a lot of writers take that the wrong way. They think it means to write a biography about their life. Or if they’ve dealt  with depression, they think it means to write a book on depression. In my case, it’s always been, “Since you grew up in Ecuador, write about your life overseas.”

I’m not saying that’s wrong. If a writer feels really inspired to write about their life or an experience, I applaud them in their endeavors. If they’re writing about struggles they’ve had and how they got past them, they’ll probably help a lot of people. I personally struggle with writing nonfiction, especially about my life, because I’m afraid it’ll turn into some sop story.

However, I think us fiction writers can apply the “write what you know” saying very effectively, and I have some perfect examples. Since I grew up overseas, I struggled with culture shock when I came to the USA. Because of that experience, I understood how my character might react when she arrived on a new planet, a new culture. I understood the challenges she would face, the internal struggles she would deal with.

On another note, since I traveled to China and visited the frozen city of Harbin in the dead of winter, I had a few ideas of what to put in the frozen continent on my planet, such as ice sculptures and fairs built on the frozen river. I knew how to describe them, how my character might have felt when she saw them. (The ice sculptures are magnificent, by the way.) My post about Teeranies describes how I used an innocent pecari (warthog) as a vile, carnivorous creature in my story.

Of course, you don’t have to use outside experiences all the time, either. Have you ever been in love? Jealous? Angry? Heartbroken? Scared? If you’re familiar with those emotions, create a character that deals with them.

So when people tell me to write what I know, my response is, “I already have”. My book is full of experiences, I just used my imagination to write those experiences more creatively. If you want to write fiction stories, do it. Don’t ever feel obligated to write a nonfiction account about your life just because that’s what everyone is telling you to do. (Unless you want to.)

 

For any writers out there, what is an exciting experience you’ve had that you would like to share with the world?

If you’re a fiction writer, how could you incorporate that experience into your story?

Those questions can help when you’re writing descriptions, or if you’re thinking of a new exciting scene to add to your story.

Why Do You Write?

“ Why do you write?”

This question has been on my mind the past few months, and as I spend time studying the craft and searching for agents/publishers, I can’t help but try and answer the underlying question, why do I even bother?

My motives have changed since I was in high school trying to find my place in this world. I used to want to be a published author so I could find my name in bookstores among those names that I admire. I didn’t really care about writing the next bestseller (although that would be awesome), but I just wanted to be a little bit famous, if even among a small niche. I just wanted my name to be published.

And as I got older, I thought, wouldn’t that be the perfect job? To get paid to do what you love? Of course it would. Unfortunately, very few authors actually get paid enough to make a living off their books. And honestly, writing solely to get paid makes it more of a chore than a passion.

When I actually began writing my stories and studying the market, I learned that those aren’t good reasons to write at all. There is so much more to writing a good story than fame and money. It’s an adventure, an escape to an alternate world where you get to call the shots… most of the time. (Sometimes the characters are just too stubborn to let you win.) But even though you’re the one calling the shots, and perhaps you already know the ending, it’s still an exciting ride discovering how you’re going to get from point A to point B. There are unique characters you’ll meet along the way, and deep lessons you’ll learn.

So I guess I could say I’ve learned that writing is a reward in itself. Who needs a big name? Who needs book signings? Who needs that large check?

But there was still something missing, because just the thought of never having anyone else read these stories discouraged me.

I remember reading/listening to interviews from other authors. Authors that I loved and respected. When asked what the most rewarding part of writing was to them, pretty much all of them had the same answer. “The most rewarding part of writing is hearing from my readers, and knowing they connected with my story.” I used to roll my eyes and mumble, “sunday school answer.” I mean, who would say the most rewarding part was the money or fame? Of course they would say it was the readers.

But now that I’ve completed my own trilogy and had my own group of readers enjoy my stories and give me feedback, I have to say I agree with those authors. Just having readers connect with my characters is a huge reward in itself.

So back to the question: Why do I write ? Because I want to connect with other people through my stories. I want to know that somehow, in some way, I’m making a difference in the world, though it may be a small difference, and that is enough for me.

Brandi Carlile has a song called The Story. There’s a line in the song that struck a chord with me, because it verifies exactly how I feel.

“These stories don’t mean anything when you’ve got no one to tell them to.” 

How true. If I had no one else to share my stories with, why bother writing them? I could more easily visualize the story in my head and not trouble myself with details and the art and craft of writing.

But we as people long to connect with others. We like to tell stories. We like to hear stories. We like to read stories. We like to swap stories. 

That’s why I write.

Oh, what to write?

November is over, and so is NaNoWriMo– the big project focused on writing a novel in a month. However, by the end of October (shortly after my last blog), I found out I was pregnant. Yay! My husband and I had been trying to have a baby for, oh, a month or so, and now it’s going to happen! But then… morning sickness hit me like a tornado and I was hurling my guts out for a full month. Needless to say, I didn’t get ANY writing done! Just the thought of writing made me race to the toilet and heave.

But I started feeling better three weeks ago, and with my slightly increased energy came the desire to write. But one question plagued me. What should I write? I finished my dystopian trilogy. I somehow lost the passion for the story I was going to write in November. (That happens when you associate a story with puking.)

So the past three weeks have been spent brainstorming. I’ve started three different stories, unable to find the one that will bring me life again. None of them did. I grew tired and moved on to another story idea. Then I got a bit depressed, because, well, the last two years have been spent writing every day, and now I can’t seem to get more than a paragraph down.

One of the ideas was a Civil War story, and I realized just how hard it is to write historical fiction. It’s nearly impossible! Every little detail has to be looked up– the clothes they wore back then, the food they ate, not to mention that since this was taking place during the Civil War, all the battle details had to be accurate. My respect for historical fiction writers has skyrocketed, while my desire to write historical fiction has declined significantly. The other two stories were complete flops.

So I prayed about it. Maybe God didn’t want me to write anymore. Maybe he wanted me to focus on being a future mom. Maybe He did want me to write, but hasn’t shown me what yet. Maybe He wanted me to keep starting stories until I found one that gave me passion again. I asked Him to show me what to write, because without writing my daily life is pretty bleak.

He told me to listen. So I listened. And I heard music. (Yes, the radio was on… but so was the perfect song.) Life seemed to pour through my veins once again… through music. The song made new ideas spin in my mind until a story had formed.

And I knew exactly what to write.

So far this story has lasted longer than the others. It’s another fantasy novel, but I’m finding that fantasy/futuristic stories are my favorite to write. Hopefully it won’t be a complete flop like the others. And if it is, well, too bad. I’m going to finish it anyway.

Are You Ready For NaNoWriMo?

What is NaNoWriMo, you ask? National Novel Writing Month. It’s a fun worldwide goal to write 50,000 words in your novel during the month of November. You can go to this website to learn more: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/dashboard

I’ve never participated in NaNoWriMo but I will this year. And as we near the month of November, I’m trying to think of ways to best prepare myself so I could be most resourceful when I officially begin my novel. I thought I would share them here.

Outline. I’m a seat of the pants writer, so the thought of creating an outline makes me cringe. However, if I want this story to flow somewhat well in the first draft, and if I don’t want to get stuck with writers’ block, I think I’m going to need an outline. So I wrote a very, VERY rough outline for my novel. I probably won’t even end up following most of it, but it will help me get from point A to point B faster. (Except I couldn’t come up with the ending. For some reason, the ends of my stories never come to me until I’m actually writing them….)

Turn off your inner editor. Don’t worry about punctuation or which variety of words to use or whether or not your dialogue is snappy enough. Just write. Get the story down while it’s playing in your head. You’ll have plenty of time for revisions later. I find it a lot easier to write when I’m focused on one goal at a time. Firs write. Then revise. Then revise again, and again, and again, and… well, you get the idea. But don’t let the revision process come until after November.

Invest in helpful tools. Need a good notebook with an inspirational cover? Go buy one. Need colorful pens with which to write? Buy them. And if you’re willing/able to spend a little bit more $, buy Scrivener for your computer. You can track your writing so you reach your goal, create character sketches with pictures, make a visual outline (which you can convert into flashcards with a click of a button), and also the scenes are separated in that outline so if you want to move that battle scene further up, you can just click and drag, and it’ll actually move it in the manuscript. Needless to say, it is AMAZING and will save you a lot of trouble in the revision process.

Read. As a writer, you probably know by now that reading books, both on the craft of writing and novels, are like food to the brain. Your writing will flow much easier the more you read, not to mention you’ll develop your voice faster. I usually try to read books of the same genre I’m writing, not because I want to  “copy” them, (because I don’t), but because I usually think of how I could do things differently. This is good for everyone, because when you turn that book proposal into an agent or editor, they’ll want to know what books your novel is similar to and what makes it different and unique.

Make a playlist. Some people like to write in silence or to the wind rustling the trees. Others, like me, need music. My last novel had eight playlists, each pertaining to different sections of the story. I probably won’t make eight playlists this time, but I may have two or three. One for just calm writing music, one for soundtrack music (for those good action scenes), and one with actual songs that relate to my story. Music is probably one of the most inspirational assets to my writing.

Stock up on food. And by food, I mean coffee. Or tea. Or whatever it is you eat/drink while you write. Coffee awakens my mind, makes me think of creative things to add to my story. If I don’t drink my coffee in the morning, I might as well sentence myself to a day of writers’ block because I’m not going to get ANYTHING written. Well, I might, but I’ll probably end up deleting it later.

Take a bath. A long one, so you won’t have to worry about a shower the rest of the month. Oh, wait, I guess it doesn’t work that way. Take a bath anyway. Put on the inspirational playlist you created, light some candles and turn off the lights, and just lie in the hot water while thinking of your story. Oh, and make sure you have a notebook, pen, and hand towel close by, because you’ll need them. I can’t even tell you how many ideas pop into my head when I take a bath.

Schedule appropriately. Allot time each day to write. Let your spouse, children, sisters, brothers, parents, dogs, fish, or whoever you live with know that you have a goal to write 50,000 words in a month. Tell them the time each day you plan to write so they won’t bother you during that writing window. But don’t neglect them, either. Make sure you plan equal, if not more time, with the family. Trust me, they’re much, much more important than you book.

I guess that about covers it. I’m always looking for good ideas to inspire/prepare me for my next novel, so if anyone has anything to add to the list, feel free to share!

 

Follow the Red Moon

In the 1800s, slaves were not allowed to read or write. It was illegal to teach a slave to do so. So secret messages in the form of songs or coded quilts were a way of communicating to the slaves about how to escape to freedom. This quickly became known as the Underground Railroad.

I love the creativity and secrecy here. Since my fantasy novel takes place in the future, when Humans are slaves to the humanoids called Tavdorians, I’ve done a lot of research on slave history to gather ideas for my own story. In my novel, slaves aren’t allowed to read, either. It’s illegal, mainly because if slaves could read and pass letters around, how much easier would it be for them to cause an uprising? Therefore, any “alien” (aka non-Tavdorian) found reading or writing was immediately sent to prison for breaking the law.

When I created my own version of the Underground Railroad in the third book,  the burning question in my mind was, how will the word spread? How will runaways know when and where to meet if they can’t read messages or secret letters passed around? And if word spreads only from word of mouth, how much would get lost in translation?

That’s when I discovered that slaves songs in the 1800′s were used as riddles, maps to guide the slaves to freedom. Needless to say, this concept sparked all sorts of ideas for my story. I knew the place where the runaway slaves were supposed to meet outside the city. I knew the landmarks that would lead them there. I just had to create a song to help guide them.

For fun, here’s what I came up with.  I put the meaning in parentheses to clarify.

When the sun sets thrice 

Will you risk the price? 

Follow the Red Moon to the Dreamer 

(Sun sets thrice- third day of the work-week, in the evening. There are two moons on Tavdora. When the Red Moon is full, follow it. The Dream Keeper is a woman who is a sign of hope to all slaves. Her nickname, “Dreamer”, is code for freedom.)

 

River shores will guide you 

Salt water will hide you 

Follow the Red Moon to the Dreamer

(Follow the Talarate River through the city until they reach the sea, then follow the ocean shore where the waves will hide their footprints.)

 

Don’t fear the caves dark 

Black boats will be parked 

Follow the Red Moon to the Dreamer

(The sea shore will lead them to the caves, where the guides will meet the slaves and take them the rest of the way to freedom.)