I had some good practice yesterday when given an opportunity to explain the story to someone - out loud. As writing is my craft, it is easy to write it to explain it, but saying it out loud tends to flesh out flaws and weaknesses in it. This is a great thing!
In explaining my characters and the plot over the three books, I quickly realized some holes that need filling and some dialogue that needs changing. This was vital to this process in my head.
Because the big picture is all in my head, it is easy to assume that something might be communicated on paper, but in reality, back story needs to come out, or conversely, too much of an information dump of useless information stands as a huge weakness in the middle.
Some good practice last night; an opportunity to be better and produce a better product!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wow!
Success! I know I am in first draft mode, which doesn't say much because it's the revision and polishing that does a story good, but, danggit, I'm CELEBRATING!
I struggled with some character development and tension, the dynamic in the middle of the love triangle. The two main characters, the ones that are meant to be together, just made an intense move in the direction I needed them to go. It was a missing element up until this point. I labored on paper and in my head over this for three years!
I have been bad at creating tension in the story: I know where the characters are, I know where they need to be so I take them to that point! But that isn't a good read. It isn't about the path of least resistance or the quickest route there. I was skipping the reason people read! Tension! Drama!
Today I focused on creating tension and after a few pages voila! Palpable tension, and much deserved victory!
I struggled, along with my characters! It was almost unbearable.
Have you experienced first love recently? I hadn't, not since 1999, when I experienced a whirlwind first love with the most amazing man I have ever met (my husband). It was like reliving those moments where your next breath hangs on what they are thinking. But things are too new to actually ask what they are thinking and, even if you did, they would be just as unsure and unwilling to share what they are thinking. Whew, that was tense!
This is a draft I can be proud of! Hence all the exclamation points in almost every sentence.
I can't give you much more for now and I don't have much inspiration to lend today, but I can tell you that some success has come in this journey for me! I am on my way, one step at a time.
By the way, Novel Word Count: 22,174 at 53 pages so far. One and a half weeks into the first draft process! I'm aiming for 100,000 to 120,000 (an estimate)
I struggled with some character development and tension, the dynamic in the middle of the love triangle. The two main characters, the ones that are meant to be together, just made an intense move in the direction I needed them to go. It was a missing element up until this point. I labored on paper and in my head over this for three years!
I have been bad at creating tension in the story: I know where the characters are, I know where they need to be so I take them to that point! But that isn't a good read. It isn't about the path of least resistance or the quickest route there. I was skipping the reason people read! Tension! Drama!
Today I focused on creating tension and after a few pages voila! Palpable tension, and much deserved victory!
I struggled, along with my characters! It was almost unbearable.
Have you experienced first love recently? I hadn't, not since 1999, when I experienced a whirlwind first love with the most amazing man I have ever met (my husband). It was like reliving those moments where your next breath hangs on what they are thinking. But things are too new to actually ask what they are thinking and, even if you did, they would be just as unsure and unwilling to share what they are thinking. Whew, that was tense!
This is a draft I can be proud of! Hence all the exclamation points in almost every sentence.
I can't give you much more for now and I don't have much inspiration to lend today, but I can tell you that some success has come in this journey for me! I am on my way, one step at a time.
By the way, Novel Word Count: 22,174 at 53 pages so far. One and a half weeks into the first draft process! I'm aiming for 100,000 to 120,000 (an estimate)
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Big Picture - Little Picture
I am a dreamer, it is in my blood. But I believe I do you a disservice by just asking you to dream. I think I was wrong when I ignited that fire. Because it is by God's spirit that we are inspired; it is God alone that our dreams are forged.
The problem lays not with the dream.
Sometimes I encounter people who feel they can't dream anymore. Whether exhausted by life, or lost in the past, the big picture is gone. But I don't feel that is the case with most of you. I believe that your dream is so big, you don't know where to start.
If this isn't for you, quit reading.
The journey of a thousand miles... begins with the first step. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you build a home? One brick at a time.
Keep that dream on the forefront. Explore it with the enthusiasm of first love; experience it over and over again. Let your own inspiration inspire you again and again. And then refuse to let it overwhelm you. Choose to be a hard worker.
I am a dreamer, the dream is never difficult for me. It is a vivid picture with all the passion in the world fueling my breathless emotions from moment to moment every day. I find myself on the brink of hopelessness occasionally too. Sometimes this dream is too big. I know that if I focus only on the dream, I'll never get there.
Thank God for my name. Since birth, my parents called me "industrious". Every time they called out to me to wash my hands, or get to bed, they called me hard-working. Every time a teacher told me I couldn't, they said "Industrious one, you'll never be a writer", my very name negated their curse. Everyone of you who have called me by name have encouraged me to work my hardest to accomplish my dreams.
It is a commitment I make to myself to pull my head from the dream to focus on what I can put my hands to right now. Every day, I read something. I journal, jot down my musings, focus my scattered energy on making sense of the puzzle pieces.
I encourage you to find balance between the dream and the work. The dream is the easy part, it's the work that is hard. Find joy in the work. Find pleasure in each step as it slowly makes its way to the goal. Patience is a virtue; practice it. Choose to savor the slow journey. The work is far more rewarding than the fast-food way we want to achieve success.
Be pleased with the required time and effort, it means that not everyone can reach your dream, only you can. If everyone could do it, it wouldn't be worth doing.
Marry your dream to hard work and birth out the best you possible. This is your opportunity. Faith without works is dead. Have faith and work at it. Now, what can you do today to start or continue your journey? Don't worry about tomorrow, it will be here before you know it. Tomorrow, you can decide what to do to continue, focus on today.
The problem lays not with the dream.
Sometimes I encounter people who feel they can't dream anymore. Whether exhausted by life, or lost in the past, the big picture is gone. But I don't feel that is the case with most of you. I believe that your dream is so big, you don't know where to start.
If this isn't for you, quit reading.
The journey of a thousand miles... begins with the first step. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do you build a home? One brick at a time.
Keep that dream on the forefront. Explore it with the enthusiasm of first love; experience it over and over again. Let your own inspiration inspire you again and again. And then refuse to let it overwhelm you. Choose to be a hard worker.
I am a dreamer, the dream is never difficult for me. It is a vivid picture with all the passion in the world fueling my breathless emotions from moment to moment every day. I find myself on the brink of hopelessness occasionally too. Sometimes this dream is too big. I know that if I focus only on the dream, I'll never get there.
Thank God for my name. Since birth, my parents called me "industrious". Every time they called out to me to wash my hands, or get to bed, they called me hard-working. Every time a teacher told me I couldn't, they said "Industrious one, you'll never be a writer", my very name negated their curse. Everyone of you who have called me by name have encouraged me to work my hardest to accomplish my dreams.
It is a commitment I make to myself to pull my head from the dream to focus on what I can put my hands to right now. Every day, I read something. I journal, jot down my musings, focus my scattered energy on making sense of the puzzle pieces.
I encourage you to find balance between the dream and the work. The dream is the easy part, it's the work that is hard. Find joy in the work. Find pleasure in each step as it slowly makes its way to the goal. Patience is a virtue; practice it. Choose to savor the slow journey. The work is far more rewarding than the fast-food way we want to achieve success.
Be pleased with the required time and effort, it means that not everyone can reach your dream, only you can. If everyone could do it, it wouldn't be worth doing.
Marry your dream to hard work and birth out the best you possible. This is your opportunity. Faith without works is dead. Have faith and work at it. Now, what can you do today to start or continue your journey? Don't worry about tomorrow, it will be here before you know it. Tomorrow, you can decide what to do to continue, focus on today.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Marathon Pace
Today has been a good day.
A little over one week of consistent, diligent and intentional writing under my belt and I feel like the pace is sustainable.
My Moleskine notebook is getting its wear and tear. The beautiful little navy blue book has the written contents of my brain all over it. Random thoughts, sketches of business cards, scattered notes from writer's blogs, articles from writing magazines, "quotes" from my characters, observations from life and a list of books I need to read.
Each day is success, one small brick in the building process. I feel like I poured gasoline on the fire last week and I am beginning to feel the effects of the "rager" slowing to a steady fire. I have no grand notion that the heat will rage for a long time, but I do know that with hard work I can keep the fire stoked. Nuggets of advice from published writers, editors and publishers encourages even the beginning writer.
I have yet to stumble on advice that says all things are hopeless! I am not naive enough to think they aren't out there, but I have been fortunate enough to see a lot of positive advice. No one has portrayed the industry as easy, quite the contrary, they readily tout the difficulties, but they are inspiring in their truth; keep on keepin' on and work hard to develop the craft.
I am just over two weeks away from my first writing workshop, I am nervous, but anticipate an opportunity to learn and grow! Thanksgiving day is my first online lecture, keep me in your prayers. I know it is a silly thing to request prayers for, but pray I do not get discouraged.
Nose to the grindstone... I have cranked out just over 18,000 words within one week of my first draft. This is good progress! I have not worked off of an outline - a mistake? We'll find out. The characters are fleshing out in greater depth than they did in my first first-draft. The drama is tense, the pace is smoother; I already feel more at home with this draft.
There is still much to develop and work on, but it is in progress. One step at a time, the distance will be covered!
A little over one week of consistent, diligent and intentional writing under my belt and I feel like the pace is sustainable.
My Moleskine notebook is getting its wear and tear. The beautiful little navy blue book has the written contents of my brain all over it. Random thoughts, sketches of business cards, scattered notes from writer's blogs, articles from writing magazines, "quotes" from my characters, observations from life and a list of books I need to read.
Each day is success, one small brick in the building process. I feel like I poured gasoline on the fire last week and I am beginning to feel the effects of the "rager" slowing to a steady fire. I have no grand notion that the heat will rage for a long time, but I do know that with hard work I can keep the fire stoked. Nuggets of advice from published writers, editors and publishers encourages even the beginning writer.
I have yet to stumble on advice that says all things are hopeless! I am not naive enough to think they aren't out there, but I have been fortunate enough to see a lot of positive advice. No one has portrayed the industry as easy, quite the contrary, they readily tout the difficulties, but they are inspiring in their truth; keep on keepin' on and work hard to develop the craft.
I am just over two weeks away from my first writing workshop, I am nervous, but anticipate an opportunity to learn and grow! Thanksgiving day is my first online lecture, keep me in your prayers. I know it is a silly thing to request prayers for, but pray I do not get discouraged.
Nose to the grindstone... I have cranked out just over 18,000 words within one week of my first draft. This is good progress! I have not worked off of an outline - a mistake? We'll find out. The characters are fleshing out in greater depth than they did in my first first-draft. The drama is tense, the pace is smoother; I already feel more at home with this draft.
There is still much to develop and work on, but it is in progress. One step at a time, the distance will be covered!
Monday, November 8, 2010
What's your story?
What is it that makes you tick? What makes your blood race through your veins?
This path I am on is mine alone. Each obstacle is set there for me to learn from. My unique brain - critical thinking skills and former experiences - will play in to how I solve problems, manage obstacles, work hard toward success and eventually achieve that success.
The purpose of this blog is not to create a self-righteous place for my voice to be heard. I had a strict aversion to blogging because I didn't think anyone cared what went on in my brain. For the most part, that is true and will remain that way!
But, I do have something to say and a unique opportunity to learn from the process as well as participate in the process. The chronicles in this blog are for me to practice crafting my voice with an audience in mind, preparing myself for presentation and hopefully inspiring something in each of you.
That is where this particular thread is leading.
As I have thought about the blog while away from it, I envision my audience. Some may read this regularly, some may just pop in for the occasional update, whatever your interest or purpose, my goal remains the same; to write something worth reading.
Each of us is uniquely designed. Deep inside of you is the tinder of your soul-cry waiting to be ignited. At times it stays dormant - barely a whisper to remind us it remains - but, allow inspiration to cast a spark onto that tinder and hope, purpose and destiny ignite into a fire.
Fear can crush dreams. Tender hope can be snuffed by logic and "reality", inspiration quenched by unanswerable questions and dreams dissolved like a fog dispersed by the wind.
But I say let us chase inspiration; let us dream dreams and allow ourselves hope. Let's embrace them like a true love rather than watch from afar and stand in envy of others who reach theirs.
It is false perception to believe anyone attained success easily. Actors, actresses, dancers, athletes, leaders, writers, artists, musicians - anyone worthy of admiration for their skill - worked the talent they had, honing their craft, disciplining their skills and learning the trade. Raw latent doesn't get anyone very far. It is discipline and work that gets people to their goals. Mediocre talented people have gotten further in this life because of their work ethic than extremely talented people who didn't work at it.
So what measure of talent do you have? What can you do to learn more about that thing that interests you? What can you invest into your talent? What resources do you need to increase your skill?
If time and money were no obstacle, what would you do? Dream!
Now, settle back into reality momentarily. What can you do in your given circumstances within your abilities to begin reaching toward that dream? Is there a book, magazine, workshop, class, or person you could talk to? Take a risk. (I am not condoning going into debt, forsaking your family or marriage, throwing all caution to the wind or otherwise being reckless)
Celebrate with me as I forge ahead on my journey, thank you for your support, encouragement, constructive criticism and truth. But look internally; focus on that. What inspires you? What is your dream? Now chase after your dream. You deserve it.
Worth reading:
Matthew 25:14 - 30
The parable of the talents
Worth hearing:
Between the Trees by Rob Bell Pastor Mars Hill Church, Grand Rapids, MI
This path I am on is mine alone. Each obstacle is set there for me to learn from. My unique brain - critical thinking skills and former experiences - will play in to how I solve problems, manage obstacles, work hard toward success and eventually achieve that success.
The purpose of this blog is not to create a self-righteous place for my voice to be heard. I had a strict aversion to blogging because I didn't think anyone cared what went on in my brain. For the most part, that is true and will remain that way!
But, I do have something to say and a unique opportunity to learn from the process as well as participate in the process. The chronicles in this blog are for me to practice crafting my voice with an audience in mind, preparing myself for presentation and hopefully inspiring something in each of you.
That is where this particular thread is leading.
As I have thought about the blog while away from it, I envision my audience. Some may read this regularly, some may just pop in for the occasional update, whatever your interest or purpose, my goal remains the same; to write something worth reading.
Each of us is uniquely designed. Deep inside of you is the tinder of your soul-cry waiting to be ignited. At times it stays dormant - barely a whisper to remind us it remains - but, allow inspiration to cast a spark onto that tinder and hope, purpose and destiny ignite into a fire.
Fear can crush dreams. Tender hope can be snuffed by logic and "reality", inspiration quenched by unanswerable questions and dreams dissolved like a fog dispersed by the wind.
But I say let us chase inspiration; let us dream dreams and allow ourselves hope. Let's embrace them like a true love rather than watch from afar and stand in envy of others who reach theirs.
It is false perception to believe anyone attained success easily. Actors, actresses, dancers, athletes, leaders, writers, artists, musicians - anyone worthy of admiration for their skill - worked the talent they had, honing their craft, disciplining their skills and learning the trade. Raw latent doesn't get anyone very far. It is discipline and work that gets people to their goals. Mediocre talented people have gotten further in this life because of their work ethic than extremely talented people who didn't work at it.
So what measure of talent do you have? What can you do to learn more about that thing that interests you? What can you invest into your talent? What resources do you need to increase your skill?
If time and money were no obstacle, what would you do? Dream!
Now, settle back into reality momentarily. What can you do in your given circumstances within your abilities to begin reaching toward that dream? Is there a book, magazine, workshop, class, or person you could talk to? Take a risk. (I am not condoning going into debt, forsaking your family or marriage, throwing all caution to the wind or otherwise being reckless)
Celebrate with me as I forge ahead on my journey, thank you for your support, encouragement, constructive criticism and truth. But look internally; focus on that. What inspires you? What is your dream? Now chase after your dream. You deserve it.
Worth reading:
Matthew 25:14 - 30
The parable of the talents
Worth hearing:
Between the Trees by Rob Bell Pastor Mars Hill Church, Grand Rapids, MI
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