I was reading through some of my old writing journal entries, and I found this quote from Carolyn Chute [quoted in Bird by Bird] which says,
“I feel like a lot of time my writing is like having about twenty boxes of Christmas decorations. But no tree. You’re going, Where do I put this? Then they go, Okay, you can have a tree, but we’ll blindfold you and you gotta cut it down with a spoon.”
Can anyone else relate to that? I have all those boxes. Some of the decorations are dusty and I can't see them completely clearly, but they're definitely there. My tree? I have it in my possession--except it's a put-it-together-yourself-piece-by-piece fake tree. I've got the bottom up in a stand, and I've actually already started decorating it. I have the top of it all fluffed out and ready for ornaments, but all those fiddly bits in the middle still call for me to sit down and work them out one by one. I can see them all there, laying haphazardly on the floor. But I don't know what order they need to go in and how big each piece will be when I put it on the tree.
Since I'm participating in JulyWriMo (copyright Megan), I guess that will all work out soon. The goal is to write--write! I'll inevitably count some of my research I'm bound to go back and do and my character journals as writing. In fact, I'll probably painstakingly number my words so I can legally reach my count, but I do need to focus on free writing. And by free writing I mean writing creatively, binding those middle parts together and making a complete, freestanding tree.
Have I taken this metaphor too far? I feel like I can smell plastic pine needles and dusty tree toppers, so I'll take that as a yes and stop for now.
What does your tree look like?
26 June 2010
25 June 2010
Yes, Chababaland is a Real Place
So I fell behind in my writing yesterday--both blog-wise and in general. Did I do something productive in its place? Well, I unlocked all the meals in Cooking Mama. I know--I'm terrible. I'm not sure I'll get any writing done today either. Why? Both my parents are off today, and they're going to be dragging me all over chababaland.
I just got done grocery shopping in 80-something degree weather at nine in the morning. That's just ungodly. The heat pricklies have started to go away as I sit under a blasting air conditioning vent, and I don't want to leave my icy sanctuary. However, duty calls.
Writing advice for today? Just do it. Even if it's for five minutes. I'll take my own advice too--I promise, at least five minutes of writing today at the bare minimum.
I just got done grocery shopping in 80-something degree weather at nine in the morning. That's just ungodly. The heat pricklies have started to go away as I sit under a blasting air conditioning vent, and I don't want to leave my icy sanctuary. However, duty calls.
Writing advice for today? Just do it. Even if it's for five minutes. I'll take my own advice too--I promise, at least five minutes of writing today at the bare minimum.
23 June 2010
Each Laser Is Stupidly Powerful
I finally exhausted all my notes from Glen Eyrie, so you're safe from extremely long posts for now. I think.
I've been trying to find balance between reading and writing. I'm in the middle of Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury right now. Aside from being a great (if ridiculously confusing) book, it's a requirement for my Literary Traditions class in the fall. I decided that I should read the books on the list for that class I hadn't yet read this summer so I could be prepared. I'm glad I chose to read this one before the fall. It's taking quite a bit of effort, even though I'm enjoying it.
I keep getting caught up in whatever I'm doing though. If I start reading, I don't stop until some pressing need arises. That means I've most likely overstepped my time frame and wasted some precious writing time. Now I know you've got one burning question in your mind--"You're not working right now; what do you mean you don't have time to write?!"
I'm glad you asked. What else is taking up my time? Well, there are the run of the mill excuses: laundry, cleaning, cooking, showering, taking care of the dog, etc. What I should really tell you is that there's a stupid flash game I've been playing mindlessly. It's called Super Bloons Monkey, and for whatever reason I'm hooked. Today I'm taking a Bloons moratorium so I can really focus. Just watch--as soon as I sit down to do some research and outlining, someone will text or call me. I love how life happens in such inconvenient bursts.
I've been trying to find balance between reading and writing. I'm in the middle of Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury right now. Aside from being a great (if ridiculously confusing) book, it's a requirement for my Literary Traditions class in the fall. I decided that I should read the books on the list for that class I hadn't yet read this summer so I could be prepared. I'm glad I chose to read this one before the fall. It's taking quite a bit of effort, even though I'm enjoying it.
I keep getting caught up in whatever I'm doing though. If I start reading, I don't stop until some pressing need arises. That means I've most likely overstepped my time frame and wasted some precious writing time. Now I know you've got one burning question in your mind--"You're not working right now; what do you mean you don't have time to write?!"
I'm glad you asked. What else is taking up my time? Well, there are the run of the mill excuses: laundry, cleaning, cooking, showering, taking care of the dog, etc. What I should really tell you is that there's a stupid flash game I've been playing mindlessly. It's called Super Bloons Monkey, and for whatever reason I'm hooked. Today I'm taking a Bloons moratorium so I can really focus. Just watch--as soon as I sit down to do some research and outlining, someone will text or call me. I love how life happens in such inconvenient bursts.
22 June 2010
Setting with Nancy
Last Workshop with Nancy at Glen Eyrie
Setting is an often neglected character in a story—it can bring the reader into the environment.
The setting needs to breathe as much as the characters do.
Is your protagonist living in the wrong place? It’s part of the story! Their relationship with the setting can grow and change.
Never let the setting be generic! Unless you have a very specific reason. Don’t be afraid of descriptive passages! Weave it into the story.
EXERCISE:
What is the specific setting for your story overall?
Is this setting your protagonist’s ally or antagonist?
It is your job to make sure the reader knows that relationship.
Write a quick paragraph in which your main character expresses his/her feelings about the place (can be to you):
[Insert paragraph here]
DONALD MOSS WORKBOOK (recommendation) (After the first draft!)
Find one symbol, inherent in the place that could point to the answer to the question. (What might you put on the cover of the book?)
Write a paragraph where the protagonist comes upon that symbol the first time:
[Insert paragraph here]
Make little copious details about the places you go. Don’t think that you’re not making progress if you’re not increasing your word count. Specificity and details and preparation are work!
Get some of the experience on you! “You don’t know what you don’t know unless you go there”
Principles of setting a la Angie:
Heighten the tension by putting the characters in a setting they can’t escape them.
Make sure the story couldn’t take place anywhere else.
Remind the reader of the setting at least once in every chapter. Make it subtle, but keep the reader anchored.
Setting is an often neglected character in a story—it can bring the reader into the environment.
The setting needs to breathe as much as the characters do.
Is your protagonist living in the wrong place? It’s part of the story! Their relationship with the setting can grow and change.
Never let the setting be generic! Unless you have a very specific reason. Don’t be afraid of descriptive passages! Weave it into the story.
EXERCISE:
What is the specific setting for your story overall?
Is this setting your protagonist’s ally or antagonist?
It is your job to make sure the reader knows that relationship.
Write a quick paragraph in which your main character expresses his/her feelings about the place (can be to you):
[Insert paragraph here]
DONALD MOSS WORKBOOK (recommendation) (After the first draft!)
Find one symbol, inherent in the place that could point to the answer to the question. (What might you put on the cover of the book?)
Write a paragraph where the protagonist comes upon that symbol the first time:
[Insert paragraph here]
Make little copious details about the places you go. Don’t think that you’re not making progress if you’re not increasing your word count. Specificity and details and preparation are work!
Get some of the experience on you! “You don’t know what you don’t know unless you go there”
Principles of setting a la Angie:
Heighten the tension by putting the characters in a setting they can’t escape them.
Make sure the story couldn’t take place anywhere else.
Remind the reader of the setting at least once in every chapter. Make it subtle, but keep the reader anchored.
21 June 2010
Characters with Nancy
Workshop from 6/8/10
“Our scriptures have an aversion to abstractions of any kind and prefer to use stories and metaphors to keep us involved and participating in what is right before us.” – Eugene Peterson
Harry Bosch crime novels (recommendation from Nancy)
Truths must be felt in some way! Characters must experience the truths and feel them. Don’t make things melodramatic with pure sentiment.
For the reader to be able to feel what the character feels, they have to relate to and understand the character. AND the author has to as well.
HERE’S ONE APPROACH TO CHARACTER PLANNING
Protagonist: the best vehicle for answering your theme question
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Unique physical characteristics:
Personality traits that make him/her the best vehicle:
Background – what’s made your character the way he/she is?
Most important relationships:
His/her goal in the story/what drives him/her:
His/her hidden need in the story:
Antagonist: the best vehicle for getting in the protagonist’s way
(same breakdown)
Protagonist’s Allies: who will provide him with support?
(same breakdown)
Antagonist’s Allies: who will help her get in the way?
(same breakdown)
You can have a journal for each protagonist where you can write to them and they can write to you. (This may seem extremely weird at first, but just try it!)
Rules for characters:
1. You have to make them suffer.
2. You have to allow their attempts to reach their goal to fail, at least sometime.
3. You have to get them to a place of no return. (Bleakest moment)
4. Have your protagonist question the assumptions they had at the beginning of the story.
5. You have to give them qualities that sometimes serve them well and sometimes don’t. They can’t be perfect. You don’t have to have your antagonist turn out perfect
6. You have to provide them with tension on every page. TENSION.
Donald Moss literary agent in New York – Writing Your Breakout Novel (get the workbook!!)
No back story in the first thirty pages! Trust the reader to move along.
“Our scriptures have an aversion to abstractions of any kind and prefer to use stories and metaphors to keep us involved and participating in what is right before us.” – Eugene Peterson
Harry Bosch crime novels (recommendation from Nancy)
Truths must be felt in some way! Characters must experience the truths and feel them. Don’t make things melodramatic with pure sentiment.
For the reader to be able to feel what the character feels, they have to relate to and understand the character. AND the author has to as well.
HERE’S ONE APPROACH TO CHARACTER PLANNING
Protagonist: the best vehicle for answering your theme question
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Unique physical characteristics:
Personality traits that make him/her the best vehicle:
Background – what’s made your character the way he/she is?
Most important relationships:
His/her goal in the story/what drives him/her:
His/her hidden need in the story:
Antagonist: the best vehicle for getting in the protagonist’s way
(same breakdown)
Protagonist’s Allies: who will provide him with support?
(same breakdown)
Antagonist’s Allies: who will help her get in the way?
(same breakdown)
You can have a journal for each protagonist where you can write to them and they can write to you. (This may seem extremely weird at first, but just try it!)
Rules for characters:
1. You have to make them suffer.
2. You have to allow their attempts to reach their goal to fail, at least sometime.
3. You have to get them to a place of no return. (Bleakest moment)
4. Have your protagonist question the assumptions they had at the beginning of the story.
5. You have to give them qualities that sometimes serve them well and sometimes don’t. They can’t be perfect. You don’t have to have your antagonist turn out perfect
6. You have to provide them with tension on every page. TENSION.
Donald Moss literary agent in New York – Writing Your Breakout Novel (get the workbook!!)
No back story in the first thirty pages! Trust the reader to move along.
20 June 2010
Good Thoughts About Writing on a Sunday
Sorry about my lack of posting yesterday. I spent Friday afternoon through Saturday night out living life, seeing concerts, hanging with friends, and soaking in the whole anime experience at Tokyo in Tulsa. But, I'm back! And I have a good chunk of info for you all. It's from Nancy's individual workshop at the conference. These are my notes from the first day.
Relationships with Nancy 6/7/10
Psalm 45 (Message) “My heart bursts its banks, spilling beauty and goodness. I pour it out in a poem to the king, shaping the river into words.”
Finding the core of what you’re working on
Eugene Peterson Christ Plays in 10,000 Places “Story is the most natural way of enlarging and deepening our sense of reality, and then enlisting us as participants in it. Stories open doors to areas or aspects of life that we didn’t know were there, or had quit noticing out of over-familiarity, or supposed were out-of-bounds to us.”
Christ rarely interpreted his stories. He only explained that to his disciples—stories speak for themselves.
Book – Love Walked In (recommendation, novel)
Consider your story:
Is it enlarging and deepening someone’s sense of reality?
Are you enlisting other people to participate in it?
Is your story going to open doors to aspects of life that your readers may not know were there?Are you reminding people of the importance of some facet of life? (Ex. Hook)
Are you showing them they can understand things they thought they were beyond them?
Are you welcoming someone in and giving them a sense of home?
How to do these things:
Don’t think that you have to know exactly how to finish it and how you’re going to ensure its success. There is no guarantee of “success.” There is a guarantee it will not be successful if you don’t commit to it completely.
What a Christian novel is:
1. Christian elements can be overtly spoken, covertly alluded to, or it may never be mentioned at all. BUT it must be inherent to the story. You need to make sure your story wouldn’t work without it.
“Preach the gospel always. Use words if necessary.” – St. Francis of Assisi
It can’t be plastered on—it has to be woven in.
Psalm 16:2 “I say to God, ‘nothing without You makes sense.’”
It needs to show Christianity in people’s lives as it is, not as we wish it would be. How much banana are you going to put in your pie? Because it needs to be a banana pie.
2. It should provide a mirror for readers to identify with characters.
3. It should entertain as well as to edify. It’s a story. Make them cry, make them laugh!
Nancy’s own advice—it should be a book that people want to OWN. I want the story to be a place where my readers wish they lived.
Sunflower seed
The big, beautiful sunflower you want to create has to start as a seed.
One word that captures what you’re trying to say in your novel:
Examples: Equality, justice, family, hope, etc.
“What if” question:
Ex: What if something wrong is so widely accepted it becomes normality and combat seems impossible?
What do you think is the answer?
[Insert answer to your question here.]
Write a paragraph in which you briefly tell how your protagonist can come to the answer.
[Insert paragraph here.]
The closer you get to the truth, the more you want to resist it. (from Nancy)
There is freedom in limitation. Don’t be looking at other things than what God intends for you to be looking at. Don’t be like an Irish Setter!
Book of Common Prayer - Send us out to do the work you intended for us to do with gladness in our heart.
Have a verse of Scripture that underlines your question and answer.
Name of protagonist:
Obvious need as it appears at the beginning:
Protagonist’s hidden need:
“Plot is what happens. Story is what it does to the person it happens to. Plot is the motion. Story is the emotion. Plot is the outer journey. Story is the inner journey. Plot is the road it takes to get there. Story is the path to the truth.”
Inciting incident (22 minutes into the movie):
(If it’s in the first chapter, that’s not where it belongs.) You have to make the readers care about the characters. Inciting incident needs to be a quarter of the way in. (Fantasy can be a little different. See what works!) Keep the reader moving forward.
What goal is produced for protagonist through inciting incident?
Relationships with Nancy 6/7/10
Psalm 45 (Message) “My heart bursts its banks, spilling beauty and goodness. I pour it out in a poem to the king, shaping the river into words.”
Finding the core of what you’re working on
Eugene Peterson Christ Plays in 10,000 Places “Story is the most natural way of enlarging and deepening our sense of reality, and then enlisting us as participants in it. Stories open doors to areas or aspects of life that we didn’t know were there, or had quit noticing out of over-familiarity, or supposed were out-of-bounds to us.”
Christ rarely interpreted his stories. He only explained that to his disciples—stories speak for themselves.
Book – Love Walked In (recommendation, novel)
Consider your story:
Is it enlarging and deepening someone’s sense of reality?
Are you enlisting other people to participate in it?
Is your story going to open doors to aspects of life that your readers may not know were there?Are you reminding people of the importance of some facet of life? (Ex. Hook)
Are you showing them they can understand things they thought they were beyond them?
Are you welcoming someone in and giving them a sense of home?
How to do these things:
Don’t think that you have to know exactly how to finish it and how you’re going to ensure its success. There is no guarantee of “success.” There is a guarantee it will not be successful if you don’t commit to it completely.
What a Christian novel is:
1. Christian elements can be overtly spoken, covertly alluded to, or it may never be mentioned at all. BUT it must be inherent to the story. You need to make sure your story wouldn’t work without it.
“Preach the gospel always. Use words if necessary.” – St. Francis of Assisi
It can’t be plastered on—it has to be woven in.
Psalm 16:2 “I say to God, ‘nothing without You makes sense.’”
It needs to show Christianity in people’s lives as it is, not as we wish it would be. How much banana are you going to put in your pie? Because it needs to be a banana pie.
2. It should provide a mirror for readers to identify with characters.
3. It should entertain as well as to edify. It’s a story. Make them cry, make them laugh!
Nancy’s own advice—it should be a book that people want to OWN. I want the story to be a place where my readers wish they lived.
Sunflower seed
The big, beautiful sunflower you want to create has to start as a seed.
One word that captures what you’re trying to say in your novel:
Examples: Equality, justice, family, hope, etc.
“What if” question:
Ex: What if something wrong is so widely accepted it becomes normality and combat seems impossible?
What do you think is the answer?
[Insert answer to your question here.]
Write a paragraph in which you briefly tell how your protagonist can come to the answer.
[Insert paragraph here.]
The closer you get to the truth, the more you want to resist it. (from Nancy)
There is freedom in limitation. Don’t be looking at other things than what God intends for you to be looking at. Don’t be like an Irish Setter!
Book of Common Prayer - Send us out to do the work you intended for us to do with gladness in our heart.
Have a verse of Scripture that underlines your question and answer.
Name of protagonist:
Obvious need as it appears at the beginning:
Protagonist’s hidden need:
“Plot is what happens. Story is what it does to the person it happens to. Plot is the motion. Story is the emotion. Plot is the outer journey. Story is the inner journey. Plot is the road it takes to get there. Story is the path to the truth.”
Inciting incident (22 minutes into the movie):
(If it’s in the first chapter, that’s not where it belongs.) You have to make the readers care about the characters. Inciting incident needs to be a quarter of the way in. (Fantasy can be a little different. See what works!) Keep the reader moving forward.
What goal is produced for protagonist through inciting incident?
18 June 2010
Jim's Address and a Short Summation of My Struggles
James Scott Bell - Recharge
Process
1. Inspiration – John Gardner “The good artists are the people who are creating out of deep and honest concern . . .” The wallowing world needs writers with a vision. They don’t need more “pooping bear material.” “Great art makes you homesick for heaven.”
2. Imagination – Allow it to run free—don’t edit yourself as you write. “The Greatest Story Ever Told” John Wayne centurion. “Awe, surely this is . . .” Give your mind free reign—write stuff anyway.
3. Intention – be intentional about learning the craft. Do things with excellence.
4. Instruction – Seek out books and teachers. Otherwise you might end up with clunky writing. “He was as tall as a six foot tree.” Take your writing to the next level.
5. Implementation – Take what you learn and put it into action. Make yourself finish. Set a quota for yourself. If you have trouble with a daily one, set a weekly quota. If you miss a day here or there, you can make it up later. “Go after it with a club” – Jack London. Take a writing Sabbath once a week.
6. Irrigation – Fresh watering that you need to sustain yourself—Holy Spirit—nurture your spiritual life. A. W. Toser “Natural gifts and talents are not enough in God’s work. The mighty spirit of God . . .” Holy Spirit = chief energizer. When you get rejections, they could have been a blown call. Instead of getting mad, allow it to hurt for fifteen minutes and no more.
7. Impatience – Be prepared to wait. Priorities can be a hazard. Don’t sacrifice other things to the writing dream.
8. Envy – Be ready! It sneaks up. Go to the Lord with it. (R.A. Torrey) Keep in step with the Spirit. Movie—The Hustler (with Paul Newman) – example of a story that isn’t done with spiritual terms BUT still reaches people.
*End of Address*
I have just agreed to do NaNoWriMo in July. Yeah. It's my first time, and my brain may be sizzling by the end of the month, but I think this is necessary for me. I wasn't too sure, but I was praying about it last night and I kept bargaining with God to get out of doing it. I could tell He wasn't amused. So, I asked him for grace to get through it, and the mood lightened. God can do amazing things in my life. I just need to be cooperative.
Anyone else doing NaNoWriMo next month?
Process
1. Inspiration – John Gardner “The good artists are the people who are creating out of deep and honest concern . . .” The wallowing world needs writers with a vision. They don’t need more “pooping bear material.” “Great art makes you homesick for heaven.”
2. Imagination – Allow it to run free—don’t edit yourself as you write. “The Greatest Story Ever Told” John Wayne centurion. “Awe, surely this is . . .” Give your mind free reign—write stuff anyway.
3. Intention – be intentional about learning the craft. Do things with excellence.
4. Instruction – Seek out books and teachers. Otherwise you might end up with clunky writing. “He was as tall as a six foot tree.” Take your writing to the next level.
5. Implementation – Take what you learn and put it into action. Make yourself finish. Set a quota for yourself. If you have trouble with a daily one, set a weekly quota. If you miss a day here or there, you can make it up later. “Go after it with a club” – Jack London. Take a writing Sabbath once a week.
6. Irrigation – Fresh watering that you need to sustain yourself—Holy Spirit—nurture your spiritual life. A. W. Toser “Natural gifts and talents are not enough in God’s work. The mighty spirit of God . . .” Holy Spirit = chief energizer. When you get rejections, they could have been a blown call. Instead of getting mad, allow it to hurt for fifteen minutes and no more.
7. Impatience – Be prepared to wait. Priorities can be a hazard. Don’t sacrifice other things to the writing dream.
8. Envy – Be ready! It sneaks up. Go to the Lord with it. (R.A. Torrey) Keep in step with the Spirit. Movie—The Hustler (with Paul Newman) – example of a story that isn’t done with spiritual terms BUT still reaches people.
*End of Address*
I have just agreed to do NaNoWriMo in July. Yeah. It's my first time, and my brain may be sizzling by the end of the month, but I think this is necessary for me. I wasn't too sure, but I was praying about it last night and I kept bargaining with God to get out of doing it. I could tell He wasn't amused. So, I asked him for grace to get through it, and the mood lightened. God can do amazing things in my life. I just need to be cooperative.
Anyone else doing NaNoWriMo next month?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)