Writing Tip Wednesday

Since it's Thanksgiving tomorrow, I will be busy spending time with family, eating plenty of pumpkin pie and taking a nap from eating too much food. So writing is usually not on the day's agenda. But here's a writing tip that isn't so much about improving your writing as it is about spending time with family. 

  

     From the craft or scrapbook store purchase an artist sketch book or otherwise bound book with heavy paper. Attach a piece of scrapbook paper to the front and decorate it as you wish but something related to family. Then every holiday bring it out with some colored pencils and thin tip markers. Pass the book around and let every family member write about the day, funny memories, recipes, or other little tidbits of information. Or they can draw a picture. After the holiday attach some photos from the get together in the book. Which each holiday bring it out and pass it around. Soon it will become a treasured book and a great way to remember loved ones, far and near. 

Happy Thanksgiving and remember we make it a point to be grateful on this holiday but as someone important said to me, 'Why do we need a special day to be thankful? Shouldn't we be thankful everyday?' 

Monday Musings...

Hearts are fragile. They are easily bruised, battered, broken, shattered and crushed when stepped upon by big heavy boots of hate and betrayal. And no, I'm not talking about anything hero hottie has done. I'm just speaking of hearts in general. 

 It starts in childhood too. The first time we're teased or bullied, we shut away from the world, cocooning ourselves with shyness, attitude, or fists. I hid my too easily bruised heart behind perfect report cards. So many of our stories start with a heart that has been damaged. Parents that fight, grandparents that die, pets that are hit by cars, first crushes that ignore everything we do to get their attention. (That is a story for another time but lets just say I paid for the lunch he offered to buy me.) 

     If we had great parents (I did) then we usually have enough self confidence to risk failure to go after our goals. If we didn't, then we find other ways to hide our vulnerable hearts, afraid to take too deep a breath in case our spirit should completely shatter. And heaven help the extremely broken, they usually attack others just to survive their own pain. 

     As human beings we are given the extremely important task of watching out for the heart (or spirit) of our fellow people. It doesn't mean we can save everyone's heart. But we can nurture our loved ones, especially our children. Encouraging, loving, being there when we can't protect them from the hurt of the outside world. 

    

     The characters in stories usually suffered from a heart that's been kicked around. And usually the opening scenes show how this pain has effected the character. If it's a happy ending story then the character will meet someone else or a group of people that provide just enough of a safety net for that character to risk failure to obtain something important. If the story is pensive then either the character never finds the courage to take their battered heart out one more time or they do, just to have it totally destroyed. 

     I prefer happy ending stories because life is so difficult anyway and so full of torn and tattered hearts wearing brave faces. So this Thanksgiving remember the pumpkin pie and the kind words. You never know how they might heal a broken heart.

Writing Tip Wednesday

      How long do I work on a story? Well, it depends on the story. Some stories come together like a snowball rolling down a hill. Fast and furious. And other stories take years, slowly being built.

     My stories start with a little, tiny idea. My Keraynn story started a long time ago as a one page scene that caught in my imagination. I liked the scene and the two characters I formed in it so much that I wrote a 65,000 word manuscript around that one idea. I was thrilled until I read it. And then I realized that except for the very basic concept of the story, my characters and Keraynn's abilities, the rest of the book was not so great. I still have that manuscript and it stays in the drawer. I should throw it out, because I shudder to think of anyone reading it. But it was my first attempt of crafting a novel, it has too much sentimental value. 

      And that brings me to my writing tip for this autumn Wednesday. The first time you pen your story, unless you're incredibly lucky, you will be rewriting it. It can be painful if you get too attached to a scene but it can be wonderful too. It's liberating. Because if you know that it doesn't have to be perfect the first time you write your story then you can focus on what is important...The creative process. 

     The first draft is your chance to develop your characters, figure out your plot and realize where you can fit in subplots and to explore the full depths of your story. Heck, a lot of time I discover 'facts' about my characters as I write my novel, which I know sounds crazy. But sometimes you don't think of something until after you have written it and then you experience an 'ah-ha' moment. I like to plan plot and story before I start writing but some details don't emerge until you're writing. 

      Once you have that completed first draft, then let it rest for two weeks. Don't worry about it, don't look at it, and don't think about it. You're shooting for some emotional distance from your writing. Then pull it out and reread it. 

      Don't panic. Maybe it's not as great as you thought it was but that's alright. Because now you're going to start rewriting it. You're going to find holes in the plot that need filled, you're going to find scenes that need shortened. Reading carefully, you're going to check for roving POVs.

     And you're not going to throw in the towel because it's not great the first time. That was just rehearsal. (With a heavy sigh) Sometimes it takes a few rehearsals but it's worth it. 

      So keep writing and keep rewriting. Because your story can be great, it just needs some polishing.