I just HAD to share with anybody who will read this…I’ve been writing this book, actually writing it, for the last three nights…in a row!! I’ve been averaging about 500 words a day, which doesn’t sound like a lot but look at it this way—if I can keep up this pace I can actually be finished writing the first draft in less than two months!!
Likely, this won’t happen, but it’s fun to think about, isn’t it?
I’m pretty happy with how things are going. The biggest struggle for me is to continue recognizing that this is indeed a first draft. It’s not supposed to be perfect, and a lot of what I spend a bunch of time detailing probably won’t make it into the final cut but I’m at least having fun writing!
I’m finding that a good way for me to get focused about the day’s writing is to begin by saying, “I will not get up from this computer until I write at least 500 words.” And then I take a few minutes to go through and re-read/make minor adjustments to what I wrote the day before. I find that this allows me to feel better about the first draft because I’m giving myself the freedom to at least make small changes each day, and it’s easier to start writing again when I can refresh my memory about what I wrote the previous day.
They say (whoever “they” are) that it takes two weeks to make or break a habit, right?? Well, in 11 short days I should have a comfortable habit formed and be feeling like I’m making some serious movement in the right direction!
Cool, right?! :)
07 June, 2010
03 June, 2010
Dogs Think Every Day is Christmas
While on my trip to the east coast, I flipped through the airline-supplied magazine and stumbled upon an interview with Ray Bradbury. Ray Bradbury! Admittedly, I haven’t read much of his work, and at 89 years old the man is an ICON!! Still! He has two books coming out this year and so far, one for 2011. The man just doesn’t stop writing!
I appreciated his interview because I have been struggling to stay motivated and really dig into this project. I haven’t been able to write past the first few pages because I’m worried I won’t like what I write. More importantly (although not really) I worry that other people won’t like what I write. So I’ve been letting myself get hung up on this fear of my work being hated! On the plus side, I’ve been coming up with lots of ideas and bits of the plot…although I’m not exactly sure how they’ll be arranged yet! Bradbury said, “Love is easy, and I love writing. You can’t resist love. You get an idea, someone says something, and you’re in love”. I hope I don’t misconstrue the meaning of his words here! Bradbury writes because he loves it. Seems easy enough! I imagine that, like all writers, he gets hung up on wanting other people to like his work, but that doesn’t stop him. He also said that some 20 years ago he was at a restaurant in Denver and heard a woman at the next table say, “Oh my god, I’ll bet dogs thing every day is Christmas!” And there was an idea for a book! It was THAT EASY! Well, sure, the ideas are the easy part!
Mr. Bradbury got me thinking, why stop writing? It’s silly! It’s impossible to write something that everybody likes. It’s important that we write something we’re proud of or we’ll never get anywhere, but we have to learn that it’s ok if other people don’t like it. So that’s what I’m going to do…keep on writing! As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish this post I’m going to type up my first pages (they’re handwritten right now). Maybe that’ll get the ball rolling and the words will start flowing.
The interviewer asked Bradbury what the key was to his prolific career and continuing to be so well-loved. He responded, “Don’t try to do, just do. If you live this life without trying, it’s good. If you try too hard, it won’t be any good. It just has to be done, period—like an explosion.”
(The article with Ray Bradbury was written by J. Rentilly. It was published in the May 1, 2010 issue of American Airlines “American Way”)
I appreciated his interview because I have been struggling to stay motivated and really dig into this project. I haven’t been able to write past the first few pages because I’m worried I won’t like what I write. More importantly (although not really) I worry that other people won’t like what I write. So I’ve been letting myself get hung up on this fear of my work being hated! On the plus side, I’ve been coming up with lots of ideas and bits of the plot…although I’m not exactly sure how they’ll be arranged yet! Bradbury said, “Love is easy, and I love writing. You can’t resist love. You get an idea, someone says something, and you’re in love”. I hope I don’t misconstrue the meaning of his words here! Bradbury writes because he loves it. Seems easy enough! I imagine that, like all writers, he gets hung up on wanting other people to like his work, but that doesn’t stop him. He also said that some 20 years ago he was at a restaurant in Denver and heard a woman at the next table say, “Oh my god, I’ll bet dogs thing every day is Christmas!” And there was an idea for a book! It was THAT EASY! Well, sure, the ideas are the easy part!
Mr. Bradbury got me thinking, why stop writing? It’s silly! It’s impossible to write something that everybody likes. It’s important that we write something we’re proud of or we’ll never get anywhere, but we have to learn that it’s ok if other people don’t like it. So that’s what I’m going to do…keep on writing! As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish this post I’m going to type up my first pages (they’re handwritten right now). Maybe that’ll get the ball rolling and the words will start flowing.
The interviewer asked Bradbury what the key was to his prolific career and continuing to be so well-loved. He responded, “Don’t try to do, just do. If you live this life without trying, it’s good. If you try too hard, it won’t be any good. It just has to be done, period—like an explosion.”
(The article with Ray Bradbury was written by J. Rentilly. It was published in the May 1, 2010 issue of American Airlines “American Way”)
Three for Thursday
So many of you have been in contact with me and asking how my novel is coming along. I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I appreciate your questions and encouragement! This challenge has proven to be much more difficult than I ever imagined it could be! I feel bad that I haven’t had much to say in response to your questions asking what the story is about! Truth is…I’m not entirely sure what my story is about. But I am learning a bunch about my characters! So, I figured as a teaser (and perhaps an even bigger motivation, since you’ll be able to ask me more specific questions!) today’s Three for Thursday will not only relate to my novel, but will actually be ABOUT my novel! Happy? So, I’ll tell you a little about the two main characters and the setting. One, two, three!
My story has two main characters—a man and a woman—as well as several supporting characters (and probably some that I don’t even know exist yet!). The man’s name is Nathaniel, the leading lady is Jane. I haven’t gotten all the details worked out but I do know who they are!
As of now, I picture Nathaniel as a professional man in his…oh let’s say…late 30’s or early 40’s. He’s never been in love; never had a romantic relationship. I haven’t figured out why yet. He lives in an eastern metropolitan location. He is traveling to the book’s setting (just wait for it), a place he hasn’t been to since he was a young child. He is returning to this location because his ailing grandmother lives here and is coming to help her take care of her will, etc etc. As far as his physical traits, I picture Nathaniel as a very attractive man. He has the “big city” look. He’s the type of guy who shows up for a first date in a suit jacket and tie. He is tan and fit (but not grossly so!) and has dark, just rolled out of bed but absolutely perfect hair. He is clean-shaven. All the time.
Jane is the ideal small-town beauty. She grew up in the setting (still wait for it) and teachers theater and choir at the local high school. (Yes, you knew there had to be a teacher somewhere in this story!) She is of just below average height, petite, and has long dark brown hair with subtle hints of red. Think dark chocolate cherry. Yummy, right? Jane lives in a house down the street from her childhood home which has a down-to-earth, lived-in feel. Jane has a child from a previous relationship. I haven’t determined yet why this relationship didn’t work out but I’m sure it’s for the best.
The story takes place in a town similar to where I grew up. This is great because I feel like I can write accurate descriptions and details. I don’t have a name for the town; I’m not sure it matters a whole lot. It felt natural for me to choose this location and I absolutely feel I can do it justice. On the past couple road trips I’ve taken through St. George I’ve been paying special attention to the memories the journey recalls and the natural beauty of the surrounding area.
So there you have it!
My story has two main characters—a man and a woman—as well as several supporting characters (and probably some that I don’t even know exist yet!). The man’s name is Nathaniel, the leading lady is Jane. I haven’t gotten all the details worked out but I do know who they are!
As of now, I picture Nathaniel as a professional man in his…oh let’s say…late 30’s or early 40’s. He’s never been in love; never had a romantic relationship. I haven’t figured out why yet. He lives in an eastern metropolitan location. He is traveling to the book’s setting (just wait for it), a place he hasn’t been to since he was a young child. He is returning to this location because his ailing grandmother lives here and is coming to help her take care of her will, etc etc. As far as his physical traits, I picture Nathaniel as a very attractive man. He has the “big city” look. He’s the type of guy who shows up for a first date in a suit jacket and tie. He is tan and fit (but not grossly so!) and has dark, just rolled out of bed but absolutely perfect hair. He is clean-shaven. All the time.
Jane is the ideal small-town beauty. She grew up in the setting (still wait for it) and teachers theater and choir at the local high school. (Yes, you knew there had to be a teacher somewhere in this story!) She is of just below average height, petite, and has long dark brown hair with subtle hints of red. Think dark chocolate cherry. Yummy, right? Jane lives in a house down the street from her childhood home which has a down-to-earth, lived-in feel. Jane has a child from a previous relationship. I haven’t determined yet why this relationship didn’t work out but I’m sure it’s for the best.
The story takes place in a town similar to where I grew up. This is great because I feel like I can write accurate descriptions and details. I don’t have a name for the town; I’m not sure it matters a whole lot. It felt natural for me to choose this location and I absolutely feel I can do it justice. On the past couple road trips I’ve taken through St. George I’ve been paying special attention to the memories the journey recalls and the natural beauty of the surrounding area.
So there you have it!
27 May, 2010
Three for Thursday--First-Time Writers
For those of us who are super-ambitious and create summer reading lists with the hopes of actually READING everything on our lists, here are three novels that I am currently reading (one I just finished during my trip to South Carolina). All of these novels are the first published by their respective writers. I'm hoping that reading them will provide motivaton for me to continue toward my own writng goals.
If you decide to read any of these please let me know what you think of them! I'd love to hear.
"Child 44" by Tom Rob Smith--This is the one I've already finished. Loved it!! I am currently reading Smith's second book in this series, "The Secret Speech". He is currently working on the third of this series, "A New World". The books follow the main character, Leo, through his adventures and misadventures as a member of the Secret Police in Soviet Russia.
"Prep" by Curtis Sittenfeld--This writer has been compared to J.D. Salinger and Sylvia Plath. The main character of this novel has been said to be a female version of Holden Caulfield. I love Salinger, so I'm excited to see what this book is all about!
"Mother of Pearl" by Melinda Haynes--This novel is set in the Deep South, where Haynes is from. This is the first book I have read that is from Oprah's book club...so we'll see if she knows what she is talking about!
Happy reading, all!!
If you decide to read any of these please let me know what you think of them! I'd love to hear.
"Child 44" by Tom Rob Smith--This is the one I've already finished. Loved it!! I am currently reading Smith's second book in this series, "The Secret Speech". He is currently working on the third of this series, "A New World". The books follow the main character, Leo, through his adventures and misadventures as a member of the Secret Police in Soviet Russia.
"Prep" by Curtis Sittenfeld--This writer has been compared to J.D. Salinger and Sylvia Plath. The main character of this novel has been said to be a female version of Holden Caulfield. I love Salinger, so I'm excited to see what this book is all about!
"Mother of Pearl" by Melinda Haynes--This novel is set in the Deep South, where Haynes is from. This is the first book I have read that is from Oprah's book club...so we'll see if she knows what she is talking about!
Happy reading, all!!
11 May, 2010
The Significance of Space
When I first set out on this journey choosing the place in which the story would unfold was perhaps the easiest decision. I wanted to write about a place I knew, a community I knew, experiences I knew. Naturally, then, the setting for my story is a small, dry desert city on the verge of becoming something more prominent. The difficulty then became figuring out how the setting affected my characters—their stories, histories, decisions and interactions. I found some great advice at WritersDigest.com (yes, I do LOVE this website!) from Nancy Kress. She explains that two settings can be helpful in understanding who a character is: where he (or she) lives now and where he (or she) grew up. Nancy writes:
Where a character lives now:
“If your character chose his current setting, that tells us something about his tastes and values. The man who chooses the energetic grittiness of Manhattan is a different person from the man who chooses life in a small Midwestern town. The New Yorker may be ambitious, want more anonymity or seek greater sophistication. The choice of the city life won't, by itself, tell us which of these is true—but it'll give us a start on understanding him.
The same is true of the more intimate setting of a character's home. What kind of neighborhood has he selected? With what has he chosen to furnish and decorate his dwelling place? Walls of bookshelves? Expensive antiques? Salvation Army left-overs? Nothing except what was already there? Such choices are revealing of basic personality.
Of course, many people don't choose their city or apartment. They live in New York or Houston because that's where their jobs are and in their current dwellings because that's what they can afford. Here's where a character's attitude becomes important.”
Where a character lived then:
“Although not chosen directly by any of us, a childhood home can still convey a great deal about a character. This is most usable if your character still lives at, or near, wherever he grew up, as is true of the three sisters of Jane Smiley's prize-winning novel A Thousand Acres. Ginny, the narrator, is shaped by, warped by and ultimately destroyed by the farms of the Midwest. Without this setting, nothing in the novel could've happened at all.
A second way to use a childhood setting is to have your character revisit it as an adult. This allows you to both demonstrate what shaped her values and show us how she feels about that place now. Two contemporary novels that have used this structure with great success are Rebecca Wells' Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and John Grisham's The Summons. In both, childhood settings become the means to resolve the conflicts of the past.”
I have two main characters. One has grown up in the town that is the main setting. The other comes for a purpose. So now the important part of this integration is to figure out how to describe the setting through the characters. I feel like this will be one of the easiest ways for me to learn who my characters are and what matters to them. I also feel that this may be a very difficult part. I’m worried about my ability to stay true to the characters and not let my own personal reflections and ties to the setting influence too much of what I’m writing.
I’m hoping that my drive through Southern Utah tomorrow will ignite some concrete memories and emotions that I can channel into the stories my characters want to tell. As I am leaving on vacation for eight days I’m also hoping I can get some real work done and make significant progress on this novel. Send me happy and productive vibes please! Hopefully I’ll return with some progress and/or breakthroughs to write about. Maybe even some pretty pictures…!
Where a character lives now:
“If your character chose his current setting, that tells us something about his tastes and values. The man who chooses the energetic grittiness of Manhattan is a different person from the man who chooses life in a small Midwestern town. The New Yorker may be ambitious, want more anonymity or seek greater sophistication. The choice of the city life won't, by itself, tell us which of these is true—but it'll give us a start on understanding him.
The same is true of the more intimate setting of a character's home. What kind of neighborhood has he selected? With what has he chosen to furnish and decorate his dwelling place? Walls of bookshelves? Expensive antiques? Salvation Army left-overs? Nothing except what was already there? Such choices are revealing of basic personality.
Of course, many people don't choose their city or apartment. They live in New York or Houston because that's where their jobs are and in their current dwellings because that's what they can afford. Here's where a character's attitude becomes important.”
Where a character lived then:
“Although not chosen directly by any of us, a childhood home can still convey a great deal about a character. This is most usable if your character still lives at, or near, wherever he grew up, as is true of the three sisters of Jane Smiley's prize-winning novel A Thousand Acres. Ginny, the narrator, is shaped by, warped by and ultimately destroyed by the farms of the Midwest. Without this setting, nothing in the novel could've happened at all.
A second way to use a childhood setting is to have your character revisit it as an adult. This allows you to both demonstrate what shaped her values and show us how she feels about that place now. Two contemporary novels that have used this structure with great success are Rebecca Wells' Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and John Grisham's The Summons. In both, childhood settings become the means to resolve the conflicts of the past.”
I have two main characters. One has grown up in the town that is the main setting. The other comes for a purpose. So now the important part of this integration is to figure out how to describe the setting through the characters. I feel like this will be one of the easiest ways for me to learn who my characters are and what matters to them. I also feel that this may be a very difficult part. I’m worried about my ability to stay true to the characters and not let my own personal reflections and ties to the setting influence too much of what I’m writing.
I’m hoping that my drive through Southern Utah tomorrow will ignite some concrete memories and emotions that I can channel into the stories my characters want to tell. As I am leaving on vacation for eight days I’m also hoping I can get some real work done and make significant progress on this novel. Send me happy and productive vibes please! Hopefully I’ll return with some progress and/or breakthroughs to write about. Maybe even some pretty pictures…!
06 May, 2010
Three for Thursday. It's baaccckkk!
In the midst of a wonderfully insane end-of-semester, creativity—at least as far as my book is concerned—had to be put on hold briefly. But before all the papers and lesson plans, I did start writing some characters (if you all remember…although it was a while back I posted about it).
I’ve been doing some research to flesh out my main characters, and I seem to be getting stuck on the details, or deciding which details are important and which can be left out. How important is it, really, to know what haircut the leading lady had in 5th grade? Is it really necessary for me, as the creator, to know how the main man’s first goldfish died? I suppose if these details were important to the development of the character throughout the story then, yes, they would be relevant and necessary pieces of knowledge.
Many of us (especially the English teachers!) have seen character development charts and questionnaires we should fill out to really know our characters. But how much is really necessary? So many details seem important! I want to ask you, what three traits do you believe are most necessary for a writer to know about her characters? (Beside the obvious, and generally necessary traits like names and approximate ages, etc.) What do you think are the most important pieces to understand about your characters?
I’ve been doing some research to flesh out my main characters, and I seem to be getting stuck on the details, or deciding which details are important and which can be left out. How important is it, really, to know what haircut the leading lady had in 5th grade? Is it really necessary for me, as the creator, to know how the main man’s first goldfish died? I suppose if these details were important to the development of the character throughout the story then, yes, they would be relevant and necessary pieces of knowledge.
Many of us (especially the English teachers!) have seen character development charts and questionnaires we should fill out to really know our characters. But how much is really necessary? So many details seem important! I want to ask you, what three traits do you believe are most necessary for a writer to know about her characters? (Beside the obvious, and generally necessary traits like names and approximate ages, etc.) What do you think are the most important pieces to understand about your characters?
20 April, 2010
A Room of One's Own
I believe I’ve made a discovery! Writing is not only about the habit, but also about the space a writer exists in when she writes. And I’m sure many writers out there would agree with me. I’m not entirely sure why it took me so long to come to the realization that the space really does matter.
Now, I don’t claim to be an expert on Virginia Woolf. In fact, I didn’t even make it all the way through To the Lighthouse, but surely having a room of one’s own is a nice notion. Unfortunately, for the time being, it’s just a fantasy, a dream that comes true in a far away land where all people have money for not only everything they need but for everything they desire. Me, I desire a two-bedroom apartment of my own, an extra bedroom to transform into a library/writing space. It would be home to my (four) bookshelves, all my books (Prized possessions. I’ll take my Nerd Award now please!), a desk, a comfy chair, and plenty of natural light. Really, though, I’d be quite happy even to just have a little separate space off to the side of the main living area to put these things…I could create a library/reading/writing room. No really, I could do it!
I think that I crave the consistency. Similar to the way that always I do my homework on the couch rather than in my bedroom, something about having a separate, dedicated space sounds so delightful! It may make me more dedicated to this writing project I’ve taken on. It may spark the imagination. It may be the place I write 30 pages in one sitting. Or, it may be the place I take a nap with various drafts and scene cards spread all around me.
Writers in New York City have a place that’s all their own—the Writer’s Rooms, Chicago has The Writer’s WorkSpace and Uptown Writers’ Centre, and Santa Monica has The Office. What are the odds Salt Lake City will ever be an artsy enough place for something like this? Seriously! Not that I’d want to pay an additional rent for a space that I’d have to travel to in order to write, but it’s a cool idea!
If I had any spare space in my current apartment I’d make this a reality! But alas, I have too much crap that I’m not willing to get rid of! And I definitely have too much furniture.
What does your dream creative space look like? Do you already have it? What do you use as a substitute space until that dream can be a reality?
Now, I don’t claim to be an expert on Virginia Woolf. In fact, I didn’t even make it all the way through To the Lighthouse, but surely having a room of one’s own is a nice notion. Unfortunately, for the time being, it’s just a fantasy, a dream that comes true in a far away land where all people have money for not only everything they need but for everything they desire. Me, I desire a two-bedroom apartment of my own, an extra bedroom to transform into a library/writing space. It would be home to my (four) bookshelves, all my books (Prized possessions. I’ll take my Nerd Award now please!), a desk, a comfy chair, and plenty of natural light. Really, though, I’d be quite happy even to just have a little separate space off to the side of the main living area to put these things…I could create a library/reading/writing room. No really, I could do it!
I think that I crave the consistency. Similar to the way that always I do my homework on the couch rather than in my bedroom, something about having a separate, dedicated space sounds so delightful! It may make me more dedicated to this writing project I’ve taken on. It may spark the imagination. It may be the place I write 30 pages in one sitting. Or, it may be the place I take a nap with various drafts and scene cards spread all around me.
Writers in New York City have a place that’s all their own—the Writer’s Rooms, Chicago has The Writer’s WorkSpace and Uptown Writers’ Centre, and Santa Monica has The Office. What are the odds Salt Lake City will ever be an artsy enough place for something like this? Seriously! Not that I’d want to pay an additional rent for a space that I’d have to travel to in order to write, but it’s a cool idea!
If I had any spare space in my current apartment I’d make this a reality! But alas, I have too much crap that I’m not willing to get rid of! And I definitely have too much furniture.
What does your dream creative space look like? Do you already have it? What do you use as a substitute space until that dream can be a reality?
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