Why You Don't Want to be a Perfect Writer

Ray Bradbury teaches me to focus on detail.

I've come across writers dismissing writing classes as a waste of time.

I'm wondering if those people are attending the right workshops, or if they're attending with the best attitude? Being a course junkie, I've seen the usual personality types that come to courses and there's always a few people that are terrified of 'failing' the activities. They're certain they'll be the worst in the class and humiliate themselves. Often they won't read out their work, or participate in discussions. They'll sit up the back and build an invisible forcefield around themselves and it works. But it doesn't just stop humiliation getting through, it prevents feedback, encouragement and growth in their craft.

At the other end of the spectrum are the students who need to come first at everything. They're incredibly competitive and can sometimes be harsh with critiques (both receiving and giving). They'll sign up for a beginners cooking class, even if they're a seasoned chef because they want to come home after every class and say, 'I really wowed them tonight, I'm way better than the teacher'. They walk away reassured, but haven't pushed themselves outside their comfort zone, as a result their writing hasn't had a chance for growth.

I don't want to be the best writer, and I'm not afraid of being the worst. I've written a lot of crappy stuff. In fact, in writing workshops, on the spur of the moment, all my writing is clunky and crappy. But I'm learning and improving. I don't want to be the best writer, I want to be the most-improved. I don't believe the sum is greater than the parts (well okay I do, 'cause the maths people insist but only if by greater they mean more). More is not better, it's just more. I don't want to be the best writer, I want to be the best writer I can be today. And I want that level to be way lower than it will be next month. 

I read authors' works and acknowledge how much better they are at sentence structure, description, dialogue, weaving themes. Then I put aside my jealousy and celebrate their skill. Talent you're born with, but skill can only be acquired by working at it. So, I work at it.

I'm using short fiction to tighten my writing style and I've been studying Ray Bradbury's stories. Simple, approachable, magical. I'm practicing zooming in on a small detail, to make the story come alive, the way Bradbury does. I've also challenged myself to write in second person, because he pulled it off so beautifully in one of his stories.

I hope as writers you can feel proud of your progress and excited about the lessons to come. Embrace the learning. You don't have to take on writing classes to learn, there are many ways, but writing classes can still be a good source of information.

What challenges are you going to tackle to push your writing?

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Y is for YA Fiction

Cartoon by Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Inkygirl.com

I'm pretty excited about taking on Year of the YA Novel, so today I'm sharing some links for information on writing for teens.

Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies - this is a cheat sheet with lots of tips on writing for teens.

Radio National - The Book Show - How to Write YA Fiction - download the audio file to hear a talkback show on writing YA fiction.

10 Top Issues to Address in YA Fiction - this came from discussions with teens at my last high school. They were very honest about issues that were important to them, these can be the basis for your conflict and your theme. Some of their responses might surprise you.

My top tip for writing YA fiction? A non-judgemental voice. Yes teen pregnancy is a good edgy topic for a novel. No, we do not want to encourage a bunch of teens to rush out and get pregnant. BUT. If you are writing from the teen perspective, you have to be honest about their feelings, you have to be truthful about describing the rush of endorphins experienced with a first kiss, and the desire to take things further. You can't just skip straight to the consequences, otherwise you'll be like the coach in Mean Girls, "Don't have sex because you'll get pregnant and die." 

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Character Voice

Can you hear your character's voice?

This week in my writing course through Sydney Writers' Centre, we further explored character and voice. 

The main point about your main character is they must be someone we like reading about. Your main character will need depth, they can not only exist in reaction to one situation. One way of building your character to a fully formed personality is to fill in a checklist. 

You should include physical descriptions, beliefs/attitudes to the world around them, personality, background, hopes, relationships, pets and environment. It is also handy to know what your character's skills are and what they are really bad at, or afraid of (these can be used in your plot as obstacles and solutions).

By knowing your character well before writing you are more likely to have a consistent character that the readers can believe in.

Our assignment was to have our character write their own autobiography as 'getting to know you' class homework. There were some fantastic responses. It's a great exercise because once you start, it's interesting to see how your characters will describe themselves very differently to the way you would. There may even be important information they choose to conceal. 

Here was my submission (even though I can already see things I'd like to change!):

Who am I? Harry Conner. I’m 13. I live in Warracknabeal, but you would know that Miss, because you live here too. What sort of things do I like to do? You might think there’s not much to do in a country town like this, after coming down from Sydney, but there's a swimming pool (I prefer the river - we’ve got a great rope swing) and a cinema (‘The Thin Man’ is showing if you like mysteries, I do).

I’ve got my mum’s red hair and I follow Essendon, like she does. We didn’t make it into the grand final last year but I think 1939 will be the year for us! You might find it funny but my father doesn’t like football (or anything fun). You probably already know that he’s the sergeant of police here in town. He is so different from my mum, she would have laughed at the prank me and the boys pulled last Saturday, but Dad got mad as a cut snake! See Brian, Duncan, Weedy and me were taking pot shots at chickens with my slingshot, when I had this idea. Old Mr Harrison’s funeral was on, so we snuck into the church beforehand and put this chicken in the casket with him. You should’ve seen Father Barry’s face when he heard scratching noises coming from the coffin!

We live in town, a few of my mates live out on properties like my granddad does, he’s the president of the club at the racetrack. He says I have his charm. Dad and him don’t get on real well.

My best friend is Clancy, my dog. When he was a pup he belonged to Mr Mulligan, but then Mr Mulligan shot his brains out when he lost his job at the silo (maybe he didn’t realise the Great Depression’s over Miss?). Now he’s my dog and he’s great, even if the oldies in town look at him as if he’s cursed (not Smithy at the butchery, he’s always got bones for Clancy).

My goal? I’m going to become a detective, like Sam Spade, and then I’ll find out what happened to Mum when she didn’t come back from the supermarket two years ago. I will, and I’ll bring her home.

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Learning and Writing

It's been a busy writing time for me lately - and I'm loving it. Today I'm off to a writers workshop in Canberra on writing thrillers. Okay, my writing is for kids, but they like a thrill too.

This week I undertook the first module for my course Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults through the Sydney Writers' Centre. The course offers PDF handouts and MP3 downloads. This week we looked at some beliefs about children's books and explored our own history with reading. We also had an exercise in writing, we wrote a vivid memory from our childhood and then rewrote it from a different character's point of view. It was a good way to explore different angles of the same scene. 

Have you had a scene which is pivotal for the main character but have a secondary character just sort of standing there? How about trying to write the scene from their point of view? It can give them more value.

Anyways I must dash to make my workshop, but here is what I wrote for my writing task (and probably not well edited so excuse any bloopers):

The Lie:

We are quiet because Miss Coombs is speaking and we love her, and we’re nine and afraid of getting in trouble.

Ever so carefully, I tear a lined piece of paper from my book. Then I start to write, asking Cathy about her holiday plans. I hope Miss Coombs won’t notice the scratching sound my pencil makes on the paper. I slide it to my left. Brian Smith takes it with a stupid grin on his face. He’s pulling some expression, like he’s smiling while someone punches him in the gut. Now he’s reading my note?

I nod towards Cathy and when he still doesn’t get it, I point at her. Finally, he slides it on.

‘My family is going to Scotland.’

I write back that I’m going to my Dad’s in Queensland. Slide.

‘Sounds boring’.

Some friend!

‘I’m moving up there, so I won’t be coming back’ – I lie.

That’ll show her.

She cries. Not just tears – big loud hiccup sobs.

Miss Coombs snatches the note. She calls me up to the front of the class. All the kids are looking at Cathy. Not me.

“Charmaine, did you write this?” Miss Coombs asks.

It’s hard to meet her steady gaze. In her hand I see the note. My palms feel sweaty.

“Yes Miss.”

“Is it true?”

I should tell the truth. I should.

“Yes Miss.”

Miss Coombs’ face goes all... weird, and she... hugs me!

I’ll tell the truth tomorrow, it’ll be fine. Won’t it? Miss Coombs announces my plans to the class and informs them we’ll be having a farewell party at the end of the week. Oh-oh.

* * * *

Girls are stupid. They ruin our footy games. We can whack Roger right into the ground and the teachers laugh, but tap Poppy Salvietti and you’re sent off because she cries. They’re always crying about something. Now we have to do dancing for sport. Dancing! Yesterday Charms was my partner, which is not too bad (better than the blubbering Poppy Salvietti). Charms is okay, for a girl.

Not that I like her or anything. Maybe I’ll see if she wants to play tag at lunchtime. I’ll ask. It’s no big deal. I’m gonna do it.

Slide.

Wha…? Charms just passed me a note. She must like me! What do I do? Okay, look cool. Can she hear my stupid heart pounding so loud?

There, gave her my best smile. She really digs me.

She looks… confused? Annoyed? I should read the note! My hands are fumbling, why’d she have to fold it up a zillion times?

‘What are you up to for the holidays?’

Huh? Not, do you like me, or, I like-like you. Maybe she wants to catch up over the break. I’ll bet that’s it. I bring back the smile.

Ow! She elbowed me! Now she’s nodding and pointing to McMurray, the girl that sits on the other side of me, Charms’ best... friend.

Oh.

I slide the note to McMurray and sit back in my seat. I’m just sliding notes back and forth. Great! Now McMurray’s crying! How do they ever make it through the day?

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