Writing Goals - Shut Up or Share?

Howdy fellow writers! Thank you for all the lovely Christmas and New Year wishes on my last post - right back atcha'. I haven't blogged because I was up in Queensland for Christmas, staying with my dad (who has also been bitten by the writing-bug and is polishing his three manuscripts about a loveable rogue who drinks and plays too much but also happens to be a quick-witted soldier/spy/hero).

My New Year's resolution is to find more time to learn about the craft of writing/publishing and blog about it. Empty words? Resolutions can sometimes be, and Derek Sivers warns us if you have a goal you really want to achieve, keep it to yourself, because through the act of talking about it, your mind feels you've already achieved it. Then it slacks off.

I'm not so good at keeping things to myself and still remember his previous TED Talk telling us that whatever can be true means the opposite can also be true. So, making yourself accountable for your goals by broadcasting them can also help motivate (surely?).

Derek Sivers: Keep Your Goals to Yourself

But, the flip side:

For my next post (the first one for 2011!) I'll blog about my tactics to make sure I learn more about writing. But, I'll probably also blog about our new family member soon. Tim and Emily are on a road trip to Melbourne right now, and on the 2nd January they will pick up 'Pinkachu' our new Devon Rex kitten - I'm pretty darn excited!!!!! (usually I don't condone the overuse of '!' but this is a special occasion).

Pinkachu (yes, she is supposed to look like that)

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Merry Christmas

Our family is enjoying Christmas up in Brisbane at my Dad's house. All the pressies are under the tree and the old bank account balance is groaning - must be alsmost Christmas now.

When I think of the presents I pick for loved ones, I'm reminded just how individual they all are. Even with my two daughters, so similar in some ways, one always prefers electronic gadgets and the other likes fluffy creatures to love. It's a good reminder to make sure our characters each have their own individual traits and desires.

Hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends this holiday season - pudding for everyone!

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4 Links for Pushing Through Writer's Block

I know, I know, it's been a while.

NaNoWriMo was a struggle for me this year and I only just slipped in with my wordcount goal. I'm proud of the story I told, but think it will take more editing than any other novel I've written. How'd you go?

I'm not sure if other writers find this, but once I met my goal, I became blocked. I could not bring myself to try to write anything, not even my blog. I think my daughters were the same, they temporarily abandoned their Paper Dolls book reviews blog too. So what's the cure for writer's block? There's many suggestions, you can visit some of my earlier posts on the subject:

Flexing the Creative Muscle
Make it Happen
Writing Resources and Distractions
Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration (an interview with K M Weiland)

But this time I decided to go with the old 'write anyway' trick. I didn't know if I had anything writerly to tell you all, but decided to blog anyway. And so, now I do have something to share. I'll have to push the girls to get onto their blog too, it's been lovely to receive messages from people asking when they will blog again.

We did have some family dramas, our Devon Rex, Freckles, passed away. She was only young but developed tumours in her lungs. We miss her racing down the hallway at night and trying to open the bedroom doors by turning the handles.

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NaNoWriMo - The Mad Dash

So... how's it going? I've been lagging behind in my NaNoWriMo Novel, and have decided to do a mad dash to the finish line. Sorry Year 7 French student, reports may not get written this year, pets - no walkies, kids - feed yourselves, bills - the cheque will be in the mail next week, Tim - do I 'look' like I'm in the mood? (Okay, maybe the French reports still have to go out, but the rest can wait)

This week is for words, words and then some words. Fail is not an option. Of course, I wouldn't feel like I failed, even if I stopped now - I'd have almost 30,000 words for my supernatural thriller. My biggest problem, if this novel doesn't have the words 'The End' typed by the finish of NaNoWriMo, is Dec 1. Come that unofficial date, I know my brain will go into a self-induced coma and refuse to budge.

It's going to be a big week for my protagonist Dusty, she now knows who the killer is but has to discover his secret stash of drugs he intended smuggling, locate another dead body, save the remaining  coworkers from certain death, convince the good guy she's worth a go and learn the killer had a partner. 

Do you work better under pressure?

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10 Motivators to Keep Writing for NaNoWriMo

I like to move it, movie it...

Well I told myself to slow down. My NaNo novel came to a bit of a halt last week. I just decided to give myself a day off, or maybe three, I'd reward myself with words later. Turns out, I'm a bit stingy with my rewards. This week I will have to work hard to push those numbers up again. I did get a few words in on Sunday, and I didn't let myself waste my time off.

To keep the flow and motivation of writing when I just can't get to the keyboard or pick up the flow of my story, I like to:

1. Write something else about my character in my notebook, like a diary entry. This can help me gain some insight to her deeper motivation.
2. Watch youtube clips and listen to podcasts on the craft of writing - there's so many good one's out there!
3. Watch a flick or shows in my genre - in my case it's mystery, so I sat through a few good episodes of Castle.
4. Go to the movies. You watch a creative story unfold and you're in a new environment, away from home.
5. Take walks. My imagination goes into overdrive when I walk the dog. It must be because I can't talk to anyone, my mouth shuts up and gives my brain a go.
6. Start recording my dreams, even the silly one.
7. READ. I read books on writing, and look for the element I'm struggling with, like dialogue or structure. I'll also read something similar to my writing style - I try to read things that are simple and don't take too much thinking.
8. Draw. I doodle, 'cause I'm not much of an artist, but drawing loosens my mind and lets me be creative.
9. Listen to Audio books. Sometimes I don't write because I'm exhausted or unwell, at these times I find it hard to read as well, so, I pop on a Charlaine Harris audio book and listen to the story unwind.
10. I listen to Relaxation and Meditation books on my iPhone right before bed.

Is your story flowing or trickling? Do you keep pounding on, or step away?

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NaNoWriMo - What's the Rush?

Slow down, enjoy the view.

Day 9 of NaNoWriMo - and hasn't the time been flying? My first week went well, with my little fingers flicking across the keyboard every spare moment I got. Then, I lost something - the spare moments. Not to worry, I made myself type some words before bed, even when I didn't feel like it.

My problem? In my rush, I've found I've also been rushing my story. I'm pushing my protagonist along in this supernatural mystery/thriller, saying 'come on, get to the next clue, this is NaNoWriMo you know, we don't have time to dawdle!' Dusty has reluctantly obliged (sometimes she shoots me dirty looks, because really, I think she can't be stuffed being the main character and wishes I'd given it to someone else - ungrateful little ....).  At not even the half way mark, we've had most of the murders (I might be able to squeeze one or two more in *evil chuckle*). Dusty has identified the bad guy and he is currently safely tied up, leaving her with the dreamy good guy.

My solution? Slow down. Tell Dusty to take her time, notice the scenery, maybe have a cuppa and think this thing through. Has she really got the bad guy tied up? What if she got that all wrong? That would leave her all alone (except for a couple more would-be victims) with... the killer. And the only guy who would defend her? Well, he's tied up now, so smart move there Dusty.

How's your novel going? Are you taking the time to breathe, to let your protagonist breathe?

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NaNoWriMo Death = Words

Day 6 of NaNoWriMo and the plot thickens - or does it?

I went into this NaNo novel with a vague plot idea and premise, I'd have a palaeontologist with a mystical gift of seeing how a creature died when she touches its remains. All fine and good until she comes across a human body, that everyone else thinks died in an accident. She can't say she 'saw' the murder without sounding like a loon, so she'll have to prove it before becoming the next victim.

First few days went great. I knew where to start - in the action. I start with an explosion and my protagonist finding a body (okay, if you've read my posts you'll know I actually started with two characters discussing the weather for three pages, but I got there eventually). Great, Dusty now has to find some evidence to prove the victim's death was the result of foul-play. Then she got a little distracted by a handsome Italian volunteer and, well, let's just say the novel jumped an age audience.

So now what? I wasn't sure. I decided to let Dusty work it out and I just followed her around and wrote her choices. At first she was lame and hid in her tent. But eventually she started suspecting people and making a few bad choices allowing the killer free time to go... kill. I now have two dead bodies and two missing girls. I've added some flooded roads to stop anyone else from getting in or out of our site (plus, of course, someone tampered with the radio, so there's no contact out).

The body count has given me more things to write about, suspicions, theories, grief, fear, etc. So if you get stuck do you think you'll bump someone off? Or maybe throw in a romantic Italian guy?

I've got the family away this weekend, so, I'm trying to bump up my word count after missing a whole day yesterday (I'm a little snowed under planning these new French classes for my students - and trying to learn French to stay one lesson ahead of them). How's your NaNo going?

NaNo on!

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