What Keeps You Writing?

What keeps you writing?

Some days if just happens. Flow. You know what I mean. When you put pen to paper (or fingertips to keyboard) and the words just pour out of you. It’s as though your characters are sitting beside you, telling you exactly what they see, and how they feel, and you just know that what you’re writing is good, if not gold.

But other days…

Oh, the other days are something else entirely. Like pulling teeth, or watching paint dry, those days can seem excruciatingly long, and unproductive, and you just know that most of what you write is fool’s gold at best; fat, padding words to be deleted soon (at worst).

What do you do in those moments?

I’ve been having a NaNoWriMo-type few weeks. A recent 3-book contract for a US publishing house (yay! Still excited!) means writing to deadline, for the first time in my life. Book 1 is done, but books 2 and 3 needs a great deal of work – even before being sent back for revisions. So my days when I don’t work at high school mean working even harder to get words on page. Good words. Or at least, good enough words.

Previous NaNo experiences have taught me that it is possible, and with God I do believe all things are possible. But still the slog remains.

So what keeps me writing? Apart from the advance (!) and my contractual obligations?

Prayer works. Asking God for wisdom and direction gets a guaranteed response (check out James 1.5). 

Some days I need chocolate. A Twix bar is good; it can be broken into several smaller portions, so when I hit the next thousand then its choc reward time. 
Tea is also good, especially my new favourite camomile, honey and vanilla. Too much caffeine used to not be enough, except I’m not completely convinced of its health benefits beyond doing lots of stuff faster (faster, yet sadly, more poorly). 

Sometimes I’ll make morning tea or lunch my goal: get to this amount then eat. Hunger seems to be a good motivator in my life :/
Other times, I need to get away for a few minutes, go for a walk, or revisit an inspiring scene or episode from a fave book or film (but beware the BBC version of Pride & Prejudice which sucks me in for hours...)

But sometimes there is something to be said for pushing through, for keeping going, keeping pen in hand / fingers on keys and backside in chair, even if I know I’ll cringe later. Because it can be that in the pushing through we stumble across the gold.

And that makes everything worthwhile.

How about you? What keeps you writing? Do you have any tricks to share on what keeps you staying on task, especially when you don’t feel motivated?

Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of romance, especially that of the Regency era, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her Regency novel 'The Elusive Miss Ellison' will be published in the US by Kregel in February 2017. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Connect with her:    www.carolynmiller.org    

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The Perils of Pantsing when you’re a Plotter

By Narelle Atkins

A few weeks ago I independently published my eighth book, a contemporary Christian romance novella that I wrote for Love Blossoms, a multi-author indie box set. I’ve always been a plotter, and I’ve written detailed outlines for my seven previously published books.

For my latest book, The Bridesmaid’s Hero, I decided to try something different. The time frame for the novella project was tight. I agreed to write the book in mid-October, and I needed to indie publish it on Amazon Kindle in January.

The three month time frame included the Christian Writers Conference in Victoria where I presented a workshop, a One-Day workshop I presented in Sydney for the Australian Christian Writers Fellowship, an additional interstate weekend away for my son’s golf tournament, the end of school year in December, and the busy lead up to Christmas.

I signed up for NaNoWriMo but I didn’t have time to put together a detailed outline with index cards (my usual process) before the end of October.

In November I became a pantser for this story. I enjoyed the freedom of writing and discovering more about the characters as the story progressed. I had a basic story outline developing in my mind that included the main turning points, climax, dark moment and resolution. Without preconceived ideas from the outline on what should be happening in each scene, I was able to explore different directions that naturally evolved from the story. I gained a new perspective on character-driven plotting. It was fun and exciting.

There was also a downside. I discovered the perils of pantsing when I was used to plotting. My basic story structure was robust and I didn’t need to add or delete scenes. But there were other issues that needed to be addressed.

I didn’t have time to rest the story before I sent it to my critique partners and beta readers. On December 26 I finished writing and editing the first version of the story. I had a copy editing deadline of January 10 and a box set deadline of January 15.

My lovely critique partners and beta readers read the early version of the story during the Christmas and New Year break. They found a number of problems that I didn’t usually encounter when I outlined my stories in advance.

The first third of the story was messy. Many of the character motivations were unclear because I’d unknowingly changed my mind about the details as I wrote. This included details in the back story. For example, the relationship between the heroine and the hero’s mother was inconsistent. Did they know each other before the story started? In one scene they did, in another scene it seemed like the opposite was true. 

My time line was off. The time references in the scene transitions needed to be tracked and adjusted. During the editing process when I reviewed the feedback from my critique partners and beta readers, I reverse engineered an outline in an Excel Spreadsheet and dealt with the time line problems.

I learned a lot from experimenting with my writing process. I like having time to brew my stories in advance, and rest my stories before I edit. An outline helps me to keep track of the details and generates fewer time line, back story and character inconsistencies.

I’m currently writing my ninth book. For my new novella I’ve typed up pages of background information. I’m writing a fast and rough first draft as I complete my outline. For my traditionally published books I wrote proposals in advance (three chapters plus synopsis).

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Have you tried different writing methods? Do you have a defined writing process, or does it change depending on the book? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia.

Narelle's latest release, The Bridesmaid's Hero, is available for a limited time in the Love Blossoms box set.

What Precedes Us As Writers When We Write

I was going to put words together with high concentration of spiritual notation. To my Young’s concordance I did go. My eyes roamed the section of ‘write’ and ‘writing’ plus ‘writer.’ Overwhelmed, I retreated. Then I glanced at words that led up to the one I was considering and this less spiritual devotional post was ‘born’. Hopefully, God in His mercy may use it to encourage we writers. For the price paid can be high to make our words mean something to someone and do something in their heart, mind and lifestyle.

Here’s the words preceding ‘Write’.

Would.

Do you really want to put fingers to the keyboard and begin the agony of a writer? Would you not rather be reading, gardening, watching a DVD? You would, but you cannot. For there is something inside which would not be denied.

Wound.

This is always a writer’s reality. We experience the wounding of time that might have been spent doing other things. The wounds are caused by priorities, timetables and conviction motivating compulsion. Many do not see them but our heart and mind wear them.

Woven.

As with needle and thread so our mind takes words and ideas mixed with experience to weave into sentences. Once the process has started it is relentless. The process goes on and on from bathroom to boardroom, unseen but unrelenting.

Wrap.

This could be the writer’s desire to wrap themselves up and forget the pain. Or it might be the person wraps their story up into a nice ‘edible’ bite. Then you find that the wrap gives way and out spills all that seemed enclosed, controlled.

Wrath.

If you have never felt this, lucky you. Whether it is unco-operative words, self-thinking computers or out of ink pens, all are capable of stirring this emotion. Then I could list many other facets over which my emotions can run riot as I face the next stage of my build up to being a writer who has written.

Wrestle.

As I enter this contest it usually follows on from ‘wrath.’ Words taunt me. What I want to see on the page, when I put it there doesn’t look right. Nor does it sound right in dialogue or description and punctuation, O dear no! To pen sentences or concepts or some other issue can exhaust. But the writer must not give in to accepting the third-rate. The struggle must be won!

Wretched.

When you arise from the wrestling match (knowing others are in the clubhouse waiting their turn) the toll is emotionally high. Sometimes it is even physical. Hopefully, we are spared the relational price of making others feel like that, or they adding pain to our existing state.

Wring

There are times when I’ve felt like Gideon’s fleece – all wrung out. It is as though the waters of inspiration have gone and I’m exhausted. Do you feel like that at any time? Then, it occurs to me that I should wring out of my writing either the unwanted, unnecessary so that my readers are not distracted. Or maybe I need to wring out of my heart the refreshing ‘words of water’ that will quench the readers thirst. Determining what the wringing is meant to accomplish is the difficult part of the process.

Wrinkle.

The furrowed brow can produce wrinkles on the soul. We can age as we engage with our manuscript. When we look at the emerging masterpiece we may feel like Job ‘You have filled me with wrinkles’ (Job 16:8). However, for a writer wrinkles on the soul are a testimony of honour, perseverance and ultimately of joy.

Write.

When we realise that being a writer can, and more than likely will, have all those ‘W’s’ why would we bother? Ultimately it comes down to being another ‘W’ word. That is, a witness. Our stories, articles, poems become our way of sharing the wonderful news about Christ Jesus. A Christian writer isn’t in it for the acclaim or the money (though few of us would knock them back). We are called, motivated, compelled through our words and all the pain of the ‘W’ words to confront readers with the grace of our Lord.

Mary experiencing the 'W' phenomenon

So cheer up, your suffering is never in vain in the Lord’s service.

 

©Ray Hawkins July 2015.
http://rayhawkinsauthor.blogspot.com.au
Author of 6 themed devotionals
1 book of poems.

 

Candles and the creative process

By Narelle Atkins

I’ve recently discovered the benefits for my creative process from burning scented candles. I often use music to get myself into the right mood for a particular scene. I also have a knack for writing books while living in the opposite season to my story.

I wrote the majority of my sixth book, Seaside Proposal, during the middle of a chilly Canberra winter. I did escape the cold for a week in July at the RWA Conference in San Antonio. But, five nights in Texan summer heat and humidity didn’t give me the sense of an evening cool summer breeze off the ocean.

I bought a candle called Seabreeze and olive, and it smells like the ocean. I can close my eyes and imagine the warm beach is nearby.

I had a pink candle scented with apple blossom. A floral scent that reminded me of my fictitious town of Snowgum Creek surrounded by apple orchards. 

I have an amber wood and vanilla candle that has a rustic scent and reminds me of the open spaces in the country.

My ceramic soccer ball electronic burner is versatile and I can use different scented melts in the pot. My current favourite is a tangerine combination. A happy, uplifting scent that puts a smile on my face.

Do you use scents to evoke mood and atmosphere? Have you used scents and candles in combination with your writing? I’d love to hear our thoughts and experiences.

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract. Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014, Winning Over the Heiress in February 2015, and Seaside Proposal in May 2015.

Narelle blogs regularly with International Christian fiction Writers and Inspy Romance. http://internationalchristianfictionwriters.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.inspyromance.com/ 

She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA).
http://acrba.blogspot.com/ 

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

When the writing 'Bug' doesn't bite

By Ray Hawkins

Ray Hawkins with latest book

My Writing Proceedure: Do I write as the ‘Bug’ bites?

No! - Well maybe ‘yes! – if the ‘Big’ bites.

Trouble is most of the ‘biting Bugs’ for this writer, at least, are toothless, fickle or squashed.

So, how do I write?

Being a minister for over forty years I’ve preached nearly every Sunday and sometimes twice on that day. Add to that Bible studies, youth, women and men’s talks I needed more than ‘Bugs’ to bite. It ultimately came to discipline and appreciating my people. Having a great resource book, the Bible, plus knowing a little about life and the joys and sorrows of my people gave me a framework. Sometimes issues arose from the community or world scene which stirred me to support, defend or oppose. However it all came back to the discipline of forming the material to be presented.

When the time came to be serious about writing Devotional material I had to approach it in a similar manner. There were word length requirements when I submitted to Upper Room Magazine. They really gave me my first real opportunity outside my denominational paper. When multi-published Debra White-Smith accepted some of my prose and poetry for two of her books on marital relationships I had to learn other arts of discipline. It is called pruning the excess and selecting the most striking way to say what I wanted said.

Out of all this grew a desire to let others into my convictions about the Lord Jesus, His Word and its transforming grace and power. Being a procrastinator I needed more that a desire. I needed the motivational incentive of my wife. Because she is a multi-published novelist and I went with her to various conferences, I met certain publishers. Enter Rochelle Manners of Wombat/Even Before Publishing books (now Rhiza). This lovely enterprising young woman was willing to give me a chance to publish some themed 31 Day Devotionals I’d put together.

What did I first present to her? ‘Children, God’s special interest’ and ‘From Eden with Love’ The latter is about what I discerned in the Scriptures about God’s heart for married couples. The debates about so called ‘marriage equality’, seeing marital breakdowns and the ignorance about God’s purpose re marriage fired me up to write. (Was this a ‘bug’ or a ‘whip’?) The one on Children stems from the joy I’ve had as a parent and grandparent combined with stories of child abuse.

The discipline I needed to write these and other devotionals was to plough through the concordance on all the relevant information it offered. Then it was ‘sifting, sorting, selecting and shaping it, plus seeding it’ with my own insights and experiences. It goes without too much saying that all this had associations with editing, cutting, pasting, tears and sometimes whoops of joy. Then comes the hopes, the fears and the waiting after it is sent to the publisher.

I’ve had the privilege of having four other devotional books printed. Each one encompasses some aspect of my conviction about God’s Word and life and faith. You can check them out on my blogsite. http://rayhawkinsauthor.blogspot.com.au

Would I write my heart even if no one wanted to publish what was written? Yes! For the following reasons:
i) It is good discipline for my soul as I research, especially the Scriptures.
ii) When I’m long gone to glory someone might read them and be helped.
iii) Then again there is the world of ‘the web’ which I believe Christians should make better use of in sharing their faith and convictions.

I will share some challenges Devotional writers face when next I have the opportunity to put words onto your computer through the grace of ACW. Ray (wanting the ‘bugs’ to bite) Hawkins.

Writing Craft - Multi-Dimensional Characters

My major tip on getting your characters to feel like real, complex people we know and love may sound a bit strange, because it doesn't involve a lot of tangible work. However, when I come across genuine, lovable characters in the books I read, I wonder whether the author has done what I'm about to suggest. It's simply getting more details about your characters fixed in your own head than you ever need to give to readers.

These don't have to concern details which are crucial to your story's plot. It can be about any old trivia. While you're working on a story, simply daydream about your characters during those random moments when you have a bit of time to kill in a day. You may be standing in a queue, driving a familiar route home, soaking in the bath or pulling a few weeds from the garden. When you think about your characters with no particular agenda in mind, you may come to sense random details such as their favourite toothpaste, the football teams they support, how they might respond to the joke you've just heard over the radio, and how they might choose to clown around at parties.

I've done this since I was a teenager at school. I was an obedient student who never caused problems in class, but the habit of drifting into my own head to daydream about book characters was my silent type of defiance. When boring videos were set, for example, I'd phase out into the more entertaining trivia about the fictional characters in my head. I used to feel guilty, believing it to be a complete waste of time with no value except for the pure entertainment factor, since these snippets weren't ever going to find their way into any story. Since my High School days, I've come to think differently.

Building up this sort of vivid inner world for your characters is anything but pointless for a fiction author. I am sure these tidbits which are known to you but remain unsaid give characters a subtle depth, and prevent flatness. Although your character probably won't be called upon to give his critique of the current government, for example, the fact that he would instantly be able to do so if he was called upon gives him a spark of life which another author's flatter character who simply serves the demands of the plot may lack.

When we get this familiar with our characters, they have the potential to seem like thinking, separate entities, instead of just inventions to serve some function in the plot of a story. You've probably heard some writers say, "My characters are my friends." I've seen non-writers roll their eyes and say how crazy that sounds, but I'm sure fiction authors understand. A friend is somebody you spend time with, whose inner thoughts you gradually get to discover, both the deep and the trivial. This is exactly what happens when you allow daydreams about your characters to transport you into the their world. They are indeed your friends, and writing them into your stories is your way of introducing them to others.

It may seem strange to see simple daydreaming being put forward as a writing craft method, but that's what makes writing such a special pursuit. Until we take this step of immersing ourselves in daydreams, it's hardly worth taking any other.

There are countless ways to approach this, and I'll suggest just a couple. You may find it easy to get carried away by music. Depending on your age and personal preferences, any style or genre that works for you will be great. I find the lyrics of several songs from the seventies onwards will inspire reactions from my characters, and if my characters are senior citizens, old songs from my parents' era may be enough to evoke tears.

Another idea is to consider discussing a favourite novel by another author with a character from one of your own. What a great way of getting into the richness of your character's psyche and possibly bust writer's block or boredom at the same time.

In the spirit of this blog post, I'm planning to have a special post at the end of my blog tour for my new release, "Imogen's Chance". I'm inviting readers to ask questions of any of my characters. I will provide their answers on my final blog tour post, which will be on May 31st. Readers will have had plenty of time to read the book by then, and I'm hoping for some good, random questions to put before Imogen, Asher, or any of their supporting cast of characters. If you would like to put forward a question or two, I'd love to hear from you.

I wish anybody who is working on some fiction of their own at the moment some happy times with their character friends as they daydream.

Paula Vince is the South Australian author of contemporary dramas with elements of romance and suspense. Her most recent novel, 'Imogen's Chance' was published April 2014. You can visit her blog here and join the blog tour.