Never Give Up, Never Surrender!

Ok, there are two components of this statement- one for us as writers.  A screenwriter friend once told me, “You can never fail, you can only quit”. If we give up on our dreams, on ourselves, without doing all that we want to do- we’re selling ourselves short. You can't fail in this business as long as you keep writing.

But the way I want to look at it today is our characters.

Our characters have to be realistic enough for readers to identify with otherwise they’ll never be able to jump inside their heads for the ride.

But at the same time, our characters have to go a beyond real- they can’t give up even when faced with odds that would destroy “regular” people. (Ok, the argument can be made, and it’s valid, that there ARE people who perform with super human tenacity, but we’ll ignore them for now. If you KNOW someone is going to succeed no matter what, what’s the fun in watching their path?).

We have to create people who are normal to begin with (normal for whatever they are, fae, elf, dragon, vampire, or even just human) but who find that inner power we all wish we had to go beyond who they were and save the day.

These characters have to have plenty of options to walk away, they may even do so once or twice, but something inside of them keeps them going back to the right path. To put themselves in harm’s way to save others, an ideal, or a way of life.

I'm finding that the more flaws I give my characters, the more problems and reasons for them to turn away, the more I believe them when they don't.

Any tricks out there for making characters who go beyond themselves and are yet still believable?

Thanks for coming by!

 

And another NaNo bites the dust!

 

Ahhh NaNoWriMo is almost over for another year, and for me, and others, it’s already done. I was hoping to finish Sunday evening, but too many 0 and low count word days put a kibosh on that. I will settle for finishing last night J.

I think this was my most successful and mind expanding NaNo yet.

I started out with my outline, and while didn’t follow through as closely as intended after the first act, the basic idea was there. I still love my board and my lined sticky notes! I think I am now a full-fledged Plantster, - a half breed. The secret of writing is to find what works for you and follow it. Then when it stops working, go find something else. I found my something else J.

I didn’t skip. No jumping and writing bits and pieces. Now, to be fair, this is sort of violating NaNo since they want folks to finish a book. I already know I can finish a book. Been there, done that (a few times). So for me having a nice solid start was my goal. I think I’ve done that J.

I also learned that going out on location writing might be a good thing for me. I’ve done a few Starbuck’s write ins before, and the counts were decent. But it wasn’t until Thanksgiving day and a speedy 2050 words (in about an hour and fifteen minutes) at a coffee shop that I realized the power of writing out in the real world.

I’ve re-found my mojo J. Been limping along for almost a year or more with a broken writer mojo. This stomped that problem into the ground. I realized that I need goals and challenges to keep my writer powers activated- so next year I’m going to challenge the heck out of myself- and keep moving forward!

My goals are to finish the rough of this book by end of Jan 2013 (The Four Dragons of the Apocalypse- it’ll have a new word count listing up on this site soon ;). Then finish last year’s project, Sakari’s War in Feb and March. THEN start edits for Dragons and you guessed it—start yet another book ;).

If you NaNo’d this year-congrats- even if you aren’t going to finish, you tried something outside of your normal comfort zone and you should be proud! Hopefully you learned something about your writing along the way J.

And for those of you who finish by Friday night-WOOOO! Rock on, you did GREAT!

Now go finish the book ;).

Why all writers should be thankful

       I will be the first to admit that writing can be a very painful and depressing task. Not the words themselves, although many fights have been fought and lost with stories running amuck, but the field of writing for publication. Getting published is truly painful and for most of us that path is filed with a lot of heartbreak. Shear stubbornness is probably the best weapon in any writer’s arsenal.

 

       But for all of that we have to still be truly grateful. We have the skill and the drive to follow the wild ideas that pop in our heads. Heck we HAVE wild ideas that pop in our heads! I have seen many friends post on FB how bored they are from time to time, I have NEVER seen a writer friend post it (or say it).We are armed with an imagination that knows no bounds. Have nothing to do? Work on a story. Feeling low? Dive into an amazing world of your own creation. Mad at your day job? Take it out on your villain.

 

 

       Even if publishing never comes our way--or not the way we dream—we still have to be grateful for this amazing gift- the ability to tell stories.

We must never lose track of that.

 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

Half way into NaNoville...

NaNo is a great chance for writers to find out what they’re worth, and new writers to see what it takes to complete a book (ok, caveat- obviously 50,000 words isn’t a book in 90% of genres…but work with me here ;)).

I love it because it pushes me to write more, to think about my stories in a different manner. This year I really pushed the “something different” issue. I did an outline (light in act 2 and 3 but still way more than I’ve ever done), I’m not skipping (more on that in a bit), and I’m doing a “pre-write” each day.

The outline: Ok, halfway through and I’d say it’s helped a lot, and I think I will incorporate it into my writing style. But, I’m a half-breed now (half pantser/half plotter)- not going to switch completely to plotter, but no long as pantsy as I was. The outline hasn’t been followed as well as one would have hoped however-LOL. I have to say out of all of the changes in my writing this month- this was the biggest. And had to most impact. And probably manages to terrify both pantsers and plotters alike!

See, as a half breed I’ve got the best of both worlds (in my opinion) or the worst of both. I did sit there with my board and my stickys and write down notes for chapters. Act one was blocked with 10 solid (or so I thought), general scene ideas were tossed out for the other two acts. (That sigh you just heard was from all the plotters feeling at peace with at least my act 1).

However, I didn’t stick with the plan. Oh I used the general ideas, but my midpoint of act one is happening way further down that predicted, and my chapters are a might off. As I wrote, my “plan” changed. As I wrote my characters grew and a critter side kick suddenly appeared (the second sigh you hear is from the pantsers who now feel better that I was following my characters and not the other way around ;))

Not skipping:  Ok, this is in a way not being true NaNo- the actual goal of NaNo is to have a skipped/lean 50,000 words that cover the book start to finish (rest to be filled in latter).  This year I’m not jumping or skipping (something I normally do when I write- I often will think of a great scene and jump ahead to do it).  Problem with jumping is sometimes they don’t fit, and you’re left with trying to connect the dots.  Sooo no jumping- almost 80 pages all in order.

Pre-write:  This is all Rachel Aaron, I take 5 minutes before I write and map out that days writing.  It gives me more direction and gets me excited about what I’m going to write!

So those are the main ways NaNo has changed me so far this year- what about you?

To The Pain...

 

Now for those of you familiar with the classic movie, The Princess Bride, you know where the title of today’s blog came from. For the rest of you- GO WATCH IT!

Ok, to sum up for you non-believers of the power of The Princess Bride, the line is from a scene where our hero, Wesley, who is recovering from being mostly dead for a while, finds himself facing his very able enemy.

When the big bad prince challenges Wesley to a duel to the death, our hero counters with, “No, to the pain.” He then elaborates how to the pain is much worse than to the death because after disfiguring the bad prince he will leave his ears- so he will hear all of the shrieks when people see him.

Now what has this to do with writing you ask? I am in the middle NaNo madness, ya know…to the pain seems very appropriate ;).

But this is really going that extra step as writers and making our characters go an extra step too. Wesley couldn’t fight at that point, he could barely get off the bed. But he convinces the prince that to fight Wesley would have such dire consequences (because he obviously thought this out) that the prince throws down his sword, and allows himself to be tied up.

All because the writer made the character go way beyond what was expected.

So next time you’re writing- don’t take your first idea, or even your second- find one that takes you to the pain J. Keep things fresh and unexpected.

 

Side note on my nano and the great outline experiment- about 50 pages in, haven't completely followed my outline, but using it more as tent poles.  I'm on target for my sequence one ending though (I'm doing a three act/eight sequence outline- so in other words- I'm almost to the the half way point of act one ;)).  Even though I'm not sticking with it as much as hoped, I will say the book is turning out much better because of it!

'Twas the night before NaNo...

 

'Twas the night before NaNoWriMo, when all through the house

No one was writing, not even moving a mouse;

The plots and characters were waiting with care,

In hopes that midnight soon would be there.

Tonight at midnight NaNo 2012 starts!

 

I have to say I feel far more vested in my world and characters than I usually do when I start a new book. Clearly a side effect of the whole planning and outling thing ;). 

 

Now, I have to be honest, I’ve only partially outlined this puppy (which for me is still a major achievement!). I changed around act 1 so often, that I was wary of doing as much of a solid chapter by chapter outline for act 2. I do have scattered notes of scenes that need to happen, and I do know where it will end. (And where the OTHER books will go-LOL!  I am an avowed series junkie. )

 

Right now only act 1 is chapter by chapter. My plan (and I do have one ;)) is to take a day breather after act 1 (which could be between 80-100 pages) and tighten my chapter planning for act 2. I write big books, so NaNo won’t even get me half way there, probably not much past the first section of act 2 ;).

 

But I think I’m as ready as I can be for tomorrow (no, sorry, not staying up to start writing at midnight ;)).

 

I do have the pantser fear of freezing since so much has already been thought out, but I really think I’m going to be ok. Of course, we won’t know for sure until this rodeo gets started!

 

Happy NaNo Eve all!  (If you're not doing it- cheer on your friends!  Chances are a few folks you know are going NaNo!)

The Great NaNo Experiment- The Plot Thickens!

 

Yes, bad pun aside, my plan to actually plot for this year’s NaNo (a first for me for any book ;)) is coming along nicely. I’ve found that I really like playing with post-it’s and the HUGE cardboard board is a hoot too.

Ya know, those big “science fair” fold out boards? FABU for setting up my 3 act/8-sequence plot. Act 1 (seq 1 &2) is on the first flap; act 2 (seq 3-6) is on the inside (act 2 is twice as big as act one, which is why sometimes you may see it called a 4 act, instead of 3 act structure), then the last fold out is Act 3(sequence 7 &8). On the outside I have one flap of character notes, and the other flap has “Big Bad” (aka the villains) notes. All in pretty colors!

I will admit at first I was terrified- as a serious pantser, plotting like this would previously have made me run screaming for the hills. But I figure we have to grow and learn right? Nothing worse than a stale novelist! besides, I told you all I'd be trying this last week ;).

And I’m finding some perks. For instance, did you know that if you plot ahead of time you can sometimes catch glaring problems BEFORE you write them?

Shocking, I know!

I’ve already changed parts of act 1 (only part done so far) 3 times, and all I had to do was write out a new sticky note and take off the old one. No going back and deleting whole sections that no longer fit, no writing, “cut this” “fix this” or the ever lovely, “Put something better here”. Yes, I do leave notes for myself as I do drafts, and no, my future self does not like them one bit.

And crumbling up a little sticky note is far less emotionally traumatizing to my creative self as opposed to ripping out pages, and/or deleting them online.

Also, you can see a huge problem in the sections ahead before you even get to outlining them. I just had an epiphany this morning and realized I had a HUGE problem. But no worries- I can fix it with a sticky note!

My plan is to have the whole book outlined before Nov 1- then, to sit and detail that evening's writing for at least 5 minutes before each writing run.

 

 Any of you have experiences with the 3 act structure? Like playing with sticky notes?