If you are looking for software to help you organize your writing efforts, Scrivener is a great choice. If you are a Mac user, you may have been using this for quite a while. If you are a Windows user, you are now lucky enough to join the club.
I am not posting a full review here because I have not downloaded the software yet, but on reputation alone, I think the Public Beta is worth a test drive. If you have feedback on the product, please post comments.
Literature and Latte - Scrivener for Windows
Until next time, keep on writing.
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Free Ebook Publishing - How to Publish on Smashwords
In the last few months, I have been exploring the self-publishing options in ebook format. Over time I will probably post on each of the major distribution options, but I found an interesting centralized option that I had never heard of.
Smashwords.
First, when you publish through Smashwords, your work becomes available through the Apple iPad/iPod store, Barnes & Noble, Sony Reader Store, Kobo Store, Aldiko Store, and more. Although they do not have a direct connection to the Kindle store, they will publish your work in Kindle format where users can transfer the book to their hard drive and to the Kindle when it is plugged in via USB.
That is an incredible first step to getting your new ebook to market. This is the closest thing to one-stop ebook publishing that I have seen so far.
Second, it is FREE! No setup cost, no publishing cost, no package cost, no upload or book revision cost, and they even include a free ISBN number for your ebook.
Third, for any ebook sold through their Smashwords store, you earn 85% of the price which is the most I have seen anywhere. And for the sales that occur through the major retailers you still receive 60%.
Fourth, they have free marketing tools to help you get the word out on your ebook, which is one of the hardest parts of self-publishing in my opinion.
Fifth, if you publish two or more different author works, you can upgrade your account for free to a publisher's account to centrally manage all of your author's works, and you get your own publisher's page on their site to showcase the work as needed for new releases or circumstances like a good news cycle going along with one of your book topics.
Although I am sure I will also use some of the direct publishing through the individual ebook stores, I have a hard time finding a reason not to start with Smashwords due to the incredible return on your time investment.
Click the link to get all the details for yourself, but I'm sure you will agree this is a great ebook self-publishing option. If you find other key points that I missed, please post in the comments for others to see.
Until next time, let's keep on writing.
Monday, January 4, 2010
yWriter5 Writing Software Review
I decided to start the year out by trying to be more organized in my writing. I have a system, but it consists of individual files for things like character summaries, plot outline, and chapter summaries. Knowing that there is software out there for writers, I decided to search and see what I could find.
After reviewing a long list of possibilities, I focused in on yWriter5. I watched the video demo and I was sold. It is feature rich, very light-weight, and FREE! And as an unpublished writer, I am a big fan of free.
I formatted my latest writing project in rtf format with chapter headings as required by yWriter5, and was able to import my whole project and have it automatically create the chapter division files.
You have options to add characters with character details, locations, items, and scenes which make up your chapters. Because of the "scene" approach, it is easy to drag scenes between chapters or rearrange them as your story fleshes out.
The reports are helpful, and you can even do a word-count report to help you stick to your writing goals.
I am really amazed at how much this free program offers, and from what I have seen so far, you are getting a top quality program.
Check it out at http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html
Until next time, let's keep on writing.
www.jhughthomas.com
After reviewing a long list of possibilities, I focused in on yWriter5. I watched the video demo and I was sold. It is feature rich, very light-weight, and FREE! And as an unpublished writer, I am a big fan of free.
I formatted my latest writing project in rtf format with chapter headings as required by yWriter5, and was able to import my whole project and have it automatically create the chapter division files.
You have options to add characters with character details, locations, items, and scenes which make up your chapters. Because of the "scene" approach, it is easy to drag scenes between chapters or rearrange them as your story fleshes out.
The reports are helpful, and you can even do a word-count report to help you stick to your writing goals.
I am really amazed at how much this free program offers, and from what I have seen so far, you are getting a top quality program.
Check it out at http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html
Until next time, let's keep on writing.
www.jhughthomas.com
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Preparing Plot Archs and Character Archs
One of the most satisfying plot twists in The Empire Strikes Back is the moment when Luke and Darth Vader are finishing and intense light saber battle and Vader reveals a life altering piece of information, "I am your father."
For those of us that saw this in the theater before the information was leaked, it was a powerful moment that was emotionally jarring and instantly opened up new avenues for the plot and character development. You were left wondering what would this mean? How will Luke react? Is it true?
To me this is still one of the best examples of how a writer that plans into the future is capable of bringing more to the table than one who just writes in the moment. When you go back to the first movie, you see clues like when Uncle Owen responds to a statement that Luke has too much of his father in him by saying, "That's what I'm afraid of." I remember in the theater thinking this was an obscure thing to say but after Darth Vader's revelation, it all made sense.
I wish I could say I know how to pull this off in a magical and compelling way, but as you know, I am only learning. Here are the things that do seem important to me when approaching a story which you are sure will span over several books.
1) Write Detailed Character Sheets. This helps when you only plan to write one book with the characters, but when the story will stretch on, it is critical. The more time you spend developing these characters on paper, giving them an interesting background, the more material you have to sprinkle through the books ahead.
2) Write History Overlap Sheets. Consider this an addendum to the Character Sheets. Here you will document the ways in which the various characters have crossed paths in the past, before the beginning of your first story. These interactions will provide insight to you as the writer to explain why Judy hates Steve, or Phil is tortured when he is around Judy.
3) Write a Goals Sheet for each Character. This is from the character's perspective, and can include an old set of goals and then a newer set that changed due to some events that occurred. This gives you a clear starting point for motivations of your characters. Whenever you get stuck writing a scene with that character, go back to their goals and see if it helps you find the character's next move.
4) Write an Author's Goal Sheet for each Character. This is a guideline that you may have to scrap as your plots unfold, but it can be a useful guideline. Within each story, you want a character to make some movement as a person. It may be the realization that they will never reach their goal, or it could be the fulfillment of something unexpected. Whatever it is, if you write it down and modify it as you work on your plot, it will be a helpful reference.
5) Map the Big Pieces out for the Series of Novels. I don't know how many writers actually do this, or have the time for that matter, but I can see how good initial planning will result in a richer more fulfilling plot. If you know which pieces of character background will be revealed in which book, and which major plot points will occur and when, it can allow you the freedom to fill in the blanks knowing that you have a strong overall story map for both plot and character development.
I can only hope these steps will prove true as I work on my story and characters. If you read this blog regularly, I am sure will find out if I was right or wrong about my instincts.
Until next time, let's keep on writing.
www.jhughthomas.com
www.facebook.com/jhughthomas
Sunday, May 3, 2009
How To Find The Novel In Your Story.
Your finished novel will have a story, hopefully a great story, with a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning is a specific point in time within your story universe and so is the end. All the scenes within your novel often only represent a small portion of the time between the beginning and end. Usually you are just including the scenes that will give the reader the most engaging and exciting experience to keep them hooked and satisfied.
So as you brainstorm before you begin writing your novel, you have ideas for the world that your story will live in and some of the history of your main characters. As you get to a plot, you may have trouble deciding where your story should really begin. This is probably one of your most important choices.
Star Wars is the perfect example to study. The beginning of this classic story throws you right into the middle of a conflict that has been raging for quite a while. You find the characters in various stages of unrest, either because they are running from trouble or trying to cause trouble. The back story fills in as the story is told, but you don't have to wait to be engaged.
Why didn't George Lucas chose to begin at the inception of the rebellion, and show how the whole thing started? Because that was not the plot story or the character story that he wanted to tell. Of course years later we finally saw in Episode III how the empire and the rebellion came about, and it was also a great story. The key is he chose the specific story out of the story universe to tell in each episode.
It may be more important to carefully choose the story in epic adventures, but I think it applies to all fiction. The key may be to just choose the combination of plot and character progression that is most interesting, usually at a point of great change.
Think about your own life. The majority is just business as usual, but maybe you had a big family tragedy that turned everything upside down, or you met "the one" and had a whirlwind romance leading to a proposal. I think you get the point.
Endings are just as important as the beginning. If you end too early in the story, the reader may feel unfulfilled. End too late in the story and the reader is bored on the last page, which is not good. Find that sweet spot where you wrap up the plot points and the emotional promises that you made throughout the middle of the story.
I know this is just an overview, but I hope it helps you identify the right part of your story to tell. Search hard enough and you just might find a gem.
J Hugh Thomas is a database developer and a programmer who is writing his first novel. Read his blog http://onwritingmyfirstnovel.blogspot.com/ to see all of his writer's resources and free advice.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Hugh_Thomas
http://www.jhughthomas.com/
So as you brainstorm before you begin writing your novel, you have ideas for the world that your story will live in and some of the history of your main characters. As you get to a plot, you may have trouble deciding where your story should really begin. This is probably one of your most important choices.
Star Wars is the perfect example to study. The beginning of this classic story throws you right into the middle of a conflict that has been raging for quite a while. You find the characters in various stages of unrest, either because they are running from trouble or trying to cause trouble. The back story fills in as the story is told, but you don't have to wait to be engaged.
Why didn't George Lucas chose to begin at the inception of the rebellion, and show how the whole thing started? Because that was not the plot story or the character story that he wanted to tell. Of course years later we finally saw in Episode III how the empire and the rebellion came about, and it was also a great story. The key is he chose the specific story out of the story universe to tell in each episode.
It may be more important to carefully choose the story in epic adventures, but I think it applies to all fiction. The key may be to just choose the combination of plot and character progression that is most interesting, usually at a point of great change.
Think about your own life. The majority is just business as usual, but maybe you had a big family tragedy that turned everything upside down, or you met "the one" and had a whirlwind romance leading to a proposal. I think you get the point.
Endings are just as important as the beginning. If you end too early in the story, the reader may feel unfulfilled. End too late in the story and the reader is bored on the last page, which is not good. Find that sweet spot where you wrap up the plot points and the emotional promises that you made throughout the middle of the story.
I know this is just an overview, but I hope it helps you identify the right part of your story to tell. Search hard enough and you just might find a gem.
J Hugh Thomas is a database developer and a programmer who is writing his first novel. Read his blog http://onwritingmyfirstnovel.blogspot.com/ to see all of his writer's resources and free advice.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Hugh_Thomas
http://www.jhughthomas.com/
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Write Even When You Are Not Writing
The other day I was driving home from work, day-dreaming about the story for the novel I am currently writing. As I thought about it, new ideas began to bubble up from somewhere inside me. I knew it was good, and I knew it would enhance the book so when I got home, I quickly found some paper and wrote it all out so I would not loose the essence of what I pictured.
I know this happens to all writers, especially while they are in the middle of a project. What I'm not sure of is how much priority is placed on this time, thinking about your work while you are not at the keyboard.
We all have read that some of your best work can come from your mind solving problems and generating ideas while you sleep. But do we feed our mind before bed? Perhaps reviewing a trouble area or just re-reading your last few pages of writing before bed might prove a helpful ally in your writing the next morning.
And of all that dead time in the car, at the doctors office, at the Jiffy Lube, how much time is spent listening to the radio or flipping through magazines adorned with Angelina Jolie's lips that could be spent expanding or deepening your story. These times are opportunities to wear your creative hat while not generating words and paragraphs, but rather finding or expanding the big picture.
You may find a love story that deepens or a plot line that has additional back story bringing new richness to the texture of the work. We have only a limited amount of time each day, each year, and in a lifetime. In our busy society, it is more important than ever to make time for reflection and to let you mind wander.
The thing is we know how to do this because it is usually how we develop a good idea for a novel in the first place. Just choose to not stop while you are in the crunch of writing the novel.
J Hugh Thomas is a database developer and a programmer who is writing his first novel. Read his blog http://onwritingmyfirstnovel.blogspot.com to see all of his writer's resources and free advice.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Hugh_Thomas
www.jhughthomas.com
www.twitter.com/jhughthomas
Facebook Profile
I know this happens to all writers, especially while they are in the middle of a project. What I'm not sure of is how much priority is placed on this time, thinking about your work while you are not at the keyboard.
We all have read that some of your best work can come from your mind solving problems and generating ideas while you sleep. But do we feed our mind before bed? Perhaps reviewing a trouble area or just re-reading your last few pages of writing before bed might prove a helpful ally in your writing the next morning.
And of all that dead time in the car, at the doctors office, at the Jiffy Lube, how much time is spent listening to the radio or flipping through magazines adorned with Angelina Jolie's lips that could be spent expanding or deepening your story. These times are opportunities to wear your creative hat while not generating words and paragraphs, but rather finding or expanding the big picture.
You may find a love story that deepens or a plot line that has additional back story bringing new richness to the texture of the work. We have only a limited amount of time each day, each year, and in a lifetime. In our busy society, it is more important than ever to make time for reflection and to let you mind wander.
The thing is we know how to do this because it is usually how we develop a good idea for a novel in the first place. Just choose to not stop while you are in the crunch of writing the novel.
J Hugh Thomas is a database developer and a programmer who is writing his first novel. Read his blog http://onwritingmyfirstnovel.blogspot.com to see all of his writer's resources and free advice.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Hugh_Thomas
www.jhughthomas.com
www.twitter.com/jhughthomas
Facebook Profile
Sunday, January 11, 2009
How to write a novel... after a break.
If you have been following this blog, you know I took a detour to write a screenplay for a family movie. It is only a first draft, but I will edit the screenplay with the whole family since it is a family project. So for me personally, I am free to spend my morning writing time on my novel again.
What was my novel about? Who are the characters? Where did I leave off? I quickly find myself drowning in a sea of questions without quick answers. I know as writers, we will all be in this situation from time to time, so I will try to lay out a game plan not just for my benefit, but for all those returning from the detour.
1) Read everything that you have written so far - This seems like a simple and obvious choice, but if you aren't careful, you can derail your writing efforts quickly. Just because you are reading your novel, it does not mean that you are editing. However editing, for me at least, seems the natural tendency when reading my work. Therefore be deliberate in reading for content, tone, plot, character, and flow... not for editing. Use the reading time to get back into the mindset that you were in when writing that which is complete.
2) Read your character summaries - If you don't have character summaries, this may be a good time to write them. Otherwise, review your character summaries to remind you of background history not revealed in the story. Get back in touch with who they are and how they fit into your plot. Which characters cause natural conflict and natural harmony? Are their key events in your plot that are driven by aspects of certain characters? Ask these types of questions to refresh your memory, and prepare your mind.
3) Review your plot outline - During step one and two, you may find that your outline is slightly off, or that the story has moved some in a different direction. Take this opportunity to modify your outline some if necessary, but don't get bogged down. I don't consider this editing since it is not finished words committed to the page, but just an outline. And if you make some quick outline changes now, you are really just getting into the flow that you were in when writing your first draft a month or two (or more) ago.
4) Prepare for your next chapter - When you are writing a first draft, you may not do much preparation from chapter to chapter. You are writing in a flow. However, after a break in the flow it can be scary to return to your manuscript. What if I can't do it? What if it does not flow? What if I am a pathetic excuse for a writer and I have no business killing trees to preserve my writing? Push these questions out of your mind because by the fact that you constantly question yourself, it proves that you are a writer, regardless of skill level. I suggest preparing for the next chapter with maybe a more detailed approach to give you the confidence to start typing again. If you are like me, confidence is the attribute always in short supply.
After the next chapter is written, hopefully you, and I, will be back in the flow again... pressing on to the end of our novel. My challenge to you and myself is not to allow fear of failure to prevent a return to the vulnerability and challenge of writing a novel.
We are capable of finishing. It is a decision.
So until next time, let's all keep on, or start, writing.
www.jhughthomas.com
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
My Facebook Account
What was my novel about? Who are the characters? Where did I leave off? I quickly find myself drowning in a sea of questions without quick answers. I know as writers, we will all be in this situation from time to time, so I will try to lay out a game plan not just for my benefit, but for all those returning from the detour.
1) Read everything that you have written so far - This seems like a simple and obvious choice, but if you aren't careful, you can derail your writing efforts quickly. Just because you are reading your novel, it does not mean that you are editing. However editing, for me at least, seems the natural tendency when reading my work. Therefore be deliberate in reading for content, tone, plot, character, and flow... not for editing. Use the reading time to get back into the mindset that you were in when writing that which is complete.
2) Read your character summaries - If you don't have character summaries, this may be a good time to write them. Otherwise, review your character summaries to remind you of background history not revealed in the story. Get back in touch with who they are and how they fit into your plot. Which characters cause natural conflict and natural harmony? Are their key events in your plot that are driven by aspects of certain characters? Ask these types of questions to refresh your memory, and prepare your mind.
3) Review your plot outline - During step one and two, you may find that your outline is slightly off, or that the story has moved some in a different direction. Take this opportunity to modify your outline some if necessary, but don't get bogged down. I don't consider this editing since it is not finished words committed to the page, but just an outline. And if you make some quick outline changes now, you are really just getting into the flow that you were in when writing your first draft a month or two (or more) ago.
4) Prepare for your next chapter - When you are writing a first draft, you may not do much preparation from chapter to chapter. You are writing in a flow. However, after a break in the flow it can be scary to return to your manuscript. What if I can't do it? What if it does not flow? What if I am a pathetic excuse for a writer and I have no business killing trees to preserve my writing? Push these questions out of your mind because by the fact that you constantly question yourself, it proves that you are a writer, regardless of skill level. I suggest preparing for the next chapter with maybe a more detailed approach to give you the confidence to start typing again. If you are like me, confidence is the attribute always in short supply.
After the next chapter is written, hopefully you, and I, will be back in the flow again... pressing on to the end of our novel. My challenge to you and myself is not to allow fear of failure to prevent a return to the vulnerability and challenge of writing a novel.
We are capable of finishing. It is a decision.
So until next time, let's all keep on, or start, writing.
www.jhughthomas.com
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
My Facebook Account
Monday, December 22, 2008
How To Find A Writing Routine
As often happens, this blog is born out of my writing situation... in this case my personal state of unrest and dissatisfaction with my consistency in a writing routine. And as the title indicates, I think this is more of an art than a science. Therefore, I will try to help you (and me) "find" a writing routine that works for us respectively.
We have all heard a million talks, seminars, and slogans on establishing a routine. Here are a few items that seem relevant to our position as writers, presumably all of whom hold down full-time jobs (and yes, that includes stay at home moms).
1) What is your current routine? - This may be the most important step. Everyone has parts of their life that are routine, affixed to specific times that occur every day, or at least on weekdays. Write down a list of the items in your current routine that are fixed in time so you have them available to you in the following steps.
2) What time of day do you write your best work? - This is trial and error. If you don't already know, take a few Saturday's and try different things. Get up early once, try the afternoon next, and then try evening and late night. See which of these times seems the most productive and the time when your creativity seems to flow with the most ease.
3) What time slot can you consistently use? - Here the pain begins. Those who don't really want to write will find an excuse for all times of the day. But in reality, if you want it badly enough, you can make time. The ideal situation is to pick a time where point #1 and point #2 converge so you can be most productive and follow a daily routine. In the practical world, you may have to settle for a time that you can squeeze into your schedule, regardless of how it suits your preferences.
Bottom line is routines are hard to establish. It feels less like creative fun and more like work. My question to you (and myself) is how important is it that you finish your novel? How badly do you want to be published? In twenty years, will you regret that you never spent those extra minutes writing and editing? Will you ask, "What if?"
My advice is simple. Don't forecast regret. Take action today.
Better to try and fail than never to try at all.
On the writing front, I finished another two scenes in my script. If I have a productive Christmas holiday season, I may even finish before years end.
Until next time, let's all keep on writing.
www.jhughthomas.com
MySpace Account
Facebook Account
We have all heard a million talks, seminars, and slogans on establishing a routine. Here are a few items that seem relevant to our position as writers, presumably all of whom hold down full-time jobs (and yes, that includes stay at home moms).
1) What is your current routine? - This may be the most important step. Everyone has parts of their life that are routine, affixed to specific times that occur every day, or at least on weekdays. Write down a list of the items in your current routine that are fixed in time so you have them available to you in the following steps.
2) What time of day do you write your best work? - This is trial and error. If you don't already know, take a few Saturday's and try different things. Get up early once, try the afternoon next, and then try evening and late night. See which of these times seems the most productive and the time when your creativity seems to flow with the most ease.
3) What time slot can you consistently use? - Here the pain begins. Those who don't really want to write will find an excuse for all times of the day. But in reality, if you want it badly enough, you can make time. The ideal situation is to pick a time where point #1 and point #2 converge so you can be most productive and follow a daily routine. In the practical world, you may have to settle for a time that you can squeeze into your schedule, regardless of how it suits your preferences.
Bottom line is routines are hard to establish. It feels less like creative fun and more like work. My question to you (and myself) is how important is it that you finish your novel? How badly do you want to be published? In twenty years, will you regret that you never spent those extra minutes writing and editing? Will you ask, "What if?"
My advice is simple. Don't forecast regret. Take action today.
Better to try and fail than never to try at all.
On the writing front, I finished another two scenes in my script. If I have a productive Christmas holiday season, I may even finish before years end.
Until next time, let's all keep on writing.
www.jhughthomas.com
MySpace Account
Facebook Account
Monday, November 3, 2008
How would your characters vote?
Don't worry, I'm not getting political. This is, and will remain, a writing blog. However, I think it can be a fun exercise to take each of your main characters and imagine them debating the issues and choosing a candidate. To some, this may be the fun equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard, but the point of the exercise is to know your characters better.
Maybe write a short dinner party scene in which your characters take their sides and defend their positions. In the process, make sure you are being true to the character you have written thus far in your book (assuming it is an unfinished novel). Or perhaps you will learn something new about your character that you had never considered before, maybe even some back story. Anyway, have fun with it and strengthen your characters in the process.
Here's my latest true confessions in writing. I finished two more scenes this week in my screenplay. Slowly but surely, I'm finishing the movie so I can get back to the novel.
RESOURCES:
I found an interesting article titled "The literary web" that talks about the habits and tools of readers using web resources.
Another reminder that this is NaNoWriMo month, where thousands of people try to write a novel in a month. If you are interested in getting a late start, here's an article on it.
Think you'll never finish your novel? That you will never be published? Take encouragement from someone who has just finished the journey, Alice J. Wisler with her book Rain Song. Reading about how she made it may be the push you need to continue writing.
Last but not least, here is an interview on query letters and pitches.
That's all for this week. Until next time, lets keep on writing.
www.jhughthomas.com
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
Maybe write a short dinner party scene in which your characters take their sides and defend their positions. In the process, make sure you are being true to the character you have written thus far in your book (assuming it is an unfinished novel). Or perhaps you will learn something new about your character that you had never considered before, maybe even some back story. Anyway, have fun with it and strengthen your characters in the process.
Here's my latest true confessions in writing. I finished two more scenes this week in my screenplay. Slowly but surely, I'm finishing the movie so I can get back to the novel.
RESOURCES:
I found an interesting article titled "The literary web" that talks about the habits and tools of readers using web resources.
Another reminder that this is NaNoWriMo month, where thousands of people try to write a novel in a month. If you are interested in getting a late start, here's an article on it.
Think you'll never finish your novel? That you will never be published? Take encouragement from someone who has just finished the journey, Alice J. Wisler with her book Rain Song. Reading about how she made it may be the push you need to continue writing.
Last but not least, here is an interview on query letters and pitches.
That's all for this week. Until next time, lets keep on writing.
www.jhughthomas.com
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
Sunday, October 26, 2008
MindMapping a Novel and Industry Insiders
I found a great blog entry on MindMapping to prepare for a novel written by Michelle. It is written in the context of preparing for the latest write a novel in one month contest, which runs for the month of November (http://www.nanowrimo.org/). The principles are sound and helpful, plus it is worth your time to look around at the rest of the Juiced On Writing blog site.
http://juicedonwriting.com/517/mindmapping-to-prepare-for-a-novel/
Also check out this blog by an assistant at a literary agency. It is a great source for inside information that might just help you get past the gatekeeper.
http://rejecter.blogspot.com/2008/10/back-and-on-how-to-write-real-good.html
Here's my weekly writing update. I've written another three scenes for the movie and refined some of the story overview. Most importantly, I'm working on it and moving forward. So until next time, let's all keep writing.
http://www.jhughthomas.com/
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
http://juicedonwriting.com/517/mindmapping-to-prepare-for-a-novel/
Also check out this blog by an assistant at a literary agency. It is a great source for inside information that might just help you get past the gatekeeper.
http://rejecter.blogspot.com/2008/10/back-and-on-how-to-write-real-good.html
Here's my weekly writing update. I've written another three scenes for the movie and refined some of the story overview. Most importantly, I'm working on it and moving forward. So until next time, let's all keep writing.
http://www.jhughthomas.com/
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
Monday, September 8, 2008
Editing in the plot threads
I am constantly impressed by skillful writers who weave hints, clues, and foreshadowing through a story only to reach fruition in the final act. It seems effortless, and unavoidable, when you read the ending. But as you and I know, writing to achieve this effect is anything but effortless.
It seems to me that this is a job better left to the editing process rather than first draft. That is not to say it is ignored during the first draft. If the general threads are not in place as you write, it will be much more difficult to pull them together in the second pass, maybe even causing a major rewrite.
But I guess that once I've finished my first draft, the scrutiny I pay to the threads of plot and theme in the second, third, and fourth pass will be what determines if my book is trash, just okay, pretty good, or extraordinary. Once the overall work is done, I believe it will be easier to see the overview and find the best ways to use breadcrumbs in the story to tie things together.
For example, a hidden letter is discovered early in the book with the intention of using it to propel the protagonist forward into the story. After finishing the book, you need an extra touch to tie the end together with the beginning. In the editing process, you can modify the letter to give it an extra level of meaning that helps bring the story to a close.
As always, I'm just spouting off my best guess as an amateur. Feel free to comment on the blog with your opinions.
www.jhughthomas.com
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
It seems to me that this is a job better left to the editing process rather than first draft. That is not to say it is ignored during the first draft. If the general threads are not in place as you write, it will be much more difficult to pull them together in the second pass, maybe even causing a major rewrite.
But I guess that once I've finished my first draft, the scrutiny I pay to the threads of plot and theme in the second, third, and fourth pass will be what determines if my book is trash, just okay, pretty good, or extraordinary. Once the overall work is done, I believe it will be easier to see the overview and find the best ways to use breadcrumbs in the story to tie things together.
For example, a hidden letter is discovered early in the book with the intention of using it to propel the protagonist forward into the story. After finishing the book, you need an extra touch to tie the end together with the beginning. In the editing process, you can modify the letter to give it an extra level of meaning that helps bring the story to a close.
As always, I'm just spouting off my best guess as an amateur. Feel free to comment on the blog with your opinions.
www.jhughthomas.com
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Juggling multiple writing projects
Confession time. In spite of the fact that I am a highly skilled amateur writer (please, control your laughter), and that I possess a military discipline in my novel writing practices (again, no laughing), I do have a weakness. Even though I know it is easier to focus on one project at a time, I have difficulty following that rule.
Since I am not a professional writer, I have no deadlines to weigh me down. I am a free man. Which can also make me a slave to bad habits. I think I have found a balance, but I welcome input from others on what works for you.
For me, I decided to limit myself to one writing project per "type" at any given time. By type I mean song, short story, movie screenplay, book, etc.
Right now I am writing a plot outline, then a screenplay, for a movie that my family will make together just for fun. My kids love making movies and so do I. I am also, of course, working on a novel. Just recently I finished writing a song for a friend of mine who plays and sings in clubs around town.
My priority remains the novel. How can you tell? I still reserve the early morning time slot for the novel. If I work on other projects, I make time for them at other times of the day.
Bottom line, I just can not control my desire to embrace many creative outlets in an overlapping time frame. If you are the same way, just make sure you still maintain a priority structure.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Book Title Reminder
I know I already covered this, but time for a reminder.
The closer I get to the end of my book, the more I realize that the title reveals itself... sorta kinda maybe. I guess a more accurate statement would be that the wrong titles become more obvious and the right ones emerge from your text.
For example, early on in my writing process, I was convinced that I had the perfect title for my book. It was just so cool, it had to be right. I ignored the fact that my wife did not care for it (first mistake), and I generally fell in love with the title (my fatal mistake).
Remember this. Highlight it. Put it on the refrigerator.
Never fall in love with an idea to the exclusion of objective logic. In other words, be willing to take the axe to anything and everything about your story, including the "perfect title," to make the book better.
When you start editing the book, you will be a surgeon, cutting out the cancer and tumors that burden the good body. How much more important is the title?
The title is the first, and maybe only, marketing that most people will see since your book's spine will most likely be all that book browsers will see on the shelf. The cover art is important, but I believe the title is even more crucial. Here comes the tough part. I have said it before and I will say it again.
You must turn off the artist and turn on the marketing guru within, assuming you want to sell books to more than friends and family. And unlike editing, which I think should not start until the end of the first draft, I think you should revisit the idea of your book's title throughout the writing process.
Why? You will have different ideas as you write different parts of the book. What I do is list them all in a Word document and bold all the ones that seem like the best possibilities. I prioritize the list in order based on my current preferences.
When I finish the book, I will have a great head start on choosing a title. Right now, I have about fifty possibilities, ten I consider good possibilities. Why hold the other forty? They may help me come up with another great title idea, a different take on a title that did not quite work. Start now on your list, if you have not already, and you will have a head start when you finish your book. At the very least, you will have a good list of words that summarize your story. That is a good beginning.
Then, after taking a break on the list, get back to writing!
http://www.jhughthomas.com/
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
The closer I get to the end of my book, the more I realize that the title reveals itself... sorta kinda maybe. I guess a more accurate statement would be that the wrong titles become more obvious and the right ones emerge from your text.
For example, early on in my writing process, I was convinced that I had the perfect title for my book. It was just so cool, it had to be right. I ignored the fact that my wife did not care for it (first mistake), and I generally fell in love with the title (my fatal mistake).
Remember this. Highlight it. Put it on the refrigerator.
Never fall in love with an idea to the exclusion of objective logic. In other words, be willing to take the axe to anything and everything about your story, including the "perfect title," to make the book better.
When you start editing the book, you will be a surgeon, cutting out the cancer and tumors that burden the good body. How much more important is the title?
The title is the first, and maybe only, marketing that most people will see since your book's spine will most likely be all that book browsers will see on the shelf. The cover art is important, but I believe the title is even more crucial. Here comes the tough part. I have said it before and I will say it again.
You must turn off the artist and turn on the marketing guru within, assuming you want to sell books to more than friends and family. And unlike editing, which I think should not start until the end of the first draft, I think you should revisit the idea of your book's title throughout the writing process.
Why? You will have different ideas as you write different parts of the book. What I do is list them all in a Word document and bold all the ones that seem like the best possibilities. I prioritize the list in order based on my current preferences.
When I finish the book, I will have a great head start on choosing a title. Right now, I have about fifty possibilities, ten I consider good possibilities. Why hold the other forty? They may help me come up with another great title idea, a different take on a title that did not quite work. Start now on your list, if you have not already, and you will have a head start when you finish your book. At the very least, you will have a good list of words that summarize your story. That is a good beginning.
Then, after taking a break on the list, get back to writing!
http://www.jhughthomas.com/
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
Monday, August 11, 2008
Other writing formats
I found a couple of interesting interviews on serializing and graphic novel. It is a good idea to keep your options open so as a story develops, you can see the format that most naturally fits. We have already covered novel, novella, and short story. Here are a couple more to try on.
Serializing
http://wibblypress.net/?p=253
http://fictionwriting.about.com/b/2006/08/29/novel-serialization.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Serialized_novels
Graphic Novel
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Graphic-Novel
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Write-A-Graphic-Novel&id=181581
http://www.mbwestonblog.com/2008/07/writing-a-graph.html
www.jhughthomas.com
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
Serializing
http://wibblypress.net/?p=253
http://fictionwriting.about.com/b/2006/08/29/novel-serialization.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Serialized_novels
Graphic Novel
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Graphic-Novel
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Write-A-Graphic-Novel&id=181581
http://www.mbwestonblog.com/2008/07/writing-a-graph.html
www.jhughthomas.com
www.myspace.com/jhughthomas
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Novel, novela, or short story: choosing the right format for your story.
Aside from the fact that this is my blog, and therefore inherently my opinion, I want to specifically state that this is my hunch and not based on study and research.
I do not believe that you always know what you are writing before it is mostly written. For example, you may start writing in poetic fervor one day because you have an idea, an inspiration. After four pages go by, you may find that the story is a self-contained, short story based on the scope of story that you have set up. Or forty pages later, you see that there is more to explore. A novella is forming. Or you reach a point in the story where you see components of your story that require new chapters, and the story still has a long way to go. A novel.
The point being it is an art, not a science. Granted, if you become a full time writer for pay, there will likely be exacting constraints on what you are expected to produce. But for now we are but lowly unpaid writers. That is code for freedom.
Although, as the title of the blog conveys, I am writing a novel, it started as an incomplete short story. Could I have finished it as a short story? Absolutely. But I saw the world within my pages reaching further and characters changing more. Please, just do not get upright about what it is you are producing. See where the story takes you.
If you planned to write a novel but find there are only thee or four chapters of story, for heavens sake resist the urge to stretch it out into a full novel. The goal is good storytelling, and the reader will not appreciate the mountains of fluff that you injected into the short story so you could claim to be a novelist.
One more thing, sometimes taking a break from your novel to write a short story may be the cure to a roadblock in your writing. Every piece of advice I have read is contrary on this point, but it is my believe that just as in a marathon, sometimes you need a water station. A short story might be the refreshment you need to press on.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Research to keep it real
This post really belongs back at the beginning of this blog. Research is not necessary for every novel, but it is most likely that your novel does require at least a little research. Lets start with the scope of research.
First, location. If you are writing a small town story about childhood friends, set in a town like the one you grew up in, you know the setting. No research needed. If, however, you grew up in the city and you still live there, you may need some help understanding small town life. How do you research a setting? It can be difficult to research in such a way that you really know what you need to know, what I will call the intangibles. This is why many suggest starting by writing what you know.
You can visit areas that embody the spirit of the setting you want to portray, or read respected fiction and non-fiction books set in the same type of location. The key is that you know some of the small signs that indicate the nuances of your setting in a subtle and non-cliche way, once again, the intangibles.
Second, the characters' jobs. Unless your characters do what you do for a living, you need to research what the characters' jobs are all about, down to understanding the type of people that do the jobs. Maybe in your research you find that a job does not fit your character's personality. It does not necessarily mean you need to change the character's job, but it may tell you that the character is lousy at the job and wants to quit.
A third area of research is what I would call technical research. This really falls into the second category, because if you are writing technical information in your story, it should be from the perspective of one of your characters. Therefore, they must know about the subject area. I would make the distinction in the area of usage. An electrician will have certain habits, and probably personality traits, due to the fact that they were drawn to that job. That is separate from knowing the lingo of amps and volts. The job must be researched for realism in scenes. The only technical research you need to do is specific to details that will serve the story. You don't need to learn how to wire your circuit breaker.
Another side benefit that can come from research is great story ideas. You may find an entire story line nested in a fun fact about your character's job, or small town life.
If you research up front, your writing will be more informed, and you will save time in revisions later. I only wish I had received this advice before I started my book.
Until next time, lets keep on writing.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Choosing a title
You may be wondering why I would bring this up before the first draft is through. Well I may be wrong, but I believe that picking the right title is one of the hardest tasks we face, that is assuming we can write our way out of a paper bag.
Now is the time to start a list of possible titles, so that by the time you finish your book, you will have many options. Keep in mind that if a publisher accepts your work for publication, there is no guarantee that the title you choose will be the one on the cover. But if you choose the right title, it may help you sell your book, both to the publisher and potentially to the public.
I see three potential parts to the title, and they may not all apply to your book. That is something you must decide.
Main Title - this is the one part that is core, and must be on your cover. It should communicate something about the content, mood, or genre of your novel. To me, this is the most advanced form of poetry. Distill a novel into a few words. Not easy. I added a resource link below that is helpful.
Sub-title - maybe you have a main title that is iconic or short and memorable. If you need more room to communicate to your audience why they should pick-up your book, use a sub-title. It should serve to further explain the content. Remember, the goal is to take someone from browsing to picking up your book and then on to buying. This is marketing.
Series title - often you know the story you are telling is part of a larger story, and that you will probably tell more of the story in other books. The best way to do this is branding the first book in a way that can be used in the future books. It can be as simple as 'Book 1 in the [series name] series' or you can repeat a word as with the Bourne series. The Lord of the Rings is a good example of a full phrase to tie your books together. Most advice I have found tells me not to think about a series before selling your first novel. I like to be optimistic and think ahead.
Read this site for a great breakdown of types of titles. It will get your juices flowing. Remember, this is marketing. If you don't care about sales, use an artistic but obscure title. If you want to move units, put on your marketing hat.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Making time: Have a routine.
Alarm at 5:50 am. Shower and off to work. After the evening routine with family obligations, when am I to write?
I finally decided in early 2007 that I had to make time if I ever wanted to write my novel. So I established a routine where I could meet my obligations and write.
Wake up between 4:30-5:00am and write for 1-1 1/2 hours before getting ready for work. And do the same on the weekend where I can write for a longer session. Sometimes I would bring my QuickPad to work and write during my lunch break.
The point is if you want to do it badly enough, you will make the sacrifices necessary to make it happen. I am not the most disciplined person in the world, so it had to develop as a high priority before I reached the point of sacrificing sleep in order to write.
I hope that you have more free time than I do to write. If not, just remember that the extra sleep will be forgotten after you wake up, but a novel will last forever.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Planning and organizing the plot
Finally, I'm getting started on the book the right way. Over time, I read countless books on writing a novel and getting published. In my research I found many approaches to planning a novel, from having no plan (been there, done that) to a basic outline to a detailed summary. Here is the approach I adopted.
I bought a pack of index cards and started writing on the cards. On some cards, I wrote a sentence summarizing a whole chapter. On others, a detailed portion of a scene. I did not follow any rules, but rather tried to capture all my ideas, big and small. Often I was just pointing out background information that would help me later in fleshing out that part of the story.
As I reached the end of my plot line, I organized the cards and looked for holes in my story, to the extent that I could at this stage. The beauty of this approach is quick flexibility. Adding, rearranging, removing, and replacing cards was easy and allowed for immediate sequential review of my story.
Once I felt good about the cards, I moved on to chapter summaries. How did I know where the chapter breaks occurred in the cards? I didn't. I could only make a best guess. As I have worked on the actual text of the novel, the chapters have changed, but the summary still has provided valuable guidance.
The end result of this process was a thirteen page summary of the entire novel, an imperfect guide to lead me through the writing process, chapter by chapter. It was still hard work to start writing the book, but now I wasn't trying to touch type while wearing gloves.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Developing a plan... and how I learned the hard way.
Several years ago I ran across my partial short story, and in reading it again, I realized how much I missed the creative process. So I continued writing.
Once again, I did not plan or think ahead. But I wrote. I should be clear that I am not necessarily recommending this approach to writing a novel. As you will read later, it comes at a price.
In the end, after a few months, I had over 240 typed pages. It should have been cause for celebration. I was well on my way to finishing my first novel. But I knew better. I was now reaping my lack of vision and preparation.
My story traveled in unexpected directions and contained an element of excitement but after 240+ pages, it was a confused mess. And after all, how could it go anywhere when no one was steering? I learned a very painful lesson that day. Writing without a plan to explore characters or develop an idea is helpful, but it is no way to write a whole book.
Here's where it gets really painful. I scrapped the whole thing, all 240+ pages. It was the hardest creative decision of my life, but I knew it was the only choice, if I really wanted to be a writer. And I believe that is when I discovered how much I wanted this.
Next time I would start with a plan.
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