Baring the soul…

Writing, as all writers know, is fraught with fear and doubt on every side. Am I any good? Will I get published? Will I get good reviews? Will I sell any books? We always ask these questions of ourselves. But perhaps, the most inherent danger of the writing life is the necessary baring of our souls to the world.

After watching a writer friend perform and share so much of himself in his stories, I thought writing, at its most primal level, will always be part truth. No matter how far removed the subject matter, no matter how diverse the cast of characters, the story is always in some form about the author and their experiences.

Anytime we work with material that lives in a deep part of ourselves, we may feel a sense of dislike about showing our audience a part of ourselves we don’t want others to know. But, we have to work hard and deeply to give the reader something worthwhile reading. You are showing the reader your flaws, not your strengths in the depths of your writing. You’re exposed, a bit like dreaming you’re naked in public. People can see you right down to your core.

The best novelists are those who can tap into their characters psyches at a primal level. They can reveal a characters innermost fears, fantasies, darkest sins. To reveal these things, to bring them to life in a way that will resonate with readers on a deeply human level, means the author must identify and understand all the associated feelings, at least to some extent.

Can I do that? Can I allow my characters to identify with these feelings? Can you in your writing? I’d love to hear what you think. Happy Writing!

Challenges – to make or break…

Okay, so from much collegial nagging I’ve taken up the challenge – the NaNoWriMo challenge. Can I do it? Should I do it? Why should I do it? So much self doubt begins to creep in and all the excuses come out. I have to clean the house, wash the dog, move all the cobwebs, do some cooking to freeze and then there’s the Christmas shopping to begin. I need to do another book review, I need to read another book. Then there’s my day job…

Excuses. I can find so many; one for each day of November when the challenge takes place. But, do I really want to? I haven’t been sleeping well lately, waking several times through the night. I think though that this may be because I have so many thoughts spinning inside my head its time to get them out. I’ve been mulling over and over what to do with an old story – should I continue with it? Should I edit what I have? Or, should I begin another? Do I go with the children’s theme or the adult?

Decisions? I don’t like to make them for myself but I know I have to. I am the only one who can see whats inside my head and I am the only one who can sift through it all. So, in ten days, the sifting can begin. Slowly but surely. Can I write for 30 days straight? I need to lock the self doubt away and just do it. Yes, it will be a challenge but one I am also looking forward to.

Will you take the challenge?

Are you a confident writer?

Many writers I know portray themselves as being confident, happy go lucky writers on the outside but, on the inside, they can be quavering in their boots with lack of confidence.

Instead of thinking  I can do this, I can reach great heights, they may think, It’s not worth writing; I’ll never get anywhere. I’m not a real writer. I know I have these thoughts more often than I care to admit too. But I also know thoughts like these zap my energy; my writing energy. There are times when my confidence is, admittedly, dangerously low, that I have stopped writing altogether, not just for a day or two but for weeks at a time.

The following are some tips that I have learned over the years that help me over come my lack of confidence and get that pencil scribbling on paper again.

Talk about the writing process with others

All writers have times when they feel like quitting. By reading or discussing with them what they have to say, you’ll realize the difficulties you’re having are completely normal. George Orwell once stated:  Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand.

Start and Finish a Writing Project

I never finish anything. Does that sound familiar? A huge stack of incomplete projects can be really discouraging. But this can be turned around. Pick one project to focus on, a small one to begin with even if its just a short poem or a short story, and  finish it. Sure, it won’t be perfect, but  nothing is and, you’ll have learned a lot in the process.

 Keep Learning Your Craft

To continue to learn is to grow as a writer; not only your confidence but also your skills. You can learn from blogs, books, magazines, talks, courses, whatever fits into your life. It doesn’t matter how. What matters is that you do keep on learning. And, if you come across tips you’re already following, celebrate! You’re getting it right.

 Share Your Work With Other Writers

This is perhaps the scariest step for any writer. But it’s also a hugely rewarding one. Regardless of feedback received, it is an amazing feeling to have someone read your work, to critique it, to learn from it. You might want to ask, What do you think is working well? and What could I improve? Good feedback will help you strengthen your story. You’ll gain confidence as you realize that, while your current draft might not be perfect, you now have ways to improve it.

 Get Your Inner Critic to behave

Your inner critic is that little voice saying, This sentence isn’t working or Your dialogue is too bland or You need to rewrite that bit. You don’t need to listen to that voice when you’re drafting. Remind yourself that you can edit later and then your inner critic will be useful rather than discouraging.It’s worth experimenting with different ways to block out that voice as you write. Some writers like to play music, some like to have long sessions which gets them into a rhythm. Do what you need to do to switch off and get into the flow.

 Don’t just set yourself goals, accomplish them

As writers, we all have different goals. Some of us may make a goal to write every day, others of us once a week. The main idea of it though is to stick to it, whatever you choose. Keep your goals small; little steps that are achievable. Don’t overload yourself with too many expectations; keep your goals challenging but not so difficult that those thoughts of giving up begin creeping in.

Get Paid for Something You Wrote

One wonderful confidence booster is to get paid for your writing. That might come in the form of a competition prize, or a fee from a magazine, blog, or other publication. It could mean self-publishing your novel or a short story collection and selling it e-book form. Don’t be afraid to submit your work to editors. Rejections are painful—but all they mean is that your story wasn’t right for one particular person on one particular day. Getting paid might take time, and it might well mean writing something different, perhaps an article for a magazine or a post for a blog that pays guest authors. But, when you receive money for your work, it’s a wonderful validation that your writing is valuable.

Finding Inspiration

People are always asking writers where they get their ideas. It is true that inspiration is all around us. Inspiration is always there for the taking. We just have to figure out where the harvest is ripest. The following are some places where we’re always sure to find inspiration:

Dreams. Pay attention to the vivid imagery and the bizarre juxtaposition of your dreams. Perhaps even start a dream journal.

Movies. The visual/auditory combination of movies and theatre has something to offer just about everyone. View movies as more than just entertainment; consider them idea labs.

Paintings. Great artistic ventures offer us the emotional high points of human history. Visit an art museum and study the paintings to figure out what draws you, what repulses you, and what leaves you cold.

Music. Music is arguably the purest form of storytelling, since it taps directly into our emotional core, without even the necessity of words. Find an instrumental song and see if you can write out the story it’s trying to tell.

Life. Even if you don’t want to write about your own life, never discount the value of your experiences. Live widely and live deeply.

Nature. The virtue, the violence, the vibrancy, and the variety of the natural world is a never-ending well of possible story ideas.

Books. As writers we feed off each other, gaining and giving in a never-ending cycle. Read voraciously; it’s the best way to study the craft.

Dictionary. If you’re stumped for a new story idea or for a way to progress your plot, open your dictionary to a random page for an instant story prompt. Pick a word and see where it takes you.

History. Even if you don’t write historical fiction, history, as a recording of all of human experience, is rife with story ideas. At the very least, understanding history can bring a broader understanding of life and its truths to our work.

Exercise. Who says writers need to be pudgy desk jockeys? Get out there and pump some blood. Your brain works better when the rest of your body is moving.

Shower. Need a good idea? Just add water! Writers should just take up permanent residence in the shower. Something about that warm, running water is always good for jumpstarting creativity.

Curiosity. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s what puts bread on the writer’s table. Never stop asking questions—especially what if?

Eavesdropping. Join a writer club and you get a special exemption card that allows you to eavesdrop with impunity. Who knows what juicy tidbits you’ll pick up on your next jaunt to the grocery store.

Of course, this little list isn’t anywhere close to exhaustive. But hopefully it serves as a reminder for us to keep our eyes and ears and imaginations wide open wherever we go. Inspiration is waiting. All we have to do is find it!

Should Writers Stop Writing?

This is a very debatable question. For me personally the answer is yes. Sometimes the best thing for me to do is to not write. That doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about it. Often I can be mulling plots and scenes over and over in my head. There are times when life does get in the way and writing simply cannot come first.

When this happens, I deliberately put my pen down and stop. I believe there are times when we all need to do this. It doesn’t mean I put my pen down for days or weeks on end; just a little time out. The following outlines a few reasons why I do this.

First of all, I need to let my stories breathe. Whether I’ve finished a chapter or completed a whole work, I need to take a step back from it for a little while. It’s amazing what can be seen when you go  back to it. Just putting a little distance between you and your words sheds incredible light.

Like many other writers, I also have other interests in my life and a day job that needs attending to. But it’s good to be able to focus on these others. By putting time and effort into something else, the cobwebs are still being cleared behind the scenes. Instinct always lets me know when it’s time to return.

Image my-moleskine.com

It’s also good for me to schedule a day off. We all have time off every week from our day jobs so why not writing? Having a day off, time out, allows the batteries to recharge thereby avoiding burn out.

How far can my mind expand? Some days not very far at all, other days way too much. Either way it can feel like it’s going to snap and break. Take the time to convalesce. Make yourself take a mini holiday, even if it’s only a weekend one. It’s also works wonders to step away from technology all together. Unplug for as long as you need. Get back to basics, get in touch with nature; sit in it, breathe it, see it, feel it. Taking a step back allows you and your story to breathe. Before you know it, you will feel refreshed, reenergised, and more than ready to tackle putting pen to paper again.

Image talkingwriting.com

So don’t be afraid to set your writing aside for a little while. It doesn’t mean you stop being a writer; it doesn’t mean you’ll never come back to it but sometimes it’s the best thing you can do for both yourself and all your future stories.

Writing Personalities. What’s yours?

Image bps- research-digest.blogspot.com

We all have our own unique personalities; our own strengths and weaknesses that affect everything we do, including writing. Recently, I have been reading about the Four Temperaments Approach by Tim LaHaye – Why You Act The Way You Do http://amazon.com. He has narrowed down human personalities types into four categories – choleric, melancholic, sanguine, and phlegmatic. So, as a writer, which one are you?

The Choleric Writer

These are the it’s good enough people. Everything is completed at full speed; nothing is done by halves. They plough through life at top speed. This is both their strength and weakness. They don’t always complete jobs as well as they should. A cholerics strength is, in general, a good work ethic with the ability to focus and get through tough tasks. They are able to streamline productivity to a point, chunking down projects and not letting perfectionism hold them back.

Working at such a pace though leads to burn out. They must learn to pace themselves so their mind and body can get the rest needed, to regenerate. The it’s good enough outlook at times may lead them to posting things that aren’t quite ready for the public to see.
The Melancholic Writer

Melancholics have natural artistic expression, including writing. They are detail orientated, patient and idealistic. However, despite being perhaps the most talented of all the personalities they are filled with a great deal of self doubt. Their level of perfectionism can cause them to never measure up, which in turn, can keep them from completing projects.

The biggest hurdle a melancholic has is their self doubt; their lack of confidence. It takes years for some writers to have faith in themselves and their writing. They may begin many scripts, but become procrastinators quickly with very few scripts arriving at completion.

The Sanguine Writer

Sanguines are the life of the party – fun, gregarious, and very charismatic. They are the storytellers in the crowd; dramatic, compassionate and emotional all in one. However, all these emotions can lead to instability, inconsistency in their writing and being able to finish stories on the page.

Sanguines know how to tell a story; they have perfect rhyme and rhythm and the best punch lines and this is what draws people in. They are the writers who have the most brilliant of opening pages. However, as much as they can begin a story with a big bang, it’s difficult for them to go on. They need to be pushed to finish and they need to be pushed through the criticism and the dramatic episodes of self doubt to get through.

The Phlegmatic Writer

These writers are the slow and steady wins the race ones. Feathers aren’t easily ruffled; they are calm and focused and loyal to their work, thoughtful and pragmatic. However, these writers find it difficult to find motivation to begin a project, and then finish it.
Despite their easy going exterior they do have a suit of armour. It really can take a lot of effort to reveal themselves, to open themselves up to the world and because of this their work can often come across as being somewhat shallow. They find it difficult to write about pain and conflict, preferring all characters to get along beautifully.

So, what’s your writing personality trait? I’d love to know!

Image deadlyprose.com

Excuses…Why do we make them?

As  writers, we are masters of procrastination. It’s amazing what reasons we can come up with for not picking up that pen and leaving marks on that blank page that has been looking at us for the last 2 days; or 2 weeks or 2 months. Most of us are great writers once we gain the courage to get those words from our head to our hands and on that page.

Why do we make excuses? Why do we put off doing something that we truly love to do? After speaking with many writer friends there appears  to be some common threads running around inside our heads. It’s amazing how powerful our thoughts can be; it’s also amazing how these same thoughts can be so inhibiting.

There is always that thought in our heads that says, I’m not good enough. Sometimes it speaks loudly to us. Other times its sits there quietly. But it’s there. Isn’t it more important to put words on paper, to have the will to write, to be determined to do it regardless? Keep at it, don’t give up, keep learning, keep improving. You’ll be amazed at what you can do!

Image from http://www.jackiepurnell.com

I’ll never get published. It is true that getting published these days is becoming more and more difficult. In this world of amazing technology, traditional publishing houses are hurting more and more, yet, indie publishing is growing at an amazing rate. The opportunities are there if you look for them. Yes, the odds are high but they are only impossible if you don’t give it a try.

I’m too tired. I’ll do it later. This is probably the most common excuse we make. We all get tired. We all get stressed. Most of us hold down a day job and write after hours. If we allow our emotional state of mind to rule our thoughts we’d never get anything done. Writing is not for the faint hearted. It takes hours and hours, day after day, year after year sometimes to complete a piece of work. If you are serious about writing, you’ll sit down and do it and most likely write all the blood sweat and tears  into your story.

I don’t have time. How many of us have said that? If you are serious about writing you’ll make the time. Sure, you’ll have to give something up but once you have made that decision that time you didn’t have becomes routine. Don’t allow yourself or others guilt you out of it. If you don’t take yourself seriously then others won’t. If you don’t make writing a priority, others won’t either.

 Writing is too hard. Yes, it is. Sometimes its mind numbing, soul wrenching, gut wrenching  – those blood sweat and tears resurface again and again. When the going gets tough, get tougher, battle through. Yes, it is hard, but have a little faith in yourself.

 I need to learn more. There is always something  to learn. Life itself is about continual learning regardless of what we are doing.  Just when you may think you have mastered all the variables, the very nature of the craft means it is always evolving. Every book you write, every piece of poetry penned is going to be a new adventure.

 Life is full of distractions. Your furry friends need to be fed and walked and cuddled. You have a day job that pays the bills so it needs to take priority. Sometimes just the day to day workings of your life can be overwhelming. You can’t control the distractions but you can control how you respond to them. Set boundaries and don’t feel guilty!

There are always going to be times that intrude on your writing time. There will always be obstacles that you can’t ignore but, most of the time, the only thing that keeps you from writing is yourself. Excuses are just that. Stop making them. Set the boundaries.  Go!

 

Image from http://www.blog.fitkit.com