It's Baaaack!

On this the last Sunday of the month, I feel the need to mention, however obvious it might be, that camp nano will be returning to the world in only a few short days.

I, of course, have already figured out what I'm going to write.  I actually have it plotted and ready to go.  Not because I'm amazing, just because I need to know it's ready before I even start writing.  I have to have that plot, or I start to freak out.  Trust me, I know this.  How?  Because I'm (literally) in the middle of a pantsing novel that does nothing but stress me out when I so much as think about it.

So with my mind firmly on the novel I'm about to start writing (with the occasional distraction of the novel that I'm currently editing) I thought I would make today's post a little shorter than normal and give you all an update on what's going on with me and my projects.

I've never been one to have only a single project that I focus on.  I get bored and need to move on to something different, so I currently have a few different things on the go.

Pandora a novel about a werewolf who also happens to be an assassin (I love it so far, even if I did just realize that I need to rewrite half of it) is in the middle of heavy editing.  I was supposed to be editing The Commons this month, but unfortunately feedback has been delayed, and I haven't been able to work on it.  I ended up pulling out Jayne's story, and now I actually can't wait to see how it turns out.

I've finished planning out the novel Stolen Magick, a YA about a school that teaches Arcanists (humans with the ability to wield magick) how to control their powers.  I'm very excited for this one, because I can't wait to see where the series goes.  Unfortunately, it will have to wait until November, as I won't be writing it until then.

I have 3 more novels I'll be planning for November as well.  None of them are named, but I have started brainstorming for a mid grade about a 10 year old who catches an alien stealing socks out of the dryer.  Stay tuned for more.  This one should be fun.

Three short stories have been written this month.  One has been submitted, and I'm waiting for a response.  One is going to be looked over one last time before I try to find somewhere that I want to submit it, and the last is going to be a kick off point for one of the novels for November.

The Techs, the second book in The Commons series is completely planned and ready for me to dive in August first.  (I've been eagerly awaiting writing this book, and can't wait to start.  The goal is to have it done by the 20th.)

I got some feedback from a beta reader today on The Commons and have come to the realization that I need to go over it many times more and fix many problem spots, but I can't wait to get started.  Unfortunately, it's now going to have to wait until I get through Pandora.

Okay.  I think that's all the updates I have for now (Yeah, I know, it's a lot.  I'm a little crazy...)  I'm excited for every single one of these projects, and I can't wait to see where they go.  I hope that your camp nano is amazing!

***I'm currently collecting donations for OLL (Office of Letters and Light) who hosts NaNoWriMo every year.  My goal is $500 and I've already hit 60% of that.  I need your help to complete my goal, however.  Help me raise money for the organization that single-handedly helped me to figure out jthat I'm a writer.***

Edit? Do I Have To?

As I'm sure many of you know, I have a very detailed process on how I do my planning.  I brainstorm, and make character bibles.  I compile cast lists and make floor plans for most of my settings.  I have entire plots set out before I even consider started chapter 1.  It's just the way I write.  A lot of people think of a new project and jump in, losing themselves in the story.  While I've tried this before, I prefer getting my revelations about the book before I start.  That doesn't mean that everything goes according to plan when I'm writing, but I think it definitely helps.  I don't generally have to go back and make huge corrections to anything.

This works for me.  I love this routine.  In fact, planning is probably my favourite part of the writing process.  I also enjoy the writing, of course, but I think I actually prefer the planning part to the writing part.

Editing, though, is another matter altogether.  I'm sure I've mentioned it enough here for everyone to know that I hate the entire thing.  I hate having to go back over work that I've already done to make sure that it's right.  I hate having to acknowledge how bad a scene I thoroughly enjoyed writing is.  I prefer to live in a fantasy world, thinking that my first drafts are fantastic.  That no one has ever written a first draft as good as mine.

Unfortunately for me, I don't really have a choice in this one.  As a writer who hopes to be published, editing is essential to my chosen career.  So I sit down and force myself to do the editing.  I've even tried to not complain about it so much, because I really do need to suck it up.

The problem, though, is that I don't have a routine for editing.  I print the book off, and I just read through it.  That's it.  There's nothing there that keeps me interested in what I'm doing.  I don't have a way to get myself through it, like my planning.  I didn't always like planning, but I do now that I have a way I like to do it.  Maybe that's what I need to do with editing.

I just don't know how to start that routine.  I need to figure out a way to start going through my work without hating what I wrote.  Or maybe without questioning every single decision I made.  Anything to make it so that I no longer feel like I'm just redoing work I've already done.  To stop myself from banging my head against a wall.

Right now I'm sure I'm missing things that I could be fixing on the first run through, because I go through it so quickly.  I don't want to stop and think about it, I just want to get it polished before I get completely frustrated or bored with the process.

So far I haven't come up with anything, unfortunately.  I am, however, planning a trip to the bookstore in coming days, and I may just find myself buying a book or two on how to edit.  And if anyone has any tips of their own they want to share, I would love to hear them.

Before the year is out I'm going to find a way to edit that doesn't make me hate the entire process.  I just hope it's sooner rather than later...

***I'm currently collecting donations for OLL (Office of Letters and Light).  The organization that first conceived of NaNoWriMo and runs it every year.  I've personally donated $300, but I'm hoping to make it to $500 and would love some help with my goal.  The link is on the left side bar.  I'm trying to come up with something for incentive, but have yet to think of a good reward.  I would love to hear from you on what you think I could do.***

What We Need

I recently started thinking about all the little things I (and so many other writers) do in order to get through our projects.  (For the record I am, in fact, writing a blog post to avoid rewriting a chapter.  I know.  Shocker)  So, I thought I would share with you everything that I do.

Let's start right from the beginning.  My planning.  Just like everything else, I find I'm not able to do this just sitting in silence.  I've come to the conclusion that I just like to be surrounded by things that other people have created.  Shows that actors have acted in.  Songs sung by singers.  Anything that proves I'm not the only on in the world trying to be creative.  Or maybe just trying to get some of their creativity to seep into me.

For the brainstorming portion of my planning, I tend to throw on some show.  Whatever I'm trying to catch up on.  This may sound distracting to you.  I assure you, it is.  However, I am also taking in all the twists and turns that writers who have made it are throwing into the shows.  It give me ideas.  Sometimes it tells me exactly what I don't want to do, but that's usually better than what I had.  Occasionally this means that I get to watch that show twice because I got so caught up in my planning I literally lost track of what was going on in the show.  More often than not, though, I do tend to find myself dismayed by how little I got done.  Still, it works for me (usually) and I do come out with a much better story than I started with.

Actually plotting is completely different from brainstorming.  At this point I have to completely immerse myself in the story line.  Which means that watching other shows only distracts me from the plot I need to put together.  I get the two confused, or just completely ignore my own plot because, let's face it, I suffer from a severe case of theywritesomuchbetterthanido-itis.  This also means that I turn to another form of creativity.  Songs.  I have a playlist on my itunes.  (It's actually a work in progress.  I currently have 264 songs in the playlist, but that number is constantly changing.  Either I buy something new, or I delete something that just isn't working when I'm writing.)  While I'm plotting I usually throw on some music in the background and get that plot done.

Writing is a lot like plotting for me.  I need to fall into the story.  Be so surrounded by it that I'm never quite sure if this world is real, or if the story I'm writing is.  Of course, writing requires more of my attention because I have to actually pay attention to things like spelling and grammar (though I quite often fail on those even when I am paying attention).  When I'm writing I turn the music up a bit louder and throw the headphones in.  That way I'm not distracted by anything around me.  I barely hear people knocking on my door.  It keeps me focused, and helps me to make it through the writing.

Editing, my least favourite part of the writing game, is different than all the rest.  I have what I like to affectionately call my 'editing movie'.  Currently it's Star Trek.  I know that some people think that I'm productive while it's on because some consider it to be not a good movie, but the truth is actually the opposite.  I actually love the movie.  I've seen it so many times I can practically quote the entire thing (and I may have even done so on occasion before.  Don't judge me.)  That's how I can put it on and pretty much tune it out.  I can read the story or make the changes, because I'm not afraid of missing part of the story line.  I know it well enough that I can glance up for a second and know exactly what's happening.  Having a movie playing in the background seems to engage my mind just enough that I can get over the annoyed feeling of having to just sit and do one thing at a time.  I'm hoping that I'll get some more editing movies in the future, but right now I don't have enough time to watch a movie enough to get to that point.

I would say that most writers have their little routines.  Maybe not quite as strange as mine, but I know for a fact that I'm not the only one that listens to music as I write.  Some, of course, can't fathom listening to music.  I've had more than one person ask me if it distracts me.  Honestly, I don't really hear the music I'm listening to when I'm writing.  I use it to drown out the other distractions.  But every writer is different.

My plotting process

Today I thought I would share with you my process to writing a book.  This came about thanks to my last blog post, when I talked about how I'm an extensive planner.  It also came about because the only other thing I want to remotely talk about is basically me complaining, and I figure you all have heard enough of that.  So, planning it is.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm sure.  I actually spend longer planning a novel than I do on the writing.    During nano especially.  I will plan a novel for an entire month, then write it in ten days.

My planning process is when I get to know my characters.  When I figure out the story.  When I discover all of those things that some authors don't discover until they're well into their novel.

First I start with some brainstorming.  This may seem like an obvious step to you, but it's really not.  In fact, when I was in high school I can actually remember losing marks because I refused to do any of the brainstorming.  I thought it was dumb.  My ideas just came to me as a wrote, and there was nothing wrong with that.  Now I love brainstorming.  I find out so much stuff just by writing down whatever I might be currently thinking about in regards to that novel.  Thoughts occur to me just as I'm writing random things down.  I brainstorm a good 40% of the month that I tend to spend on planning.  That's because brainstorming is a great time to get to know the characters a little better, find out some back story.  It's also a great time to rough out a quick sketch of what the plot might actually look like.  For anyone who hasn't planned before but wants to start, if you do nothing else, brainstorm.  It will get you so much further than you thought possible.

Also during the brainstorming process is when I do any research that needs to be done.  On the novel I'm currently working on, that took me to all sorts of places.  Curling and how to play it (which came about largely to me being distracted by a curling game, even though I've never cared about it before.  Then a tiny voice in the back of my head piped in that she loved it...thanks Jayne...) Also I did some research on werewolf lore.  Not that I really stuck to any of it.  When it comes to supernatural elements, I tend to take some creative liberties.  I picked the things I liked from everything I read and stuck it in.  I may have also done research on other kinds of supernatural beings, even though none of that comes into play in the first book.

Sometime near the end of the brainstorming (usually when I've come to a point where I'm starting to feel like I need to name some of these characters that are starting to pile up, or even just keep track of them a little bit) I start a cast list.  This doesn't necessarily mean these are my 'main characters'.  In fact, I generally have far more background characters than anything else.  On my current cast list, in fact, more than half are characters that are: 1) Already dead, but I needed to know their names.  2) Don't appear until book 2 or 3. 3) Were in somebody's past and may eventually resurface, but for now all that matters is the role they played before.  I pretty much write down every character who has the potential of even being mentioned in the book.  I find it easier to keep track of them that way.

Next come the character bibles.  Although I do love the character bibles because of the insight they bring me into the character, sometimes I find it hard to get through this step.  I find reasons to not do some, and I end up doing far less than I probably should.  Character bibles, though, are very helpful in things like giving my characters an appearance, and keeping it consistent throughout the entire novel.  Also it helps to clearly plan out the motivations of my characters, so that when I get to creating an actual plot, they're not acting completely different than they should be.  I usually print these off and keep them in a folder with any maps or floor plans I've created (with help from the amazingly talented Eric Satchwill).  I generally end up referring back to this folder many times in the writing process, so once I actually get through them, I never regret it.

Finally come the time for me to write my plot.  I use the writing software Scrivener, and I adore it.  Using that program I'm able to set up a different folder for each chapter, and even add multiple scenes to each folder.  (When I'm done writing I can then compile the project, and it all shows up within one document...it's pretty fantastic).  While Scrivener can also help you with all of you planning, including the brainstorming, I've only ever used it for the plot portion.  Still, I love that I can go into the each chapter and write what each scene is about.  I never write huge amounts because, let's face it, the story is probably going to change somewhat before I get there.  But I do write something in every single scene before I start the novel itself.

Well, there you have it.  After all of that a month has generally gone by, and I'm getting ready to actually write the novel.  I have a good idea of what's going on, and I'm not worried that I'm going to get halfway through and have to make some story changing decision that isn't going to go over well.  (I may also be massively indecisive...)

Now, I'm not saying that everyone should plan the exact same way as me.  Everyone plans differently, I totally get that.  I'm not even saying that everyone should plan their novel.  I totally get that everyone approaches their books differently.  This is just what I need to do in order to feel comfortable and familiar enough with the story and characters in order to write the novel.  Like I said before, if you take anything from this, I'm hoping it's the brainstorming section.  I sincerely believe that brainstorming can improve your story more than you would think possible.

A Fresh Start

Well, the race is on.  Again.  It's time for me to start writing a novel.  One that I've told myself I'll try and get out in the same amount of time it took me to write a novel during November.  In case you're wondering, that means that I need to write this novel in only ten days.  I'm not entirely sure I can actually do it, but that's got more to do with the fact that I'm not putting my life on hold for this book like I do in November.  I have plans with friends, I haven't stopped going to critique group, and I don't know if I'll even have time to write ten thousand words a day.

But now that I've decided to do it, and even promised the character that it would be done by April, I can't back out.  First of all, if I did, I would end up with a character yelling at me and not giving me any rest until  I actually wrote it.  Second, I would be disappointed because I wouldn't have that novel I need to submit to my critique group so I can get my current novel ready for beta readers then for submission.

The worst part is that I have everything planned out.  And when I say everything, trust me, I mean EVERYTHING.  I have character bibles for each of my main to more important background characters.  Each bible consists not only of what they look like, but also their personality, their goals in the book, the motivations, what makes obtaining their goals difficult, any growth they have in the book, what their role is and any back history I've come up with for them.  (In case you're wondering, these characters have some of the strongest and most details character histories that I've ever written...)  I have pages and pages of brainstorming, as well as two pages devoted entirely to a cast list, naming every character that could possibly come up in the book.  And, finally, I have an entire plot written out (not too detailed, because I'd spend the entire time writing frustrated.  My characters don't really like to stick to the plan...) in my scrivener file.

The writing should be the easy part with all of that planning out of the way.  Especially since I don't have to make any actual decisions while I'm writing (which is good as I'm kind of indecisive...) I should be able to just sit down and write it, after all, my characters are even talking to me, and I can see some of the scenes in my head!  Scenes that I desperately want to write.

So what's holding me back?

Chapter one.  It's as simple as that.  When I wrote the plot I made it very vague, and I hadn't really decided on anything, up to and including what the guy did to deserve being killed.  I didn't even know what he looked like or did for a living.  I didn't have a single clue as to how my main character was going to approach him, never mind kill him.  Both of these things were very important as my character is actually an assassin and was being hired to kill the guy.

When I sat down to write, I found myself staring at a blank page certain I had a fantastic idea, but having no idea how I was going to start it.  Where this first chapter, that introduces the character, but not really the story, was going to go.  My mind blanked.  So I got desperate and wrote the first thing that came to mind.  In first person as I had planned.

Turns out the first thing I think of isn't always the right thing.  Or even good.  After 1200 words I was getting increasingly frustrated and realizing that if I continued to write like that the book that I've been looking forward to writing for so long was going to go the way of all the other books I've written so far: directly into that dusty old folder in the back of my computer.  That's the last thing I want.

So I did the only thing I could do.  The thing that nearly made me cry, as those were the only words written on the novel and I was supposed to write 10,000 words.  I deleted them and started over.

While it was a hard thing to do, it was the best thing.  I changed to third person, which I find much easier to write in. (Originally I thought I should do first because so many other books like the one I'm writing are written in first.  When I first started writing I actually wrote in first and never thought I'd be able to change to third.  I was wrong...)

Now I'm only 450 words into the first chapter (a far cry from my 10k goal...) but they're far better than the original 1200 I had been working with.  I'm looking forward to writing the scene, and I'm once again hopeful that I can write something other than crap.

Sometimes you really do have to give yourself a fresh start, whether you're at 1200 or 65,000 words.  Just make sure that you need to give up on it before you do.  You'll kick yourself if you start all over again just to realize that what you had already written had potential.

Well, time for me to get back to writing...hopefully I can hit that elusive 10k soon.  I've gotta get this book written!

Shiny New Ideas Take 2

Lately I've been getting a lot of Shiny New Ideas coming through.  Thankfully I've got a book specifically devoted to that very thing, but that's not the point. The point is, I don't have time to be working on shiny new ideas.

I'm currently in the middle of planning (soon to be writing) one book, editing another book, and even have a few collaborations in the mix.  Shiny new ideas aren't going to be worked on until, at the very earliest, during the June session of camp nano (something that I wasn't actually planning on doing, but may end up participating in.  Still thinking about it.  I'll need to get a little bit closer to the date before I really know if I can or not.)

So why are they coming to me now?  Why not when I'm in the middle of my editing and welcome the distraction?  (Yeah, yeah, I know.  I shouldn't be welcoming a distraction when I'm editing.  I'm working on it, I swear.  I just...don't like editing...)

An answer was suggested to me yesterday: The reason Shiny New Ideas present themselves when I'm planning or writing is because I'm being creative.  Those gears are already turning while I'm trying to figure out the novel or write the scene, so those new ideas occur to me because I'm open to them already.

Unfortunately this means that, even for that quick second, I'm distracted by this new idea instead of concentrating on the book I need to pay attention to.  Distraction tends to mean that I'm pulled out of the world, and I can sometimes have a hard time getting back into it.  Focusing on the characters that I need to focus on, rather than the tantalizing story that the new voices bring with it.  (Yes, I'm aware how crazy that makes me sound.  You don't need to tell me.  I've come to accept my craziness as a part of who I am.)

If only there was some way to ignore these thoughts while I'm brainstorming, but still be able to remember them when I'm not and have time to get them down.  I wish it worked like that, unfortunately muses and characters seem to work on the same idea: When we start talking, you had better jump, or we're going to shut up for a good long time and leave you annoyed and frustrated.

For now, though, I suppose I'll just have to grin and bear it.  After all, I've been museless before and it just isn't any fun. (is there such a thing as an editing muse?  If so, can someone tell mine that she's/he's been seriously slacking?  They've used all of their vacation time, and they need to get back so I can actually get past the first draft of a book!  Thanks.)  For years I thought that I didn't have a muse at all, so now that she's talking to me, I find myself unwilling to risk angering her enough that she goes on vacation again.

I suppose I should stop ranting now, though.  After all, Shiny New Ideas, even untimely ones, are better than having no ideas at all, which I know that some writers have a problem with.  I just have to learn how to keep my attention focused on one thing for long enough to actually finish it.  At this point I keep starting series, then scrapping it before I even get to the second book, which means that so far my characters haven't gotten an ending.  I'm hoping The Commons is the one that's going to keep my attention for longer.  Finger's crossed!

Writing Together

In my last post I told you all about wordmongering, a fantastic hashtag that created a writing community on twitter.  And that's what I want to talk about today again.  A writing community.

Most people think that writing is a solitary activity.  For the most part, they're right.  The actual act of sitting down and writing is something you have to do alone.  You can be in a group of people, which I actually find quite helpful, but the writing itself is a solitary thing.

I find, though, that at times the writing can be more of a group activity than most people would think.  Without the writing community (more like a friend, but one that I wouldn't have met without a writing community) Monday would have been a very frustrating night for me.

I am currently in the middle of planning a novel that I'm hoping to have finished the first draft of by the end of the month.  The book has one of the largest casts I've worked with, and one of the characters decided that Monday was the night he was finally going to start talking to me.  Unfortunately it was like he didn't realize just how loud it is in my head.  You may have noticed that I'm working on a few projects.  The characters from all of those books are always trying to get my attention.

Well, he managed to get my attention with a single stray thought.  That single thought managed to get me thinking about the different possibilities that could happen with this character.  Was he going to betray the main character?  Because that was the stray thought that managed to grab my attention.

Except that betraying her wasn't really in his character.  He may be an assassin, but I really didn't see him killing the girl that he trained as, basically, his replacement.  No matter how much I thought about it, though, whatever he was trying to tell me just wasn't getting through.  It was like we were on a call and all I could hear was static with a few words breaking through.  Then it suddenly felt like I lost the call altogether.

So I decided that I had to get some perspective.  That's where a good writing community really starts to come in handy.  With the help of some of my friends, who are also writers, I managed to figure out that the thought he was giving me wasn't at all what I originally thought it was.  I'm not going to post the solution I came up with, because I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.  After all, this book is going to end up getting published, and you're all going to buy and read it, right?

Through talking it out I managed to figure out a whole subplot, a twist, that I had no idea was there.  If they hadn't been there, I'm pretty sure I would have never figured it out.  Something would have always felt wrong, and most likely, my character would have stopped talking to me altogether.  Which is not something that I like to have happen.

Do you have a writing community that can help you work through the problems in your stories?  Or do you go it alone, a true lone wolf?

Ick

I had a blog post all planned out for today.  I was actually looking forward to writing it, but something happened that completely changed what I wanted to talk about.

Most of you probably don't know this, but I don't get sick very often, and even when I do I actually find it hard to make myself call in sick to work.  It's dumb, but I feel bad when I don't go into work, because all I can think about are the people at work being busy and I'm just laying in bed.  It's horrible.  Anyway, the point of the matter is, I'm sick.

Let me tell you about me trying to plan a novel while I'm sick.

I talk to my characters in order to figure out what's going on in the books I"m writing.  Yes, I know, this makes me sound crazy.  Nevertheless, this is the way I do things.  Normally 'talking' to them consists of them showing me scenes or pictures that I interpret.  Very rarely they actually speak.  When I'm sick, though, that connection is a little like trying to watch television back in the rabbit ears days.  If that's not bad enough, it's also when it was snowing outside, so the reception is terrible.  The sound is gone, and even the pictures are fuzzy.

It's frustrating to say the least, and I'm pretty sure that even my characters are starting to feel it at this point.  My poor Jayne Pheare is in complete distress, because I've been promising her that I would be seriously planning her story starting this week, but nothing that she's trying to tell me is actually getting through.  (Though I did finally figure out her assassin name last night, thanks to Eric.)

Needless to say, it makes planning a novel rather impossible.  I can sit with that notebook open in front of me for hours, and have Jayne yelling at the top of her lungs in the back of my head, and I still can't figure anything out.

This, of course, leaves me with a bit of a problem.  As I said in my last post, my goal for having the first draft of Pandora written is the end of March.  That means it needs to be ready to deliver into the hands of my critique group (at least the first chapter) by the second day of April.

How am I supposed to do that when I can't even plan right now?  Planning takes much longer for me than the actual writing does, so right about now I'm actually beginning to freak out.  Being sick was not in the plan!  In fact, now is pretty much the worst time for me to be sick.  I need this stupid cold to go away so that I can get back to the important things.  Like writing down everything my character's trying to tell me about her story.

I suppose the best I can do it try and get better as fast as I possibly can so that I can have as much time as possible to get the planning done.  I just hope that this one ill timed sickness doesn't completely set me back, because I plan to have The Commons in the hands of beta readers by the end of April, and querying it no later than the beginning of June.

Good luck to me.

Time To Prioritize

I have never been someone that can have just one project going at a time.  I get bored with it and start wondering off to do other things, such as reading or catching up on tv shows. (The fact that I do these things even when I have multiple projects on the go is completely besides the point...)

Anyway, I currently have about 6 projects on the go, each at a different stage of the writing/editing process.  I have my Dangerous Waters, a fantasy novel that I wrote last year and didn't look at for a few months until we started critique group.  I've also written the second novel, Changing Tides but as I haven't finished the edits on the first one, you can bet that I haven't even so much as glanced at the second one.  Considering how many chapters I'm having to rewrite, or just add altogether, I'm actually a little afraid to find out how bad the second one is.

I have The Commons, a YA dystopian that is set in a world where more than three quarters of the population was wiped out in the fourth world war.  The remaining people have separated into two societies.  The Commons and The Techs.  This novel is the one that I finished and thought 'I'm going to get this published.'  I have absolute confidence in it and can't wait to test the waters and see what agents and publishers think of it.  I currently have it going through critique group.

Wolf's Blood is an urban fantasy that I started writing with a friend some time last year.  Unfortunately, we're both quite busy, so we've only managed to write a whole 5 chapters, but as we're still talking to each other I'm counting it as a success.

Since November I've had this idea for a book bouncing around in my head.  It's about a werewolf assassin, and her name is Jayne Pheare (That's her real name, don't know her assassin name yet.)  The book itself is, unfortunately, untitled.  I have lots of work to do on it, as I'm still in the planning stages for this novel (including working out a brand new city for it with the help of my dear friend Eric) I'm very excited for this novel, but I just haven't had time to sit down and really connect with Jayne.  (I have to say, she's being very patient.  She only got annoyed that one time when I pulled out a brand new character and started paying attention to her...)

I also have two more collaborations in the works, but both are untitled and in the planning stages with only the bare bones placed, and not even nailed down yet.

This past week, though, I've had some time to think about these projects, and the priority I've been giving each.  (This 'time' has been while at work, or travelling back and forth between different social engagements...not actual time that I had to sit down and plan or edit.  Trust me, that's what I would have been doing if it was.)

Much as I love Dangerous Waters, lately I've been finding it harder and harder to concentrate on it.  In fact, on more than one occasion, I've actually considered shelving it indefinitely.  That there was just too much work that needed to be done on it to conceivably finish the series, and it's time to move onto greener pastures.  I don't actually want to do that, though.  I love the series, and I do think that it has some serious potential.  But I've been so frustrated with it, I can no longer see the potential, all I see is a pile of crap that needs be thrown out.

In order to keep myself from doing that very thing, I decided that it's time to re-prioritize my writing projects.  Instead of throwing two full manuscripts in the trash and walking away, I've decided that they should be shelved only for a little while.  This will (hopefully) give me enough of a break from the project to clear my head and allow me to see what needs to be done without wanting to bang my head on a desk.  Repeatedly.

Unfortunately, this leaves me with nothing to be working on so I can send out some queries, come May.  In order to fill that, I've decided to pull The Commons from the critique group.  This book is one that I'm actually quite excited about.  I can see it on the shelves for sale, and I want it to get it out there.  I'm hopeful that this is the right move, and I can't wait to finish editing the rest of the novel so I can start working on those queries.

That, of course, leaves me with an opening on what I'm sending into critique group.  So I've decided that for the next month or so I'm going to have a strong focus on my Jayne Pheare book.  (I can get a first draft written in about 10 days, but I have to have it completely plotted out, which takes quite a bit of work.)

As for my collaborations, those will stay the same.  I can't just sit down and work on them all day, so I will do what I can when I can, as I have been doing thus far.  I just hope that my next chapter for Wolf's Blood doesn't take me 4 months again...

Now I just need to get my critiques done so I can get on top of this planning.  The goal is to have Jayne Pheare written in full by the end of march so I can get started on some serious edits for The Commons.  Let's hope this works, because this is the Epic Year of Querying, and I need to start getting some work out to agents and publishers!

Why Do I Do This To Myself?

Ever since I started doing nano, I have discovered that I suddenly have a life.  Where I was once a hermit who stayed in my room pretty much 95% of of the time, I now find myself going out more days than staying in.  Seeing my friends, going to movies, I even am part of a poker night.  (Don't get worried, it's a $2 buy in.  Any more than that and I would probably be backing away from the table, shaking my head.).  I'm also part of a critique group, which has been awesome in helping me to see my work in a new light.

Normally the way our critique group works is that we each send in a chapter (or two) of our current novel, and two people critique it.  (There are six people in our group, but we've broken up into two groups of three, because critiquing five selections would just take far too much time.)  We get together every two weeks to deliver the critiques to each other, and (at least I find) they help us to fix that chapter, or edit the next chapter.  Hell, it even helps us to fix our work as we're writing it.  Since I've started critique group, even my first drafts are getting better.  I'm more aware of my word choice, and description (though I still have a long way to go with that last one)

This month, though, we decided to try something a little different.  I'm not entirely sure if we'll ever do it again, as this is just an experiment (and I don't know about everyone else, but there's just so much to do this week!)

Anyway, on Monday we're going to have our first ever 'writing night'.  Unlike our nano meets, where we just get together and work on our own individual manuscripts, for this writing night an assignment (or two) were sent out.  Each assignment had their own set of rules that we had to follow, including no beta readers, and they had to be done for Monday, when we're going to read them aloud to the group.  Of course critiques will come in when the rest of the group weighs in on on what we've been working on all week.

My first confession: I'm the one who created the assignments, and set the rules.

On Sunday night I was frantically looking through pictures trying to find pictures, and reading through books to find writing prompts.  Despite what you may think, I definitely didn't have an advantage on everyone else.  I didn't look for the pictures or prompts ahead of time, as it was all done the night before I had to send it out.  But I did get it out.

My second confession:  I apparently don't want to follow the rules.

Which is terrible, because I wrote the bloody rules.  Literally.  I keep wanting to get one of my coworkers to read it for me.  Then I have to remind myself that I can't.  I even managed to write my first story about 200 words over the limit, meaning I now have to go back and somehow edit 200 words out of the bloody thing.  Something that I am dreading doing, because I always hate cutting words out of my stories.  I wrote it that way for a reason, and now I have to figure out which parts aren't actually necessary.  While I'm doing it, I have to actually think about what my critique group would say.

Needless to say, I'm nervous.  At one point in my life, I actually thought that I would never be able to write a novel.  I proved myself wrong on that one.  I've now written nine novels, with another one in the brainstorming stage, and two more collaborations I'm trying to work through.  Now, though, I find it hard to put my entire thought process into a three thousand words.  I can't even write a stand alone novel, for crying out loud.  I think in series!  Not short stories.

As this was my idea, however, I can't let myself not put my all into it.  I got through the first draft of this story, and I actually think that this story was pretty good.  I may change my mind when I go back and edit, but for now, I actually like this story.  And I firmly believe that my critique group is the reason this story is so good.

Now I just need to get one more story done before Monday.  Hopefully this one wont go over the word limit!

The Life of the Planner

Hello, and welcome to this weeks edition of When Your Characters Hate You or Why Don't You Ever Do What I Want You To?

In today's show we're going to discuss characters that like to veer of the well trodden path. The one that you mapped out for them with a highlighter, explained the dangers of the other paths, even put some obstacles on them so they didn't even want to go that way. The path you paved in gold and lined in signs telling your characters this is the way you should go. I've planned it. If you go this way, we wont have a problem. And they still go the wrong way.

If you're anything like me, you have a multitude of issues with your characters ranging from (but not limited to) them letting you think they're doing one thing in a novel, and doing something entirely different, minor characters forcing their way into a major plot line, characters eloping with each other, and love interests dying before they have a chance to become love interests.

The worst part about any of this is the nice lovely plan you had all ready to go. The plot that you spent longer working out than you'll spend writing the novel itself (or is that just me??). The one that you're sure your characters will actually stick to this time, only to have them completely veer off track, leaving you scrambling to try and fix the plot so that you're not fitting scenes in that don't make sense.

In the end, of course, you're left with a bit of a mess. Half of your novel sticks to your plot, the other goes in whatever direction your characters decided they wanted to take. You have to edit all the things that no longer make sense, even though when you were working on the plot you were snickering about how clever you were to put that in. And you have to figure out what your characters will be pissed at you for taking out and make sure to leave it in (unless your goal is to actually anger your characters, cause then you should definitely take them out...though I don't actually recommend this plan of action.)

If you've ever had any of these problems, rest assured. Things will turn out for the best. Because, once you get that mess of a novel in your hand and read it through (after taking a couple of weeks off so that you aren't tempted to just chuck it all, or kill off all of your characters) you'll realize that all of those things that pulled the characters off of the golden path actually makes the novel that much better.

Because, no matter how much you plan, you still have to do what's best for your characters. You have to take into account what they want. Not that you didn't when you were plotting, it's just that the characters evolve as you write them, and suddenly what they wanted before isn't anywhere near what would make them happy after a few chapters.

Don't be alarmed when your characters start to take on a life of their own. It just means that your doing your job as a writer. Those characters that take over are the ones that are going to feel real on the page. They're going to be who your audience falls in love with, and they're going to be the ones that you'll mourn when you have to kill them off, or finish the novel/series.

That concludes our program for the evening. Stay tuned next week when we discuss worlds and how they suddenly became much more complex then you originally intended.

I Can't Read My Character's Minds

So.  Here we are.  9 days before the beginning of NaNoWriMo, and I'm steadily working on the plot for the final novel I'm planning out.  And this is where I hit a snag in my plans.  See, I figure I might just have enough time to finish all my plots, do some edits on a previous novel and the last critique I need to do before we break for the already busy November.  Apparently my characters had other ideas.

I was at the end of the brainstorming phase and just about to launch into character bibles (which is, let's face it, my least favorite part of plotting) when one of my characters finally decided to speak up.  You see, I thought I knew what her part in the novel was.  Where she was going, who she was going to be with.  Simple and easy.

Really, I blame myself.  I should have known that something was up.  My characters are never simple and easy.

Not only is she no longer doing anything that I originally thought she was doing, now she's also going to be with new characters.  Characters I hadn't planned on introducing in this novel (if ever).  Characters that are part of a new race that, while they're in this novel, I hadn't thought I needed to really dive into until later in the series when they become much more a part of the plot.

So now, instead of being nearly done (which I really was happy about.  I mean, 9 days!) I've got to figure out an entire race of people, including what they look like and their history, and will most likely be adding 2-5 more character bibles to the list I already have.  A list that I already thought was pretty long.

And that character?  The one that so kindly dumped all of this work into my lap at the last minute?  She's blinking at me innocently as if I should have known what she was planning this entire time.  As if I could read her mind.

As the person who created this particular character, I suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised that she thinks this.  After all, if I created her, why don't I know every step she's taking?  While I will, eventually, be writing out every word she says and every move she makes, her thoughts aren't necessarily open to me.

Characters, you see, take on a life of their own.  Each one of them thinks that they could write your book better than you.  And they're more than willing to go behind your back and do whatever they want.  It doesn't matter to them that they just messed up your entire plot, or that they weren't supposed to do that until book 5.  They simply don't care.

I'm not going to let this get to me, however.  I know what I have to do to get to the bottom of this before Nano begins.  (Aside from giving up on the idea of getting sleep...) I'm going to teach them that I'm the one in charge!  That I'm the writer and I  made them, and I can kill them off if I want to.  Then, when their laughter subsides, I'm going to give into what they want and do the extra work they want because, as any writer will tell you, the characters are the ones running the show.

I think I need to learn how to read their minds...

Brainstorming, Plots and Word Mongering

Remember English class in High School?  When your teacher would give you an assignment of writing a short story and caution you to hand in your Brainstorming because you would lose marks if you didn't?  I do.  I remember because I never handed in my brainstorming.  This would probably have something to do with the fact that I never did my brainstorming.  Just sat down and wrote, then handed it in.  I'd get it back every single time with red words scrawled across about how next time I needed to hand in my brainstorming.  I didn't care.  I hated doing it.  I though it was a waste of my time.

I LOVE brainstorming.  I do it all the time.  Right now, in fact, I have no less than three notebooks on my desk with brainstorming from three different projects scrawled inside. Why am I telling you this?  So that you can understand that as I'm writing my newest novel, I have come to realize that writing, like anything else you do, is a learning process.

I'm not certain why I always thought that writers knew exactly what they were doing the first time they put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, as it may be) but I did.  I was so certain of this, in fact, that before November I never let myself finish anything I started simply because I assumed it was utter crap.  (Don't get me wrong, it was utter crap.  I recently had the utter horror...uh...absolute pleasure...of reading a story I wrote about five years ago.  Let's just say I'm sorry that anyone ever read it...)

I also found I was getting stuck on decision.  (I should tell you, I'm actually quite indecisive.  It took me about two months to make up my mind to start a blog.  Why?  Who knows.  But here we are.)

Anyway, my point is that I have discovered the answer to both of these walls that I had built up in my head.  Just as I learned how important brainstorming can be (especially when a character I did not plan shows up in my books and somehow ends up being important, but I don't know why), I've learned how to get over these other hurdles.

Plotting, something I barely gave any thought to before, has now become what I spend a lot of time doing now.  Each of my books is meticulously planned out before I start writing.  (I'd like to point out that I say meticulous, but what I mean is, I think I know what's going to happen and then I actually write it and it all goes to hell...just saying, but don't expect your characters or your stories to go exactly to plan.  It wont.)  I do this so that I don't have to stop in the middle of my writing groove to make a vital decision that I should have known about before I started writing.

And word mongering.  Aah, word mongering (For all you twitterites out there, that's the hashtag #wordmongering) A fantastic group of people that get together via twitter every hour on the hour to write as much as we can for half an hour than compare word counts.  It's fantastic.

For those of you that worry about us turning writing into a competition, let me reassure you now.  While we are competitive, it is a friend competition.  While we compare and one person may get bragging rights, the point is to support each other, not knock each other down.  Also, some of us...not saying who...just some of us apparently respond to competition.  Don't knock it 'till you try it!

Word mongering allows me to turn off my brain (not too far off, I am still writing after all.  Just enough to make my inner editor shut up) enough to get the words on the page.  And, despite my one time belief of first drafts being perfect, I have come to embrace the very idea behind NaNoWriMo: You can edit crap.  You can't edit nothing.  Getting those words on the page is the first step.  You can fix your mistakes later.

Happy Brainstorming.