Write More, Edit Less

Write More

photo by Oleh Slobodeniuk

In so many ways, I'm still a baby writer. I haven't fully finished a manuscript yet and I'm only a year out of college. And now is where you think, "Umm, why am I listening to you?" And maybe you shouldn't. Run along, now. WAIT JUST KIDDING. Don't go. Anyway, here's the thing. We're all on this writer journey together. Whether you're half a book or twenty-eight books into your writer life, you're never "there." In writing, there is no end game. There is no finish line. There's a million little ones, which is great news for us, because there's always one more to cross.

Ok, enough with the lame metaphors. What I really want to talk about is the secret to writing. That's right. The one you've all been waiting for. Drum roll please. The more I write, the more I realize that I need to write. Huh? What?  When I first began to write, I agonized over every line, doing my best to make sure that everything sounded just right. Except, here's the thing: most of the time, it didn't. Why? Because it was a first draft! And that's what first drafts do. They don't work right away. So basically, I was spending all of this time trying to edit myself as I wrote my first draft, picking my words while I threw out ones that never even had the chance to make it onto the page.

THIS IS THE WORST THING YOU COULD DO. I lost so many good words, ideas and possibilities because I was so busy trying to sound "perfect" right away. Lesson learned, my friends. Here is what you really want to do: write more and edit less. Write more scenes that suck. Write more scenes that you hate yourself for later. Then, when the time is right, you can weed through all the junk and find the little glittery spots of "okay, awesome." When you write more, there's more room to grow. For instance, my main character Wendy originally started as a teacher. I've since then steered away from that, trying to place her in a super boring job (TBD). The way you get to know your story is by letting it shift from side to side on the page. If you keep it all in your head, it has nowhere to go.

Write More. My philosophy is pretty simple. If you write A LOT, then it's easy to edit later. You can cut the fat faster than you'd think, and save it for another project. You know what you can't do? Edit an empty page. I mean… if you can, then maybe you're a genie, in which case, I should be asking you for three wishes. Number one: Christmas all year round, 24/7. Number two… ok, I just remembered about this post I had to write. WRITE MORE. EDIT LESS. Writing is the fun part. Agreed? Editing is where we roll our eyes and kick the paper across the room. So it's in our benefit to write more when all of those creative juices are flowing. I never really liked that term. Creative juices. Bleh.

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Ten Best E-Books for Writers

Best E-Books for Writers

Resources, Resources, Resources

A writer's best weapon is his/her resources. As writers, we're called to be jugglers. Not only do we have to put in the writing time, we also have to research the market, keep up with our reading, and do our best to get published. It's an exhausting, exciting, slightly/always chaotic process, but we're writers, and this is what we do. I've found that looking to the greats who have already been there helps in so many ways. Below, you'll find my list of (mostly) free e-books for writers on writing. A few of these are currently saved on my laptop, and I highly recommend them!

Ten Best E-Books for Writers

1. You are a Writer by Jeff Goins. 

Jeff Goins is about as professional as they come. There are so many great resources that he provides to his readers, and this e-book ranks high among them. This is an ebook for writing first steps.

2. The (nearly) Ultimate Guide to Better Writing by Write to Done

With sections such as "How to Write Like an A-List Blogger" and "It's Time to Finish Your Book," this e-book gives A+ advice on all kinds of writing.

3. Let's Write a Short Story by Joe Bunting 

Joe Bunting, another one of my writer heroes, recognizes that the first step to publishing is short stories in this informative e-book. For a low price, this guide is a must.

4. The Quick Start Guide to Building Your Author Platform by Kimberley Grabas

Your Writer Platform, a blog by Grabas, helps writers create their platform at any point in their writing career, and this e-book provides even more of her poignant tips.

5. Creating Unforgettable Characters by K.M. Weiland

K.M. Weiland can do no wrong. In her free e-book, you can get to know your characters in a more intimate way, creating dimensional and believable heroes.

6. 279 Days to Overnight Success by Chris Guillebeau

I've just recently discovered Chris Guillebeau and fell in love. This e-book is a thorough guide to carving yourself into success. Great read.

7. Smashwords Book Marketing Guide by Mark Coker

Smashwords offers a simple, user-friendly guide on how to market your book in this staple e-book.

8. How to Write a Great Query Letter by Noah Lukeman

Query letters can make or break your future, and with so many articles and books out there on the subject, it can be overwhelming. Here's an e-book straight from a literary agent's mouth, a perfect tool for taking the next step.

9.500 Ways To Be a Better Writer by Chuck Wendig

With articles like "25 Reasons You Won't Finish That Story" and "25 Questions to Ask As You Write," this guide supplies writers with advice on every spectrum of the writing world.

10. What Publishers Want by Greenleaf Book Group

For every writer intending on publishing traditionally, this resource provides a fantastic view of books from the publishing side.

Creating Believable Characters in Your Fiction

Creating Believable Characters

Note: this post has been updated on June 15, 2015.

Who among us didn't weep over Dobby in Harry Potter? Did you fall in love with Noah and Allie in the Notebook? Have you ever loved a character so much that they became a friend that you revisited over and over again? As a novelist, creating believable characters who leap off the page is imperative.

So how do we do this? Well, I'm glad you asked. (Okay, you didn't ask, but I'll tell you anyway.)

WRITE LESS THAN YOU KNOW.

Remember when J.K. Rowling shocked the world by revealing Dumbledore's sexuality? There was no mention of it (allusion can be argued), but yet, this was the truth. Knowing your characters beyond their books is important. If they aren't real to you, how can they be real to a reader?

GIVE THEM SOMEONE TO LOVE. 

No, I don't just mean romantic love. Any kind of love. Think Katniss and Prim. Think Sirius and Harry. If you show us a character's love, we'll not only believe it, but feel it too. Here are a few examples to think about:

1. Familial love. The self-sacrificing parent. The overprotective sibling. Everyone loves a good family bond.
2. Romantic love. Unrequited, broken, first, on-again, off-again. We can't help but root for a good love story. (Hint, hint: These Are the Moments.)
3. Love of cause. The fighter. The rebel. The activist. Readers love passionate characters.

MODEL FROM LIFE.

Learn from the people around you. Observe the details: the flaws, the strengths, and the quirks. Avoid perfect, cut-out characters by incorporating qualities that are true to life. In this way, your characters and the worlds you created will feel that much more realistic to us.

KNOW THEIR GOALS, WANTS, AND FEARS.

These are the big three.

1. Goals. These are what propel characters through the story. Goals can change, fail, succeed, but every character has a path.
2. Wants. A little different than goals, because they may not be the purpose of the plot. This is where love interests tend to fall.
3. Fears. How do these affect the goals and wants? How do they trip your character up through the story?

FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS. 

You know your characters. You know the way they act and why they act that way. Trust yourself and trust your characters. Because our characters are human (well, mostly!), they aren't always rational. They're going to make mistakes. They're going to act out of character. And that's ok.

WANT MORE? OKAY!

If you're interested in more tips on characterization, I highly recommend The Essential Guide to Character Creation by She's Novel:

Click the picture to learn more!

Creating Believable Characters

*Note: the above is an affiliate link.

Discussion Time: Are you creating believable characters in your fiction? What are your favorite character tips?

How to Write a Love Story

Ever wonder how the great love stories are written? Learn how to write a love story that's believable and romantic! 

Last week, Valentine's Day got me thinking about some of the greatest literary love stories. Pride and Prejudice. Wuthering Heights. Gone with the Wind. There's a reason why these classics still have us swooning today. When it comes to writing romance, there are key factors every writer needs to think about.

If you're wondering how to write a love story, you have to ask yourself, what kind of love story am I writing? Is it a hopeful one? Is it a tragedy? Is the love story the main story or a supplement to the overall plot? Let me break it down for you:

The Meet Cute

Who doesn't love a good "how we met" story? I can think of some great ones off the top of my head: Gus and Hazel Grace in The Fault in Our Stars, Charlie and Sam in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Noah and Allie in The Notebook.

When two future love birds meet for the first time, there has to be an impact: negative or positive. We need to feel that this person is important and a game-changer to the story. 

A few things to think about when writing the meet cute: 

• How do my characters meet? Through friends? By chance? How does their meeting set up the story?

• What's the initial reaction? Do they like each other? Do they clash? If so, why?

• What do they look like? Are they attracted to each other? Or does that come later?

• How do they walk away? After their initial meeting, how do they feel? Anger? Curiosity?

Read more about what makes a love story stick with us. 

Believability

In order for readers to buy your character's romance, ground it in reality | @blotsandplots #writetip (TwEEt This)

Chemistry: It's not just science, my friends. In the scenes after the meeting but before all the love, we need to see a progression in the relationship. We need to see the reasoning behind why they're falling for each other. These can be very simple scenes, but filled with emotion impact. Maybe she likes the way he reads to his grandmother on the weekends. Maybe he falls for the way she paints.

We need to know them as individuals, and we need to know them as a couple. It has to make sense. Are they compatible? Are they opposites? In either case, we need the proof. Pro Tip: learn how to write epic love stories. 

Obstacles

There are no perfect couples. Need I say it again? No couples are perfect! So why would you write them that way? Try to think about the obstacles to love, both internal and external. Then ask yourself these questions:

• What are their relationship flaws? What irritates your character about his/her partner? What do they fight about?

• What is the biggest threat to their relationship? Is it external? Is it a character flaw? How do they deal with it?

• Can they overcome? Are their obstacles too great? Do they fight or do they give up?

Love stories must grab the attention and affection of readers, so that they never want to let go. I still remember the first time I read A Walk to Remember, and how invested I was.

Love stories are the kind of stories that readers revisit over and over again. For extra reading on how to write a love story, I recommend visiting this article from the Write Practice. Want more? Read this advice from twenty published writers.

Discussion Time: How would you write a love story? What's your biggest struggle? What comes naturally? 

My Top Ten Writing Pitfalls

Writing Pitfalls 2

Ever get stuck in a writing rut? Need help to dig yourself out? Welcome to the club! Here's where I struggle, and how to fix it! 

You know that moment where the will is there but it's hidden behind layers and layers of procrastination? Sometimes, I find myself at my computer or sitting with my notebook in front of me for two hours straight, thinking, ok just one more cute baby youtube video. Spoiler alert: it's never just one more video. I just spent five minutes on tumblr before I got to this sentence. See? It's a sickness.

Here are the top ten things that keep me from writing, and what to do about them:

1. Social Media. So this is naturally number one. I'm on Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc. and usually all at the same time. Social media is awesome, but it's also a time-sucker. Try to limit yourself, and then stick to that time frame. I promise, there is always another status to read.
2. Work. To all my 9-5ers, kudos to you for trying to start a writing adventure. I'm currently working up to ten hours a day, five-six days a week; and I'm not going to lie, it's exhausting. Welcome your weekends. Perfect writing time. And if you can manage to spend an hour or two writing on the weekdays, you'll be better for it.
3. School. Homework, projects and papers. Don't you love them? To all of you college people, embrace that time. Aside from classes, college typically allows for a flexible schedule. Just stay on top of your school work, and then get busy with your writing time.
4. Sleep. One of my favorite things! Sometimes, if you don't get enough, any time you have for writing will come from a super sleepy brain. So my advice? Get plenty of sleep. Your writing will thank you.
5. Other People. Let's go get dinner! Let's go out! Let's go to a movie! Sound familiar? Friends are awesome. The best, in fact. Give yourself permission to be a loner sometimes though, and keep your writing on track.
6. "Writer's Block." I use quotes because I don't believe this actually exists. You may not feel that you have any ideas, but should that stop you from writing? No. Just scribble down some words and let the ideas flow.
7. Over-planning. This happened to me a lot at the beginning of the novel process. I had all of these ideas of where I wanted the novel to go that I neglected the actual writing part. Planning is good, but there needs to be a balance. Always write.
8. Relax writing. If it's been a long day, I like to write in bed. Lounge writing, you know? This never works out well, because guess what? I fall asleep. So get dressed in the morning, get to a desk or a table and get working.
9. Too much talk, no action. There are plenty of people who call themselves writers or say they want to write a book, but often, they don't actually follow through with it. So don't be a talker. Write!
10. Writing. Didn't see this coming did you? So for any freelancers or bloggers, this is especially important. Don't let work writing get in the way of creative writing. Keep it organized!

I hope that you found this helpful, and that maybe you're a little closer to a little distraction-free writing. Learn how to make time to write here.

Discussion Time: What are your top writing pitfalls? What's keeping you from your goals?