all write - fiction advice_ july 2014

2/23/2015 AllWriteFictionAdvice:July2014

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SA T URDA Y , 2 6 JU LY 2 0 1 4

FindingtheMotivationtoWrite

Aswriters,sometimeswedontfeellikewriting.Oftenitseemsourcreativityhascrawledoff,ourinspirationhasgoneonvacationandourbrainsjustdontwanttobother.Ourmojohasdonearunner.Somedays,wejustdontwanttowrite.

Thisiscompletelynormal.

Writingisntjustahobbyforsome,itsadisciplinedformofartandittakesagreatdealofcommitment,timeandhardworktodoit,soitisnosurprisethatsomeofthatdisciplineandcommitmentwaversandwobblesfromtimetotimeforvariousreasons.

Thethingtorememberisthatwewritersarenotrobots,andsometimes,afteralongdayatwork,writingisthelastthingonourminds,especiallyifwehavetosortthekidsout,tidyup,dothedinnerandfeedthecat.Sometimesthemindandbodyaretootired.Themotivationjustisntthere.

Lifeingeneralgetsinthewaysometimes.Thereisjustsomuchgoingonthatyoudonthavethetimetodedicatetowriting,oritseemsthatway,whetheritsafullworkloadintheofficecausingyoustressorrunningaroundlookingafterthefamilytheschoolrun,shopping,errands,appointmentsetc.Motivationtendstovanishwhenwerebusywithotherthingsandotherpeople.

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Distractionsareanothercauseoflackofmotivationtowrite.Socialmediasoaksupmotivationandcreativityanddrainsyourwillpower.Itseasiertoprocrastinatethanwritemeaningfulnarrative.Wealldoit.

Othertimes,wejustcantbebothered.Thepub,thefootballmatchorthemovieseemsabetteroption.Anyexcusefornotsittingdownandgettingsomewritingdone,orevenfinishingoffwhatwestarted.

Sohowcanwritersfindthemotivationtowrite?Howdowritersstopthemotivationfromvanishingcompletely?

Thereareplentyofthingsthatwecandotospurourselvesonandnotfallintoalaissezfairattitude.

1.Tirednesscancrushcreativityandmotivation.Writingdoesntworkwhenthebrainneedstoshutdown.Getsomemuchneededsleepandcomebackmotivatedandenergisedforwriting.Youllfinditworks.

2.Makesometimeforjustyouandyourwriting.Evenifitsjustforanhourtojotdownideasorobservationsordoalittleplanning.Whetheritsearlyinthemorning,duringthedaywhenyouhavethehousetoyourself,orwhetheryoureanightowltype,thereisalwaysatimetowrite,sodontmakeexcuses.Makeitahabit.

3.Switchoffallelectroniccommunicationssuchasphonesoremails.Dontgoanywhereneartheinternet.Dontallowyourselftobecomedistractedbysocialmedia.

4.Maketodolists.Useitasamotivationalpush,whetheritsawordcountlist,anideaslist,aplanninglist,achapterlistetc.Theyarevisualremindersandhelpustostayfocusedanddisciplinedandtostayontrack.

5.Allowyourselfplentyofbreaks.Itsprovenfactthatrestincreasesproductivity.Notjustlongerrestperiods,butlittlerestbreaksthroughoutyourwritingsessions.Allowyourmindtobreatheandreflect.Gotakefiveminutesinthegarden.Walkthedog.Gostareatthestarsforalittleandletyourmindwander.Gotakeashortwalkinthepark.

Ifyouthinkyourmotivationisonthewane,itsasurefiresignaltotakearestandrefocus.

measure.Iamprivilegedtohaveeightshortstories/poemspublishedinthisbook,soifyoulikeyourdamesalittledarkanddangerous,thisisthebookforyou.

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Writingislikebeingmarriedyouhavetoworkhardatmaintaininghappinessandequilibrium,butinvariablyonealwaysendsupinthedoghouse.

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5.Dosomereading.Readingyourfavouriteauthorshasthismagicalqualityofignitingyourenthusiasmandmakingyouwanttowriteitmotivatesustowanttobelikeourfavouriteauthors,tobethebestwecan,itspursustogetonwiththejobofwriting.

6.Imaginesomeone,somewhere,iswritingthesamebookasyou,buttheybeatyoutopublicationwithit,leavingyouinthestartingline.So,whatareyouwaitingfor?

7.Ifyouliketosetyourselfgoalsortargets,thendoso.Setyourselfawordcounttargetperday,orachapter,orwhateveryoufeelyoucanrealisticallyachieve.Andsticktoit.

NBDontsetyourselfgoalsortargetsiftheycauseyouunnecessarystress.Itscounterproductive.

8.Setyourselfawriting/rewardsystem.Itworksinthesamewayassettinggoalsandtargets,butbygettingthingsdone,youcanrewardyourselfattheend.Youhavetodothework,however,toappreciatethereward.Ifyoucheatbybypassingtheworkandgoingstraightfortherewardyouwillsimplydisappointyourselfandaccomplishnothing.

Iusethiswhenmymotivationfeelsdepleted.IfIwritesomethingitmightbe500wordsor1000wordsofastory,oritmightbeanarticlethenIrewardmyselfwithsometimeplayingcomputergames.ThatwayIveaccomplishedsomethingandIgettorelaxafterward.

Foryouitmightbefeetup,adrinkofyourfavouritewineandamovie.Oritcouldbedinneroutsomewhere.Therewardiswhateveryoumakeit,butyouhavetoearnitfirst.

9.Enterawritingcompetition.Thishelpsyouconcentrateonsomethingdifferent,awayfromtheusualprojectsanditgivesyouadeadlinetoworkto.Plus,thereisalwaystheprospectyoumightwinsomething.

10.Ifyouhaventjoinedone,tryjoiningawritinggrouporanonlinewritingforum.Therewillalwaysbesomebodywillingtohelpmotivateandspuryouonwithadviceandencouragement.

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11.Musicisknowntohelpplentyofwriterswhouseittoinspireandmotivatethem.Iusethismethodallthetime,becausetherightmusiccanhelpcreatemoodandatmosphere,itsetsthescenetowrite,itcreatestherightframeofmind.

12.Havefriendsreadyourworkandprovidefeedback.Whetheritspositiveornegative,youllfindyourselfwantingtoimproveevenfurther,itwillmakeyouwanttowrite,becausetheyarediscussingyourwork.

Motivationisntsomethingthatmaterialisesthemomentwestartwritingandstayswithusfortheduration.Itslikesunlightitcomesandgoes,itfades,comesback,butitnevertrulyvanishes.Itsalwaysthere,butsometimeswejusthavetofindit.

Rememberthatsomewhere,somebodywillbeworkingonanideasimilartoyours.Theymightbecomesuccessfulatitthanyou,theymightnot,butaswriterswehavetoacknowledgethatweretheonlyonesthatcanmakeithappen.

Andwhethersometimeswedontwantto,wecanonlymakeithappenifwesimplygetonwithwhatwelovetodowriting.

Nextweek:EverythingyoueverwantedtoknowaboutsubplotsPOSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, JULY26, 20146COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST

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SA T URDA Y , 1 9 JU LY 2 0 1 4

MakingSureYourPlotIsntPredictable

Ifyouvereadabookandguessedwhatwascoming,orifyouveseenamovieandguessedtheoutcomewaybeforeitfinishes,thenitsgenerallyasignthattheplotispredictable.

Perhapsyouvereadabookthatseemsquitesimilartoanotherbookyouveread.Thesamehappenswith

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moviessomefeelverysimilar.Thatsbecausetheirplotsaresimilar,orthesame.Theonlydifferenceisthestoryiswrittenlightlydifferently.

Butthatsthethingwithplotsmostofthemareavariationoneachother.Theyrethesameplots,orsharethesameplotpoints,butwritteninmanydifferentways,andthatsbecausethereareonly36basicplots(asdescribedbyGeorgesPolti).Anythingelsereallyisjustavariationonatheme.

Butthewaywewriteourstoriesiswhatsetsthemapartfromothers.Whetherthereareonly10basicplotsor36,everystoryyouwriteshouldbedifferentenoughfromalltheotherstoriesoutthere.

Thatisdowntohowyourstructureyourstory,thecharactersyoucreate,thethemesyouexplore,informationthatyouprovideforyourreader,thesubplotsandofcourse,theoutcomeyouchoosetoendyourstory.

Ifyourplotdoesbecomepredictableandboring,thenyourreaderwontbethatimpressedwiththeoverallstory.

Takeloveasanexample.Plotsinvolvinglove,inparticular,canbeveryformulaicandthereforesomewhatpredictable:boymeetsgirl,girlisntinterestedatfirst,boythendoessomethingheroicandimpressesher,girlchangeshermindandfallsheadoverheelsinlovewithhimandtheylivehappilyeverafter.

Anotherpredicableoneisthethrillergenre.Theyinevitablyinvolveahero,avillainandaloveinterest.Theyaresocommonplacethatithasbecomeexpected.Butunfortunatelytheyarealsoformulaicandboring.

Writersarenottryinghardenoughtobedifferent.

Sohowdoyoupreventyourplotfrombecomingsopredictable,andtedious?Howdoyoumakeyourstorydifferentfromeveryotherstoryoutthere?

1.Consideradifferentapproachinotherwords,throwinsomeunpredictableplottwists,thekindthatyourreaderwontbeabletosecondguess.Writerslovetowrongfoottheirreaders,sodontbeafraidtothrownthemoffcourse.

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2.Trytobefreshanddifferentwithyourthemesreadersliketheunexpected.Bepolitical,becontroversialthemesaretheretoexplore.

3.AskprovocativequestionsaboutyourstoryWhatwouldthemaincharacterreallydoinagivensituation?Thepredictableactionortheunpredictableaction?Sometimestheunpredictableworksbetter.

4.Addinsomesurprises.Again,readerslovesurprisestheymakefortheunpredictable.Asthewriter,youcancreateanysurprise,butjustmakesuretheyarenottoofarfetchedthatthereaderthinkstheyaresillyorridiculous.

5.Avoidclichs.Doesyourdetectivehavetobemale,withafemalesidekick,usuallyseenasafoiltothemaincharacter?Thenreversetheroles.Haveafemaledetective,withthemalefoil.Areyourfemalecharactersgenerallywrittenasweakandsometimesstupid?Havearealitycheck.Notallwomenareweakorstupid.Andnotallmenareheroicandstrong.Theseareallclichs.

6.Dontbeafraidtotakeadifferentdirectionwithyourstorykeepyourreaderontheirtoes,sodontbeafraidtotakeariskwiththestoryarc.

Theideawithwritingistomakeitdifferentfromeveryotherstoryoutthere,andwedothatbybeingfreshandoriginalandunexpected.

Withonly36definitiveplots,writersmightthinktheyarelimited,butinfact,thereisawealthofstorieswecancreate,justbyshakingthingsup,beingdifferentorprovocative,byputtinganewspinonthings,byapproachingthestoryinanewandfreshway,bycreatinguniquecharactersandbytakingrisks.

Andbesides,beingunpredictableissomuchmorefun.

Nextweek:FindingthemotivationtowritePOSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, JULY19, 2014

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SA T URDA Y , 1 2 JU LY 2 0 1 4

StrategicDialogue

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Whatdoesitactuallymean?

Therearequiteanumberofdevicesavailabletowriterswhichhelpthemenhancenarrativeandemphasiscertainthingswithinit.Oneofthewayswritersdothisisbyplacingstrategicdialoguethisisdialoguethatisrepeatedseveraltimesinthenovel,likeamessage,aconstantreminderforthereader,andisbasedonthemainthemerunningthroughthestory.

Italsoappearsatopportunemomentsinthenarrativehencethestrategicplacement.Thisismorecommonlyknownasamotif.

Motifsarerecurringthemes,ideasorelementsthatcarrysignificantmeaningandarealwaysbroughttotheforefrontbythewriteratstrategicmomentsinthestory,toremindthereaderoftheimportanceofthetheme.Itworksbecauseitissubtle,almostsubliminal,andformsanintegralpartoftheoverallmessageattheheartofthestory.

SomefamousmovieshaveusedthismethodquiteeffectivelyTheWizardofOzusesthetheresnoplacelikehomemotiftopushthethemethatthehomeiswherethehearttrulyis.Thisisthemainthemetotheentirestory.DespitetheexcitinglandofOzandallitscolourfulcharacters,Dorothyisconstantlyremindedthatthereisnoplacelikehome.

ChuckPalahniuksFightClubusesmotifwhentalkingabouttherulesofFightClub.Severaltimesthecharacterstalkofrules:ThefirstruleoffightclubisyoudonottalkaboutFightClub.Thisisrepeatedasaremindertothereader(andtheaudienceinthefilmversion)howsecretiveandexclusivetheclubis.

StephenKinghasusedstrategicdialoguewithmanynovels,butoneverymemorablenovelisMisery.HerepeatsAnniesphrase,Imyournumberonefanseveraltimesthroughoutthenovelasamotif,becauseitdirectlyrelatestotheprimarythemeofcontrolandmisplacedadulation.Heusesthephrasetoopenthebookandthencleverlyusesthesamephraseattheendofthenovel.

Eachofthesestrategicdialoguephrasesareexamplesthatdirectlyrelatetothemainthemeofthestoryandyettheyreinforcethemessagethewriterwantstoget

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acrosstothereader.

Andthegoodthingisthatsuchplanneddialoguecanbeanythingyouwantacharactertosay(aslongasitisntclich),anditispertinenttothestory.

Writersmaynotrealiseit,butthepowerofrepeatedphrasesandwordsdoeshaveasubconsciouseffectonthereader,andbecauseofittheyaremorelikelytorememberwhatyourprimaryordominantthemeisabout.

Thecleverthingaboutstrategicdialogueplacementisthatitdoesnthavetobeovert.Youdonthavetobeatthereaderovertheheadeverytwopageswithit.Itshouldbeverysubtle.Strategicdialogueisnottheretoannoythereader,butrathertoenhancethenarrativeandstoryexperienceforthem.

Sohowmanytimesshouldyouusestrategicdialogue?

Thereisnowrittenruleonthis,butcommonsenseshouldprevail,sodontoverdoit.Ifthemotifismentionedeverynowandthensaythreetimesthroughoutthenovelitwillgentlyremindthereaderratherthanirritatethem.Ifyougoabovefourorfivetimesthenthereadermaybecomeannoyedbytherepetition.Andrepetitiononlyworkswhenitssubtleandoccasionallydone.

Somestrategicdialoguephrasesaresowelldonethatthereaderdoesntrealisealwaystheyrereadingintentionaldialogue,butthemessagebehinditwillstillgetthrough.Thatswhyitremainsoneoftheleastusedandmostcleverofliterarydevicesthatwriterscanuse.

Rememberthatifyoudowanttoenhancethenarrativeandhighlightyourtheme,andusestrategicdialogue,makesureitdirectlyrelatestothestory,oritwontworkatall.

Nextweek:Makingsureyourplotisntpredictable

POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, JULY12, 2014

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SA T URDA Y , 5 JU LY 2 0 1 4

Doesmultigenrewritingreallywork?

ThisisasubjectIgetaskedaboutallthetime,especiallyfromnewwritersanxioustowriteasmuchaspossibleinasmanygenresaspossible,yetwhilemanywriterscananddowriteindifferentgenres,anditsnotimpossible,tostepwitheasefromonekindtoanotherisntaseasyasitseems.

Itsawellknownfactthatwritersstartoutwritinginthegenrethattheymostenjoyreading,andcertainlytheirearliestinfluencesmaydrivethistendency.Ifyouenjoyreadingthrillers,itsmostlikelyyoullwriteinthatgenre,becauseyouenjoyitandunderstandit.Ifyouenjoyreadingromancefiction,thenthelikelihoodisthatyoullfeelcomfortablewritingromance.

Ofcourse,thereareotherthingsthatinfluencewriters.WatchingcertaingenreofmoviesorTVshowsthattheyenjoymayalsoinfluenceawriter.

Awriterwillalwayswriteinthegenretheyfeelmostaffinitywith,onethattheyfeelcomfortableworkingwiththeonetheyenjoy.Andbecauseofthiseaseandaffinity,anauthorsvoiceandstylewillevolveaccordingly.

DoesitWork?

Itcan,butsometimesitdoesnt.

Therearemanycrossgenrewritersoutthere,peoplewhocaneasilydipinandoutofdifferentstyles.Forinstance,horrorwritersmightalsobeabletowriteromance.Thrillerwritersmightalsowritescifietc.Butcrossgenrewritingworksonlyifthewriterfeelscomfortablewithit,theyenjoythesubjectandcanbuildclosenesswithit.

Awriterwhohatesromancewillnotbeabletowriteaconvincingromancestory.Likewisearomancewritermightnotbeabletowriteaconvincingandscaryhorrorstory.Theresultmightbesomethingcontrived,stiltedorforced.

Butoftenmanywritersdothisinthebelieftheycanwriteinanygenre,andtheresultisalwaysthesame.Ifsomethingdoesntfeelright,theninevitablyitisnt.Thereaderswillnoticethisandtheywontenjoythestory.



Iwritedarkthrillerorhistoricalthrillerstories,butIalsowritehorror.IdontwritesciencefictionbecausealthoughIlikescifimovies,Idonthaveenoughaffinityorattractiontothesubjecttowriteconvincinglyandauthoritativelyaboutthesubject.Likewise,Idontwriteromancestoriesbecausehavenoattractiontothesubject,nordoIwritepoliticalstories,becauseIhavezerointerestinpolitics.

Insteadoffocusingonwritinginasmanydifferentgenrestylesaspossibleandtryingtofitintooneofthem,writeinthegenreyoufeelmostcomfortable,onethatyouenjoyreading,onethatyoufeelclosesttothisisyourprimarygenre.Thisiswhatyourspecialistsubject.

Onceyourecognisethatyoucanbuildyourwritingarounditandgainexperience(andhopefullysuccess)fromwritingit.Youcanthenexploreothergenresthatyoufeelattractedto,orcomfortablewithorlikereading.Thesearesecondarygenres.

Whenwethinkofsomeofourfavouriteauthors,weusuallyassociatethemwithonespecificgenre,buttherearemanywhohavewrittennovelsincompletelydifferentgenres,forinstance:

IanFlemingisknownforhisJamesBond/spynovels,buthealsowroteChittyChittyBangBang,whichisachildrensnovel.WethinkofStephenKingasmasterofhorror,withstorieslikeCarrieandTheShining,buthesalsowrittencontemporarythrillerssuchasTheGreenMile,andsciencefictionbasedstorieslikeUndertheDome.NeilGaimanisknownforhisfantasy,scifiandgraphicnovels,buthesalsowrittenchildrensstories,suchasTheGraveyardBook.

Noticethatthesewritershaveaprimarygenre,writtenworksthattheyaremostfamousfor,buttheyalsohavesecondarygenres.

ButwhatifIcanonlywriteinonegenre?

Mostwriterscanprobablywritetwoorthreegenresquitecomfortablyandsuccessfully.Otherscanonlywriteonegenreonlyandthatdoesntmakethemanylessdifferent.

Thereisnothingwrongwithonlybeingabletowriteinonespecificgenre.Plentyofwritersdo,simply



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becauseitswhattheyaregoodat,itstheirforteandtheyhavebeenjustassuccessfulasmultigenrewriters.

Thethingtorememberisthatifitisasubjectyoudontparticularlylikeorunderstand,oryoudontfeelaffinitytowardsthendontwriteitbecausetheresultwillbeaterrible,forcedandunconvincingstory.Andthatsbecauseyourheartwontbeinit.

Writewhatyoulove,whatinterestsyou,whatmovesyou,whatmakesyoupassionate.Writewhatmakesyouhappy.Whateverthegenre.

Nextweek:Recurringthemesandhowtousethem.POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, JULY05, 2014

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all write - fiction advice_ july 2014

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