Summer Writing Schedule

Anyone waiting for this moment yet?

Much as I love summer--even this heat is better than the frigid cold of January. My regular writing schedule (such as it is) gets thrown out the window in the summer. I have to force myself to find pinches of time to write.

I'm working on an MG Fantasy right now, and it's fun. I wrote 1000 words yesterday in about an hour. If only I could guarantee that every day, this WIP would be done by the end of the summer.

I'm participating in Heather Kelly's Tour deWriting and checking in with a crit partner. I'd love to have 20K written by the end of August. I'm into the WIP about 6500.

Anyone else have writing goals? Anyone else waiting for school to start?


Cartoon used with permission from Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Inkygirl.com

Reading as Research

Last summer, I had an idea for a fairy story. Actually, my working title is older than that, but I wrote the first chapter last summer. In my ::ahem:: spare time over the past year, I've done a bit of plotting and a short outline. It's a fun, MG story about an nontraditional fairy.

"But," you say, "there a a million fairy stories out there."

I know. In fact, I've been asked to review an ARC of one coming out in the fall (more to come on that. I CAN'T wait, this is from an awesome blogger and friend). Is there room for mine? I think so. I think as long as there is a new twist, there is always room for more of anything.

So I've made a list of twenty fairy stories (from PB to YA) and I'm going to be reading some this summer. I just started ARTEMIS FOWL on my iPod, so I can "read" in the car. I want to find out what kind of worlds my writing colleagues have created--not to copy, but to inform my writing. I want to make sure I'm putting my gothish, combat boot-wearing fairy into a world of my own creation, not something that mimics or reminds people of another.

How do you research a new WIP?

Clearing the Brain

Amazingly I had the whole day yesterday to write. Scary. Really, scary. Because I'm very good at procrastinating (for very good reasons) my writing. And being faced with a full day of writing sometimes scares me.

I knew I had a work-for-hire project to finish. I got that out of the way first.

And then I dived into an amorphous WIP that's been on my mind lately. I'm trying to listen to the characters. Trying to figure out what they're telling me. My biggest writing challenge is plotting. Once I know where I'm going, things unfold pretty well. Getting over that plotting hump is a bear (anyone with me?)

My goal was to write 500 words. Pretty easy, right. I wanted something attainable. After I hit 500, I decided to go for a walk. Slapped on the earbuds and my sunglasses and walked around my neighborhood. And all of a sudden, the characters were screaming at me! I had to stop and type some notes on my phone (yea, my phone) cause I was worried I'd forget!

When I came home, almost 1000 words just poured out. But the narrative I wrote is in 1st person. The rest of the WIP is in third. I always write in third. So what's up with that?

How do you clear your brain? And what do you do when your brain does something unexpected?

***

Don't forget the Kid Lit Social on Tuesday. If you're in the greater Boston/Eastern/Central Massachusetts area, we'll be meeting at Paparazzi in Burlington, MA at 7:30 on June 21. I'd love to see you there! Ping me @KristineAsselin or krisasselin (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Unintentional Beginnings

So yesterday I had a fabulous lunch with a good writer friend. We talked about writing, our kids, our lives. In some ways it felt incredibly decadent. Maybe because she made me an awesome gourmet salad and served me iced cappuccino.

On the way home, I passed a truck driven by a very old friend. Someone I haven't talked to in ages. Someone I miss a lot. I briefly thought about turning around to follow, but thought better of it. I came home and wrote these words on Twitter:

I saw a ghost today. Driving a white pickup truck. It made me cry.

I wasn't expecting the following comment by @KevinTCraig in reply: "Great beginning for a novel!!! Just sayin' :-)" (Thanks, Kevin!)

I wasn't thinking about writing the beginning of a novel. I was just emoting. And now I'm thinking.

How do you get new ideas? And more importantly, what do you do once you get one?

D is for Dang Outlining

I know I'm stretching the alphabet here...

For THE SWEET SPOT, I didn't outline. I had a short story that evolved into a longer story and then a novel. The short story is (for the most part) what is now chapters four and five in the novel. It took a long time to fill in the first three chapters and then finish the book. I didn't totally pants the thing--I did some character spreadsheets, and I spent some time writing loglines and synopses (snowflake method, anyone?) But mostly I just wrote.

I outline for nonfiction--and I have a hard time calling the outlining part of the work "writing." But I'm trying to get better at that. Because it's equally as important as the actual writing. For my work-for-hire I'm required to submit an outline before the first draft. And it is supremely important to get that first "go ahead" from the editor. Or "try this here." Or "I'm sure you're going to do this, but don't forget..."

For my next fiction WIP, I'm thinking I need to work more quickly. Five years per novel just isn't going to cut it if I want an actual writing career. Based on the recommendation of Amy Sue Nathan, I picked up FIRST DRAFT IN 30 DAYS by Karen S. Wiesner. It promises to help you craft an indepth outline that can double as your first draft. In. 30. Days.

Having read the first few chapters, at the very least, this book should help with brainstorming basic plot points and character analysis. I'm horrible at organization, so I think it will help me with that as well. As long as I stick with it.

Sticking with it. And really the important part is Butt In Chair, Hands on Keyboard, right? As long as I'm physically writing, whether it's an outline or a stinky first draft, progress is being made.  So sticking with the outline, or changing gears midstream, or pantsing the daylights out of a scene or chapter. It doesn't really matter what method or style you use. As long as it works for you.

Tips for writing the basic outline (and the page I borrowed the graphic from). Very basic outline.

So, show of hands, do you outline?

How I Write: Starting a new WIP

Welcome to the fourth installment of the How I Write series, brainchild of Ansha Kotyk.  A group of writers are writing about how we write – scheduled for Wednesdays through August.  Please check back weekly. And click here for the list of all the writers participating and links to their blogs.

Today's topic: Starting a new WIP

Now this is a timely topic.  I just happen to be starting a new WIP and I was wondering this exact thing.  The last time I started a novel, I had written a short story inspired by an experience I had as a teenager.  People who read the story wanted to know what happened next to my characters, and so I started writing more.  Much of it was inspired by people and places from my childhood.  It was completely organic and from my heart.  I didn't actually start it consciously.

So I have no idea what to do with this new one.  I've got a first chapter drafted that sort of came from a daydream.  And my friend Ansha insists that if I let things stew, more of the story will come from my subconscious. ::waves to Ansha::   So I'm stewing.  And researching a bit (see last week's post).  And listening to music.  And reading.  And talking to my characters.

Wait.  What?  Talking to my characters?

Yes. If you listen, they'll talk to you.

Sometimes, I pull out scrap paper in the car while I'm waiting to pick up my daughter, and just jot notes.  Random thoughts about the characters.  It's amazing what comes out sometimes.

I use a novel writing software which helps organize--I don't use all it's features, but it's helpful.  And of course when I get into a funk, do a little snowflaking method.  I know I'll use character spreadsheets, outlines, review my craft books, and any number of other tools before I'm done.

UPDATE since I wrote this entry: I've been assigned two new freelance projects.  I'll be writing about life in Colonial America specifically focusing on government for one and weapons/battles for the other.  This type of research (see last week's entry) begins with a google search, searches on Worldcat.org and my local library's online resources.  I'll begin with an outline based on the publisher's guidelines and then write the manuscript based on research and the approved outline.  Two or more primary resources are required--I'll probably take my research on the road and hit the museums in Lexington, MA and Plymouth, MA.

New fiction WIP will get to stew a bit longer as I tackle these new projects.

How do you start a new WIP?