JUST GET IT DONE!
I have struggled a long time with 'focus' and 'stick-to-it-ness'. I've given it some serious thought and come up with a plan. So far, it's working for me...but the first step is the hardest!
1.Set up your workspace: If you're lucky enough to have a complete room designated as an office, this should be a breeze. Some of us aren't that lucky. Oh now, I have a separate office, but I started writing when my boys were little and my 'office' consisted of the space located inside my piano bench. Try keeping several stories, poems and notes in some sort of order when shuffled to one side while the other side is crammed with song books, piano lesson and smiley faces, (yes, I gave piano lessons, too!)
2.Stacks and Stores: Designate some time each week to work on cleaning up your 'stacks and stores'. This is an on-going job for me and one that can overflow and conquor, if not consistently addressed. In my case, I currently devote an hour every Tuesday and Thursday evening to this task. Books pulled out, mail that needs shredding, notes that must be filed--all fit this category. Without paying special attention to this chore, my 'office/project room' would be a disaster.
3. File, File, File: This one was the hardest to set up and required more preliminary work than the others. Not until I finally got serious about my writing projects and took them out of my head and into a paper file did they become 'real' to me. I've lost more ideas by scribbling them on a note pad and promptly forgetting them. Finally, I invested in some hanging file folders. I label each one with a working title when the idea pops into my head. I started out devoting a couple of hours on Saturday to this project, but find it works better as each new idea/story is born. I always keep extra blank folders in place and when the new story is born, I jot it down or type a rough outline--whichever works--and file it in the waiting file, pop the little plastic sleeve out and write a working title on it and position the label. For me, I've given the new idea the importance it deserves. A new story is added to my cache.
As the story develops, a new page is added to the file. Normally at some point, the paper trail gives way to the electronic file as I have
simultaneously set up a file in 'my documents' that matches the one in my office drawer. Each 'folder' bears the name of the working title and I save each 'new edition' with the current date. (JUST REMEMBER TO BACK-UP YOUR ELECTRONIC FILES!)
My method might not work for you, or it might seem redudant; the point is, develop what works for you and stick to it! No great novel was ever sold that didn't find its way to paper. By starting out hard copy, I finally can grow the story to the credibility it deserves. The paper file works especially well for non-fiction articles and stories that require research.
Stay tuned...more hints next week!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Interview with children's author, writing consultant, conference speaker Nancy Kelly Allen...
Today, I am interviewing Kentucky children's author Nancy Kelly Allen on 'voice'--a critical part of every story. Visit Nancy's website to learn more: www.nancykellyallen.com
or follow her blogs at www.nancykellyallen.blogspot.com
It seems that editors are always looking for manuscripts with a distinctive voice. What is voice? Do you think kids notice it?
NKA: Voice is that indefinable quality of writing that is different for every writer so I guess that’s why editors say they don’t know what they’re looking for but they know when they read it. It’s the writer’s individual style. Sometimes we pick up a book and recognize an author’s style immediately because the words and phrasing reflects the writer’s authentic voice. Word choice, narrative, dialog, and even tone contribute to a writer’s voice. Some writers use short snappy sentences; others prefer long descriptions. Some write chatty dialog while others create lyrical prose. Some dish out humor; others are more serious. Over time, a style develops. That doesn’t mean a style is permanent, but certain characteristic threads will likely weave through most of the writing, and those characteristic threads are the writer’s voice.
Actually, I don’t worry about voice when I’m writing picture books. My primary goal is to tell the story. When I have the plot and characters figured out and the story from beginning to end on paper, I revise with the goal of injecting voice into the story. When I wrote, The Munched-Up Flower Garden, I followed this model. In the first draft, I wrote, “James ran.” During the revision I changed the words to “James sure can make the dust fly as he picks them up and puts them down.” The revision of voice doesn’t change the plot but the story now tickles the ears with a poetic tingle. And that’s what voice is to me: a stringing together of words so they fall on the ear like music. We each have a distinctive manner of speaking so our characters should reflect real life in that respect. A character that grew up in the South would probably not use the same words as a character that grew up in New York City. A doctor would use the different words to describe a particular ailment than those of a six-year-old child. Voice should reflect the character and the world and situation in which the character exists.
Children definitely notice the voice of characters. Liz is the main character in The Munched-Up Flower Garden. She is feisty, but loveable, and has distinctive voice. She’s loud. She gets frustrated easily, and she is funny. The use of voice makes a character come to life. I want a character to leap off the pages of the book and become almost real to the reader or listener. Voice in dialog and thoughts make the character unique.
I think voice is the part of the literary process that emerges as an author becomes more comfortable or confident in his/her writing. Voice develops over time. Writing a particular character does not come naturally to me. I have spent a career around children. As a former teacher and librarian, I had access to kids and books on a daily basis. As a writer this is fertile ground. I not only listened to what kids said but how they said it. Listening to how people talk is a productive way to create voice for a character. Everyone has a friend or relative who has a charming or disgruntled or funny way of speaking. Tune in to those unusual phrases and recapture them in a character. If you hear a particular phrase that you think would work for a character, write it down. If not, you’ll probably forget before you get around to tapping the keyboard. Experiment with writing to see what type of voice works best for a particular character.
Nothing is truly unique in writing. Instead of trying to capture something no one has ever done before, try capturing a realistic voice that rings true for the character throughout the story. Stay consistent.
One of the best ways to discover voice is to read a variety of books by different authors. Read the book the first time to enjoy it. Read it the second time to pinpoint how the author strung words together to create the voices of different characters. Most of all, write, write, write and read, read, read. Have fun with words and you will discover your own voice as a writer.
or follow her blogs at www.nancykellyallen.blogspot.com
It seems that editors are always looking for manuscripts with a distinctive voice. What is voice? Do you think kids notice it?
NKA: Voice is that indefinable quality of writing that is different for every writer so I guess that’s why editors say they don’t know what they’re looking for but they know when they read it. It’s the writer’s individual style. Sometimes we pick up a book and recognize an author’s style immediately because the words and phrasing reflects the writer’s authentic voice. Word choice, narrative, dialog, and even tone contribute to a writer’s voice. Some writers use short snappy sentences; others prefer long descriptions. Some write chatty dialog while others create lyrical prose. Some dish out humor; others are more serious. Over time, a style develops. That doesn’t mean a style is permanent, but certain characteristic threads will likely weave through most of the writing, and those characteristic threads are the writer’s voice.
Actually, I don’t worry about voice when I’m writing picture books. My primary goal is to tell the story. When I have the plot and characters figured out and the story from beginning to end on paper, I revise with the goal of injecting voice into the story. When I wrote, The Munched-Up Flower Garden, I followed this model. In the first draft, I wrote, “James ran.” During the revision I changed the words to “James sure can make the dust fly as he picks them up and puts them down.” The revision of voice doesn’t change the plot but the story now tickles the ears with a poetic tingle. And that’s what voice is to me: a stringing together of words so they fall on the ear like music. We each have a distinctive manner of speaking so our characters should reflect real life in that respect. A character that grew up in the South would probably not use the same words as a character that grew up in New York City. A doctor would use the different words to describe a particular ailment than those of a six-year-old child. Voice should reflect the character and the world and situation in which the character exists.
Children definitely notice the voice of characters. Liz is the main character in The Munched-Up Flower Garden. She is feisty, but loveable, and has distinctive voice. She’s loud. She gets frustrated easily, and she is funny. The use of voice makes a character come to life. I want a character to leap off the pages of the book and become almost real to the reader or listener. Voice in dialog and thoughts make the character unique.
I think voice is the part of the literary process that emerges as an author becomes more comfortable or confident in his/her writing. Voice develops over time. Writing a particular character does not come naturally to me. I have spent a career around children. As a former teacher and librarian, I had access to kids and books on a daily basis. As a writer this is fertile ground. I not only listened to what kids said but how they said it. Listening to how people talk is a productive way to create voice for a character. Everyone has a friend or relative who has a charming or disgruntled or funny way of speaking. Tune in to those unusual phrases and recapture them in a character. If you hear a particular phrase that you think would work for a character, write it down. If not, you’ll probably forget before you get around to tapping the keyboard. Experiment with writing to see what type of voice works best for a particular character.
Nothing is truly unique in writing. Instead of trying to capture something no one has ever done before, try capturing a realistic voice that rings true for the character throughout the story. Stay consistent.
One of the best ways to discover voice is to read a variety of books by different authors. Read the book the first time to enjoy it. Read it the second time to pinpoint how the author strung words together to create the voices of different characters. Most of all, write, write, write and read, read, read. Have fun with words and you will discover your own voice as a writer.
Friday, November 6, 2009
When Does 'Much' Become Too Much? Or 'Information-ed Out'
We are truly in the 'information age', but when does it become TMI? I can remember when I got my first cell phone--and it wasn't that long ago, folks. Remember the 'brick' that flipped open from the bottom to reveal those big dialing numbers? I thought I had finally arrived! Now, I 'fat-finger' almost every function I perform on my tiny, credit card-sized, 3.0 pixel picture-taking cell. And did I mention I can email, text, listen to music, download hundreds of options AND play games?
Add to this little jewel the fact I'm on Facebook, Twitter, and the world-wide web. Then layer on my personal email, work email and blogs I follow. When does it all end? Or better yet, when does life begin? Remember walks in the park? Visiting friends? Writing a note? Heck, remember reading a good book--the kind you hold in your hands?
Now I hate changes as much as the next person. However, I've already benefited from my small amount of exposure to having a website. I'm learning a writer needs to be 'available' should an agent/editor 'come calling'. So I've proudly stepped up to the challenge of putting myself 'out there'. This week alone, I've read not one, but two blogs/interviews from editors who stated they checked out an author prior to accepting their submission. One editor said she wasn't interested in the bells & whistles of her website, only trying to determine if said author had a 'presence' and was willing to 'network' for marketing purposes.
In one month, I've gone from the silent majority to the connected minority. There are many websites that offer big bang for your buck-I think mine costs only $4.95/year and it's very user-friendly (more like 'hold your hand every step of the way' friendly).
I am content knowing I can be 'found' every second of the day. A generation past worried about 'BIG BROTHER', but I'm drawing 'them' a map. Again, TMI???
Now if only I had time to write...
Add to this little jewel the fact I'm on Facebook, Twitter, and the world-wide web. Then layer on my personal email, work email and blogs I follow. When does it all end? Or better yet, when does life begin? Remember walks in the park? Visiting friends? Writing a note? Heck, remember reading a good book--the kind you hold in your hands?
Now I hate changes as much as the next person. However, I've already benefited from my small amount of exposure to having a website. I'm learning a writer needs to be 'available' should an agent/editor 'come calling'. So I've proudly stepped up to the challenge of putting myself 'out there'. This week alone, I've read not one, but two blogs/interviews from editors who stated they checked out an author prior to accepting their submission. One editor said she wasn't interested in the bells & whistles of her website, only trying to determine if said author had a 'presence' and was willing to 'network' for marketing purposes.
In one month, I've gone from the silent majority to the connected minority. There are many websites that offer big bang for your buck-I think mine costs only $4.95/year and it's very user-friendly (more like 'hold your hand every step of the way' friendly).
I am content knowing I can be 'found' every second of the day. A generation past worried about 'BIG BROTHER', but I'm drawing 'them' a map. Again, TMI???
Now if only I had time to write...
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