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Writer’s Wisdom 59

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Green Writers

There are little ways in which you can contribute everyday to reduce waste and care for the environment.  Think twice before crumbling that piece of paper.  If the back is blank, cut it in half or four pieces and use it as scrap or doodle paper.  Staple a couple and use it as a small note pad that you can carry in your bag, for when ideas come to you.  There are many other uses that you can think of.  Use it as packaging material, shredded or crumbled.  Or as paper to test your pens before you write.

How about that ink cartridge?  Take it to your supply store when it is empty, sometimes you get discounts for recycling them.  Print in fast or economy mode to save ink.  Print in black and white if you don’t need the color; why waste color ink if you don’t need it?  You can reuse the small plastic container where the ink cartridge comes and use it to plant seeds.  Keep your PC in energy-saving mode if you are going to be away from it for a while.

There are many things that you can do to contribute to a greener environment as a writer.  I am sure you can come up with some according to your daily writing routine.  Be a green writer!

Writer’s Wisdom 58

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Love Thy Critics

Accepting criticism about your work is a hard thing to do.  After putting your sweat and ink into a labor of passion – a written piece from the heart, no one likes for it to be pull apart and criticized.  A writer is as proud of his/her piece as a first time mom (assuming here that the mom wants her baby, of course).  Hearing comments that your pride and joy is less than perfect will annoy or upset many writers, if not all.

Learn to look at constructive criticism in a positive light; as a tool to make you grow and get better at your craft.  Once you learn to do that, it will be easier to accept and your feelings won’t be hurt as much.  You will learn to perfect your work, resulting in satisfaction and a sense of achieving a well written piece.  Criticism comes from the human reason, and everyone has different points of view.  Learn to take it from where it comes, and analyze it as objectively as you can.  If you see truth in it, listen to the advice; it will only benefit you.  You should strive to become the best writer you can be.

Writer’s Wisdom 57

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Taking your writing to the OR

Snip, snip – the painful process.  Editing and cutting out after many words  is a task that many writers dislike, but a necessary one.  Whether you are writing a novel, or a smaller piece,  there will always be words to rearrange, eliminate or change.  It will only improve what you have written down.  See?  written down, there is no need for the down in the previous sentence, that must be eliminated.

Some writers prefer to edit as they write, or as they finish a chapter; others just write and edit later.  Whatever works for you, as long as you improve your piece by taking off what doesn’t belong.  Readers prefer material that moves at a fast (but not too fast) and consistent pace – writing that flows.

I tend to use too many words and have to be aware of not tiring the readers, or boring them.  I have been guilty of reading a book and skipping paragraphs and pages that contain “a lot of the same.”  I am sure we all have been there and that is a good example to make the point.

So snip snip and don’t be afraid; you may be proud of that sentence, but maybe you can use it on another piece or further along.  Don’t be afraid to take your writing to the operating room.

Writer’s Wisdom 51

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Respecting your character’s background

Your characters will evolve throughout the story or a series.  They will naturally evolve and will become deep and complicated; their personalities will start showing more strength and charisma.  If you are attuned to your characters you will respect their evolution in your writing.  A character that was bubbly in the beginning of the story, but has gone through a lot of heartache and difficult situations as the story progresses should not be presented in the same way – the situations that you create for your characters will permeate their personalities and modus operandi.  Ignoring that important part, will result in a lack of credibility and will make your writing appear fake.  Readers interact and identify with your characters, they feel what the characters feel.  If a reader does not “feel” a character, he/she may get discourage and stop reading or lose interest in the story.

By being true to your characters, you are engaging the readers and respecting them.

My review of Grit for the Oyster

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Grit for the Oyster by Suzanne Woods Fisher, Debora M. Coty, Faith Tibbetts McDonald, and Joanna Bloss.

This is a must read for any aspiring author/writer.  The book is a perfect blend of inspiration, advice, pick me up, and knowledge.   Loved it.  Also a fast read.  The way it was written – in four sections divided in small themes -is perfect for picking it up at any time, to continue reading it, or for inspiration.  

Although it has a christian base, the lessons here apply to any writer pursuing the craft.  If you happen to be christian, it is a double blessing because you get a second knowledge from it.  I recommend this book to every aspiring writer.  Leave it at your work desk (for reference) after you read it one time.  Keep it next to you, I assure you that you will go back for more.

Writer’s Wisdom 44

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Save your Rubbish

How many times have you crumbled that piece of paper and aimed it to the waste basket?  How about deleting that file?  Hopefully, not that many times.  Think twice before deleting or throwing away content that is not passing your approval at a particular moment.  Save it.  Yes, save that Rubbish!  It may not be useful now, but it may become inspirational material for future writings.

We are not in the same emotional wave all the time.  Our emotions shift from day-to-day, or moment to moment.  What may not appeal to you today, may become useful material later – inspiration for an idea for a story, for a character, an article, or even a poem.  Right now, it may seem horrible to you, but it may contain the roots for a good piece.

So before you throw away your rubbish, give it a second chance – in the future.

Writer’s Wisdom 43

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The man behind the curtain

Yesterday I talked about characters, and how crucial it is to care about your characters – the quality of your writing depends on it.  Sometimes, there is a character out there, hiding, that has not come to light yet or has not jump into the story.  You know he/she is lurking, but not ready to shine yet.

Other times, that character was planned a way, by you, but he/she refuses to exist that way, and leads you in a different direction.  It may come as a surprise to you, and twist to your story.

Ultimately it is up to you to listen to the man (or woman) behind the curtain – you are the writer – but if I was you I would listen carefully.

Writer’s Wisdom 42

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Getting to know them

Getting to know who?  Your characters.  Your characters are more than names and descriptions on a page.  They move in with you for a while, and they have lives, feelings and situations.  You write them, but sometimes, they will surprise you and write themselves.

In an interview with Borders, best-selling author Linda Howard (Ice) said that “it is important to  get to know these people and what happens to them.”  She added that she pays attention to “whoever shows up in her imagination and starts talking.”  She expressed that she doesn’t plan anything – she writes “whatever story appeals to her at whatever moment.”

This is because she is very attuned to her characters and what they are saying and doing, and to the ones that have a small voice, but have not pop in yet.  While writing your book or novel, keep your ears and mind open to what your second family has to say.  It will only help you with your writing.  Care about your characters and they will take care of you.

Writer’s Wisdom 41

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Creating balance

As a writer, it is important that you balance your schedule and workload, but also your writing.  When writing a piece, consider how everything works together:  characters, plot, age issues, environment, secondary story lines …  All should balance well together to keep your reader’s attention.  My sister is a tough reader; if at some point in a book, something just doesn’t make sense or doesn’t feel like it belongs to the story, she will stop reading, close the book and never go back to it.  I have met myself such reads, unlike her, I have forced myself to finish the book, but at the end, wished I hadn’t – my sister was right.

So balance your act (writing) and keep your readers doing what they love to do:  read – they will come back for more.

 

Writer’s Wisdom 40

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Look in the mirror

When inspiration is running dry, and you hit a wall in your writing, your pen is dry, or your keyboard is frozen – look in the mirror.  What? – you must be thinking.  Yes, look at your life, the situations, the people around you, the town where you live, the whole that is YOU.  There is plenty of inspiration around you, and in you.  Unless, you live in a dark cave with no entrance, and even then, that can make a great story.  How can you see in there?  How do you get out?  What do you eat to survive? and so on – soon a story develops.

So, the next time that you are struggling with the paper and pen (or your fingers at the keyboard), get up and look in the mirror.