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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.

Writer’s Wisdom 50

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 Tracing your path to success

What is a successful writer?  How do your define your own success as a writer?  Do you have to compare yourself to other writers?  Do you measure your success against Best-selling authors?  These questions will make you ponder about what you truly think of yourself as a writer.  Sometimes, it is a subject that we avoid, and a mirror that we cover because we don’t want to see our own reflection.

The measure of success is different for everyone.  It could be as simple as going throughout the day and being able to write a chapter or a few pages of that novel that you have inside – you did it!  Or it could be the first contract that you land as a freelance writer – your first paid project.  Or maybe, your book is getting published!

Whatever it is for you, success doesn’t happen without effort.  Best selling author Dan Brown sits to write in his office at 4:00 am.  In an interview with Borders, he said that he sits down to write “the best book he can possibly write, whether it is for one reader or millions.”  That is the attitude with which we should approach our writing. 

Mapping our success as writers, should include more than projects, and future goals, it should include the now, the approach and effort that we put every day.  Is the material that we put out there in writing sites for everyone to see, free of errors (to the best of our ability)?  Have I revealed too much from my private life and affairs?  Will it hurt me in the future or will it help my writing?  Every step that you take as a writer, will either help or hinder your future development. 

So, let’s approach our craft with a similar attitude to how Dan Brown approaches his writing – repeat with me:  “whether it is for one reader or millions, I will produce the best work I am capable of at this moment.”

Happy Writing!

Writer’s Wisdom 49

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A place for everything and everything in its place …

Organization – Oh, the dreaded word!  Do you spend unnecessary time looking for writing material, tools, or that article that you know you wrote but can’t seem to find now?  If your answer is YES, then you are wasting valuable writing time. 

For many, writing is their full-time occupation and what brings the bread to the table.  Producing quality material and meeting deadlines, is of the essence.  If you fall into this category, then you need to organize your writing environment – that being a desk, an office or the kitchen table.

When you waste time looking for “stuff” you might end up frustrated and this affects your writing mood and quality, and of course, your productivity.  I am not talking about having a neat and sterilized working place; some people cannot work on such environment.  What I am talking about is a place where you know where everything you need to accomplish your task is located and you can retrieve it with ease.  It should make some sense to you and make your work flow easier. 

Organization can be a writer’s best ally; it certainly will help your productivity and disposition throughout the day.

Writer’s Wisdom 48

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The Role of Music in Writing

Music can inspire you, influence you, and help your mood while writing a piece.  Despite your taste in music or writing style, you can use music to create a mood in a scene or a chapter of a novel.  Are you writing poetry or a Love affair?  Try some romantic music.  How about a dangerous scene?  Try some fast hard rock.  Keep your pen and your feet dancing – and your muse shaking.

Writer’s Wisdom 47

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Making a writing list

Ever ran out of material to write?  Or experienced writer’s block?  You are not alone, most writers have.  There are many ways to attack writer’s block (see other postings here), but now, I will talk about a simple and easy way to have material at hand – always.  It is called a writing list.

What is it?  It is a list of ideas or themes, as simple as that.

How do I make such a list?  Well, there is a simple and fast way to do it, anytime and anywhere.  Even when you are waiting for a doctor’s appointment.  This is how to do it.

Pen and paper in hand, for a minute or two (look at your watch), start writing every word, theme or idea that crosses your mind.  It has to be fast, do not think about it, just write anything that comes to mind.  When the time is up, look at your list and number it.  Everything in that list can be turn into an article, a poem, a novel, a piece of writing.  When you ran out of ideas, take your list out and look at number one in your list.  Write about it.  And so on.

You can repeat this process any day, at any time, and anywhere.  I assure you that you will always have material for your writings.

Writer’s Wisdom 46

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Poetry and mood

I am no poet, but when the mood strikes I have to write it.  I find that my mood influences my writing, sometimes, with an overflow that cannot be stopped.  Sometimes, a piece will lead to another, and another, like a well with no bottom.

Music also inspires my mood.  So what is playing translates into my writing.  It permeates the piece.  When combining both, the gates of inspiration are open, and a river of words, flow effortlessly.

You cannot depend on your mood to write.  Although there are instances when your mood makes your writing flow easily, those instances are few.  You must sit down and write, moody or not.

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 45

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Your writing space

Where do you write?  What do you surround yourself with?  What fuels your writing?  You control the answer to these questions.  The way you design your writing space can make you more productive or do the opposite.  Surrounding yourself with things that inspire you will result in a better writing mood which in the end translates into better writing.  Objects, quotes, writing aides – all of it can help you call in your muse.

Approaching your writing space as a professional space where you do your work, and not a hobby, will set the right attitude if you are serious about your writing.  Set up your space in a way that matches your style and you feel comfortable with.

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.