IWSG: August

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Insecure Writers Support Group

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Co-Hosts: Christine Rains, Dolarah @ Book Lover Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor Yvonne Ventresca LG Keltner


July Question:
What are your pet peeves when reading/ writing/ editing?

1. Having to edit out And, But, Now, Well, and Oh at the beginning of nearly every dialogue line. You'd think that by now, I'd stop clearing my rhetorical throat.

2. Editing every book I read. Again, you'd think I'd understand that I can't affect the page I'm reading after it's published. (Worse yet--rereading my own published things. Oh. My. Goodness!)

3. Twiddling my pen/keyboard for hours for four measly little words. I'd be happy with ten. Nah! Don't you even think it.

4. Since I draft in the pantsing style, I find editing threads together to be a bit on the onerous side. Unfortunately, I'm a bit stuck in this style. Though, I will read Lisa Cron's STORY GENIUS as I draft the next novel. I think... 

5. Having to cut really great scenes because of # 4. Sigh.

What are your pet peeves in this great game of wordsmithing?

Once again, I apologize for not getting around to other IWSG blogs. Chronic Pain and Fatigue is a nasty taskmaster.  

Links:

Must Read: "The Two Demons of Despair"--I can't think of a better link for IWSG!

"You're Aren't Lazy--You're Just Terrified"--Great article that explains so much!

"7 Tips to Help you Write When You Don't Feel Like It"--Another great article!

"What is the Theme of a Your Story?"--This one is super helpful!

"How to Write in Deep POV + get into the mind of your character" is another excellent link.

And here's a big dose of truth about writing--"Writing Through Life's Stages"

The Journey Back to Home

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"Think you’re escaping and run into yourself. Longest way round is the shortest way home.” — James Joyce, Ulysses

That's a fabulous quote! I feel like I did this a couple of weekends ago. I'm a pantser. For the last eight years, I've written anything and everything that surfaces from my back brain. (For more on how this works, check out this post--Back Brain Blender.) But (and this is a big BUT!) As I fulfill the submission request that touches on Five (5!) stories, I find myself having to organize the outflow. So I tackled the pile of paper that's accumulated over the years (what's not already in Scrivener) and sorted it into piles by story. This is the result. Now, I have to edit, type, and outline this mess to submit "an extensive outline of the first three books ("Laura Grace trilogy") and summary paragraphs of the next two." Oh, my aching head. My long journey has circled back to start and I'm wading in nose deep.

Pantser vs. Plotter (Outliner):
Alright, I know you non-writers are wondering what I mean by "pantser." It's not too hard of a concept once you know it's a term we writers use for those of us who write by the seat of our pants. We don't outline the entire story from the first. We don't worry that it won't come together in the end. The truth is there's no one way to write a book. I'm of the loosey-goosey persuasion. That doesn't mean that I don't have to stop and outline the story later. I do. But, it does mean that I don't make myself write in an uncomfortable fashion. Been there, done that back in my high school and college days. (Psst! I'll tell you a secret. I usually wrote that pesky required outline after the fact. ;-)

And now, there's a new term floating about: Plantser
A plantser is an author who combines planning and pantsing methods to prepare for their novel. Usually, people who claim to be this type of author enjoy how pantsing allows their creativity to strive more, however they plan some of it out so that it doesn't wander off into plotless ramblings that require intense revisions and rewrites when the draft is done. ~WikiWrimo

For what it's worth, I'm probably more of a plantser than pure pantser. I do have an idea of the entire story early on. Because of that, I find I have a goal line to cross and that allows me the freedom to write whatever and whenever along that path that I'm inspired to. I think worrying about what writing style you use is a bit of procrastination. Just do it! Whatever you method, don't stop. Write the story! Go, Writers, Go!

Great link about the hard truths of writing: Hard Truths Every Writer Should Know--Dana Elmendorf  Speaking of journeys:
"Sure some authors make it look easy, but don’t be fooled.  They walked that same long road just like the rest of us."

Next Week: The Book Pusher's Mini Book Reviews.

Back Brain Blender

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Source

I know you're wondering what on earth a Back Brain Blender is. ;-) 

It's my term for my subconscious mind where images of everyday life, snippets of conversation, ideas for scenes all come together to create story. I've found that it works best when I let go of trying to write. That's why I keep notepads on my nightstand, in both autos, and anywhere I might have an idea splatter out of my subconscious and into the light.

For example: I'd completed two intense months of edits and plugging holes on my WIP when we took a mid-January vacation in Jamaica. Yes, warm, tropical, delightfully romantic Jamaica. I truly didn't expect to write a word. Of course, my subconscious had other ideas. As I relaxed on our veranda surrounded by the verdant green and the hummingbirds, I found my brain spinning out bits and pieces like a blender operated without a top. It's like turning over a compost pile to hunt for treasure--rich, fertile imagination roared to front and center.

 I took a notebook with me just in case, and that proved to be wise. When I got back to cold, wintry Georgia, I had taken thirteen pages of scenes for two future WIPs, three blogposts, and ideas for the pitch I gave twice on February 20. 

That's what I mean about a back brain blender. You never know when your next story idea, a scene that unlocks a block, or ideas for telling others about your work will come.

Let the Back Brain do its thing. Just keep paper and pen handy for the "accidents."

Next Week: IWSG

Base Jumping

Writing carries a certain element of base-jumping, really. Fling yourself, fly, and only worry about the moment, the simple accuracy needed for a free fall, until your chute deploys and you have the time to focus on the finer details of your direction, speed, altitude and surroundings.
                                          ~~Claire Gregory, Books and Writers Forum

Claire Gregory has forever defined the act of writing a first draft for me with this quote. ; )

We can debate outlining vs. pantsing until our words run dry, but all of us have to commit to begin the process of telling a story, any story, if we intend to write. All of us have felt that utter sense of exhilaration when we write the first idea down and when the first scene forms.

So here's to flinging ourselves into the story, committing our ideas to paper. May we continue to let go and see where the jump takes us. ; )

How about you? What does committing to that first draft feel like?

I'm still recuperating from my foot surgery, but thought this was too good not to share and scheduled it ahead. ; )