Writing Inspirations

Walking Inspiration

2012-02-19T11:00:00.000Z

Following on from the Novel Thinking blog post 'Negative outlook' I must recommend walking?  It's free, available pretty much anywhere and you never regret it after.  It's a way of meditating for those of us that find it difficult to sit cross legged on the floor for hours (and me a Yogi too - shame!).  Meditation is about clearing the mind, ceasing the chattering monkey. Once the mind is clear it's open to receive inspiration and new ideas.
Lovely mornings like this one are good. The sun is bright. The birds are singing. There's a dusting of frost on everything. The morning invites you to join it, to be part of it.
And who knows what you might find. I came across this gnarled old tree trunk and it set me thinking; "How did it get to be like this?" "What sort of tree was it originally?"  "How long has it been there" "What things has it seen?"
Moments like these inspire and ignite the imagination.  So step outside and be inspired.

Going for it!

2012-02-12T11:38:00.000Z

Yep - I'm self publishing. I'm joining the pioneering ranks of the Indie Author. Can't be doin' with being rejected or just plain ignored by agents anymore - I'll do it myself.
I've taken advise, tweaked, restructured and cross-checked. I've read 'How to...', 'Who to...' and 'What not to...'. I've put my manuscript through proof reading and now it's time to format and upload.
At least I'll be making some headway in getting my book 'out there'. I know it will take time. I know it will require marketing and promoting but I'm gonna give it my best. It will be good to let this baby go finally so I can work on the sequel.
Watch this space...

Rewrite

2011-05-31T07:33:00.000+01:00

Not much blogging being done lately - but masses of writing - honest!

I am overhauling my novel big time at the moment following advice from my writing buddy and that shown in 'Write a Blockbuster' - mentioned in my last blog. My novel falls foul mainly because of wordy over description and not applying the 'show don't tell' rule (because until now I've not really understood what it means!)

I've written a science fiction novel so there is a lot to explain but I see now the importance of giving the reader bits of information, so they can use their own imagination to build a picture. I don't have to tell them everything. That way the novel becomes personal to them.

I now understand the 'show don't tell' term - it can take a little while to grasp but I realise in many of my action scenes I'm relating something back to the reader rather that taking them right to the action and making them part of it - this is what makes a book come to life.
I have been impatient to finish and get my MS off to agents quickly but there's no point until that MS is the best it can be - until the words leap out of the page, grab an agent by the balls and scream, "GET ME PUBLISHED."

Characterisation

2011-05-12T14:47:00.000+01:00

Many thanks to my good friend Fi for recommending "Write a Blockbuster and Get it Published" by Helen Corner and Lee Weatherly. Already I can see it's going to help me to give my novel more depth and quality.

Currently I am working on getting to know my characters to make them real and three dimensional. Today I began writing my character questionnaires; listing everything I possibly could about my main character, from her full name and physical appearance to her childhood and her hopes and fears. I know her pretty well, after all the novel is in first person so I'm "in the head" of my main protagonist so to speak - in some ways she is me. Some answers I gave did surprise me though.

I think the secondary characters will be much harder because I have spent more time on thinking what they do rather than who they are. However when I am more aware of who they are I will know why they do what they do, if you get my drift!

I am already thinking about scenes in the book that this knowledge of my characters is going to enhance. The reader will be able to identify, sympathise and understand them more.

Frankenstein

2011-04-28T13:04:00.000+01:00

I'm so bad not writing my blog for a week and a half. I was too busy with family life, celebrating Easter, enjoying the sunshine - oooh procrastination! Now I'm doing it but worrying about not getting on with my 2nd book - where will it end? I do admire all you clever writers doing your A - Z challenge - what a witty lot you are finding something interesting to write all the time.
During the holidays I went to see Frankenstein at the National Theatre in London, it was a truly amazing experience - two hours on the edge of my seat jaw dropped open (very attractive) The production was stripped right back to be faithful to the original book. It was tragic, captivating and full of social comment regarding man's inhumanity to man; still so relevant today. What an achievement, to be able to write such a brilliant novel that over 200 years later is still being read and adapted for stage and screen. How wonderful to make that much of an impression with your writing that it lives on long after you do. Now that's a good reason to write!

Sorting

2011-04-18T13:03:00.000+01:00

Summer is here - in Berkshire anyway - time to strip off and soak up those rays. Trouble is when the weather is so nice I start to think about sorting the garden out - all those projects we didn't quite get around to last year; and while we're at it might aswell get the garage sorted too - alas more precious writing time being eaten away!

It's nice to sort stuff out though don't you think? It's so satisfying. I love sorting out all the thoughts and ideas I have for my stories. I find one of the most productive methods for writing is to just scrawl down by hand everything and anything that comes into my head. This method often takes me in all sorts of different directions but I just let the energy flow, just let it keep coming. Later I go back and type it all up, sorting out as I go along. I am always amazed at how many ideas I've put down and subsequently forgotten about. This method works better for me than planning a structure first and fleshing each part out. This approach is most probably frowned upon by experts but it works for me and although I want so much for other people to read my work, really I'm writing for myself and my enjoyment first and foremost.
How do you write?

Believe!

2011-04-15T14:01:00.000+01:00

Day off from blogging and writing yesterday for a trip to London with eldest daughter. Proved to be quite expensive as it included the hairdressers but what the hell; once I'm a famous author I can pay all the credit cards off!

Which leads me to my topic today; believing in yourself - mega important. It's really hard to break thorough in this business; the competition is tough, it's so hard to get your work read by an agent or publisher and there's so much advice out there (a lot of it very costly). Have some self respect, look at what you've achieved so far in your writing, think about how great writing makes you feel, about the positive feedback you've had from people and don't be afraid to dream.

When I go out for my walks to gather ideas I always allow some time towards the end for a little self indulgent musing. I imagine myself at a fabulous book launch party or attending the glamorous premier of the film of one of my novels. I think about my reaction when that agent or publisher finally rings me up and says "We'd like to see the rest of your manuscript, when can you bring it along to our offices in London?"

"Ah yes," I reply, picking myself up off the floor, "Well I am quite busy but I can get on a train right this minute, where are you?"

Think about where you really want to go with your writing, about what you'd really like to achieve and focus on it, make it real. Apart from anything it's great fun.

Science Fiction or not Science Fiction?

2011-04-13T08:36:00.000+01:00

Didn't post yesterday - rushing around too much! Still, did some great writing and got together with a good writer friend to chew the fat.
My friend and I consider ourselves to be Science Fiction writers. We generally think the SF genre needs to broaden its horizons; it seems to be a very narrow market at the moment. Most of the SF books that are on sale are very similar and very blokey in appeal! The other thing is they are so often lumped together with Fantasy which narrows them down even more.

Our SF books are not about weird alien monsters and battles in the stars; not that there is anything wrong with that, it's obviously very popular. We believe there is a market for SF books which are more to do with unusual circumstances effecting every day life and normal people. There were once many books in this vein; 'Day of the Triffids' by John Wyndham is a prime example and my favorite book of all time. It is not really about huge man eating plants but the struggle ordinary people have to deal with how their world is destroyed by them. It is also a love story with Bill searching the Triffid infested countryside for his soul mate Jo after they have been separated in London. This book has been hugely influential in my work (my main protagonist is even named after Jo and has some of her qualities).

Take a more recent book; 'The Time Traveller's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger. This is a great read about a man who travels back and forth unwillingly to different times in his life and how this effects him and his partner. It's about the strength of their relationship in having to deal with his rather odd personality trait. To me it's a SF book yet it's found in General Fiction.
If the publishers and agents of SF were to open their doors a little wider and take on some different styles I think they would find a huge untapped market out there.
Also I might get my book published!

Rushing

2011-04-11T12:49:00.000+01:00

I am always rushing. Never taking enough time to get a job done really well. Is this because I am a woman? I only ask that because I notice when my husband takes on a task be it in the garden or house he takes his time over it and does it really well. I'll probably get two or three more jobs done than him in the same time but they will lack the same quality of attention. When I am doing something I am always thinking of the next job I have to do.

This mind set spills over into my writing. As I am writing something I am thinking of the next paragraph or next chapter and I want to get past where I am and on to the next bit. Of course I always go back over my work and sort it out but initially it all kind of blurts out and races away. Maybe that's just the way it works with me.

Be interested to know some of your thoughts.

The Warrior

2011-04-10T10:44:00.000+01:00

It's such fun to keep in touch with all you lovely writers. Thank you for your comments. It's nice to know we have similar hopes and feelings, it can be a lonely old business otherwise.
People who don't write can not possibly understand how much goes into creating a novel. There is of course the time it takes; sometimes I'll spend a whole day writing and end up with a couple of pages of something that I'm reasonably happy with. Then I feel guilty because I haven't spent the time clearing up, washing or cooking or paying more attention to my family. Then there are days like today when the sun is shining and really I just want to be out working in the garden. That creates guilty feelings from not spending enough time writing; "I'll never get this novel finished if I don't knuckledown" etc etc. Ofcourse there is the endless preparation that goes into sending your work off to agents or publishers; only to be sent a preprinted "no thanks" after a few months of waiting to hear back from them (and that's if you're lucky). Yes we are a strong breed we writers, we should be proud of our resilience.
In Yoga we practise a posture called Virabhadrasana 2 or Warrior 2. It is my absolute favorite posture. When teaching it I remind my students of how powerful and strong they feel in Warrior. They focus on the middle finger of the hand stretching forward; looking into the future. They are ready to face whatever the future holds for them and deal with it.

Go on give it a go!

Early morning dreaming

2011-04-08T05:57:00.000+01:00

Very early post this morning after dropping youngest daughter off at school to get on the coach for her Italy trip. Thought it would be a good idea to do something useful as I can't go back to bed. Minds blank now though!
Ah, some thoughts are coming; lets see...
What makes writers want to write? Is it the idea of fame and fortune? Do we all want to be published or are we just writing because we need to express ouselves? I have this dream of seeing my book in the window of Waterstones in Reading. How realistic is that when e books are so quickly becoming the norm? But then a dream doesn't have to be realistic does it?
Here's to dreams - may yours come true.

Description

2011-04-07T11:00:00.000+01:00

On my walk in the sunshine yesterday, as I took in all the colours and new life around me, I mused about the start of my 2nd novel. I realised it was lacking description. My characters are on a brand new planet, the reader needs to know what it is like; how it looks, feels and sounds and how it effects those characters. The trouble is lengthy description can also be a chore for the reader and they can tend to skip through it in order to get to the action. If it's at the start of the novel, they may even put it down and not pick it up again! I think one way to avoid this is to drop snippets of description into conversations and action, another is to use words that are descriptive and imaginative in themselves, so they tell you much more about something in much less time. I try to build a balance between description, action and dialogue - it kinda works.

Sunshine

2011-04-06T10:57:00.000+01:00

Thanks so much to Steve Taylor and my good friend Fiona Faith Maddock for commenting on my blog; both of whom have excellent blogs I hope to aspire to one day! Check them out.
Today the sun is shining. It's a beautiful inspirational day and although I have a mountain of housework to do, you know what, I'm going for a walk instead to soak up some energy from the sun and tune in to that creative flow. After all it might rain tommorow!

And so we begin!

2011-04-05T12:54:00.000+01:00

My first post -wow - what will I say? This writing lark is a difficult game to be in but I love it.
Today I have been working on my sequel to my first book Future Imperfect. I had forgotten how hard it is to go right back to the start. For a long while now I have been editing my first work and it is so much easier than starting from scratch. So currently I am just letting the creativity flow; writing down any ideas that come into my head, with a view to sorting it all out later. I have to have faith in myself and not look too far ahead - the book will 'emerge', just as my last one did.
Oh yes and the main thing - stop procrastinating by writing blogs!