11
Aug
We all know to involve the senses in our writing. The eyes, ears and nose – or sights, sounds and smells. Naturally there are tactile senses too, like touch and feel.
I'll concentrate on sounds today.
As I sit here, I hear the fan in my computer whine and whirr. Whine because I need to get the dust out. I hear the chuntering of my hard drive when it kicks in. Is there such a word? I don't know, to be honest, but that's the sound it makes. Looking it up, it's defined as "murmur, mutter, grumble". So in a way, yes, that's what it does.
There are people talking, the forklift beeps while in reverse, there are rattles, clangs and crashes coming from the warehouse. (Yes, I'm at work.) The phone here "woodles" rather than rings.
So with just those few sentences, we already have a multitude of sounds.
Remember to include sound when you write.
The computer whirred to life.
A pair of bleating lambs came running across the yard.
The leaves rustled beneath his feet.
You get the idea.
Here are a few sound words for you, just in case you like lists:
baa, babble, bam, bang, beep, boom, bow wow, buzz, caw, cheep, chime, chirp, chomp, chortle, clack, clang, clatter, click, clip clop, cluck, clunk, coo, crackle, creak, croak, cuckoo, ding, drop, eek, fizzle, flush, groan, growl, hee haw, hiss, hoot, honk, howl, hush, kiss, lap, meow, moan, moo, murmur, neigh, oink, pant, peep, ping, pitter patter, plop, pluck, pop, purr, quack, ratchet, ribbit, rustle, roar, scream, screech, sizzle, slap, slurp, squish, smack, smash, snap, snarl, snort, squawk, squeak, snap, splash, swish, swoosh, thump, tick tock, tinkle, trickle, tweet, vroom, wham, whack, whimper, whine, whirr, woof, woosh, yap, yelp, zip
Make your own list!
I wanted to mention that the Office Web Apps have gone live. (I didn't pay attention!)
If you have a (free) Windows Live ID, you can log into http://office.live.com/ and you will find free, ad supported versions of Office 2010 – Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote.
You can create new documents, save them to your SkyDrive, or open and edit any documents you have stored there.
Microsoft allocates a generous 25gb per user, plenty of storage, if you ask me.
Files may not exceed 50mb (which might get tricky with OneNote), but it will keep them managable on slower connections.
So if you need access to the latest version of Word, but can't afford it right now — you now have the option to use it on the web.
It doesn't have all the features – obviously. Else why would you buy the full version?
And you can only save files with the .docx extension (not .doc), but seriously… if you need quick access from anywhere, it's a great solution, even with the tradeoffs.
Also, if you buy a new PC, it will likely come loaded with the free (ad supported!) Office 2010 Starter version.
I will experiment a little with my Office 2010 version, and how it fares backup wise with the SkyDrive, and report back.
23
Jul
The contract is signed, sealed and on it's way to Lyrical Press.
So now what?
I know I need to get myself an ITIN (Individual Tax Identification Number) from the IRS. The more I read, the more confused I get. Whee… such fun.
Then I have to register copyright in the US. It works differently in the UK. Copyright is automatic, but the burden of proof lies with the author. If you want to make sure, you can special mail your work to yourself, date stamped, naturally. Don't open it. If you intend to do more than one, make sure you know what the content of the envelope is.
I would suggest to mail it to yourself with the work's name as a reference on the mailing label. While this only proves the work was in your possession at a certain date, make sure you keep relevant information like drafts etc safe.
I'm printing off the original draft and stick it in an envelope with the final draft, as well as write the story to CD, and add a printout as well. A nice little archive box should do the trick, and I can put the contract in there too.
While I wait for things to start rolling, I'll be working on the next book. This time a futuristic which I originally planned to submit, but I wasn't happy with the ending.
If you really want to keep up with my more personal stuff… you can head to Thinks to Keep, my personal blog.
Times are hard. We all know about credit crunches, spending cuts and tax raises.
So I've looked around for some free useful Writer tools for you.
- Google Docs - a simple online word processor, with the ability to share and collaborate, as well as chat.
- Open Office – a Microsoft Office alternative that's completely free. It has a few glitches, but it does the job rather nicely.
- Lotus Symphony – another free Office contender, with a variety of plugins.
- Evernote – a free note taking application like Microsoft's OneNote. I highly recommend it.
- WordWeb – free one-click English thesaurus and dictionary for Windows, Application independent.
- Merriam-Webster Visual Dictionary – free (online only)
- One-Look Reverse Dictionary – free (online only)
- RoughDraft - a free wordprocessor providing special modes for screenplays, novels, short stories etc. (Development discontinued, but don't let that stop you from trying it.)
- Sonar 3 – Free submission tracking tool
- FreeMind – Free Mindmapping software, which can be great for brainstorming.
Well, there you have it. That's just 10 of all the ones out there. I tried to be a little diverse and I hope you enjoy (and possibly benefit from) these tools.
Happy writing!
Genevieve Graham raised an interesting question on her blog:
Do men and women write differently when it comes to sex? Can you tell the gender of the author from the way they write?
She has posted five short exerpts (all describing the same scene) on her blog and invites commenters to tell her which was written by which gender. Check it out, it's interesting.
We don't have men in our critique group, so I can't really duplicate her effort. I do think men and women approach writing about sex or first encounters differently. Women are more inclined to get into the emotions of the characters, while men tend to have a more earthy, visual, approach.
I'm guessing the difference in psyche is also the reason why men often refer to romance novels as "mushy" – even if they like what they read. (Not many will admit they enjoyed it, and I don't know any man who would openly admit to reading – and enjoying – a romance novel. At least not in front of other men.)
I sometimes shove exerpts — even the whole story – at male friends of mine. While they know I write, and I even tell them I write paranormal romance, they're willing to just read and give me impressions.
I appreciate the feedback greatly, because if they tell me "Great read, but no guy would ever (insert action of choice)…" then I learn something no woman writer can teach me.
I get insight into the male psyche every day at work, because I'm the only woman here. While helpful in a caveman / MCP kind of way, if I wrote a guy the way they really behave, no woman would like my heroes lol.
Men think differently, act differently and have different values. It reflects in their language and use of words. I'm sure if a man writes romance, he finds it much harder to write for a female audience than a male one. I also think it will read differently.
I don't doubt men can (and do!) write romance, but it will not read the same as a romance written by a woman.
I'll be cruising back to Genevieve's blog to see if I got it right, when she reveals the answers.
22
Jun
Okay.
I've always been interested in communal sites for writers. Although writing is a solitary thing, we're still social creatures who like to hang out with other people. Especially people who understand about those voices in our heads without calling for strange jackets with very long sleeves, leather straps and heavy duty buckles.
(No, not THAT kind! Sheesh. Mind. Out. Of. Gutter.)
I used to hang out on Compuserve's Literary Forum long before there was a Romance Forum… and I still hang out (mostly lurking) in the Litforum from time to time, even though the Romance Forum is long gone.
The CIS LitForum was my spiritual home for many years.
New sites spring up from time to time, some last, some don't.
Querytracker is one I hang out on every now and then, both the forum and the blog are very informative.
Authoradvance started back in October 2009, taking over from LitMatch. It's getting on it's feet but could use more involvement.
There is also Writer's BBS, which as been around for many years. It looks a bit quiet these days though.
I'm not fond of sites splattered with ads, which is probably why I'm not too keen on hanging out at Writer's Net, but don't let that deter you.
The same goes for Romance Divas, it's not my kind of thing, but I'm sure many will love the place.
There are tons more, I won't list them all. Then again, maybe I'll put up a page with URL's for them.
If you have one you'd like to suggest to others, feel free to leave a comment with the link.
I do approve legitimate links only, so if you want to post a link to a porn site… you'll never see the link materialize here, and you'll only get your IP banned if you do it again. (Picture me with that nasty cat o'nine, why don'tcha?)
Once I have a relatively good list… I'll put up a page with them on it, for reference purposes.
Please note that I'm not a member at all of those sites, so I'll have to go by what I'm told about them by others, a lot of the time.
http://www.authoradvance.com/ (Formerly Litmatch)
http://writers-bbs.com/forums/
http://www.writers.net/ (Full of google ads)
http://www.querytracker.net (Check out the forum)
http://romancedivas.com/
Here are some links for you to check out.
16
Jun
Beginners often ask how to write a book.
One of my guild mates (yes, I play WoW on occasion) has started to write. He told me about it and I said I'll look at what he got so far.
He started off well, with a conflict and an interesting character. The writing needs some work, as does grammar and spelling, sentence structure and vocabulary usage, but he has the basic concept down.
When I gave him a little critique (he's young, I try not to scare him off. ), his response was "OMG! So much to learn!"
Oh yes.
None of us got there without someone taking our hand and showing us the error of our ways.
When new writers start out, most start with backstory. Oodles of it. While yes, it's interesting, it's not interesting enough to keep me turning the page.
Start with a bang. Jump right into the action, and go from there. Backstory can be fitted in later, sparingly, when the time is right and the reader needs to know.
You need interesting characters, preferably people your readers can identify with. Setting is also important.
A fast paced book is easier to read and keeps people interested, while an ambling pace slows the reader down and presents a danger that they'll get bored.
Keep things as unique as you can. Yes, the story has probably been told a thousand times, a thousand ways — but you can still put your own slant on it.
It's not easy, even for established writers, but it can be unnecessarily daunting for someone just starting out.
If you're a newbie, don't be afraid to ask for advice. We all need it, seasoned, or new. The only way we get better is to seek advice or critique, act on it, and learn from our mistakes.
Don't be afraid to fail. We all have manuscripts we'd rather forget.
But most of all: Don't be afraid to start.
How do you decide whether to write a novel, or a novella?
I started a novella. I was dead set on it being a novella.
I finished it at 28,000 words.
Then I read it.
And then I realized… it's not really a novella.
The end was rushed and didn't gel with the rest of the story. Or with me.
I hated it.
The trouble is, I hadn't planned on it being any longer. I went back and ripped out at least half of the story.
Right now, that very story is 40,000 words long, I am nearing the end, but it could end up at 50,000 words. Almost double the wordcount I'd planned for.
That's still not really a full length novel (they tend to be above 60,000 words) and those 40k for me are… quite short.
So how do you decide what to write? Short, or long? When do you decide?
For me, it's not a decision. It's a development. I might set out to write short, but with every revision it gets longer.
Some writers can stick to their initial planned wordcount, I don't seem to be one of them. Mine fluctuate, though not usually quite as wildly as the current WIP.
Still, there are things you can consider beforehand. Pointers which may help determine whether the story idea is better suited to a novella, or a novel.
Timing is one.
If your story takes place and is resolved in one afternoon, then chances are it's not suitable for a novel. If it stretches out over several months, a novella may not do it justice.
Characters is another.
If your story involves very few characters, then most likely it's better to tell it as a novella. However, if your cast of characters (both main and secondary) is reminiscent of a football team — it's probably better suited to a novel.
Plot and subplots are also a concern.
If there is no subplot, and the main plot is straightforward, it'll probably be great for a novella. But if there are a million little twists and turns, you will likely not be able to do it justice in a shorter wordcount and it needs to be a novel.
I'm a panster, I write without having a massive plot beforehand, I often don't even know how it ends. That doesn't help when you write a short story and you can find yourself in a quandary when it comes to figuring out what you're actually writing.
So what's your take on this?
Do you plan ahead? Plot every detail?
Or write by the seat of your pants and figure it out as you go along?
26
May
Shocking photo, I know. This room isn't terribly bright.
This is where I write. Right now, it's semi clear of junk and debris — but that's not usually the case. There is generally a vast stack of books somewhere, bits of paper, pens — all sorts. It doesn't bother me, I like having everything within reach.
My monitor is huge. A 23" Samsung Syncmaster. The PC has the cover off at the moment, because it likes to overheat. That's why there is a big fan behind the monitor — extra cooling for the PC… and me.
There is — of course — the obligatory mug of coffee. Gotta have coffee, or I don't function. Webcam poised on top of the monitor, because I like to chat with friends on Skype and we often use video.
The laptop is my boyfriend's, as you can see I've banished him to the corner of the desk. Behind that is our new printer, an Epson Stylus Photo PX800FW which totally rocks. The quality of the images it prints is simply fantastic. It was an impulse buy, because they knocked £100 off the price and I haven't regretted getting it for a second.
So that's my writing space. It's where I sit, stare at the page and percolate.
It's my space, if you know what I mean.
Where do you write?
21
May
Jesus, where the hell is everybody when they first deliver the typing paper? Where are all the "helpers" when those boxes full of silence come in? Blank. Both sides. No clues, no instructions enclosed on how to take just twenty-six letters and endlessly rearrange them so that you can turn them into a mirror of a part of our lives. Try it sometime.
-Larry Gelbart
"QFT!" As one of my friends would say.
(QFT = Quote for Truth)
I hate parties.
There is always the inevitable "How's the writing going?" from friends who know I write (in my spare time), or a question of "So what do you do when you're not at work?"
If you tell them you write books, the general reaction tends to be "Really?" followed by "Is it published?"
These days I don't say "No.", these days I say "Not yet."
However, conversations such as these tend to go in similar directions every time.
The response is, very often, "I'm going to write a book one day." or "I thought of doing that."
I usually smile politely and change the subject.
Thinking about it isn't doing it.
Asking why they don't write it now, you tend to get "Oh I don't have time, like you do."
Ahem.
My day has 24 hours, just like everyone elses. The difference is, I shut myself away a few hours out of those 24 and get on with it. I take the time. No one is so busy they can't find an hour a day where they can sit and write.
Do it instead of watching the soaps.
Do it instead of browsing the web.
Do it instead of watching a movie.
Do it instead of reading a book.
I'll quote Nike at you: Just DO it.
Then you get the "How hard can it be?" brigade.
Oh, writing a book isn't hard. Anyone can do it.
Writing a good book… well now, that's a little different.
Writing a book others want to read is damned hard, and don't let anyone tell you differently. If it were easy, everyone would be a published author.
Of course, the ones that really get my goat are the "Oh when I write my book it'll be a bestseller."
In. Your. Dreams.
Quite -if you pardon the pun- literally.
"When" won't make it a bestseller. And even if you write it, chances are you won't ever sell enough to make it a bestseller. There's only so many books that make it there. If you do, great! But don't tell me it's going to be a bestseller, unless you're actually writing it.
I don't know who coined the "Pre-published" term for writers.
It strikes me that the individual (or group) has a little confidence problem.
If you have a confidence problem, you better start growing a very thick skin, or get out now. Because it won't be all 5 star reviews when you make it. Heck no, there are going to be people who will hate your book, and tell you so.
Still, the term "Pre-published" is bullshit, plain and simple. You're either published, or you're not. There is no "Pre-Published". You might have a contract in your hand, but that isn't "Pre-published", it's contracted. Or maybe you have an agent. Then you're agented. And you are still an unpublished hopeful even with an agent batting for you — until the contract arrives. Anything else is unpublished, and that's that. And until your book hits the shelves (or virtual shelves) you are contracted, but not published.
Stop trying to make it sound differently, just deal with the reality.
Personally, I think "Contracted" sounds a damned side better than "Pre-published".
Next they'll call it "Publistically Challenged", or some such nonsense.
Anyway, if you want to write a book, there is only one way to do it.
Butt in seat, hands on keyboard.
Or BISHOK if you like that kinda thing…