A Strip-Search of the Soul

Nine months ago, something happened that I’d been working very long and hard for: Beautiful Monster got published. It was picked up by Damnation Books, a wonderful publisher in California that I absolutely adore. There was much to be excited about as Monster went through the process of publication, and I didn’t want to waste any time. I immediately started planning my future as a writer. I began revising The White Room, a manuscript I wrote before Beautiful Monster which needed some work before being an acceptable candidate for publication. On top of this, I began an equally exciting top-secret side project—that I can’t really get into at this point—that I’m totally stoked about. Things were going swimmingly—my days and nights absorbed in the fictional worlds of my own creation—until, about three months ago, something else happened: I hit a brick wall. And it wasn’t writer’s block.

This brick wall was far scarier than writer’s block because at least there are things you can do to lubricate a stubborn story. What I faced was something I never expected to: doubt… and not the doubt that I could be a writer—that’s a given—but the doubt that I wanted to be a writer.

 

So, I stopped writing—which given my life circumstances at the time—wasn’t all that hard. I was in the middle of moving—again—and I’d met some fascinating writers from the old-school who made me feel like one of them. It was easy to coast for a while, but in truth, I wasn’t coasting at all. I was thinking. I was wondering how, after so many years of dreaming of this, of working toward this, I could possibly feel this way once those dreams were finally coming true. But that’s where I was at, and it wasn’t very fun.

After a while, the people around me started asking questions. They wanted to know why I wasn’t writing. I never told them the truth. I didn’t want to be influenced in any way because I knew this was something I needed to figure out for myself. I was working, just not in any way that was visible. In those months, I produced nothing that would help my career in any way, but I did strip down the layers of who I am, and I did figure a few things out.

 

I figured out that the glitter is gone, the shine has dulled, and reality has cast its shadow over the dream. I have a different understanding of what it means to be a writer now—it’s not a better understanding—just a different understanding. I figured out that writing is—in truth—a lot of time spent sitting in front of a computer. It’s picking up the thousands of little pieces of a scattered story and spending hours, days, weeks, and months trying to fit them together in the most cohesive, relatable—and salable—way. It’s sacrificing a lot of time with friends and family. It’s being asked outright in public settings how much money you make. It’s work. It’s a daily decision to sit down and create something that may or may not ever even see the light of day. It’s the choice to devote a lot of time and effort to an entirely unknown outcome. It’s a risk.

I realized that the glamour of being a writer—if there ever was any—doesn’t shine quite as brightly as the world would like to believe. I’ve met my heroes, and they’ve now become my friends—people I talk to on the phone, exchange emails with, and discuss the most tedious details of my life with. This doesn’t make them unglamorous, this simply makes them real. It makes all of this real—and that’s not a bad thing—it’s just a different thing.

 

In the beginning, when this was still a dream, I made some conscious choices. I would steer clear of any unattainable expectations. I would not put anyone on a pedestal or hold my heroes to superhuman standards… and in truth, I’m neither disenchanted by the path nor in any way disappointed in anyone I’ve met. But the dream, as it manifests into reality, is grating and unsettling… it feels a little like walking off a ledge. It made me decide I needed to take stock. I needed to step back and look at writing from a realistic perspective. I needed to then ask myself if this was ultimately going to make me very happy. So, that’s what I did… and the past couple weeks have finally brought things into enough focus that I can proceed in what I’m confident is the right direction.

Ultimately, nothing has changed for me except my approach to it. The dream is still intact. Somehow, I still want this, but now I know that only the love of this—and nothing else—is strong enough to withstand the demands and lack of certainty that writing requires. There isn’t enough ego to uphold this—there isn’t enough money to justify it—and there isn’t enough comfort to sustain it. But at the core of who I am, this is what I do—what I’ve always done—and it gets me closer to happiness than anything ever has before. And perhaps the greatest persuasion has been the incredible and unbearable gnawing, gnashing need to write even when I’ve given myself permission to break from it for a while. If nothing else, this has slowly convinced me that my writing days are far from being over. I’ve made some great self-discoveries these past months, but that hasn’t stopped the stories from tumbling in, the characters from blathering on, or the fingers from seeking the keys.

 

I now have what I believe is a deeper, more accurate understanding of being a writer. It’s not pretty anymore, but it’s mine, and it’s real. I’ve learned that even when I’m “not” writing, I’m still writing, and so—at the risk of sounding melodramatic—how can I possibly not write? I can’t, but I do have a choice in how I proceed. I can either gather up the scattered pieces of story, glue them all together, and try to make something out of this that matters… or I can return to the days when jotted-down descriptions, disjointed dialogue, and fragmented portions of plot and poetry haunted me from hundreds of loose scraps of paper that invaded and overran any space within ten feet of me.

 

For me, that choice is clear. After giving my soul a thorough strip-search, I’m realizing there isn’t really anything else I can do and be happy. The dream may be over now… the real world may have settled in… but there are still stories to be told.

And I’ll do my best to tell them.

Author Interviews: Kim Williams-Justesen

I’ve been blathering on this blog for the past year and a half about my own experiences in writing, my own observations about this business, and all the things I have learned along the way. As much fun as I’ve had doing this,  it recently occurred to me that maybe folks would like to hear from some other writers as well. After all, probably the greatest thing I’ve acquired on this journey is the friendship of some very fascinating people. On that line of thought, I’ve decided to interview some of the writers I’ve met, getting their perspectives, experiences, and lessons learned on their paths in this business.

The first person I chose to particpate in this was Kim Williams-Justesen. It was important to me that she get to go first because she’s my personal mentor and I owe her an ocean of thanks. I met Kim in March of 2010. By then, I’d been beating the hell out of the same novel for about two years. I’d read all the how-to books and attended some small workshops, but for all I was learning, the book just wasn’t getting written. When a friend of mine, who was probably tired of hearing my frustrations, mentioned that she knew an author named Kim Williams-Justesen, I was ecstatic and I hassled her till she set up a time and a place for me to meet Kim.

The first time I met Kim Williams-Justesen was in a tiny cubicle in a stuffy office at Broadview University in West Jordan, Utah. We were introduced to each other and after shaking hands, we were left by ourselves to get better acquainted. We looked at each other stupidly for a while but were eventually able to make the empty small-talk of complete strangers. It was awkward. It wasn’t at all how I had it planned out in my head. I’d been certain we were going to get along swimmingly and instead, I was sure this woman hated me. I just knew she thought I was some kind of talent-junkie who thought I was going to ask her to “hook me up” with an agent or something. As I later found out, she thought it was me who hated her. Probably because, by nature, I look annoyed. 😉

I went home disappointed by the meeting and feeling like a bit of a loser. Still, I’d done one thing right that day: before leaving the office, I asked Kim if we could exchange e-mails. I wasn’t sure if this might come across as too invasive, but I was desperate and all alone in the world of writing! This woman was the only person I knew at the time who had any experience in professional writing and being published. After meeting her that first day in the office, I’d concluded that I had to find a way to make her adore me, and ultimately… teach me everything she knew about writing! It took me two weeks to send her my first tentative e-mail, but I was delighted and surprised when she kindly and promptly e-mailed me back. We spent the next several weeks getting a feel for each other in an ongoing e-mail Q and A – mostly about writing-related topics. After a while, an unexpected thing happened: we became friends.

Since that day just over two years ago, Kim has walked me through my first novel, she is the co-author of my second novel, Beautiful Monster, and she is currently giving me the same level of what seems to be endless tolerance and infinite support on my third book. We plan to begin another collaborative effort as soon as I am finished with the project I’m working on now. I’ve been lucky to be a part of Kim’s own writing career as well. Just less than three hours ago, she and I finished the final revisions of The Deepest Blue, a manuscript of hers which is scheduled for release by her publisher in the Fall of 2013.

Kim Williams-Justesen is the author of My Brother the Dog, The Hey! Ranger! series for children, and co-author of the nonfiction self-help book, Love and Loathing with Randi Kreger. Also, her novel My Brother the Dog, is scheduled for re-release in hardcover under the new title, Kiss, Kiss, Bark! in Fall of 2012, and the possibility of a sequel for it is being discussed. Our first collaboration, Beautiful Monster, is currently making the rounds, looking for a home, and Kim is on the brink of finishing a project I’m especially in love with, a novel under the working title of Death Kiss.

She’s been a vital component in my growth as a writer, as well as an instrumental part of my life in ways that go far deeper than fiction. What follows are some questions I asked her about her own experiences as an author. I hope her answers might help you the same way they have helped me.

Kim Williams-Justesen

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

A: I don’t think there was a specific time I said “Oh yeah! I want to be a writer!” I’ve always loved words and writing, so I think I just evolved into doing this.  

Q: What is the first story you remember writing?

A: In third grade I had to write a book report. We went to the library to pick books off the shelves, but I either had read what was there, or I didn’t think it was interesting (boy books, yuck!), so I went home and wrote my own book called “A Pony of My Own” – which was wishful thinking on my part. I even had a pen name – Pearl Bluebonnet. It was about a girl who finds a “stray” pony and talks her mom and dad into letting her keep it. Typical 8-year-old thinking!  

Q: Every writer has his or her own writing process. What is your personal process?

A: My process varies. I used to have a set writing schedule, but I’ve learned to adapt. I have to know the basic structure of the story before I begin – beginning, middle, and most importantly how it ends. From there, I develop the characters and try to learn more about them so I can understand why they do what they do in the story. Then I dive in and start writing. I try to write complete chapters at one sitting, but I’m also finding that grabbing a paragraph here or there is just as effective.  

Q: Where do you do most of your writing?

A: Anywhere I can. Mostly in my bedroom at the small desk in the corner. I will also write at work if things get slow, or in the car, or if I’m waiting in an office or something. I will hear pieces of conversation between characters in my head and I write them down no matter where I am.

Q: Who are your favorite authors?

That’s a long list! Shakespeare, Poe, Paul Zindell, Christopher Moore, Eric Larson, Isaac Asimov, Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, Earnest Hemingway, and a lot of others I can’t think of at the moment!

Q: Which authors would you say have most affected your own writing?

A: I heard Jane Yolen speak at a conference about the mood of a story, and it had a lot of impact on me. I began to think about story differently because of that and I think she helped to change the way I write for the better. Eric Larson writes nonfiction in such a compelling way that it feels like you are part of history. This taught me to pay attention to details in a way that I also believe has strengthened my writing. The writers I worked with while getting my Masters degree also had a huge impact on me.

Q: Which of your own characters is your favorite, and why?

A: I think Donny, the little brother from “My Brother the Dog” is one of my personal favorites. He was so fun to work with, and he makes me laugh every time I reread him.

Q: Which of your own characters is your least favorite, and why?

I dislike Julia, the mother in “The Deepest Blue” because she is based on two real people, neither of whom I’m very fond of.  

Q: Do you believe in muses? Do you have a muse? If so, who or what is your muse?

A: I do believe in muses, and I have many. Some are real, some are only in my head. One of my muses is a nasty woman who is always telling me I can do better, but she inspires me to push harder, even if her methods are not kind. I have actual people in my life who are muses. They inspire me with ideas and they encourage my writing. I value them dearly.  

Q: Which of your books was the most difficult to write and why?

A: “Beautiful Monster” was the most difficult because it caused me to confront some aspects of my own life that were not very pleasant, and that’s really all I want to say about that.

Q: What events in your life do you think lead you to the path of writing?

A: I think that any event which triggers introspection can cause that desire to write. For me, it was simply a love of words and a sense that playing with words was fun. Even when I was in PR and I was writing about obsolete chemical weapons, I enjoyed the challenge of working with the words to serve a purpose.

Q: When you are writing, do you have anyone in specific who you feel you’re writing for?

A: When I’m writing the first draft, I try to focus on story rather than audience. Later, in revision, I focus on who I think the story is aimed at so I can tighten the details and make them appropriate to that audience.

Q: Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, how did you overcome it?

A: Yes – more than once. The first time I had writer’s block it was so severe that I would have full-blown anxiety attacks just sitting down at the computer. I had to overcome it because I was in the middle of my MFA program and I was at risk of not graduating. I overcame it by working with a mentor who tricked me into writing. I started by collecting words, then organizing those words into categories, then playing with the words in interesting combinations, then creating sentences from those combinations, then paragraphs, and in time, I was back to writing without the dread and fear that had frozen me. I use this same technique now when I start feeling stuck.

Q: What are your biggest pet peeves about the books you read?

A: Silly and stupid errors. Things like grammatical mistakes that should have been caught by a good editor. Or ridiculous tag lines that need revising. I also get very peeved when a character does something that is totally out of line with the psychological presentation that the author has created.  

Q: In the course of an average week, how much time do you dedicate to writing?

A: It varies a little, but I typically spend at least 12 hours a week with my butt in the chair working on a book. I will spend other time reading, looking through information for a story I’m working on, or doing things related to writing. For example, if I need to find a specific setting for a scene to take place, but I haven’t been there, I’ll find something close to what I need and go for a visit. This counts as working on writing for me.

Q: How has your writing changed since you wrote your first novel?

A: Oh – wow – it’s like I’m a different writer.  I know so much more about the craft now than I did then. I know so much more about all the aspects of story that I had no idea of at the time I started writing my first book.  I still think that first story idea is solid, but the execution is terrible. I often think about rewriting it because it would be so much better now.

Q: When did you first get published, and what was your experience with that? How did it happen?

A: I got started with publishing when I wrote articles for internet companies like CitySearch. It was great experience learning to compress my language and to meet deadlines. My first book publishing experience was when I coauthored a self-help nonfiction book with another author. Seeing my words in print became an instant addiction. That box of books arrived on my door step and I just wanted to have more!

Q: What was your first book signing like?

A: It was thrilling! My publisher paid for me to attend the Book Expo America convention. It was in Washington, DC that year. I got to walk around and learn more about other publishers, see all the books that were coming out, collect tons of free samples! It was heaven. When it came time to sign, I was so nervous, but it was an absolute thrill. It felt like nothing would ever be better! Of course, other book signings have also been thrilling, but that first one was just awesome. Crazy awesome!

Q: As a writer, what do you think your strengths are?

A: I’m pretty critical of my writing, and so I have a hard time identifying this, but I think I am really good at building a solid story structure, and I’m also good at dialog. I like listening to people, so I think I have a natural ear for how people speak.

Q: And what are your weaknesses?

A: These are like job interview questions!  Haha! Actually, I think one of my weaknesses is the first draft. I get caught up in making things perfect the first time, and that tends to slow me down. I’m also really bad about including sensory detail. I skip over the stuff that can really bring a scene to life, and then I have to go back and add it in during revision – which of course is what revision is for, but I just wish I could remember to do it the first time out.

Q: In writing, what has been your most wonderful moment?

A: I have two – when my box of author copies of my first novel arrived at my door. That was a thrill beyond words. The second one was when someone I was mentoring completed his first novel. I felt almost the same thrill as what I feel when I finish one of my own.

Q: How has the publishing industry changed since you first got published?

A: E-Publishing has become such a huge component in publishing, and that’s really only been the last five years or so. When I first published, that wasn’t even a blip on the radar.  I think it has made some really nice things happen in publishing, but I also think it has opened the door to some terrible, second-rate work getting produced as well.

Q: Where do you see the publishing industry going from here?

A: This is such a time of transition in publishing. I remember being at a conference 15 years ago and a guy said that “Rocket Books” were the wave of the future and would be the death knell of the traditional publishing industry. And now we all say, “What’s a Rocket Book.?” It was pretty much a Kindle or a Nook, just 15 years too early. I have no idea what is going to happen from here. I just know that there will always be a place for a good story, and I want my stories to be part of that future.

Q: What is the best advice you have to offer new writers?

A: Focus on the craft. Love the writing. You can’t control the publishing world, unless you want to self-publish that is a whole different topic. Learn how to write better. Go to conferences, workshops, classes, and focus on becoming as good as you can be. By the way, that’s a never-ending process.

Q: What have you learned about yourself as a result of your experiences in writing?

A: I’ve learned that I can actually write pretty decent stuff at 3 a.m. when I need to. I’ve learned I am stronger because of choosing to do this, but I am more humble, too. I’ve learned that my writing friends are some of the best friends in the world. I’ve learned that I can become very OCD when I’m in the middle of a book, and that isn’t always a good thing.

Q: Who were your mentors?

A: I was blessed to have amazing mentors throughout my writing life. Carol Lynch Williams, who is also a very dear friend; Rick Walton, who taught me that funny is subtle; Tim Wynn-Jones, who taught me to look for interesting detail that benefits a scene or a character; Alison McGhee, who taught me that you need to know a character’s mind so well it becomes your own; MT Anderson, who taught me that voice is something you can learn, and if you can’t learn it you shouldn’t be writing; and the late Norma Fox Mazer, who taught me how to dig deeper into a story and see what’s sleeping beneath.

For more about Kim-Williams-Justesen, check out her website at: http://www.kwjustesen.com/Home_Page.html

And to get some of her books, go to: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/kim-williams-justesen

Jared S. Anderson & Kim Williams-Justesen

The Fine Art of Giving Up

There comes a time in just about every endeavor when enough is enough and you realize it’s time to throw in the towel. I am not especially proud to admit that I recently reached that point a few weeks ago with a book I was working on.

It was over a year ago when I got the idea for this story. At the time, I was right in the middle of Beautiful Monster, a novel I co-wrote with Kim Williams-Justesen, (author of My Brother the Dog, The Hey Ranger! series, and co-author of Love and Loathing ~ in case I haven’t mentioned her before!) and I wasn’t looking to get started on anything new for several months. Like many stories though, this one gnawed and picked at me, demanding precedence over all else, making me anxious to finish Beautiful Monster so I could get right on it. I took down notes about the new storyline as the ideas came to me, saved them in my “writing” file, and assumed that as soon as we wrapped up the current project, I’d sit down and pound the novel out with the speed of a sugar-buzzed Quarter horse and the light-hearted glee of  a Keebler elf on sixty milligrams of Paxil per day.

That isn’t what happened. I started the story, stopped the story, revised the story, re-wrote the story and ultimately, renounced the story. At first, I was proud of my stick-to-it-ive-ness. I figured I’d hit a rough patch and instead of giving up, I’d see it through, and in the end, be able to say it was a great accomplishment. As the months rolled by and I realized I’d never made it past the five chapter mark though, I began to wonder if maybe it wasn’t time to move on to something else. After all, in the interim, another storyline (one that I liked much better) was beginning to form. But still I persisted, fearing that by abandoning this story, I might be cultivating the very bad habit of cutting all my projects short and thus becoming one of those authors that I’ve vowed never to become who has drawers full of half-written novels but no complete product.

There were a lot of reasons I had trouble with this novel. First, I ended up hating the town I set the story in, not to mention its entire population. Second, I couldn’t pin down the main character’s voice and I seemed to be at a perpetual loss as to how this kid would react to anything. Third, every time I thought I had the plot down, another layer presented itself, negating the previous concept, and as hard as I tried to stick to main frame of the storyline, I found myself constantly wavering in a different direction. Finally (and perhaps worst of all), I developed a powerful dislike for my main character.  I chalked this up to the notion that my writing voice is not that of a small-town, nineteen year-old kid and I even thought I’d been foolish to believe I could extend my creative writing abilities enough to convincingly portray one. But, while it’s true that my natural voice is older than nineteen, the reality is that I stopped caring about this story.

After attempt number five at chapter one (and seven months of frustration), I suspended the story and began something new. It had been a long while since I’d had that kind of writer’s block, and in my experience, this often indicates a (sometimes unconscious) germinating of a different story that needs to get out before any progress can be made. I am certain that one day I’ll go back to this story, and it’s my hope that by then it will have worked out its issues on its own, and I will be able to write it with my usual, natural flow.

 

I’m still hell-bent on not becoming a writer who half-writes their books. I’m still not willing to give up because the writing isn’t easy. But I have come to understand that sometimes, a story just isn’t ready to be told yet. It’s occurred to me that in the case of this recently abandoned project, I had been approaching it all wrong, and that maybe my efforts to write it in the first person were in error. Whatever the cause or causes, the story just wasn’t working and for now, that’s okay.

I am currently trying to recover from the self-doubt that this insubordinate last novel has inflicted on me, and the best way I know to do that is to keep writing. I’ve gone ahead with the concept which came to life in my mind as I was muddling through the other one, and so far, it’s coming off well. I am passionate about this story. I am excited about the upcoming adventures of my main character, I’m a little bit in love with each of the players, and most of all, I’m doing something I haven’t been able to do for far too long: I am enjoying writing again~ and these things have convinced me that (sometimes) it’s not only okay to give up, but it’s the best thing for you.

Writing Fitness

When I finished my first novel, I couldn’t wait to take a long-awaited and well deserved break. My intention was to take a week or two off and then begin the second one. Because the second book was co-written with a good friend who is disciplined and knows how the writing process works, I didn’t have the luxury of letting too much time slip by before getting back up on the horse. After the second one was finished however, it was a different story. My third book, which was supposed to have begun in May, didn’t get started until late August. Now it is mid-October and I am all of seven (and a half) pages into it.

I could blame this inactivity on a dozen various external sources: I moved, started a new job, I was busy revising the previous book… the list could go on. But the truth is, I’ve let the priority of writing slip into second (or third) place. The reason for this is simple: I am sick of writing! But, I am also sick of combing my hair, eating, going to bed on time, getting up for work, brushing my teeth, and shaving that godforsaken unibrow of mine that just refuses to admit defeat. But I do these things anyway. I do them, regardless of my mood, because when I don’t, I’m not happy, and the same could be said about writing. When I am not writing, I am not happy. So, with this newfound reality check, I decide to put myself in the chair, and just write… whether I feel like it or not. And… an amazing thing happens. Nothing.

The trouble with taking too much time off is that the creative muscle, just like any other muscle in the body, will atrophy with disuse, and be strengthened the more it is exercised. After four months of literary lethargy, I’m having a hard time finding anything to say. The bad news is, this is a form of writer’s block. The good news is, there are a million different ways to combat it. Listed below are the exercises I’ve successfully used in the past to strengthen my writing muscles, and as soon as I am finished writing this blog, I will begin to incorporate some of them, and get my own writing back on track. Also, I hope these suggestions help you build your writing muscles! Grrrr….

1. Read something. One of the most effective things I’ve done when I am faced with the perpetual blank page is read. It doesn’t seem to matter what I read, but a good thirty to ninety minutes of reading something usually gets my mind working in a more creative way.

2. Get some exercise. I don’t know how or why this helps writing, or if it applies to other people at all, but for me, getting some good, strenuous exercise seems to release those mysterious “endorphins” everyone’s always talking about, and gives me the extra push I need.

3. Write something else. Sometimes, I just need to write something totally unrelated to the story I am working on. This is where having a blog comes in handy. I might also write someone a letter, or a long e-mail, or write some new poetry.

4. Reread the story. This one is a tricky one and it wouldn’t be at the top of my list of things to do, but a lot of times, rereading the story I  am working on inspires me to go on with it. There have been times though, that this exercise has resulted in the opposite effect.

5. Pry, spy, and lie. As a natural-born busybody, this one is probably my favorite. I take a pen and paper and go somewhere and find someone (or several people) who strike my interest for some reason or another. I give them new names, new jobs, a brand new past, and if I am cranky, a life-threatening illness. I cast them into a make-believe present situation, usually something very critical and/or scandalous, and ponder the different ways they might handle it.

6. Try something new. As simple as it sounds, there’s something to be said for doing something you’ve never done before, tasting something you’ve never tasted, going somewhere you’ve never been, or talking to someone you’ve never met.

7. Get involved in your local writing community. Wherever you might live, chances are good that you share your space with a few or a few hundred like-minded folks who are part of a local writing community. Getting involved means meeting other people who have fresh ideas. It means submerging yourself in the world of writing and bringing it to the forefront of your mind. It means learning new skills, meeting with new opportunities, and finding new inspiration.

8. Join, or start, a critique group. When you’re part of a critique group, it’s hard to not write. You have a sense of expectation from yourself, and the other members are depending on you to keep the group going.

9. Assign the time. By assigning yourself a certain time of day to write for a specific duration, you are training yourself to respond accordingly. If you know you have to sit down and write Monday though Friday from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm, it’s just a matter of time before your mind starts to accept its duties. If you don’t know what to write for that half hour, start out by writing about not knowing what to write.

10. Interview the characters. Another one of my favorites, interviewing my characters almost always leads to some kind of revelation about the character or the story he or she is in, and makes me eager to write it all out. To interview the characters, I sit down at the computer and write out a kind of questions and answers game. This exercise is both fun and effective.

These are just a few stars in the endless galaxy of different ways to strengthen your own writing. Whether you’re blocked or just trying to get a little better at your craft, there is no end to the ways you can invigorate and improve your creative writing.

There are many books written on this subject that I would highly recommend to anyone. Among my favorites are: The Writer’s Block by Jason Rekulak, The Pocket Muse – Ideas & Inspirations for Writing by Monica Wood, Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, Writing for Emotional Impact by Karl Iglesias, and Fiction Writer’s Workshop by Josip Novakovich.

However you choose to boost and strengthen your own writing, it’s my opinion that it should be fun, and finding all the different methods that will work for you is a big part of that fun. Remember that in writing, what works for one person may not work for the other, and keep in mind that writing exercises can fast become the perfect excuse to get no actual writing done, but if you are sincerely dedicated to writing, there are hundreds upon hundreds of ways to go from this:

To this!

Happy writing!

Resisting Redemption

     It’s been over a week since I wrote anything in An Evil Heart, the collaborative novel I’ve been working on with my mentor, Kim.  At first, this just seemed like a little break and I thought nothing of it.  The last couple of days though, when I sit down to write, a strange thing happens: nothing.  It wasn’t until today that I realized why.

        Kim and I sat at the coffee shop, where we’ve been meeting on Saturday mornings, and began to discuss our progress.  I, of course, admitted to having made none.  When she asked me why not, I was a bit surprised to realize I hadn’t given any real thought as to what was hindering me.  I thought about it for a while and then stumbled on my answer.  “Because,” I told her, “I am starting to really like Sterling (the antagonist and my main character) and every time I try to write him, I find myself wanting very badly to redeem him, to make him a nice guy somehow… and I know I can’t do that.”  Kim agreed that no, I can not suddenly make Sterling into a good guy.  Doing so would only throw the story entirely off course, not to mention, be wholly unbelievable.  So I know that’s not an option, but my sudden change of heart is a perplexing shift that has thrust me, yet again, into foreign and bewildering new territory.  I suddenly feel kind of like I’m in the middle of the ocean without a life raft… a feeling that is becoming all too familiar in this whole writing thing.

     In the beginning, writing Sterling was fun.  He is all the terrible, nasty things I could never be.  I never admired him by no means, but it was a fresh, albeit horrific, new perspective that invigorated my sense of adventure and truly moved me outside of my own way of thinking.  It was fun and it worked because I hated this character.  Whenever I would think of him, I’d get little chills of distaste all over my body.  The things he did made me feel sick sometimes.  I despised him.  But now that we are more than half-finished with the novel, a baffling thing has transpired:  Sterling has grown on me.  I seriously like the guy… despite his wretchedness and hideous proclivities.  This should be a good thing, but in this case, I’m not sure it is.

     I’ve spent many hours this afternoon rethinking Sterling and re-planning my approach.  Here is what I’ve surmised:  I don’t have to like this character or dislike him.  I have to love this story though, and if I change this character, I have to change story, which A) in this case, isn’t entirely mine, and more importantly, B) would ultimately be a great disservice to the story’s integrity.  Simply put, you can not set out to write a reprehensible, psychopathic character and then develop of conscience mid-stream.  So… I will maintain Sterling, warts and all, and let him tell his story, terrible though it is.  In the end, I know I’ll be glad I did.

     That being said, some definite good has come from this.  I’ve learned that even I have a fundamental desire to find the good in things, even the most vile things.  I’ve learned that with the dark and destruction comes also the light and the creative.  Perhaps above all, I’ve learned that what’s most important to me after all is the integrity of a good story, and that raises my faith in my own ability to continue on this path.