What's a Writer's Greatest Tool?

What is a writer’s greatest tool?  No, it isn’t your PC, your laptop, your tablet or your favorite pen.  It’s right between your ears, and yet as large as outer space itself. It is where all your ideas come from, the fount of all our symbols and images.  Sigmund Freud called it the subconscious, and Carl Jung called it the unconscious. I put it on 2 different levels, and call it the sub/unconscious. We are only dimly aware of the subconscious.  It comes through in our dreams, and some of the things we say when we are not thinking. The unconscious comes through literally when we are unconscious, under anesthesia or from an accidental blow to the head, or the hallucinations of a schizophrenic or under the influence of LSD or shrooms.  

They are different for everyone, and are the sum total of everything you’ve ever experienced, through life experiences, books you’ve read (including the Bible.  A frightening amount of images come from religious imagery) TV or movies you’ve seen. If you are religious and go to a church where an effective orator is preaching, many images can come from listening to that person’s sermons.  All this is uploaded to our own personal mental Cloud, to use computer terminology, and can be accessed almost spontaneously.

In the days before I made friends with my own sub/unconscious, I used to try to scare myself with these images because I was then writing a novel about a woman who was being pursued by something so horrible that she could not even face it.  This will be featured in a forthcoming novel. I wanted to see what was so horrible that one could not even face it. Then there is what Paul Atreides said in Dune to his grandmother the Reverend Mother Helen Gaius Mohiam, “Try looking into that place where you do not dare look.  There you will find me, staring back at you.” I have tried looking into that place which is unlookable to “us, to women.”There I only see a reflection of my own face.

Then, sometime in my late forties, (I am now only a couple weeks short of turning 73) I made the conscious decision to make friends with my own sub/unconscious, and do you know what happened?  The images I used to frighten myself with no longer had the power to frighten me. I could look upon the face of the Christians’ pet thought form Satan himself, and be unfazed. I imagined the bloodiest scenes I could, the better to describe them for my stories, and still I was unfazed.  Now I wonder why this is. Have I become so callous and inured to these scenes that they have no effect on me? Has observing violence on television gotten me so unsensitized that I am immune to any emotional effect? I have a tendency, when things bog down in a story, to start a war or an argument among my characters.  

There are three and a half months until the first Camp NaNoWriMo, and I already have an idea for it.  Where did that idea come from? (See last Thursday’s blog about where story ideas come from.) Superficially it came from a show I was streaming on Netflix called The Pyramid Code, that that idea germ merged with some memories in my mind about Nikola Tesla, and before I knew it, I had a full blown story idea in my head.  Certainly some images from my sub/unconscious must’ve gotten in there and clinched the deal, because soon I was scribbling the story idea in my notebook, which I keep in the bookcase headboard of my bed.  

I urge you in the strongest possible terms to make friends with your sub/unconscious.  Who knows what hidden treasures you can discover between the veils?

Rita

How I'm Coping with Shelter-in-Place and how it affects my Creativity

 I’m currently working on a book I found when I looked at a flash drive I hadn’t seen for awhile.  There’s at least a half dozen novels I haven’t done anything with since I won NaNoWriMo with them months ago.  I’m currently working on “And Love Will Steer the Stars.” I’ll resume working on it in May, after Camp Nano is finished until July, when we’ll have another Camp Nano.  March 31st I’ll have to reread what I’ve done on Intergalactic Encounter  so that the new chapters I’ll write next month will mesh with the first few chapters I’ve already written.  

I may write in a disease next month.  Have the politicians utterly stupid. As a writer, I’m usually pretty creative, and I don’t get out much, but I would like to eat at a restaurant once in a while.  I’m of the generation who cooks, not this lazy generation who orders in. Eating out should be reserved for a treat, not your fallback position. Of course, I’m retired, so I have the time to cook.  Even so, I favor dishes that feed an army, so that I only have to actually cook twice or 3 times a week. Cooking is a kind of alchemy, where you apply heat to “ordinary” ingredients, and come up with something magical.  I even apply the alchemical principle to luftwaffles. I take mix, water, oil, and add pumpkin pie spice and vanilla.. But I want enchiladas, which I can’t make.  

Creativity is somewhat of a compulsion for me.  I noticed about a year ago that the elastic on several pairs of my slacks was getting loose, so I set about  crocheting belt loops for them. It’s a simple pattern, really, chain 3 or 4 inches long, and half double crochet around the chain, working a double crochet in each corner to square the corners.It should take no more than a couple rounds, maybe three, to complete.  I like to make at least seven belt loops for each pair of pants, Sew to the pants a few stitches at each end of the belt loop. If you’re lucky enough to have pants with existing belt loops, you can use these to measure how long to make your crocheted ones.  

What I’m hoping for is enough extra energy to do a little coloring.  Maybe if Facebook gets boring enough, I can swap out my Facebook time for some coloring time.  But the time I spend on Facebook isn’t ALL looking at memes. Outside of funny cats, and stupid human tricks, most of it is chatting with my friebds and acquaintances.   The evening of the 31st of March I’ll be handwriting what I’ll be dictating to my Dragon the next morning. I hope I write a lot.

Well, that is all for now.  If you are in Patricia’s circle of authors, you might write a blog about how you are coping with the shelter-in-place, and how it is affecting your creativity.

Writing a Series: Why you should look at the whole project

Back in 2016, when Ciara Lake and myself sat down to work out the series #TheForsakenSeries, there was so much we didn't know. So many things we had an idea on but when we got into writing the series, there were some large learning curves.

We planned for the number of books, the characters, the ideas for plots, and now, as we continue with the series  (Book 14 is being written and fifteen's ready to go to the publisher) we are at the point where the lessons we've learned are invaluable.

So, to help you, we thought it would be a great idea to share some of the things we've learned over the course of working on this series.

1. When working on a series, consider each book to be a standalone. You may say this sounds fishy or it doesn't make any sense, each book is part of the bigger series. And you would be right. However, as we've learned not everyone out there picks up the first book. And sometimes this means the information in book one doesn't make it to book eight. So, keeping in mind each book needs to stand alone while being part of the series is key. I found it easier to keep a running spreadsheet on my desk where I can put in the details from each book's world so there's continuity.
On that spreadsheet I also keep details such as physical descriptions, scars, tattoos, the spellings of places and names. This enables me to keep track of what is in the series and the books.

2. Ensuring each book has a clear plot. Just because they are part of the series, doesn't mean you need to be lax in your creativity. Keep the momentum going with each book.

3. If you're working with another author, here's the bit where it becomes a bit trickier. You're working with another person, which means a different personality, writing style, writing voice...and how you work with them will have an impact on your story series. When Ciara and I sat down to do this series, we were both aware our writing styles are vastly different. As such we came to the decision to work together on the whole project, but each would work on their own book within the series. This has created a unique project.

4. Organisation. This has been one of the hardest and most rewarding parts of writing a series.I recently did a podcast on being organized in the general sense, you can find that podcast on Google Play, iTunes, Spotify, and at Distinct Authors Podbean.

Organization, an author's Best Friend

ORGANIZATION AND PREPAREDNESS: How it benefits an author.

Podcast is Here

As an author, it is incredibly easy to get overwhelmed and frustrated when it comes to the craft of writing. To make it a little less stressful, and perhaps more productive here are a few tips and suggestions to help you get on track with your organization. 

The first step in getting organized to write is to understand: It isn’t always about making sure you keep a tidy work space, or a note to yourself. You have to be mentally prepared to engage in organization and preparedness. Success is a State of Mind not simply a physical manifestation we can engage or push aside when the mood strikes us. 

As an author one of the most prevalent scenarios is having a book you’re working on, deadlines are rapidly approaching, and you need to get the first draft, the revisions, edits, etc done. Yet, imagine if you will, you sit down to write and you can’t find what you need. Or worse, you have no idea what is going to fill your time as you haven’t made any plans for promotion. 

How do you overcome this potential for disaster? Being organized, being prepared, planning are all vital aspects we as authors need to embrace. Now, there are some of us, myself included, who do not plot out a book. Oh we may take down some notes, do some character interviews, figure those details, but to actually sit down and plan out every aspect of the book, naw. In truth this can be a hindrance when it comes to being prepared and organized, but for those of us who are pantsers - or people who work without a concrete plot - its a normal state to be in. 

It doesn’t mean we can’t be organized, can’t prepare our writing and our minds. We just go about it in a different manner. So how can we as authors get ourselves to the point where we are able to meet the demands of our writing career? 

Life is messy, it's cluttered, and one of the ways to ensure success is to get ourselves organized. How this looks will be different for everyone, but there’s a few general tips for you to work with to get started.

Before the start of any project, I would recommend you take the time to figure out a few details. These are going to be the starting point for you to write. What is the idea you’re writing about? How many words are you thinking the project will be? Is it a novella, a novel, a full length book etc. I’ll have the word count for each in the description box for those who are interested. Logging your word counts is important as well, especially if you don’t get back to your writing for a day or so, knowing where you were and where you need to go can help you keep on track. It also provides encouragement and a clear pathway for you when you’re writing. But, don’t get too hung up on your word counts, they act as a guiding light or directional force but are fluid and you may find you need more or less words depending on the story.

Knowing when you’re looking at having the first draft finished is important. This allows you to have an idea of what word count you are going to need each day to reach your goal. I tend to give myself two dates for the completion. One which is the optimal date and another which allows for me to have a little leeway in case of unforeseen circumstances. Also giving yourself a firm date for revisions and edits is key. This keeps you on track and encourages accountability. I also set time frames for the space allotted between the completion of the first draft and the start of revisions. So for example if I want to have a book written, revised and ready for submission or publication within six months then I need to understand how long I have for each portion of the process. 

Something to keep in mind as well, once you have completed your first draft you may want to look at starting to build your buzz around the book. Talk about it on social media, to friends, include details in your newsletters etc. You also want to ensure you’re making time to spread the word and keep your previously published works before readers. Your back library needs promotion and attention as well. 

When you are writing, there are a few things you can do to ensure you are organized and thus keeping yourself on track and ensuring success. Putting a note taking journal or system for recording notes is vital. There may be a detail you need but haven’t researched so making a note for yourself to go back to ensures you keep writing without forgetting what you need to look up. It also helps you to keep track of what topics you’ve looked at and . 

How much time are you spending writing? What about promotion and marketing? Have you kept a journal for these details? No? This is one aspect where having a spreadsheet set aside to record this information has unlimited benefits. Knowing what your writing and promotion time looks like allows you to understand how  much constructive time is being spent as well as how much time is being wasted. I would strongly recommend you track the amount of time you spend on social media and other things when your writing should be at the forefront of your mind. 

If you are spending five hours a day writing and promoting and only getting in 500 words then you need to see which areas need strengthening. A spreadsheet with the writing time, time spent promoting, and researching gives you the full picture. It is a habit we need to develop, especially if one is considering their writing to be their full time job and thus their sole source of income. Or even if you’re writing while working a day job. Developing the habit of writing in a scheduled environment means you are going to be more productive. 

Organizing your writing space is one we often overlook. Not all of us have a set writing location, sometimes we write in front of the television, or at the table whilst we are making dinner, doing laundry, etc. This disorganization impedes the creative flow, and ultimately detracts from what we can do. However, if the only time you have to write is while you are cooking dinner, then planning around the preparations for your meal and cooking time is extremely important. When I started writing with the mindset of getting published, I was one of those who wrote around a day job, household chores, family life, etc. and my writing space was wherever I could sit. I found I wasn’t getting as much done as I’d have liked and had to make some tough choices about how I could get myself organized. Was I immediately successful… nope, not in the least. But I did learn something. Organizing the writing space was as much about mentally preparing and organizing for the writing as the area I was in. Remove distractions wherever possible, focus on what you need to get done, treat it seriously. These are the best suggestions I can offer. When you do this you find your mind shifts and you are able to write more consistently and prolifically. 

Allocate tasks. This may seem simple but it is one we rarely follow. Each task you do is important, and as an author it is important to ensure you do each one. So if you are looking at your daily plan for the tasks you need to do, allocate time for each of them. One thing I have found is if you set aside a day to pre-plan and schedule promotional posts you are able to free up time later in the week for other tasks which are just as important. Planning ahead for the tasks is just as important when you’re allocating tasks. Prioritizing each task will also ensure it is done and you are able to move through your list of tasks seamlessly.

Own your writing tools. Don’t let them own you. Don’t spend your time worrying about having the latest and greatest tool out there. If you’re writing on a notebook with a ballpoint pen, you’re getting more out of it than spending hours and days searching for the best software, computer, printer etc. Remember Dickens didn’t have the fancy hardware we do, nor did Shakespeare, nor Tolstoy. They had paper and pen. Focus on the story you’re sharing rather than the location you’re sitting, the hardware or software you’re using. You’ll find this is more productive in the long run.  

Track the expenses you incur with your writing. Keeping track of these expenses will give you a good idea of your expenditures and how you are doing when it comes to the payments you will be receiving. Having a spreadsheet or account book with the expenses and payments in it gives you a full picture of the cost and rewards for your writing. This will also help you when it comes to figuring out how much money you need to make vs how much you are making. As well, having the details on hand will help you at tax time because you will be able to do write offs. Expenses are more than simply advertisements, you want to record every dollar you spend when it comes to writing. If you buy a book - include it, if you buy a pack of pens, include that expense. Hosting, domains, all of those details should be included in the spreadsheet as well. 

When it comes to organization and being prepared, I’m a huge advocate of using spreadsheets because they are so customizable. Of course not everyone likes them and you may find a different method which will be better for you. 

I hope these tips and suggestions will prove to be helpful for you as you move forward with your writing. Thank you for taking the time to be here with me, if you haven’t already, please hit the follow button so you never miss any upcoming episodes. I thank you in advance if you. Have a great week!