Select a point during the writing process, whether at 10,000 words, a quarter or halfway through your manuscript. When you reach that mark re-evaluate your characters motivations goals, strengths and weakness. Chances are they have changed since you started the manuscript. Make notes on what you will need to do when you’re ready to go back and revise.
Practical Prompt 8-19-19
Posted in Administrator, Practical Prompts
Tagged characters, practical prompt, revision, writing tips
When to Stay the Course and When to Move On
Megan Norris Jones
We’ve all been there. That moment when a new story takes shape, and your mind is alive with all the possibilities of creation. It’s brilliant, so shiny and bright, and you just have to start writing it now. Because, honestly, that story you’ve been slogging through for a couple of years now is looking pretty tired. It’s probably not The One, so it’ll be best all around if you dig into the new story right away.
Maybe yes, maybe no. I’ve made both choices: abandon a manuscript that just doesn’t have what it takes or stay the course till it’s finished. An idea that hasn’t been written down yet will almost always look better in your imagination than the reality of clumsy words on the page that never quite tell the amazing story that lives in your head. Sometimes it’s best to cut your losses and move on to something more promising, but if you don’t learn to finish what you’ve started, you’ll never actually write a book.
So how do you decide which to do? Here are some points of consideration that have helped me.
1. Is the underlying idea of your story strong enough to carry an entire book?
Sometimes I have an idea that seems really great, but when I sit down to write it, that great idea isn’t really strong enough to undergird an entire novel. The first manuscript I wrote was like that. I wrote a draft, polished it up a bit, and took it to my first writers’ conference. Once there, it was a terrible shock to discover that my little novel was terribly thin. The idea simply wasn’t interesting enough to keep anyone reading. If I were to ever have any hope of publishing it, the spit shine I’d given my first draft wouldn’t do. It required a complete overhaul, down to its premise. I could have kept the characters and story world I’d created, but that was about it. I discovered that I wasn’t so attached to those characters to make the work worthwhile. I let it go. Continue reading
Posted in Megan's Posts
Tagged author motivation, revision, time management, writer's life, writing, writing tips
Write by Midnight Pep Talk 7-29-19
It’s easy to get lazy with your writing in the hazy days of summer. If your writing routine has slipped, set aside a specific time every day to write in the next month. Whether it’s on your lunch hour, first thing in the morning or last thing before you go to bed, write for at least fifteen to thirty minutes. Don’t worry about the quality of your work. The goal is to get words on the page. If you find it difficult to resist the urge to edit or research, consider writing long hand instead of the computer. Team up with a partner to swap your pages with at the end of each day to hold yourself accountable. At the end of the August, tally your word count to see how you did.
Posted in Administrator, Write by Midnight Pep Talks
Tagged Write by Midnight, Writing sprints
Practical Prompt 7-22-19
This week, brainstorm the kind of music your character would like considering her personality, the time period of your story and her culture. Then, either while you’re gearing up to write or are writing, listen to the playlist.
Insomniacs Anonymous 7-15-19
Does outlining a scene before you write it help keep your story moving forward or does it hurt your creativity?