Writing Resources

Writing Goals: November

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It’s that time of the month again…planning goals for the next four months ahead. November is an easy month, in terms of choosing my goals. But first, lets see how I got on last month *takes a deep breath*

 😉 Sketch out two more Wolf Moon sequels – for development as NaNo project #1 – I decided early on in the month only to concentrate on one NaNo project. As usual, I set myself up to fail before I’ve begun. But I have given some thought to the sequel of Wolf Moon, made a third edit following a Beta Read and planning it’s publication.

 😎 Revisit snowflake for Rainbow Chronicles – this will be my NaNo project and I’ve spent most of the month getting to know my characters, sketching out the world they occupy and having too many ideas!

😛 Schedule responses to #FantasyWiPOctober – the first time I’ve ever completed one of these Instagram challenges and I’ve met some wonderful people along the way, and increased my followers by 200!

So can you tell what my intended goals for this month are yet? There is just one.

✔ Participate in National Write A Novel in a Month Challenge – my umpteenth year and I don’t think I’ve ever been so prepared. So the idea is to write 50k – or more – within the month. I might also use the Flash NaNo Competition as a bit of inspiration but we’ll see.

Writing isn’t about the end product, not always anyway. If you’ve ever dream of writing but think you can’t do it… I say you can. Dare to dream big. All you need is a pen and paper or laptop, a sprinkling of inspiration and a bucketful of motivation and you’ll do it. I know, because I have. Follow your dreams.

And if you are taking part in NaNo and have registered on their site, let me know your username, or send me a buddy request – I’m ‘The Duchessa’. See you on the other side!

 

 

Getting Your Story Down

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Reader Alert… this is a marketing post about a new journal I’ve just published. So if you’re not interested please feel free to walk on by 😉

It’s said everyone has a story in them. But not everyone can translate that story onto the page. First Draft in One Month guided journal is ideal for anyone struggling to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), for new writers and as well as those who have a bit of history.

The first draft is just getting the story down. It’s the beginning, not the end, and can easily be done within a month with a little preparation. Whether you’re participating in a write a novel in a month challenge, or thinking about your goals in the near future. Whether you are a panster,  a planner or somewhere in between, this journal is designed to help you do that.

Filled with plenty of space, lined and plain, to scribble, doodle, sketch and write, First Draft in One Month also includes:

Preparing your story writing month

  • Brainstorming Ideas
  • Defining key characters
  • Sketching out a plot
  • Thinking about scenes and story lines

Advice and suggestions for managing your life during your writing month

  • A Meal Planner to save time and ensure energy
  • Creating play lists to stir your imagination
  • Garnering friends and family support
  • A calendar for clearing your desk and your mind

Resources to manage your writing month

  • A motivational word tracker
  • 31 writing prompts to spur you on if you get stuck
  • Suggestions for clearing your head for writing sessions
  • Suggestions for what happens after ‘The End’

 

Writing Tool Box

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Here are some of the tools, articles, snippets I’ve come across this month which credit a mention, in my book at any rate…

A Cheat Sheet – do you struggle to describe body language, defaulting to the same old same old? Well this handy cheat sheet has to have a space in your resource file…

A Book – if you want even more help with describing emotions and how they affect your characters, The Emotional Thesaurus is a must for your book shelf. I’ve been using this a lot during the 2nd edit of Wolf Moon.

A List – of ideas for Facebook and Instagram Stories for Authors… apparently this is the way to go and this is a great checklist of things you can talk about for these short term posts.

A Tool– this article ‘How to Mind Map Your Novel‘ includes useful apps and software to achieve this but essentially all you need are pens and paper. I used this method to revise for exams, many years ago but hadn’t thought about using it for writing purposes!

On The Book Shelf: Writing Craft Books

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This month I’ve decided to share the writing craft books that have changed the way I write and think about the whole process. So it’s a multiple author shout out.

I have read a ton of books related to the process of writing, from generating ideas, to character development, plot outlines and a premise – to editing, rewriting, polishing and publishing. Honestly, I could have filled a small room with them.

Though I can’t say that any particular book, advice or sage words changed my life considerably, I have taken bits and pieces from them and developed my own style. It’s an individual thing, this writing lark, there isn’t just one size fits all. So these are my top four favourite of all time which I would definitely save from fire or flood if need be.

The Morning Pages, by Julia Cameron has to come top of my list. I recommended this book in my tool box last month and wrote a post here about my reasons for using Morning Pages. I refer to this system many times as it’s my kind of daily mantra. Before I do anything else, I pick up a pen and journal and just let spill forth. It could be about writing, or life or whatever is bugging me at that moment. It sets up my day.

 

 

How to Write a Novel using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson. I’ve read everything there is out there on plot, and this one just clicks with me. Randy uses a very familiar fairy tale, well a mix of them, to demonstrate the steps required to build a story. And, for me, it works every time. I wrote post earlier in the year about using this method…

 

 

 

 

From 2k to 10k Words by Rachel Aaron. Again, this is not a book which shares any hidden secrets on the world of writing. There isn’t a hidden formula, it’s down to the writer to make it happen and the advice here does what it says on the can. What more can I say? I called Rachel out in an earlier post and I think she deserves another shout …

 

 

Writing a Novel in Scrivener by David Hewson. Scrivener is my favourite piece of software. I probably still don’t know more that a quarter of its capabilities but this book is a great start. It provides a place for everything, characters, places, scenes and allows you to move things around easily. I kind of use it like my story bible, along with my paper one of course! Just in case. 😉 and I’ve made a note to write more about my top reasons for using Scrivener so watch this space…

 

 

What books have your read which have had an impact on your writing? Always ready to add others to my shelf so please let me know!

Writing Tool Box

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Every month I share some of the resources I’ve come across and found useful… for one reason or another.

A Book: I mentioned the Morning Pages in last week’s blog, which features in The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. Definitely a must have for my book shelf. And it’s geared to all creative processes, not just writing.

A Website: If you write blogs and social media posts then having access to a professional library of images is essential. At Pixabay, you can find images to suit every post and most of them are free to download and use, but make sure you check first.

A Writing Community: This is a bit of a personal plug… if you are (or have been) an expat writer and want some support why not check out Writers Abroad? I set up this community over 10 years ago and we keep the numbers fairly small so that it’s a more intimate setting. We’re open for membership at the moment.

An App: If you are into travel and writing, Polarsteps might be just what you are looking for. I used if for our last trip to Scotland in May and produce an album as a keepsake. It’s very reasonably priced (the app is free but you pay for albums) and very professional. I’m so impressed I’m going to plot our Irish trip last year!

I’d love to hear if you have any recommendations!

 

 

Morning Pages: 5 Reasons I Write Them

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I’ve been doing ‘Morning Pages‘ ever since I first read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron back in 2015. This exercise entails three pages of long hand, free consciousness writing.

I don’t follow every bit of writing advice that’s put out there, nor do I generally give it. What I do is share what works for me. And this does. For the past four years. I’ve had the odd gap and paid for it with a severe case of the wobbles about me, about my writing, and castrophising (a term I’ve nicked from the indomitable Dawn French).

There is nothing to learn, but there is a habit to create. For me, first thing in the morning, in bed when my dreamy sleepy self is still not quite conscious. I just write whatever is on my mind. It’s not meant to be read, revisited, or used for any other purpose than de-cluttering.  Although sometimes I do write down something I need to remember because it’s crowding my head space.

So these are the five benefits I have garnered from doing this very exercise…

  1. Creating Head Space – writing down what first comes to mind helps to clear the cobwebs away. It’s like a regular bit of house keeping for the brain. The thoughts that trouble me, the dreams that scare me and the things that are troubling me just seep away onto the paper. The actual issues don’t go away but I’ve parked them.
  2. Problem Solving – it could be about a life issue, or more than likely sorting out something in a writing project that’s been troubling me. I can write it out, as it were, and as I do I come up with solutions. It’s a great feeling when that happens.
  3. Easily Achievable – 10 minutes it takes me. Simon knows that it’s the first thing I want to do, the animals, well they don’t quite understand but I refuse to let distractions get in the way. First thing before the day begins to control my activities and it’s done.
  4. Improves my Confidence and Self Esteem– not just in my writing life but in all sorts of area’s. I often ask myself ‘what is the worst case scenario’ if something is troubling me and often it’s insignificant and I can forget about it… until it raises it’s head again! When I slack off this exercise, like whilst we were away, my belief in myself dwindles fast, like water going down a drain.
  5. Increases Productivity – I always feel ready to get on with whatever I need to do, it allows me to allocate priorities, set goals for the day and get things done. I’m not saying I never have a day where there is stuff I didn’t get done, but I’ve usually done the important stuff, more often than not that means something to do with writing.

It’s the best bit of daily work out I do… pity it doesn’t help the waist line! 🙂

Pages clarify our yearnings. They keep an eye on our goals. They may provoke us, coax us, comfort us, even cajole us, as well as prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. If we are drifting, the pages will point that out. They will point the way True North. Each morning, as we face the page, we meet ourselves. The pages give us a place to vent and a place to dream. They are intended for no eyes but our own.

Julia Cameron