Having no idea what to write for my “X” post, I’ve put it off until the night before. Had I been writing about cult classics, I could have gone with “X-Files.” Or if I wrote erotica, “X-Rated” would be a given. But my theme is writing + old family photos . . . and here are my choices.
I suppose I could have gone with “Xtreme,” “Xerox,” “X marks the Spot,” “X-Factor,” “X-Games,” “X-mas,” but none of these jumped out at me. So this is how I feel about today’s letter of day:
There’s a wall there, you just can’t see it. Apparently, my sister wasn’t in the mood to smile. I tried to help, but there was no getting through that wall. Blocked. That’s how I felt for a while because I had been struggling with what to write next. I’m not a big fan of the term writers’ block and I think we give it more power than it deserves. Maybe that’s why I’m so big on writing prompts—they can get you going when you’re stalled in the writing process.
Look, the muse doesn’t give a shit if you’re staring at your computer screen, fingers poised on the keyboard, asking nicely for some inspiration. In fact, I’m convinced muses revel in watching us suffer, which is why you have to take charge. If you’re struggling with a scene in your WIP, get away from it. Distance can be the exactly what you need in order to come back with a fresh mind. Over at The Writing Bug, I recently wrote about using pencil and paper to get out all my thoughts—every possibility, every angle, every idea, and it worked; it got me my new novel idea.
I also recently picked up The Amazing Story Generator that creates thousands of story ideas.
This book combines random settings, characters, and conflicts; the rest is up to you. That’s how I feel about writers’ block—it’s up to you. You’re the only one who can get yourself past a lull in your writing, so don’t count on being struck over the head with an idea while you’re binge watching on Netflix. That can happen, but, again, don’t count on it. You’re a writer; so write. No matter how crappy it is, it’s writing—and it will lead somewhere.
How do you get going again when you’re stalled in your writing?
This is my grandmother holding her first grandchild—my sister. Even before Amy was born, Grandma had a vested interest in her. No monies, just love. Of course the gains on that investment repaid ten fold.
We often hear writers reference their books as their babies. There’s a lot of truth to this: we labor over it for months, or years and it can be painful and joyous. Just as squeezing something the size of a football out of something the size of pea, is one helluva accomplishment, so is writing a book—usually. (Not to minimize childbirth, but go with me on this.)
In addition to time, writers put a lot of blood, sweat, and plenty of tears, into their work, so to say they have a vested interest in their book, is an understatement. Being emotionally vested is no joke. The idea, would be that in return for the emotional turmoil of writing a fantastic book, the writer gets paid (yes, please) and that the book receives high praise. Right? We all want to experience some level of success, that of which, is different for everyone.
Do you feel this way about your work? Do you feel devastated if your work isn’t received as well as you hoped? Do you think that the amount of work you put forth into your writing is worth every writing hour; every rip-you-hair-out moment; every agonizing editing session? Or is it easier for you to cut your losses and move on if a writing investment doesn’t go as planned?
Where do you draw the line between love and business?
Uh, there’s some uncertainty going on here . . .
But not us writers, right? I mean come on, whoever heard of such a ridiculous thing? I mean, if there was ever a group of people more certain about what they do, it’s wri—
Ahem.
*Covers mic*
*Frantic whispering*
What?!
*Embarrassed look + nervous laugh*
Uh, well, apparently I might be wrong about that . . .
Yeah. Covered, wrapped, coated, slathered and dipped in uncertainty and self-doubt; that’s how we writers roll—at least once in a while. Will people like it? Will readers “get it?” Am I making a fool of myself? Uncertainty can get us into trouble. It can stop us in our tracks and derail our progress. It can make us over-think everything, thus, hinder ourselves. It can cause great works from ever getting read at all.
When you feel this way, here’s what I suggest:
A lot of uncertainty comes from our insecurities. Banish those right now, otherwise, they’ll always get the best of you—and your work.
How do you deal with uncertainty as a writer?
As you can see back in 1985, my sister and I were rocking a few trends: Banana-seat bikes, leg warmers, and those heated curlers called Benders.
They were all the rage, let me tell you. Okay, trendsetters, we were not.
When it comes to writing, do you think it’s important to follow trends?
I don’t know about you, but by the time I’ve identified a trend in writing, it’s already too late to cash in. In fact, I’ve heard agents say to never follow trends; just write a great book. Andy Ward, Nonfiction Editorial Director at Random House says, “Most of the books I work on take two to four years from acquisition to publication, so I feel in some ways that trying to predict trends is a recipe for frustration or even failure. I look for books that have the potential to survive any given moment, that either present ideas or writing that will be as interesting two years from now as they are today. So I guess the trend I try to follow is quality, whenever possible.”
Usually, what dictates a trend, is an uber-popular book. Agents saw a flurry of wizard books after the first Harry Potter. After Fifty Shades of Grey, agents were inundated with BDSM. In 2008, Writer’s Digest reported that in the Romance genre, vampires and paranormal subjects were hot. For thrillers, “terrorism” was on the top of the list, and “sexy, tongue-and-cheek urban fantasy” was taking over the sci-fi/fantasy market.
Jump to 2015 . . . here’s a list of what agents and editors are hoping for. They may not become trends, but it’s good to know what they want.
(source)
So there you have it; now go write.
What trends are you hoping will die off? And what do you see making it’s way to bookstores?
Not everyone will like your book. Some will love it, while others might say, “meh.” Like art, books are subjective. Readers come from all walks of life, carrying with them, different perspectives and life experiences. These play a huge role in whether or not they like a particular book. Even Book-zillas like The Help, The DaVinci Code, and Pulitzer Prize winner, The Gold Finch, were not liked by some. It happens.
If you’re lucky enough to get any feedback from an agent regarding your query, sometimes their response includes a line about the book industry being subjective. Hence, don’t give up. It’s true. Yesterday, I talked about how my mom and I share books and more often than not, we have differing opinions on them. She and I are a lot alike, so it’s interesting to see that we don’t always like the same books. But that’s how it is sometimes.
This is so important to keep in mind when getting a not-so-good review on Amazon, or receiving a rejection from an agent; it’s subjective. (However, when they all start pointing out the same things, you might want to investigate whether or not these things should be fixed.) Otherwise, ignore them and move on.
Subjectivity is something we just have to deal with; you can’t please everyone.
Any advice for dealing with an agent’s rejection, and/or those who leave a less-than-positive review?
By now, we’re all probably aware of the quote from Stephen King about the importance of reading if you want to write: “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” I think he knows a thing or two about writing, so I take serious heed of this particular piece of advice.
My mom has always been an avid reader and passed this habit onto me early in life. We enjoy sharing books with one another and discussing what we both think of them.
So read, dammit. It’s all part of learning the craft of writing. Don’t limit yourself to writing magazines and books on the craft, but novels, nonfiction . . . you name it. I’m in a book club and because we all have different tastes, I end up reading books I wouldn’t ordinarily pick up. I’ve come across some wonderful books and authors this way.
Reading great books inspires and teaches. As with most other professions, you wouldn’t dive in without seeing how others do it, right? Books allow you to discover the many different ways of plotting, character development, storytelling, and writing beautiful prose.
Even if you only have ten minutes a day to read, that’s all right, because I have a feeling that those ten minutes will eventually turn into twenty, thirty, sixty minutes . . .
What are you reading these days?
My dad’s not necessarily being quirky here; acting silly, really. But you get the idea. Readers like characters who have peculiar behavioral habits, or quirks. It’s what makes them interesting, endearing, engaging . . . and human. When you think about it, we all have these idiosyncrasies to some extent, (which we may not recognize in ourselves) so we may forget to give our characters these reader-loving traits. Chances are, some of your favorite movie, television, and literary characters have quirks—they’re part of why they’re your favorite.
Maybe your character . . .
Check out this list of character traits and quirks that you’re welcome to steal.
Do you make it a point to incorporate quirky habits in character development?