Writer's Block

I've always said I don't believe in writer's block. I still hold to that, although there are definitely writer's speed bumps.

When I get stuck with writing, I can spend hours going down rabbit holes and chasing distractions (Candy Crush? Words with Friends? or my latest is online jigsaw puzzles). None of those are productive. What IS productive is writing. Even when it isn't part of the story. What does that mean? 

As I was writing last week's blog post, I was using my blog as my distraction. Stuck in a time warp, not knowing how to move forward and out of the ONE DAY my story has encompassed so far. As I wrote the blog, I shook loose an idea. Writing ABOUT the story sometimes gets me past one of those speed bumps. I also do this regularly by emailing one of my buddies to hash out what in the story has me tied up in knots. Talking through (or typing through, as the case may be) the roadblock will often help me clear it. 

As I was writing that blog, I started thinking about a character I'd introduced (and who I have been referring to very vaguely over the course of two books now). I gave him a name. Rule of thumb, if a character has a name, they deserve a place in the story. So as I was wondering what to do with my "problem child," I considered this newly named background character. (Problem child being the person in trouble in this book.) I can't leave them on their own, and they aren't going to put up with a "minder" (as they say across the pond). Enter the character who has been named. They have a vested interest. They don't know what's going on, but they do know they need that character. So while my problem child is "lost," the character who has been named can unwittingly care for them, which benefits both parties. And now my character who has been named has a reason for being named. They now have an active role in the story. All as a result of writing a blog and working my way through one of those speed bumps.

Which brings me to the subject of "how many drafts should a writer write?" I know one author who says one draft is all you should have. I'm not a subscriber to that way of thinking. For me, especially when I get stuck on a speed bump, my writing can become notes that needs to be expanded on. Then, maybe I expand on those notes so that now its a story. Except the story isn't always "good" after the notes are first transcribed, although they are more "story-like." My next step is to make sure I'm not leaving out important details. For instance - someone died. And maybe that's what I've written. Ho hum. Important details might be the characters' reaction to that death. Is it an OMG moment? A trigger moment? A sad moment? A welcome relief? And there are descriptions to be added. Something that stands out about a character or a scene. What does it "look" like? These are all ways to get words on the page and break loose more words. If I can see it in my head, if I can feel it in my soul, there are more words waiting to follow on. Sometimes just flat words that will need to be fluffed up later, but at least it gets the writing going. That's what drafts are for. Get down the ideas, and you can expand on them later.

Writer's Block? I've always heard the cure is to "just write." I subscribe to that idea, including writing even when it isn't "words in the story." Write notes. Write ideas. Write to someone else about what is stuck in your head and often that logjam breaks apart. Bottom line? Write. 

I did promise you an excerpt of the new book, but I'm not ready to share quite yet. There's a certain matter of writer's angst yet to deal with. (Is anybody going to read this next book? Will it be as good as Horned Owl Hollow?) I will take the leap next week and share a piece I hope will interest you!

In the meantime, have I mentioned Horned Owl Hollow is coming soon to audio? Stay tuned...

Plotting and Pantsing

As most of you who read my blog know, I'm basically a pantser, with some exceptions.

The benefits of pantsing (writing by the seat of my pants) include discovering the story along with your characters, which can be an exciting ride. They tell you their story. But what do you do when your characters are more circumspect? When they aren't in the mood to share?

The benefits of plotting include providing a story direction. A story can't just plod along with everyone being happy and learning about each other and their past and (in a romance) falling in love. They need obstacles. A reason to be on the page. The requisite goals, motivation and conflict.

As an author I start out with an idea. Something I want to center my story around, or a concept I want to incorporate in some way, shape or form. From seeing the majesty of a buck standing beside a snowy road puffing out clouds of breath, to walking through a French market. But how does that fit into the story?

In my current story, I have characters talking to me. They want to tell their story. That's all well and good, but what's the story? It can't just be "my life as a [fill in the blank]." It has to be interesting. That pesky goals, motivation and conflict. This is a case for the plot meister. Why should I tell your story? What trouble are they going to run into?

Here's another little hint. For people who have "writer's block," outlining and/or plotting helps clear some of the dam. Instead of trying to put paragraphs on the page, writing smaller chunks of ideas is much easier. Similar to the "spoke" method for writing a term paper or business article. Write each idea on one of the spokes of a wheel and sort them out later. Trouble your characters will encounter along the way. Places where the "everyday" needs to be weaved in to help them think through the trouble or uncover a clue to resolving the issue. Clues to solving the problem. Character arcs. Which of these experiences help your characters to grow? What will they achieve by the end of the book that they didn't have at the start? Or is there a reason they won't be able to achieve it?

Some easy plots are "a crime has been committed. Solve it." Or "solve the mystery of X." And in romance, most often, "how do two very different people who live their lives in opposition find that they can't live without each other?" It's in the middle ground that they find love.

So when my characters aren't "doing" anything but living their everyday lives, I sit down and write an outline to give them direction. What's stopping them from going about their business, and how do they fix it in a way that makes them better in the end?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm setting up roadblocks for my characters. Happy writing!

Widget, widget, who's got the widget

Part of writing is marketing, and part of marketing is creating a web page.  Once upon a time, web pages were fairly simple matters, created using HTML language, but as time passes and software evolves, so has programming language, and I'm falling behind the curve.  Enter a web designer (nice to have one in the family!)  While my nephew is busy working for his paying clients, I've been hounding him for a widget.  Seems like a straightforward enough thing, and he keeps sending me development notes which actually make sense to me!  Unfortunately, I'm one detail short of where I need to be, and it's taking away from my writing time!  Finally, success!  Visit the new website at www.KarlaBrandenburg.com.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, erm, computer, I have a character in my latest book who is arguing over her trials and tribulations.  This is making it hard to move forward.  One of those situations where I know what I want to do and I know where I want to go, but I can't seem to get it on paper with this character putting up a protest.  She's going to lose, mind you.  Some folks might describe this as writer's block, so here's my advice on moving past writer's block: Keep plodding along. Write something. Anything. Skip a chapter if you have to, just keep writing. Likely that's the direction I'm headed this week - skip a chapter just to get down what I know is going to happen. Once you have "something," you can always go back and edit it, but if you have nothing, you've still got nothing. Nada. Zilch.

I'm done playing with my web page for this week (unless you find errors!) so now I have to get back to the reason for the website.