Molly Ringle's Blog, page 9
February 11, 2017
14 days of writing tips, Day 13: Read rough drafts for other writers
13. Read rough drafts for other writers.
Chances are you know other writers who are seeking feedback, or you’ve seen open calls asking for beta readers among the social media outlets in your life. So, as your schedule allows, volunteer your time, read their stuff, and critique it as constructively and thoughtfully as you can. Not only is this good karma, payable in the form of them reading your drafts in return, but it helps you see your own work more realistical...
Chances are you know other writers who are seeking feedback, or you’ve seen open calls asking for beta readers among the social media outlets in your life. So, as your schedule allows, volunteer your time, read their stuff, and critique it as constructively and thoughtfully as you can. Not only is this good karma, payable in the form of them reading your drafts in return, but it helps you see your own work more realistical...
February 10, 2017
14 days of writing tips, Day 12: Read! Lots! And review. Nicely.
12. Read! Lots! And review. Nicely.
This one’s easy, because (I would hope) you’re already doing it: read! Read books you love, whatever they are. I won’t go as far as some advice-givers go, and tell you to read mainly books in the genre you want to write in. I think it’s more important to read books that captivate you for any reason. That way you’ll not only be enjoying your reading time, but you’ll hone your unique voice, which is...
This one’s easy, because (I would hope) you’re already doing it: read! Read books you love, whatever they are. I won’t go as far as some advice-givers go, and tell you to read mainly books in the genre you want to write in. I think it’s more important to read books that captivate you for any reason. That way you’ll not only be enjoying your reading time, but you’ll hone your unique voice, which is...
February 9, 2017
14 days of writing tips, Day 11: Familiarize yourself with the business side of writing
11. Spend a little time every week familiarizing yourself with some aspect of the business side.
This is one I definitely need to do more, and better. Sure, we’re artists. We like to create, in solitude, and share only when we’re ready, which might be approximately once a year. We hate the shallow, commercial, look-at-me marketing side. But, assuming we do want to be published, we need to know something about how the publishing industry works. So, just for...
This is one I definitely need to do more, and better. Sure, we’re artists. We like to create, in solitude, and share only when we’re ready, which might be approximately once a year. We hate the shallow, commercial, look-at-me marketing side. But, assuming we do want to be published, we need to know something about how the publishing industry works. So, just for...
February 8, 2017
14 days of writing tips, Day 10: Try writing something different from your usual
10. Try writing something different from your usual, once in a while
This is good for flexibility. Could be a poem, or a nonfiction article, or a letter to someone. Or a scene that’s light and funny if you’re usually inclined to dark material. Or a thoughtful, honest Yelp review of a restaurant. I keep a file in which I describe and review perfumes I’ve tried, which is mainly for my own practical reference, but also can count as a writing exercise sin...
This is good for flexibility. Could be a poem, or a nonfiction article, or a letter to someone. Or a scene that’s light and funny if you’re usually inclined to dark material. Or a thoughtful, honest Yelp review of a restaurant. I keep a file in which I describe and review perfumes I’ve tried, which is mainly for my own practical reference, but also can count as a writing exercise sin...
February 7, 2017
14 days of writing tips, Day 9: Keep a free-write journal
9. Keep a free-write journal. Stay in practice.
Today’s tip is actually about writing something OTHER than your fiction. As we all know, there are some days when the fiction doesn’t want to flow. Or you’re between projects (as I’ve been lately). Or for whatever other reason, the story is not what you’re ready to write today. I think most days it’s best when we still TRY to work on the story anyway (because usually the writing doesn&r...
Today’s tip is actually about writing something OTHER than your fiction. As we all know, there are some days when the fiction doesn’t want to flow. Or you’re between projects (as I’ve been lately). Or for whatever other reason, the story is not what you’re ready to write today. I think most days it’s best when we still TRY to work on the story anyway (because usually the writing doesn&r...
February 6, 2017
14 days of writing tips, Day 8: Finish it. Unless you absolutely don't care about it.
It's a snowy day here in the Pacific Northwest, school has been canceled due to the weather, the kids are ecstatic, and I'll do what I can in the way of work today. So: we're in the second week of the daily writing tips, and today's tip is...
8. Finish it. Unless you absolutely don’t care about it.
Finish that story! This is important! Exception: if you really, honestly don’t even like it anymore and don’t care if it ever gets finished,...
February 5, 2017
14 days of writing tips, Day 7: Make a playlist for your story
Today on writing inspiration, my idea is...
7. Make a playlist for your story.
Sometimes visuals aren’t enough for inspiration, and you need the help of music. With my stories, I nearly always end up choosing certain songs as the definitive songs that mean this story and these characters. It’s their song, man! Or rather, their songs, plural. Once I’ve decided what those songs are—or, more accurately, once those songs have popped up in my life and...
February 4, 2017
14 days of writing tips, Day 6: Cast your story with actual photos
6. Cast your story with actual photos.
This tip may stem from the fact that I’m primarily a visual learner, but nonetheless, humans in general do usually take in a lot of information from what they see. So use that to your benefit when trying to flesh out your characters by collecting photos of people who look like them. Essentially you’re casting the story as if adapting it for film, except you don’t have to limit yourself to actual actors, nor people...
This tip may stem from the fact that I’m primarily a visual learner, but nonetheless, humans in general do usually take in a lot of information from what they see. So use that to your benefit when trying to flesh out your characters by collecting photos of people who look like them. Essentially you’re casting the story as if adapting it for film, except you don’t have to limit yourself to actual actors, nor people...
Movie rec: Cuatro Lunas
For those of you who share my slashy-romantic tastes, I recommend to you the Mexican film Cuatro Lunas. Watched it last night on Netflix and found it beautiful. Happy spoiler: no one dies! (Yeah, I'm scowling at you, Brokeback Mountain.) Many gorgeous men/boys and tons of heart. Read subtitles (if your Spanish isn't quite up to scratch, which mine is not) and enjoy.
February 3, 2017
14 days of writing tips, Day 5: Interview your characters
5. Interview your characters.
Sometimes, despite your enthusiasm for a story idea, you find yourself uncertain where to take the story next. Or a character just isn’t quite coming to life for you—which often, actually, is the reason why we’re finding it hard to move the writing along. One trick I like to employ when this happens is to interview my character(s).
I usually do it silently, in writing, in a separate document from the manuscript itself, th...
Sometimes, despite your enthusiasm for a story idea, you find yourself uncertain where to take the story next. Or a character just isn’t quite coming to life for you—which often, actually, is the reason why we’re finding it hard to move the writing along. One trick I like to employ when this happens is to interview my character(s).
I usually do it silently, in writing, in a separate document from the manuscript itself, th...
