Stoney M. Setzer's Blog: Zero Hour: Christian Speculative Fiction , page 7

NaNoWriMo

In case you haven't heard, November is National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo).  The idea is to try to write a draft of a 50,000 word novel between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30.  50,000 words is pretty short for a month, equivalent to 175 pages or so, but there have been novels of that length: Brave New World, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and The Great Gatsby are all in that range, according to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanowrimo#Rules

So, in the spirit of this, I've been working on the draft of a novel.  I must go ahead and confess right now, there's no way I'm going to hit 50,000 words by Nov. 30...not even close.  However, I figured it would be a good time to launch a new novel project (I have finished one, tentatively entitled Dead Man Running, which is currently submitted to an indepedent publisher).  This newly-launched project is currently entitled Dead of Winter and will deal with a much more spec-fic storyline than the previous novel, which is more of a mainsteam mystery/thriller type story.  And please don't be too put off by the titles...as with everything else I write, they come from a Christian worldview.  In fact, my current plan is for that worldview to be even more explicit in the current novel.

So why am I so sure I won't hit 50,000 words?  The writing process certainly isn't easy.  Sometimes the ideas come in a flood, sometimes they're more like a drip or a trickle.  Sometimes the hardest part (especially when you have a "real" job to contend with) is finding the time to write.  Still, I love it, and I honestly don't think I could imagine not doing this.  That, I suppose, is the definition of passion.  I'm thankful that God has given me something that does that for me, and I hope everyone reading this has something similar in their own lives.  Philippians 4:13.--SMS

"Where Do You Get Your Ideas?"

"Hey, Stoney, where do you get your ideas, anyway?"

If there's one question that I get asked more than anything else, that would be the one.  It's perfectly understandable, really.  Let's face it: Stories about SWAT teams from the future surrounding a 24-hr. diner or about Egyptian plagues hitting 1950s-era Hollywood film crews aren't exactly the most conventional things you'll find out there.  They're different, and people want to know how it is that I come up with some of this stuff.

There's no easy answer.  Inspiration comes in a lot of different ways.  I can't ever predict exactly when or how it's going to hit me.  I just recognize it when it does.

My imagination gets captured by a lot of different things.  Blurbs for TV shows, movies, and books can sometimes turn the gears in my mind.  Occasionally it may come from the random on-line or newspaper article about something so unusual, so random, that it can't help but get stuck in my memory. 

It may be that, while reading a book or watching a movie, a minor character strikes me as more interesting than the actual protagonist.  For that matter, sometimes I'll see a real person out and about somewhere, and something about them makes me wonder, "What's their story?"

Or, sometimes, I may be reading listings on http://www.duotrope.com/, and find that a particular call for submissions just really leaps out at me.  That's how the two aforementioned stories, "We Serve All Kinds Here" and "In the Shadow of the Sphinx" were born, even though--ironically enough--neither was accepted by the markets whose call for submissions inspired me to write those particular stories.  Go figure, huh?

If you want inspiration, my best piece of advice to you would be to keep your eyes and your mind open.  Be observant, be curious.  And when a good idea comes to you, write it down somewhere.  Nothing is more frustrating than getting an idea and then forgetting the idea itself, yet still being able remember that there was something there that you can't retrieve.

Philippians 4:13.--SMS

Breaking Out of Writer's Block

Sooner or later, it happens.  Eventually you are going to find yourself sitting down to write, whether it be in front of a computer or with a pen and notebook in hand, only to find yourself stuck.  The ideas used to flow like a mountain stream, and suddenly it's more like a dripping faucet, if that.  The harder you try to fight it, the more stuck you become.  You have writer's block.

The question is, what do you do about it?  How do you "fix" it?  Unfortunately, there is no sure way to prevent it from ever happening, so I thought I'd share some simple strategies to help you get through writer's block when it does happen to you.

1. Don't quit, but don't push yourself too hard.  If you keep at your writing, sooner or later there will be a "breakthrough" moment, and then things start to flow again.  The trick is that you can't expect yourself to do as much as you do when things are flowing.  Whereas you might average a page or two when things are going well, you may have to settle for a paragraph or two (maybe less) when you're slumping.  Still, don't throw in the towel altogether, or that breakthrough will never get a chance to happen.  But don't push yourself to frustration...if you have to, take a break from it for a day or two and come back with a refreshed mind.

2. Revisit your inspirations.  Whatever or whoever inspires you in your writing, make time to revisit it.  If it's a particular author, read some of his or her work again.  If it's a movie or TV show, watch it again.  Try to reconnect to what gets your creative juices flowing in the first place.

3. Ask yourself the hard questions.  Often my slumps are brought on by something that I'm not doing right in the first place, and the writer's block is the effect rather than the cause.  I have to ask myself the following questions, and they're hard because invariably at least one of them will give me an answer that means I have to either backtrack on something I'm working on, or maybe drop it altogether.  Here they are:
Am I trying to do too many projects at once?  Do I need to let something go?  I can get enamored with multiple ideas at a time, try to "juggle" too many at once, and get myself tangled up.Is this project I'm working on right for me in the first place?  Sometimes, in trying to expand our horizons a little, we go too far off our own track and get stuck.  Kind of like driving down a road with a low or soft shoulder and floating too close to the edge.  Some limits should be challenged, but some are a good thing.  Learn the difference.Have I stayed true to my own voice?  If what you're trying to do isn't consistent with your voice, then you need to drop it like a hot potato, or else re-work it till it is consistent.Should I "table" this till later?  I've had ideas that I've started, only to walk away from them because I've gotten stuck.  However, I rarely delete them, for sometimes I may get re-inspired and finish them months (or, in one case, years) later.Did I take a "wrong turn" somewhere on this project?  Sometimes writer's block can be your subconscious mind telling you, "Hey, go back and reread that.  Don't you think you need to change that?"  Not always fun, but often necessary.4. Don't panic.  Again, this happens to every writer, just like pitchers get sore arms from time to time.  It's not the end of the world.  Weather the storm without giving up.

5. Write something different...like a blog post, maybe.  Yeah, read between the lines here, I'm in a little slump myself as I type this.  Working on a blog post is a good way to keep your skills sharp without belaboring the project you got stuck on in the first place.

6. Pray.  Last on the list only because it needs to be the "lasting impresssion," not last priority.  If you believe your writing is a God-given talent, which it is, then take your difficulties with it to the One who gave you the ability in the first place.  Humble yourself to go to Him for help, and He will help you.

Hope all this helps.  Philippians 4:13.--SMS

Following the Guidelines

So by this point, you're looking thorough the directories at http://www.duotrope.com/ in search of a market for your story.  Each one of them will feature a set of submission guidelines (sometimes referred to as writer's guidelines).  You want to read these very carefully.  How well you follow these instructions will have a significant bearing on whether your work gets accepted.

Most of them list minimum and maximum word counts, so please make sure that your story falls within those parameters.  Microsoft Word lets you check your word count easily enough (in the newest versions, its constantly visible in the lower left corner of your screen; older versions keep it under the "Tools" menu), so there's no excuse for not keeping track of it.  Most publishers want Times New Roman, but some will ask for Arial or even Courier font; figure out what they want and make sure you use it.  Do they want electronic submissions, or do they prefer "snail mail"?  Do they want your work to be saved as a word document or in rich text format (.rtf)?

Also, pay attention to anything that the publisher says about content.  If they come right out and say that they don't want profanity, explicit sexual material, etc., and you put that stuff in anyway, don't be shocked when (not if) you get rejected.  I volunteer as a "slush editor" for Residential Aliens and Fear and Trembling.  Though the guidelines are quite clear about not including vulgarity, you would be amazed how many potential authors try to send in stories peppered throughout with vulgarity.  That failure to comply with guidelines results in a rejection every time (although we occasionally leave the door open for the author to submit a "clean" version, depending on whether we thought the story had merit otherwise).

Simply put, the guidelines are not suggestions.  They are to be treated as hard and fast requirements to be followed to the letter.  Do your homework and know what they want before you send your work in to them.  Philippians 4:13.--SMS

Now That I'm Done, Where Do I Send It?

Once you're through with the proofreading/editing stage, you're probably ready to look for a place to send your story--assuming, of course, you don't already have a market in mind.  There is a great website out there that offers current listings for a variety of print magazines, online zines, and upcoming anthologies.  The site is http://duotrope.com/. 

Once you go there, you can use the pulldown menu bars on the left to search a variety of genres and subgenres, then break it down further to look into such specifics as medium (print or electronic), payscale (none, token, semi-pro, and pro), etc.  I've always had more luck searching under markets that offer token payments ($5 to $10 per story, regardless of length), but I would advise that you explore the options yourself.

When you read up on a particular market, please make sure you read their guidelines carefully...that's the next big topic we'll tackle here.  Philippians 4:13.--SMS

Editing: Time Well Spent

Let's face it: If you're writing, eventually you want to see your work published.  Sooner or later you're going to produce something that you think is good enough to submit to a publisher.  When you reach this point, whether it's for the first time or the hundredth time, I first want to congratulate you for your accomplishment.  Sometimes finishing a draft is the hardest part of writing.  I shudder to think how many ideas I've started on, thinking that they would be something great, only to have the idea seemingly "shrivel up" to the point that I don't have anything worth finishing.  It's part of the game, and it happens to everyone who tries their hand at writing.

However, finishing a first draft is not the same as having a final copy ready to submit.  You always want to edit your work and make sure that it is the absolute best quality it can be.  Don't do this immediately after finishing your first draft!  Give yourself at least a day before you start the proofreading and editing process (this is why, if a particular market has a deadline, you should try to have your first draft done a few days ahead of that date).  When you do open it up to proofread, you're going to have to fight your own familiarity with the story.  Make yourself go over it with a fine tooth comb.  If you have someone else who can read it with fresh eyes, so much the better.

Things you want to look for that will jump right out at a publishers: Inconsistencies in plot and characterization (i.e., does it all make sense?); outright violations of their submission guidelines (a criticallhy important factor which we will talk about in an upcoming entry); errors in grammar, capitalization, or punctuation; and overly verbose, "clunky" sentences.  The latter two are semi-forgivable in that most editors realize that everyone is human, and a limited number of mistakes can be attributed to oversight and fixed without jeopardizing your chances of getting accepted, but you still want to catch as many as you can.  However, the first two can constitute a kiss-of-death.  Make sure that there is some logic to your piece, and whatever a particular market's guidelines say, make sure you follow that to the letter.

Philippians 4:13.--SMS

Let's face it: If you're writing, eventually you want to ...

Let's face it: If you're writing, eventually you want to see your work published.  Sooner or later you're going to produce something that you think is good enough to submit to a publisher.  When you reach this point, whether it's for the first time or the hundredth time, I first want to congratulate you for your accomplishment.  Sometimes finishing a draft is the hardest part of writing.  I shudder to think how many ideas I've started on, thinking that they would be something great, only to have the idea seemingly "shrivel up" to the point that I don't have anything worth finishing.  It's part of the game, and it happens to everyone who tries their hand at writing.

However, finishing a first draft is not the same as having a final copy ready to submit.  You always want to edit your work and make sure that it is the absolute best quality it can be.  Don't do this immediately after finishing your first draft!  Give yourself at least a day before you start the proofreading and editing process (this is why, if a particular market has a deadline, you should try to have your first draft done a few days ahead of that date).  When you do open it up to proofread, you're going to have to fight your own familiarity with the story.  Make yourself go over it with a fine tooth comb.  If you have someone else who can read it with fresh eyes, so much the better.

Things you want to look for that will jump right out at a publishers: Inconsistencies in plot and characterization (i.e., does it all make sense?); outright violations of their submission guidelines (a criticallhy important factor which we will talk about in an upcoming entry); errors in grammar, capitalization, or punctuation; and overly verbose, "clunky" sentences.  The latter two are semi-forgivable in that most editors realize that everyone is human, and a limited number of mistakes can be attributed to oversight and fixed without jeopardizing your chances of getting accepted, but you still want to catch as many as you can.  However, the first two can constitute a kiss-of-death.  Make sure that there is some logic to your piece, and whatever a particular market's guidelines say, make sure you follow that to the letter.

Philippians 4:13.--SMS

New Short Story Up: "Just Passing Through"

My most recently published short story, "Just Passing Through," is now up on the Crossed Genre website.  Click on the link below to check it out:

http://crossedgenres.com/archives/033-villains/just-passing-through-by-stoney-m-setzer/

Thanks for all of your continued support, and I hope you enjoy it.  Philippians 4:13.--SMS

Setting Up Your Setting

Any language arts teacher will tell you that there are three elements to a fictional story: Plot, characterization, and setting.  Unfortunately, setting seems to get overlooked in many cases.  Often writers can put so much effort into our plotting and characterization that we neglect this third member of the "Big Three."  So it only seems logical to spend a little time talking about setting here.

Simply put, the setting you choose for your story exerts an enormous influence on plot and characters alike.  Think about it: Small-town life and big-city life are two very different things.  So are the social attitudes and morals of 2011 as opposed to those from a century ago.  Even subtle changes in our real-life setting, such as the seasons, affects how we act.  Where and when you live affects how you see the world, which in turn affects your behavior.  The same holds true for our characters.

Plot is also influenced by setting.  True, you could tell a suspense story or what-have-you anywhere, but how it plays out will be determined in large part by the setting you choose.  Suppose you want to write a story about one character seeking revenge on another, and you're torn between setting it in a modern-day big city, an Old West frontier settlement, or a space station in the distant future.  Each of those settings is unique.  Things that could have happened in 1880 Arizona probably won't happen in 2011 New York City.  Things that might one day happen on that space station probably wouldn't happen in either of the other two places.
This makes it a two-way street.  If there are certain things that you want to have happening in your plot, then you'd better pick a setting that will be conducive.

Personally, I have a tendency to set my stories in modern times, in small Southern towns such as the one in which I reside.  The reason is quite simple: It's familiar to me, so I already know how it would influence my plot and characters.  However, I will change that up from time to time.  "In the Shadow of the Sphinx" was set in the early 1950s and split time between Hollywood, CA and Egypt.  "Phobos" in a futuristic story set in on the Martian moon of the title, while "Darkest Before Dawn" went Way Back and Out West.  Those settings were chosen because of the requirements of their repsective plots, which then unfolded according to the restrictions of the setting.

As you prepare your next writing project, think about the role setting will play in the final product.  Philippians 4:13.--SMS

The Characteristics of Characterization, Part Two

Last time we discussed the difference between characters and caricatures in writing.  You could also look at this as the difference between three-dimensional figures and one-dimensional ones who exist solely for the sake of letting the story happen to them.  So what would be the best, easiest way of trying to avoid caricature?

One thing that I have found helpful is to base your characters, at least in part, on real people.  This doesn't mean that you have to model a character so closely on a real person that your "subjects" can see themselves in your characters when they read your work.  However, you should at least use enough of their real traits so that your characters at least have some basis in reality.  That will enable them to think, talk and act like real people, so that their behavior in and reactions to the situations that you put them in will be believable.

Sometimes you can base more than one character on the same person.  Sometimes you can meld traits of two different people into one character (so long as they do not contradict each other).  If you are writing shorter fiction, don't divulge more than what the story requires.  It may be OK to mention a character's love for spicy food if you're writing a 300+ page novel, but if you're doing a short story with a 5,000 word limit, you probably don't want to mention that unless it comes into play with the plot.

Is characterization easy?  No, it's something you have to work at.  However, it is something you can attain with practice.  Philippians 4:13.--SMS