Sarah Painter's Blog, page 13

Friday Five: November. Seriously?

Yes, yes, I know I’m always commenting on how quickly time flies, but really… Seriously? November?!

1. For many writers (both aspiring and professional), November means one thing: NaNoWriMo.  I’ve previously established that 50,000 words in a month is utterly beyond me, but I’m still setting myself a writing challenge. Read about it here and feel free to join me!

2. I also wrote about NaNoWriMo for Novelicious.

3. Still need inspiration? Rainbow Rowell (author of one of my favourite books of this year, Eleanor & Park) has written a brilliant pep talk for NaNoWriMo.

4. In addition to stationery and writing challenges, the change in season has brought something else to the front of my mind: knitting. After a break over the spring and summer, I’ve picked up the pins again and started a new project. (This pattern, in case you’re interested.)

5. Contrary to the weather, I’ve just started Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell. I’m a big fan of her writing, so have high hopes… I’ll report back later!

[Image Credit: Free Digital Photos]

Eight Weeks and a Challenge

I was going to title this post ‘eight weeks to Christmas’ but I thought you might throw things at me…

There are, however, eight weeks of the school term left, which is both a nice-sounding amount of time for a writing challenge and a terrifying amount of time in which to get everything else in life sorted. Basically, if I only had to wear one hat (my ‘author’ one) for two months, I think I could finish the first draft of my new book.

However, that is sadly not the case… This term is always busy (Halloween, school concerts, Christmas preparations, seasonal coughs and colds) and I will also have (at least) one more rewrite of my second Carina book, too. Plus, of course, my posts for Novelicious, promotional stuff, and any other bits of freelance writing which come my way.

Still. I would dearly love to skid into the Christmas holiday with a good chunk of the new book written. It’s an idea I began writing last year and it makes me all tingly with excitement. I put it to one side when I got the Carina deal in order to write the sequel to The Language of Spells, but it’s been tickling the back of my mind the whole time.

So. Eight weeks. Even allowing for everything above and the fact that I’m a slow writer, I’m going to aim for 40,000 words.

I’m going to check in here every Monday with an update on my progress and if anybody fancies joining my eight-week challenge, please ‘sign up’ in the comments. Just state your goal (it can be anything you like) and visit every Monday to let us know how you’re getting on/get support/demand chocolate.

Making Friends With Procrastination

I’ve read a lot about procrastination over the last eight years. Some might even say that I’ve turned researching productivity and procrastination into a form of procrastination, but they would be deeply unfair and must be ignored… Ah-hem.

I’ve tried lots of techniques and many of them have been helpful. Some of my more successful experiments include setting a timer for 20 minutes, using Freedom to shut off the internet, and making a lovely chart with crosses on every day I hit my word count.

I’ve written about tools for beating procrastination on Novelicious, and have had countless conversations with my writer friends about how we need to ‘just get on with it’, or how we’ve discovered that writing in the morning, or in the evening, or in a cafe, or while using headphones or whatever, is the solution.

However, this weekend, while gearing up to get back to work after a week off, I started reading this book by Hillary Rettig. In it, she suggests something that I hadn’t ever really considered. That my tendency to procrastinate wasn’t some terrible flaw in my personality. That it wasn’t a symptom of my inherent laziness, but more a reasonable response to fear.

I’ve known for a long time that writing fiction goes hand in hand with anxiety. I’ve read enough to know that this fear is a perfectly normal side effect of doing creative work. After all, when we write, we reveal parts of ourselves: Of course we’re afraid!

If you’re like me, you will also be able to add fear of failure (perfectionism), fear of success (exposure, getting ‘above myself’, not being liked, upsetting other people), fear of letting other people down or of not ‘fulfilling my potential’.

Hilary explains that our tendency to procrastinate is a way of protecting ourselves from that fear. Then, because we do really want to write (or have a deadline), our procrastination increases that fear. We respond by berating ourselves (‘why are you being so lazy? I can’t believe you’ve wasted all morning reading blogs AGAIN, you’re so useless, you’ll never make it as a writer’ etc etc). Which, and this was the light bulb moment for me, INCREASES THE ANXIETY! *slaps self in forehead*

Yes, you need to be self-disciplined in order to get stuff done, but Hilary suggests that bullying yourself, being this nasty, is not the best way. Who knew?! Plus, she makes the very excellent point that your procrastination is part of you, so it’s not helpful to demonise it.

Rather than automatically heading into a shame spiral when you find yourself procrastinating or ‘not in the mood’ to write, she suggests treating it as a problem to be solved. These kinds of techniques (skipping ahead to another scene or chapter, writing around the problem in a separate document) are things that I’d already discovered and use, but I realised that I do so with a sense of desperation and panic. A sense of ‘if I don’t get something done, I’ll have failed again and I’m so rubbish  and lazy etc etc’.

The big change I’m going to make (or try to make, I don’t expect it to be easy to break the habit), is to be kinder to myself. To stop using bullying tactics to get my word count done. To say ‘it’s okay that you don’t feel like facing the blank page and that you really want to watch Supernatural/browse eBay for three hours/take a nap, that’s because what you’re trying to do is scary and difficult.’

In short, I want to speak more kindly to myself. If nothing else, it’ll make my working hours more pleasant…

How about you, dear reader? Do you suffer from procrastination when you’re trying to write? Do you ever bully or berate yourself and do you think it’s necessary?

Author Interview: Katlyn Duncan

I’m delighted to welcome YA author Katlyn Duncan onto my blog today. Soul Possessed, the second book in The Life After trilogy is out at the end of this month. 

1. Soul Possessed is the follow up to your debut YA, Soul Taken. Can you tell us a little about it?

Soul Possessed takes place roughly two months after Soul Taken. Without spoiling too much… Maggie is in training and she goes on a mission with Cooper, Ally, and Jackson to find the Shadowed.

2. Did you always plan to write a series? And will there be a third book?

I didn’t plan on writing a series. I knew I had to sell one book before the next. The story I originally submitted was neatly tied up in one book, but I am so thrilled that I can explore this world through three.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get started?

It wasn’t a conscious choice to “be” a writer, I’ve just always written. Whether it was movie scripts, plays or short stories I just had a lot of ideas I wanted to share, even if it was just for the fun of exploring the characters and world I thought up. I think my love for books was what started everything. The more books I read, the more ideas for stories came to me.

4. I love YA literature and am always looking for new recommendations. Can you give us your top five YA books?

Oh geez! I love so many books, but if I have to pick five… in no particular order… The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins; Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick;  Rampant by Diana Peterfreund; The Iron King by Julie Kagawa; Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

5. Could you tell us a bit about your path to publication?

I tried the traditional route of getting an agent but I didn’t have any success with that. I might have jumped the gun a bit when submitting but I did learn a lot in the process. I submitted to a feedback request from Mills & Boon late last year and they offered to sign me. It was quite a pleasant surprise and I am so thrilled Maggie’s story found a home!

6. What advice would be you give to aspiring writers?

Write as much as you can and read as much as you can. Writing is a daily activity for me whether it is 300 words or 3000 words. You can’t publish an empty document. Being a reader and a writer, I can see what I like and what I don’t like in books and I constantly strive to bring out the emotions that other authors bring out in me.

7. What’s your writing routine like?

I really don’t have a set routine. I do write in the morning and at night after my day job. I like to have instrumental music while writing, mostly movie scores so I can clear my head from distractions.

8. Finally, because I’m a complete geek about writing craft, can you talk us through your writing process?

For example, do you outline your stories?  I do outline. I’ve tried the pantser thing and I’ve failed miserably. I do have an outline that I follow for each book with big plot points and I fill in the gaps as I write. I do write linearly as well. If a scene bugs me I will write it but mostly I write in order of how the book goes, like a movie playing out in front of me.

I am hosting two giveaways below. The international giveaway is for a $25 Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk gift card. All you have to do is pre-order Soul Possessed and email me your pre-order confirmation at duncankatlyn@gmail.com and you are automatically entered! The second giveaway is for U.S. only and it is an eBook of Soul Possessed from Amazon.com. Good luck!

Thanks for hosting me Sarah!

Release Date: October 28, 2013

Publisher: Carina UK

Series: Book 2, The Life After Trilogy

Genre: YA Paranormal

ISBN: 9781472044556

Pre-Order Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

iTunes US | iTunes UK

Add on Goodreads

Life after Life

Now Maggie has been given the chance of her after-life to become a Guard, nothing will stand in her way. Not even the undeniable attraction she feels for her trainer and past love—Jackson. But when the battle between Shadowed and Guard begins again which side will she choose?

When her boss, Felix, partners Jackson and Maggie up with Ally and Cooper to investigate terrifying Shadowed activity, she doesn’t think it could get any worse. Jackson and Cooper barely tolerate each other and this time, Maggie isn’t just proving her loyalty to the Guard during one mission…she has a side mission too. One so secret and so dangerous she can’t tell a soul…

 

 

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Guest Post: Aurelia B. Rowl reveals her Scrivener secrets

Today I’m delighted to welcome fellow Carina author Aurelia B. Rowl. 

Thank you for inviting me onto your blog, I’m thrilled to be here.

One thing that Sarah and I have in common – aside from the same publisher – is that we both use a writing software called Scrivener. In fact, I’m not sure I’d have achieved as much so soon without it because it truly is invaluable to me as a writer, so I thought I’d tell you a little more about it.

I’m not going to try and teach you how to use Scrivener though – there is a perfectly good tutorial within the software itself and if you do a quick search on the internet, you’ll be met with a whole heap of articles – but I can share with you some of the ways that I personally use Scrivener, and I thought I’d do it with the help of some pictures.

These pictures are actually screenshots from my custom template, which is something I’ve modified and tweaked so that I have everything I need already set up when I start a new project

First stage: plotting (plus overview)

In the left-hand column you’ll see all of the files and folders I work with, and in the right hand column you’ll see the info for meta-data and such. In the centre section, set in Scrivenings mode in this instant, you’ll see the very first screen I come to when I start a project… creating the storyboard based on the W-plot structure.

If I’ve already got a good idea on some of the key scenes – the islands – I’ll fill in the relevant index card right away, and speaking of index cards, here is the what the screen looks like, and it’s a great way seeing my story on one page:

 

Second stage: brainstorming (plus meta-data settings)

Sometimes I don’t know exactly what happens in the story, and even when I know the big picture I still need to figure out the scenes that will get me from points A to B and so on. In another life pre-kids and pre-writing, I used to have to go to “brainstorming sessions” where no idea is a bad idea and everything gets written down so that’s exactly what I do.

Opening up a new index card for each and every idea, no matter how far-fetched or ridiculous, I record each possible scene or action because you never know if that will then spawn another idea or a new thread to follow. I also get all my back-story ideas out here too, to help get a good feel for the characters or setting before I actually get on with writing.

There may also be times a story just isn’t working or a scene feels flat and lifeless so I can return to my brainstorming cards and see if anything else could fulfil the purpose better. Throughout a project, I may keep dipping into the possible scenes and dragging them into the actual manuscript.

Highlighted in this screenshot as well are the different labels I use, assigning a colour to each one and then having that colour show in the binder – that first column – and the outline.

Third stage: Writing

 

So… here is the start of my story – as shown now the outline mode I mentioned a moment ago – and you can see that I have dragged the storyboard islands A – I into place within the manuscript. One of the many joys of Scrivener is that nothing is set in stone; chapters and scenes can be added with a single click or moved to another point of the story altogether, which is especially useful when those dreaded revisions land in the inbox suggesting restructuring.

I love how visual the outline is when it is colour coded and I can tell at a glance whether a story is balanced. I haven’t expanded Act 2 here because it wouldn’t then fit in the screenshot, but you can see that each Act is separated, each chapter has at least one scene, and I can see the status and current word count for each entry.

Stage four: characters (plus status labels)

A story is obviously all about a particular character or two, with a supporting cast moving through the story with them. This screenshot highlights my characters folder, which is then split into main, major, minor and extras. The character template is one that comes in Scrivener but you can customise this if you wish. Calling it “stage four” is a little misleading though, as this is probably the one area I am adding to at every single stage of writing.

As mentioned before, I like visuals so I often hit the internet and search for inspiration pictures which I can then simply drag into Scrivener. I have been known to split the central window (there is the little button top right) and have the scene I am trying to write on one side and the character visual in the other so I can hopefully bring life to the character description.

Of course the other bonus of filling in character sheets with at least some details, is the improved continuity when you return to a manuscript after a period away, or in my case, when those same characters recur in future books. I hope I’ll never have a situation that a character’s eyes suddenly change colour!

One final thing I’ve highlighted in this screenshot are my status codes – the ones that show on the overview outline – so that I know exactly what I still have left to do and what stage a scene is at.

I’m sure there are many areas I haven’t covered so if you have any questions on my approach to Scrivener, or would like clarification on any of the folders or anything else that I have mentioned, please leave a comment below and I shall do my best to answer.

Thanks so much, Aurelia! 

Aurelia’s New Adult romance Popping The Cherry is out now. For more on Aurelia, check out her blog or Facebook page.

Or, buy Popping The Cherry from Amazon UK, Amazon.com or Carina.  

“ Popping the Cherry is a fantastic New Adult that kept me flipping the pages…[it] stole my heart for Lena and Jake’s hilarious, heart-melting and crazy romance. I highly recommended Popping the Cherry for getting your forever love the first time. “  5 stars - I Heart YA Books

It Always Seems Impossible Until It’s Done

You know I’m fond of a good quote, right?

This one (from Nelson Mandela) has been my mantra over the last three weeks while I’ve been wrestling with draft two of the new book. (Well, this and the ‘why is my brain so stupid?’ mantra, but that one’s less helpful…)

I sent it to my editor yesterday and although I know it’s not ‘done’ yet, another stage has been completed and that’s something.

[Image Credit: Pearls & Lace]

Taking my own advice…

Last week I heard back from my lovely editor re. the first draft of book two. It’s a follow-up to The Language of Spells and I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to match the tone or ‘voice’ of the first book, or that my editor wouldn’t like the central idea or something equally fundamental.

However, all is well. She likes it! Plus, I have a list of excellent editorial comments and suggestions to help me with draft two. Yay!

I decided I ought to take my own advice, so last week I started stage two of the editing process. (Head here to read my piece on it for Novelicious).

This stage involves looking at the big picture and thinking about the major structural, character and story changes.

I printed out the manuscript and armed myself with post-it notes and coloured pens (stationery!) and the obligatory cup of tea. I read through the book and summarised each scene using colour-coded sticky notes for each POV character.

It’s a technique I’ve used before and, my goodness, it’s effective. You can see at a glance whether you’ve got a serious imbalance with your POVs (um, yes) and, with a quick read of your scene summaries, you get a sense of the overall structure and story line. For an outline-free ‘pantser’ like me, it’s essential, and enables me to see plot holes and inaccuracies with painful clarity.

So. Now that I’ve identified the problems, I just have to fix them. Easy. (Yes, that is the sound of nervous laughter you can hear…)

Organising, Planning, Dreaming

As a self-confessed stationery-addict, September means one thing and one thing only… School supplies. Yes, I realise I left school quite some time ago, but my head and my heart still demand new pens and notebooks, diaries and planners, folders and tabbed dividers.

This year, I’m feeling the urge to reorganise my entire system. Why, yes, I am putting off starting a new book… Why d’you ask?

Instead of a separate diary, planner, address book, and a stack of notebooks, I took the notion that I should have a Master Planner (One Planner To Rule Them All). This madness started when I did a piece on personal organisers for Novelicious and spent some time on the Erin Condren website. Sigh. The pretty.

However, at around £60 (half of which was shipping) I reluctantly decided an Erin Condren was not for me… But by then I was mired in research mode (I research everything I buy to a ridiculous extent. It’s another of my… Lunacies. Adorable quirks.)

My research led me to the breathtaking organisational skills of  A Bowl Full of Lemons and the impressively comprehensive planner-review site Plannerisms.

Eventually, after a few hours spent stalking Martha Stewart stationery on the Staples website, I realised that a personal organiser was the way to go. That way I could develop my own system over time and add the inserts (homemade or otherwise) that suited me best. Yes, dear reader, I needed a Filofax.

Next the question of which one. The Malden, in scrummy aqua leather, was out on account of my inability to spend over £100 on a diary cover.

Instead I settled on the Filofax Domino. It’s A5 in size, opens flat and (crucially) was on sale at WHSmiths for £22.50.

It’s red, which wouldn’t be my first choice of colour, but I like the design (it reminds me of a nice Italian notebook).

I’ll post pictures of the Master Planner once it’s arrived and been customised.

I’m hoping that this all-in-one system will help me to be more organised and to feel in control of the various areas of my life, freeing up head-space for more writing and dreaming… But if it doesn’t, I will have appeased the Stationery Gods for another September.

Pretty things: Beastie Brooches

A couple of weeks ago I had a lovely day in Edinburgh with my Mum. We saw Marcus Brigstocke at the Fringe and Neil Gaiman at the Book Festival, and had a wander around the West End Craft Fair.

This brilliant craft market runs every August and is well worth a visit. Mum and I have been many times before so there were plenty of our old favourites to see plus, as always, something new to fall in love with. This year, my heart was swayed by Linda Lovatt’s Beastie Brooches.

Linda mixes copper (with a verdigris finish) with broken china, buttons and beads to create quirky pieces like this ‘Love Birds on a Cup Handle‘.

And ‘Listening to the Nightingale‘:

She also makes ornamental assemblages which are a wee bit bigger and more complex. I’m thinking about treating myself to one when I get my first royalty cheque!

Jennifer Wilde by Karen Mahoney and Stephen Downey

I’ve been meaning to read more in the way of comics/graphic novels for a wee while. Partly because I’m aware that there is a truck load of story-telling talent in this area, and partly because my daughter loved Anya’s Ghost and I’m on the look out for stuff to recommend to her…

So, when YA author Karen Mahoney mentioned on her blog that she’d written her first comic and that it featured the ghost of Oscar Wilde, I was keen.

Here’s a little bit about the series protagonist, Jennifer Wilde (taken from Kaz’s blog):

Jennifer is actually called Jennifer Chevalier. She is a young French artist, based in Paris in the 1920s. She also has an affinity for the spirit world (including the ability to see and speak to ghosts), although to begin with she’s more interested in pursuing her talent for painting.

Look what arrived this morning… Intriguing!

Kaz has even signed it for me. Squee!! Thanks, Kaz!!