Veronica Bane's Blog - Posts Tagged "advice"
August goals/fitting writing into busy schedules.
What a month! August is more than halfway over, and I still haven't drafted up my goals. I swear that they've been in my head, but I just haven't put them up yet. So, without further ado, here they are.
August Goals
1. Finish 35,000+ words of current project by writing 8,000 words a week.
2. Read (at least) five new novels.
3. Reread summer favorites (entire Harry Potter series (halfway done!), To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) before Labor Day.
4. Submit personal essays for publication.
5. Launch website by the end of August.
6. Finish editing project by the end of August (if possible).
7. Try and use some of the group fitness deals before they expire!
In addition to my goals, I also wanted to write on fitting writing into busy schedules. My job started back up again on August 5, and it's definitely been a balancing act to accomplish everything that I want to get done. I don't want to sacrifice the job that I'm passionate about or the writing that I'm passionate about, and I really do believe that both can be done. It all comes down to planning. Here's my advice for getting it done!
Set a schedule and stick to it.
Figure out how many words, pages, chapters, etc. that you want to accomplish in a day or week and get it done. You may need to wake up early to write or you may need to set aside some time after you get home. Pencil it in your day planner or set an alarm on your phone. Make it a priority!
Don't wait for inspiration. Just write.
If you're going to be a professional writer, then you must give up this fantasy of writing only when the magic strikes. You must write consistently to get better. It's a fact of the business.
Get your friends and family on board.
It can be hard for friends and family to understand that writing is just as valuable to you as your day job. When you get home, they may want to do dinner, see a movie, etc. But it is very important that you set boundaries for your writing and protect those boundaries. If you have writing scheduled, let them know of another time when you would be able to hang out. Don't give up writing time if possible. If you don't see your writing as a priority, no one else will.
Outline!
A well-structured outline can save you a lot of time. Pick a point in the outline to write to, and you'll have a clear path to follow. Obviously, deviate from it as necessary, but use it to guide your writing as needed.
Carry a notebook.
Bring a notebook at all times. Use it to jot down ideas while waiting for copies or during your lunch break. Be ready for inspiration throughout the day!
Stay healthy.
Eat well, exercise, meditate, or do whatever else to keep your mind and body healthy. Being a writer will be a much easier task if the rest of your life is balanced.
Read.
You must read as a writer. This is the other necessary part of your practice, and it cannot be sacrificed. A steady flow of reading material will elevate your writing and keep you informed. I suggest bringing a book or Kindle in your bag or car to help with this.
Thanks everyone! I'm running off to follow my own advice and grab a cup of green tea and a book on my lunch break. Happy Monday!
August Goals
1. Finish 35,000+ words of current project by writing 8,000 words a week.
2. Read (at least) five new novels.
3. Reread summer favorites (entire Harry Potter series (halfway done!), To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) before Labor Day.
4. Submit personal essays for publication.
5. Launch website by the end of August.
6. Finish editing project by the end of August (if possible).
7. Try and use some of the group fitness deals before they expire!
In addition to my goals, I also wanted to write on fitting writing into busy schedules. My job started back up again on August 5, and it's definitely been a balancing act to accomplish everything that I want to get done. I don't want to sacrifice the job that I'm passionate about or the writing that I'm passionate about, and I really do believe that both can be done. It all comes down to planning. Here's my advice for getting it done!
Set a schedule and stick to it.
Figure out how many words, pages, chapters, etc. that you want to accomplish in a day or week and get it done. You may need to wake up early to write or you may need to set aside some time after you get home. Pencil it in your day planner or set an alarm on your phone. Make it a priority!
Don't wait for inspiration. Just write.
If you're going to be a professional writer, then you must give up this fantasy of writing only when the magic strikes. You must write consistently to get better. It's a fact of the business.
Get your friends and family on board.
It can be hard for friends and family to understand that writing is just as valuable to you as your day job. When you get home, they may want to do dinner, see a movie, etc. But it is very important that you set boundaries for your writing and protect those boundaries. If you have writing scheduled, let them know of another time when you would be able to hang out. Don't give up writing time if possible. If you don't see your writing as a priority, no one else will.
Outline!
A well-structured outline can save you a lot of time. Pick a point in the outline to write to, and you'll have a clear path to follow. Obviously, deviate from it as necessary, but use it to guide your writing as needed.
Carry a notebook.
Bring a notebook at all times. Use it to jot down ideas while waiting for copies or during your lunch break. Be ready for inspiration throughout the day!
Stay healthy.
Eat well, exercise, meditate, or do whatever else to keep your mind and body healthy. Being a writer will be a much easier task if the rest of your life is balanced.
Read.
You must read as a writer. This is the other necessary part of your practice, and it cannot be sacrificed. A steady flow of reading material will elevate your writing and keep you informed. I suggest bringing a book or Kindle in your bag or car to help with this.
Thanks everyone! I'm running off to follow my own advice and grab a cup of green tea and a book on my lunch break. Happy Monday!
What is the author's role in the 21st century?
I was just lucky enough to participate in a panel for the Big Orange Book Festival, and the topic of conversation was the role of the author in the 21st century. We covered social media, marketing, editors, and more. It was a wonderful dialogue and I wanted to highlight some of the conversation here.
Are authors expected to be accessible to fans? Is that good or bad?
If you choose to isolate yourself from your fans, you're missing an opportunity. This may or may not be a problem for you. Personally, I love dialoguing with readers on Twitter and Goodreads. I'm a nerd at heart, so talking about reading is always fun for me.
How can you improve your social media presence?
Make sure that the conversation isn't one-sided. If every Tweet or post is asking people to buy your book, then you aren't having a true dialogue with followers or readers. Retweet, reblog, respond. If a blogger is kind enough to review your book, promote their stuff! Also, don't do this just to get traffic for your book. Do it because you legitimately want to be part of the community.
How important are editors to the process?
I heard horror stories about editors before I started, but my editor is absolutely amazing. She made my book better than I ever could have if I was working alone.
Want to know more? Tweet your questions with #authorsrole and I'll respond to my favorites!
Are authors expected to be accessible to fans? Is that good or bad?
If you choose to isolate yourself from your fans, you're missing an opportunity. This may or may not be a problem for you. Personally, I love dialoguing with readers on Twitter and Goodreads. I'm a nerd at heart, so talking about reading is always fun for me.
How can you improve your social media presence?
Make sure that the conversation isn't one-sided. If every Tweet or post is asking people to buy your book, then you aren't having a true dialogue with followers or readers. Retweet, reblog, respond. If a blogger is kind enough to review your book, promote their stuff! Also, don't do this just to get traffic for your book. Do it because you legitimately want to be part of the community.
How important are editors to the process?
I heard horror stories about editors before I started, but my editor is absolutely amazing. She made my book better than I ever could have if I was working alone.
Want to know more? Tweet your questions with #authorsrole and I'll respond to my favorites!
November goals and writing from life.
Hello all! I feel like it has been forever since I last checked in. October really was a blur. I'm excited for November to be a bit calmer so that I can generate more material, do more reading, and do more living.
November Goals
1. Finish current WIP by November 10.
2. Read (at least) five new novels.
3. Get started on holiday shopping early.
4. Finish knitting a scarf.
5. Start work on new piece and write at least 10,000 words by the end of November.
6. Enjoy the time I get to spend with my family and friends. I want to treasure the moments I'm given.
I want to talk a bit more about that last goal. As writers, we're often encouraged to lock ourselves away, to guard our work, and to shun companionship. Someone recently joked to me on Twitter because I call myself "the happy writer" in my bio. This person said, "A happy writer? You're not tortured? You sure you're doing it right?" I'm fully aware that it was light-hearted, but it got me thinking about why we have this view of writers as isolated and depressed.
In order to write, you need to live. You need to go walk through the city to see how the lights look when they're dying, you need to taste the different spices in a dish, you need to feel how the leaves this time of year crackle beneath your fingertips. How can you write about life if you don't go experience it? Characters need memories, and these memories should be vivid. You cannot know everything; science fiction writers have often written about planets they have never seen with great detail. But the details you can pull from this life can serve you well: pay attention the next time it rains and see how the water traverses your skin, and when you write about the rain on your made-up planet, use those details to guide you.
Of course, some experiences we go through are tragic and terrible. Some writers have been haunted by these, and their ability to so accurately recount these memories makes the moments visceral for their readers. Some have lived "tortured" lives. But there are many other writers who are so adept at capturing moments that they can take a small tragedy in their own life and use it to inform the greater tragedies that they write for their characters. I wrote my response on Twitter: "My characters are tortured, but I don't need to be."
No matter whether you're writing sad stories or happy stories or the stuff in-between, research can take you only so far. There must be life in you for there to be life in your writing. So, for this November, I will be writing down the sights, tastes, smells, and more that I notice during family dinners (awkward or otherwise), late night walks, and more. I'll bring some back to you all, and I hope you'll report back, too.
Until next time,
V
November Goals
1. Finish current WIP by November 10.
2. Read (at least) five new novels.
3. Get started on holiday shopping early.
4. Finish knitting a scarf.
5. Start work on new piece and write at least 10,000 words by the end of November.
6. Enjoy the time I get to spend with my family and friends. I want to treasure the moments I'm given.
I want to talk a bit more about that last goal. As writers, we're often encouraged to lock ourselves away, to guard our work, and to shun companionship. Someone recently joked to me on Twitter because I call myself "the happy writer" in my bio. This person said, "A happy writer? You're not tortured? You sure you're doing it right?" I'm fully aware that it was light-hearted, but it got me thinking about why we have this view of writers as isolated and depressed.
In order to write, you need to live. You need to go walk through the city to see how the lights look when they're dying, you need to taste the different spices in a dish, you need to feel how the leaves this time of year crackle beneath your fingertips. How can you write about life if you don't go experience it? Characters need memories, and these memories should be vivid. You cannot know everything; science fiction writers have often written about planets they have never seen with great detail. But the details you can pull from this life can serve you well: pay attention the next time it rains and see how the water traverses your skin, and when you write about the rain on your made-up planet, use those details to guide you.
Of course, some experiences we go through are tragic and terrible. Some writers have been haunted by these, and their ability to so accurately recount these memories makes the moments visceral for their readers. Some have lived "tortured" lives. But there are many other writers who are so adept at capturing moments that they can take a small tragedy in their own life and use it to inform the greater tragedies that they write for their characters. I wrote my response on Twitter: "My characters are tortured, but I don't need to be."
No matter whether you're writing sad stories or happy stories or the stuff in-between, research can take you only so far. There must be life in you for there to be life in your writing. So, for this November, I will be writing down the sights, tastes, smells, and more that I notice during family dinners (awkward or otherwise), late night walks, and more. I'll bring some back to you all, and I hope you'll report back, too.
Until next time,
V
These myths about writer's block are holding you back.
People talk a lot about this mysterious affliction that many writers “suffer” from. I’m not kidding. This thing has been called a “condition” and it’s apparently quite contagious. If you look it up on Wikipedia (never to be trusted completely), you’ll find what appears to be a WebMD type posting about it.
Seriously, have a look at Wikipedia’s definition of writer’s block here: “Writer’s block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.” Doesn’t that sound positively scientific? And horrifying?
But I’m here to tell you that, whatever you have been told, writer’s block as we know it simply doesn’t exist.
Why? Because, as a professional writer, you cannot allow it to exist. You do not magically “lose the ability to produce new work” as a writer because you do not have the luxury of being blocked from writing. You must produce writing because that is your livelihood, and rarely do we apply the idea of this “block” to any other profession. I’m not talking about a sick day here. I’m talking about the days, weeks, and months that writers blame on “writer’s block.” That just would not fly in any other profession.
So what’s the problem? The problem is that writers have been told these myths about writer’s block, but they haven’t been told what’s actually going on.
To see the entire post, check it out at www.veronicabane.com.
Seriously, have a look at Wikipedia’s definition of writer’s block here: “Writer’s block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.” Doesn’t that sound positively scientific? And horrifying?
But I’m here to tell you that, whatever you have been told, writer’s block as we know it simply doesn’t exist.
Why? Because, as a professional writer, you cannot allow it to exist. You do not magically “lose the ability to produce new work” as a writer because you do not have the luxury of being blocked from writing. You must produce writing because that is your livelihood, and rarely do we apply the idea of this “block” to any other profession. I’m not talking about a sick day here. I’m talking about the days, weeks, and months that writers blame on “writer’s block.” That just would not fly in any other profession.
So what’s the problem? The problem is that writers have been told these myths about writer’s block, but they haven’t been told what’s actually going on.
To see the entire post, check it out at www.veronicabane.com.
