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Helpful techniques for an author
message 201:
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Jane
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Aug 20, 2016 09:36AM
Me too. But I use Pages.
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Does anyone use Buffer or Hootesuite? I started using Buffer for scheduling my posts. I'm going to be doing it a lot more once I get the hang of it more.
I use Jutoh for all my writings. It is pretty great. When you feel like not doing anything, you get the TTS functions within Jutoh to read your work back to you. It helps too when you are proof reading your work. With that, writer's block should by 0%. You can get Jutoh from Jutoh.com. I use it and it is very good to help authors feel good.
thanks for the signpost to jutoh. Does it do voice to word?
Yes. It does. It can read back your book / proof read your book your self. You can also convert the final book to audio from within Jutoh. You can use Microsoft SAPI voice. David Desktop voice is very good. The beauty of Jotoh for authors is that when you relax and the computer reads your work back to you, you can easily see where improvements are needed.
When my editor could not have the time to help, Jutoh TTS took over. I was able to use it to read the 8 Volumes of my series to myself while I keep improving them. Simply get a trial copy from Jutoh.com. If you need further help, you can contact me on saddeh@deprovent,com
Sorry. No voice to text. if that is what you mean. It does text to words.
For Voice to text, use, Dragon naturally Speaking from Nuance. This is a good product as well. You will like it too.
E.A. wrote: "I type very fast but found that when I use my key board to write, I lose my creativity as I focus on analytical stuff (spelling, grammar, etc.) and the creative nature and flow get pushed back. Als..."I noticed, too, that when I'm scribbling in a notebook, the ideas come more easily and I'm not as obsessed with the exact words (which tend to go through several revisions anyway). I don't know if I'd have the patience, long-term, to write the entire first draft in long-hand, but I found it helped when I printed out the draft, at different stages, and made edits in the margins. Sometimes I'd fill whole new pages. I may not have used everything in the revisions but I found the approach really helped switch me to "editor" mode.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned here that I think would help new authors is that when I first started to establish my "author voice", I was so afraid I'd lose it that I stopped reading other people's work. I'm a slow writer, so that meant going for a long time without doing the thing I loved: reading. For one thing, it made me miserable. For another, I was tying myself up in knots trying to stay within these boundaries I'd created, and that showed in my writing. The minute I broke my rule and started reading again, it was not only liberating, but it helped improve my confidence in my own work.
Anita
Anita, Thank you for your comment. I've wanted to ask if others scribble scenes or chapters on paper like I do,. I think it's because I began writing before the personal computer age and feel the ideas flow better when I'm writing pen to paper. At times I feel my writing is stilted when I'm forcing a scene into the computer. I have to push the computer aside and grab a notebook and pen, then I feel much more comfortable your method. Thanks for sharing, Sue
Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "Anita, Thank you for your comment. I've wanted to ask if others scribble scenes or chapters on paper like I do,. I think it's because I began writing before the personal computer age and feel the i..."Funny you should use that word, Sue: "stilted" was exactly how I felt my own writing was feeling until I pushed the computer away.
Sam wrote: "Yes. It does. It can read back your book / proof read your book your self. You can also convert the final book to audio from within Jutoh. You can use Microsoft SAPI voice. David Desktop voice is v..."sorry, just seeing this. thank you
Anita, I wrote two romance novels on paper, one 80,000 words and one 110,000 words. I wrote every day then typed each chapter into the computer. I printed them, made notes in the margins like you and added a sheet of paper if needed like you. Everybody's different. Due to writer's cramp (early arthritis) do I admire those who can type a novel only using the computer. : )
I still remember when I had to type everything on paper, and if you did revisions you usually had to retype the whole chapter. I'm happy now to use a computer for my drafts all the way up to the finished product, and I haven't used a single sheet of typing paper since.
Hi Ken,LOL! That's how I wrote short stories. Yup, I remember correction ribbons on typewriters. White-out didn't work.
Oh, my Dad lives in GA, somewhere near Bloomfield? What do you call a male peach? : )
Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "Hi Ken,
LOL! That's how I wrote short stories. Yup, I remember correction ribbons on typewriters. White-out didn't work.
Oh, my Dad lives in GA, somewhere near Bloomfield? What do you call a male p..."
You could get typewriter ribbons that had corrective strips on them and they worked pretty well.
I don't know about male peaches; I always hated that Georgia was called the Peach State and they named everything Peach-this and Peach-that. You can get lost in Atlanta on Peachtree Street. I always thought there were more pecans here than peaches anyway. I love pecans.
LOL! That's how I wrote short stories. Yup, I remember correction ribbons on typewriters. White-out didn't work.
Oh, my Dad lives in GA, somewhere near Bloomfield? What do you call a male p..."
You could get typewriter ribbons that had corrective strips on them and they worked pretty well.
I don't know about male peaches; I always hated that Georgia was called the Peach State and they named everything Peach-this and Peach-that. You can get lost in Atlanta on Peachtree Street. I always thought there were more pecans here than peaches anyway. I love pecans.
Hi Ken,Huh, I never saw that. I only saw the ribbon that had one black strip and the other red.
I love Pecan pie. I'll have to call my Dad a pecan and ask him to send me some. : )
Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "Anita, Thank you for your comment. I've wanted to ask if others scribble scenes or chapters on paper like I do,. I think it's because I began writing before the personal computer age and feel the i..."Great sharing information. Thank you. I think better typing, but in the beginning stages of my book, I have it brewing in my mind all the time and write all of my thoughts and facts on paper and stash them away, but read them over each day. But the time I'm ready to type, I probably have about five to seven chapters. So scribbling on paper helps me as well.
Gippy, Wow, I'll say that's quite a good start! : )
My first book I researched and wrote over a ten year period. I started with a manual typewriter, then an electric one. Next was an electronic stand alone word processor that cost 50 cents a page to print in high quality. I started to omit the ink cartridge and rigged up a paper towel holder above my desk feeding fax paper through it. Every day I wrote one scroll (they all started to fade badly after a few years) It finally broke down. Then I shifted to a computer and my receptionist transcribed the final fax paper scrolls in her spare time to a Word document which I could edit. I took her on a $1,000 shopping spree as a reward, I was so relieved to finally have it done. It was published at Oxford a year later and I got ten copies.
I write straight onto computer and have done ever since my first Amstrad. I can get my initial ideas down much faster on a computer, then it's easy to go back and revise afterwards. It's no use me writing on paper as I can't get my thoughts down fast enough and my writing comes out as a scribble that I can't even read myself! I do have a notebook though, where I jot down odd thoughts and ideas, such as names of characters and locations or themes I want to bring in.
Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "Hi Ken,
Huh, I never saw that. I only saw the ribbon that had one black strip and the other red."
It was an option on just one type of ribbon, called carbon film I believe. Something like that. You shifted to it as you did with the red/black ribbon, typed over the error, and it would literally lift the ink off the paper. They were a little more expensive, though, as I recall. Carbon film was a one-time use ribbon. The ink didn't fade with use, as with a regular ribbon, it disappeared, leaving a gap in the inked part of the ribbon in the shape of the letter typed.
Ah, yes, here it is: http://www.ldproducts.com/brother-brt...
Huh, I never saw that. I only saw the ribbon that had one black strip and the other red."
It was an option on just one type of ribbon, called carbon film I believe. Something like that. You shifted to it as you did with the red/black ribbon, typed over the error, and it would literally lift the ink off the paper. They were a little more expensive, though, as I recall. Carbon film was a one-time use ribbon. The ink didn't fade with use, as with a regular ribbon, it disappeared, leaving a gap in the inked part of the ribbon in the shape of the letter typed.
Ah, yes, here it is: http://www.ldproducts.com/brother-brt...
Ken wrote: "Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "Hi Ken,Huh, I never saw that. I only saw the ribbon that had one black strip and the other red."
It was an option on just one type of ribbon, called carbon film I believe. S..."
My dad got me that kind of typewriter when I first showed an interest in writing. Best gift I ever got. :)
I don't know if you'd consider it a "technique" as such, but one piece of advice I'd give new authors, besides applying your backside to a seat every day and forcing yourself to write, is to not lock yourself away for the duration. Build relationships with other writers and stay in touch with people you know in the field. Because once your book is done, your family and friends may pat you on the back but they won't know the first thing about writing an agent query or whether your synopsis is hitting all the right notes for your audience. Don't just read forums (as many I'm sure are doing now) —-take part, maybe find a writing pal, and bounce ideas off each other. I know it's hard. If you're a solitary person by nature, like me, you won't want to do it. But trust me, it's a lot less frustrating in the long run to start taking baby steps now.
I got two pieces of advice for being a writer I consider the best:Keep your day job.
Grow a leather skin. (resistant to criticism)
I like Google Drive. I also have Dropbox, but I like Google a little more just because I prefer the interface and it has better tools for collaboration. Both are free and both will sync to multiple computers. If you use either one, there is no need to send emails to yourself because the information is stored in the cloud and can be accessed from any computer with internet access as long as you have your login and password info. I occasionally collaborate for some nonfiction (academic journal) work, and Google also has great tools for collaborating, as edits can be made while you're conversing via phone or video conference with your collaborator(s) in real time.As far as saving progress, I also save new, date-titled versions each time I make significant edits to a document. I keep the old versions in an "Old Edits" folder within my master project folder.
It's great to read some of the tips and workflow suggestions folks have posted here. Thanks for sharing!
re: Anita's comment about writing/keyboarding.Natalie Goldberg claims in "Writing down the Bones" that actual hand-on-paper-contact improves creativity and frees up the writer.
My handwriting is illegible even to me so I have to print and that is so slow that I use the keyboard. I believe that the speed with which I type lets out the words and once the words are down on the page/screen, I can deal with them.
David Allen wrote: "re: Anita's comment about writing/keyboarding.Natalie Goldberg claims in "Writing down the Bones" that actual hand-on-paper-contact improves creativity and frees up the writer.
My handwriting is..."
I think there's some truth in "no pain, no gain". We went from handwriting to big, clunky typewriters, to word processors, to chunky computer keyboards, to the streamlined keyboards most of us use today. I remember a writer friend of mine saying to me, "How do you write on that Mac? The keyboard gives you no feedback at all."
David Allen, Are you sure you weren't meant to be a doctor with that handwriting?: D
Ken & Anita, We must be close in age because that's the same path I took to putting words on paper. However, I'm always one step behind in technology. I was the last person I know to own a microwave oven. : )
Sue (Dog Mom) wrote: "David Allen, Are you sure you weren't meant to be a doctor with that handwriting?
: D
Ken & Anita, We must be close in age because that's the same path I took to putting words on paper. However, ..."
Hah! I remember a time before 8-tracks and VCRs, a time even before stereo. Vaguely remember a time before viable commercial TV.
: D
Ken & Anita, We must be close in age because that's the same path I took to putting words on paper. However, ..."
Hah! I remember a time before 8-tracks and VCRs, a time even before stereo. Vaguely remember a time before viable commercial TV.
working off a draft file is good.currently I am writing historic fiction,and often write the same scene several times, with different endings, each book I write has several working files attached,all are moved to deep storage in usbs after publication.I find it a useful way to move in character development.
Ken, I started out with a record player, records, and albums. You know you're old when you talk to someone who doesn't know what a 45 record is. : )I found that out years ago mentioning them to my niece. She had no clue. Ouch!
Not just 45s, but scratchy old 78s.
Wow, Ken! The true classics!!Twenty years ago I bought a mini tape recorder so I could dictate my book while driving, as it's not good to be blowing down the highway while scribbling on a notepad. I didn't use it as much as I thought I would. I feel more creative with a pen in my hand.
I still love jotting down notes with good ole paper and pen.
Well, I know right now doing some edits I'm noticing there's the issue of timeline inconsistency. So I think charting and mapping out every single day of your novel from beginning to end is a good idea. My novel takes place in 2011, so I've made the painstaking effort of finding a 2011 calendar and back dating things. Also taking note of past and future events, ages of characters, birth dates. It is extremely important to get these timeline facts straight because this is the kind of stuff readers knit-pick later. It might also cause problems for you later if you write sequels.
ALSO, THIS TOOL WAS A GODSEND.
https://www.timeanddate.com/date/dura...
You know those moments where you want to know the exact timeframe between several events? That tool is the solution to all your problems. It also includes useful calculation tools, world clocks, travel times, holidays etc.
Am I allowed to post links? I'm not sure. But I wanted to share that because I just made use of it and it saved me a lot of time and effort.
Mod
Your copyeditor will thank you for being aware and taking the time to be consistent and diligent about times, dates, and sequences.
My book (the first in a series) is set in WW2. I use 'The Chronicle of WW2' for dates/events etc. I find this essential to provide me with an accurate overview of actual events so I can be more historically accurate.This & the fact that book two follows on from where the last one left off means I have to be spot on with dates etc.
Ironically, my new release takes place in 2011, and though I don't state this outright, I painstakingly looked up the local weather conditions to chart the progression of the story from autumn to winter.
Eva wrote: "Ironically, my new release takes place in 2011, and though I don't state this outright, I painstakingly looked up the local weather conditions to chart the progression of the story from autumn to w..."I think that getting detail correct is an intrinsic part of the process. I generalise about weather conditions but anyone looking up details of events will find them correct - as are all procedures/weapons even unarmed combat moves.
I'm so amazed and delighted that our processes are as diverse as our writing. This thread has been a lot of fun to read!
Morris wrote: "I hope to open up and do a sort of exchange of helpful ideas different authors use in editing or writing. I open up with this one...On whatever book I am working on, I save today's changes under ..."
I never thought of doing this! I lost a manuscript that I was 56,000 words in last year when my hard drive crashed. I naively thought I could recover it. This definitely seems like a great idea.
Interesting stuff! Personally, I LOVE writing on a PC, and being able to edit and re-edit and re-re-edit on the fly. By the time anyone ever reads my stuff, it has been massively re-drafted several times - even if it's a first draft! But I did used to love writing on paper too, back in the day...
Sue (Rescue Dog Mom) wrote: "Ken, I started out with a record player, records, and albums. You know you're old when you talk to someone who doesn't know what a 45 record is. : )I found that out years ago mentioning them to my..."
Sue, I just found out recently that we had no television when I was born--only a radio!!! Didn't think I was that old. lol
Gippy wrote: "Sue, I just found out recently that we had no television when I was born--only a radio!!! Didn't think I was that old. lol ..."
TV was actually available by 1935, and it was on display at the 1939 World's Fair. WWII put a hold on it (TV manufacturers produced radar screens for the military), and then became commercially viable as we know it today by about 1948. We got a TV at about that time, when I was 2 or 3 years old.
TV was actually available by 1935, and it was on display at the 1939 World's Fair. WWII put a hold on it (TV manufacturers produced radar screens for the military), and then became commercially viable as we know it today by about 1948. We got a TV at about that time, when I was 2 or 3 years old.
Donte wrote: I lost a manuscript that I was 56,000 words in last year when my hard drive crashed. I naively thought I could recover it. This definitely seems like a great idea. One of the many reasons why I love scrivener - it auto-saves every time you stop typing. Literally every time you stop for a second or two. And I keep my file in a dropbox so I can't ever lose it because OMG that would be so heartbreaking.
Micah wrote: "One thing I would like to sort out, though, is some way to store, organize, and access data about specific writing projects.Like ideas and info on world creation. I have two separate worlds that ..."
Try Scrivener. You can nest multiple files, add, subtract and rearrange to your heart's content. I use it to hold research along with ideas and other things. I just make a new project and add to it as I need to. I don't write in it as I found that when I collated it, it was a mess. (I need to learn how to do that easily) What I have discovered is that it is really good for organizing my files for writing.
Organization is truly a writers best friend, lover, mother, bedfellow, doctor....um special buddy. I fought it for years but as I work on more and more projects I've realized that the reason I never finish so many stories is I never put in the effort to organize them enough for me to keep building on what I've done. All the tips here have been very helpful...and I've learned the hardway the importance of backups. I save to a hard drive, my computer, the cloud, I email a copy to all my counts.
Donte wrote:On whatever book I am working on, I save today's..."
Sorry to hear about your hard drive crash! I use thumb drives for backup, usually. Did you ever try hooking up an adapter and trying to copy the files from the old hard drive that way? I hope you can recover the files, eventually. There are also people who will do data recovery in situations like this, if it's worth it to you.
Mod
In the above book link I used 7 parts to divide the book up into different time periods however I don't think this will work for the book in question."
I understand you want to talk about your book, but you have to find and post in the appropriate places. Bookwhack deleted
Sorry Riley. I am not sure I understand what a book whack is. I read the rules before submitting the post and did not see anything I was out of line with.
Support for Indie Authors
Books mentioned in this topic
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Volume 1 of 2 (other topics)The Silkworm (other topics)
The Cuckoo's Calling (other topics)
