I absolutely love first drafts. They’re my favourite part of the whole writing process. I love exploring a story for the very first time, getting to know new characters and discovering unexpected surprises throughout the book. But first drafts are hard. I don’t know about you, but most of my time is spent sitting there, staring at the blinking cursor, trying to think of the right words to fill that blank page. It’s difficult. No wonder writer’s block strikes so often.

For the past 3-4 months or so, I’ve been solidly editing. It’s been quite a while since I wrote anything brand new. But now it’s November, and it’s NaNoWriMo, and I’m just starting my novel for the month. And it’s hard. Writing a first draft is so different to rearranging words and events in editing, or polishing prose. I’m having to start again with nothing.

And I think that’s the problem.

When we write a first draft, we’re starting with nothing more than an idea, or maybe an outline, and nothing more than that. When you edit, you’ve got something to work with, no matter how bad. It certainly has its own set of challenges and problems, but at least you have something to base your writing on. It’s not a blank page. You’re not having to create characters, plots, whole worlds out of your own head.

You’ve got so much freedom when you’re drafting, but it’s almost too much freedom. Literally anything could happen and that can be paralysing. How are you supposed to pick the right choice out of an infinite number of options? How can you tell if it’s the right thing to do or not? No wonder the blank page is such a terrifying place. It’s full of potential. Cram packed full and running over with so much potential it’s frightening.

Because the book in your head is so bright and shiny and perfect. It has the potential to be the best book ever written. Every book does. And even though we don’t mean to, sometimes we subconsciously pressure ourselves to capture that perfectness first time around. When you sit down to write a first draft, that book is still perfect. It hasn’t been tarnished by clumsy phrasing, cliché plots, or flat characters. It’s got unlimited potential. And the need to get it right first time round can be crippling. Because it’s amazing, it’s gripping, it’s right there and if you could just find the right words to capture it, this story would touch the hearts of every reader.

Stop. Breathe.

No first draft is ever going to be perfect. That shimmering, perfect book you’ve got in your mind? That is the product of hundreds of hours of blood sweat and tears, thousands of hours of writing and rewriting and polishing until every phrase sings. Nothing that beautiful is ever come by easily or quickly. To reach that end point, that perfect book, you first have to start with your lump of raw material. A page full of wrong words that you polish and change until they’re right. How can something perfect come from nothing at all?

But that’s what writing is, a foray into the unknown. A thousand wrong paths taken in search of one right one. It can seem to take forever. It can be frustrating. But at the end, that’s your book, the shining, brilliant, beautiful thing. And every step you take, every wrong turn is one closer to getting it right. But first you need your clay, your pile of wrong words and missteps. So put down that bad first draft. That’s the real first step towards your perfect book.

With NaNoWriMo coming up in a bit over a week, I feel it’s time again to talk NaNo strategy. NaNo is a behemoth of an event, and it really pays to go into it with a game plan. It’s especially important if, like me, you’re going to be a busy writer this November. So here is my guide to setting yourself up for a successful NaNoWriMo. If you have any other tips, add them in the comments!

Know when you’re going to write

For me, I write for an hour before breakfast. It’s a new addition to my writing schedule, and it allows me at least one hour I’m certain to have for writing. Knowing ahead of time when you’re going to write makes it easier to actually achieve writing in your day. If you wait for time to appear, it’s easy to keep putting it off and putting it off and never actually write anything.

Know what you’re going to write

Know before you start what you’re going to write. You don’t necessarily have to have a point by point outline of your whole novel. Just try to have an idea of what your story is about. Where is it going? Who is it about? What do you love about this idea? Are there certain scenes, moments, or bits of dialogue that you want to work in? It’s easier to write if you’re not jumping in completely blind.

If you have an opportunity to get ahead, take it

Never pass up an opportunity to get ahead, especially in the first part of the month. If you can write more than the average, do it. When you reach the middle of the month and you’re feeling burnt out or things outside of writing are piling up, having a buffer will take some of the stress out of those days, allowing you a break without getting behind.

Stick to your own plan

Everyone writes at different speeds. Some people write nonstop for the first week and finish before the month’s half over. Some people aim to write hundreds of thousands of extra words. Some people focus on making it to 50k. Whatever kind of speed you write at or goal you have, stick to it. Don’t feel pressured to keep up with other people. Nothing matters in NaNoWriMo except what you yourself are doing.

Write down ideas as they come

If an idea comes to you when you’re not working on your book, write it down. Use your phone, the back of a receipt, a note pad, anything you have to hand. But write down all the ideas that come to you. Then, when you’re tired or the inspiration has stopped flowing, you’ll have a source of ideas to sift through and add to your story, making those difficult days a little easier on yourself.

Be around awesome people like yourself

Buddy up with some motivated, productive people on the NaNoWriMo website, tap into the writing community on Twitter, or build your own little circle of writing friends. Being around people who are actively working towards their goals is one of the best ways to motivate yourself to write. Even when you don’t feel like writing, seeing someone else’s writing update can be the push you need to type a few words. Plus writers are the best at offering advice, support, or encouragement when you need it most.

 Celebrate your victories

Celebrate your victories and take the time to feel good about your accomplishments. Brag on Twitter about a great writing day. Reward yourself with cake when you hit a milestone. Find some way to celebrate your amazing victories. NaNoWriMo is supposed to be fun. So find little ways to keep the fun in your writing.

And most of all, don’t stress. Enjoy yourself! You’ve got this. Whatever happens, you are amazing for setting out on this journey.

Want to join up with a fellow NaNoer? I’d love to connect with you! You could:

Buddy me on the NaNoWriMo website

Or

Follow me on Twitter

Or

Follow my profile on MyWriteClub

Let me know your username down below so I can follow you too! Let's smash this NaNoWriMo together!

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot on the subject of growing as a writer. Mostly prompted by some excellent books on writing that I’ve been reading. There’s such a lot that we writers could be doing to get better at our craft. Everything from taking classes and going to conferences to buying and devouring as many writing craft books as possible. And while these are all great ways to grow as a writer, there are some more basic things we can do for no cost at all that can help you become a better writer. In no particular order, here is my list of suggestions.

Fail a Lot

Failure is just a part of writing. Every writer has to accept that. But to never fail is to never try. If you try, you’re going to fail a whole bunch of times before you succeed. But every failure teaches you a little more about writing, what works, what does, what suits you, and what you should leave to other writers. Failing is disheartening. But also a necessary part of growing as a writer. If you’re not failing, you’re sitting square in the middle of your comfort zone. And no one learns anything when they don’t try new things. The more you fail, the better you get. So don’t be afraid to fail. Learn from it, and try again.

Finish Things

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when writing, working on the same project for months, years. Without diversity in what you’re writing, you’re not learning on growing. At some point, enough has to be enough. Finish things. Start new projects. You learn more by writing and finishing a variety of works than by spending years painstakingly perfecting a single novel. Finish and move on. Finishing projects and starting new ones pushes you, stretches your capabilities, and forces you to grow and learn as a writer.

Write What You Love

Too often writers don’t write the ideas that they’re really interested in because they might not sell, or people might think they’re weird. Don’t be afraid to write what interests you, even if it’s a bit out there. One, the world need more diverse books. We don’t need the same plots rehashed over and over again. And two, there is more value in writing a book you love than a book that is designed to follow popular trends. One will be mediocre because there’s no passion, and the other will be a work of art as your pour your soul into it.

Hang Out With People Who Inspire You

Creativity is contagious. Hang out with creative people, people who chase their dreams, people who make you want to do better, be better, write better simply by being around them. Make friends with people who inspire you to believe that you can be great. If there aren’t people in real life that can do this for you, try social media. Twitter is a great place to find awesome writing communities. Talk to creative people, help them, and learn from them. Hanging around with great creatives is a good way to grow the habit of being creative.

Love Yourself As Well As Your Work

You are a writer, and you love your work. And that is awesome! But at the same time, you’re not a machine. Take care of yourself as well as your writing. Make sure you’re rested, healthy, and happy. Good writing doesn’t have to come from being a tortured soul. In fact, your mind is much better suited to creating when it’s relaxed and well cared for.

Learn Constantly

Never lose your inquisitive nature. Learn new writing techniques. Experiment with other writing forms. Look up strange biology facts. Learn how to ride a skateboard, code a website, or speak another language. Learning keeps your mind sharp and open to new ideas and input. Plus learning is a great way to find new inspiration for your writing.

Read A Lot

Read everything. Read bad magazines, read good fiction, read books on the craft, read textbooks. Open yourself up to all kinds of writing, not just fiction, and not just good writing. You can learn as much from bad writing as from good, and find inspiration and knowledge everywhere. No reading is ever wasted.

Take Time Out To Live

Writers write. But good writers also take time away from writing to go out into the world and live for a while. How can you write people if you’re never around them to know how they work? How can you write emotions if you never feel them? How can you be a well-rounded writer if you never see the world? Take a break from writing sometimes, go and live for a while, and then come back refreshed, renewed and stronger than ever.

We all know bloggers who are so distinctive that even when they’re posting on another blog you know exactly who they are and where they’re from. They have a strong voice that identifies them instantly. And they’re unique. Cait@Paper Fury’s voice is completely different from that of Liz@Out Of Coffee Out Of Mind. Their blogging voice is so strong that it is impossible to mix them up with anyone else no matter what part of the blogosphere you find them in.

You blogging voice is part what you write, part how you write it, and part how you format it. Writing on blogs isn’t like writing a novel, or an essay. You have more leeway to break the rules, use unusual formatting, coin odd turns of phrase and let your personality spill out into your writing. Whether you’ve been blogging for a little while now and want to hone your blogging voice, or you’re just starting out and want to make sure you sound unique, here are some tips I’ve found helpful in my quest to find my own blogging voice.

Find What You Like To Write

What type of posts do you most enjoy writing? Long analyses of the story elements in popular books and movies? Witty discussions about your favourite character tropes? Lists of tips? Personal stories? If you’ve been blogging for a while, look back at the posts that you’ve already written and note down your favourites, as well as posts that other people have particularly liked. Which styles of blog posts are your best?

If you haven’t been blogging long, experiment. Try different types of posts. See which ones resonate most with you and your audience. You don’t have to be tied to one particular kind of post. Many bloggers write multiple kinds of posts. But you will tend to favour certain kinds. I won’t write book reviews or huge analyses of an entire plot, and rarely personal stories from outside of my writing life. I tend favour list posts and discussions on story elements. Find what styles of blog post work for you.

Write How You Like

What are your writing quirks? Do you like to end your paragraphs with ellipses? Do you use run on sentences, asides, sarcasm, or out and out fangirl squealing? These all make your writing much more distinctive. What turns of phrase do you tend to use in real life? Are you writing as if it’s an essay, or as if you’re speaking to someone? Are you more comfortable writing in a serious, more formal style, or conversationally? Find what feels natural to you to write. And don’t be stifled by what you think other people will think of your writing. If you find yourself adding sarcastic asides and trailing thoughts to your blog posts, allow yourself to.

Draft Without Censorship

When you draft your blog posts, don’t censor yourself. Write whatever comes to mind. Let yourself wander off topic if that’s where you seem to be going. It can all be fixed in edits. Put in those terrible jokes, weird examples and digressions. While much of it may be cut in edits, allowing yourself the freedom to write what comes to mind means that you’re allowing yourself to think creatively. And you might come up with some surprising things that are a lot more personal to you, and unusual than you would have if you stuck to a rigid plan and worried about people’s expectations.

Because here’s the thing. No one is going to see that early draft. Your draft is a place to get things down and have those weird, confused thoughts. Even if you’re more a planner and prefer neat drafts, giving yourself a little leeway to crack a joke, or get off topic can allow your personality through, and readers tend to connect more when they can see your personality behind the writing. And if the draft is terrible, that’s ok. That’s what editing is for, sorting through the bad, saving the good and creating a polish product you can share at the end.

Don’t Be Afraid To Be Different

Being different is a difficult thing. Sometimes it seems that every blogger is so much better at making jokes, at sharing authentic stories, or personal parts of their writing process. Being you might not seem like the best prospect. Maybe you seem boring to you. Or you maybe you seem too different, your blog isn’t enough like the others for people to come and read it. But the truth is, the world doesn’t need another Paper Fury. We’ve got one of them and one of them is enough. We need diverse blogs and diverse bloggers. We need different personalities and points of view. We need people to be fearlessly themselves in their writing. We need you to be you.

There are plenty of reasons why writers don’t like to share their work. Negative feedback, or just plain being ignored are two of the biggest worries. But a lot of writers are also concerned about having their ideas stolen. And it is a perfectly legitimate fear. We writers work hard to find and develop our ideas into workable plots. Our ideas are very personal to us. We pour our hearts and souls into our books. So to have that hard work stolen from us can be devastating. Now, I’ve been lucky enough that I’ve never had my ideas stolen. But I know it happens, and I thought that today I would write about some things writers should be aware of about idea stealing.

I actually have quite a lot to say on the subject, so I’m splitting this discussion into two parts for length reasons. This week I’ll be talking about what idea stealing actually is, and how to tell whether you’re inspired by an idea, or whether you’re just stealing it. And then next time I’ll be addressing the other side of the issue, where it’s your idea that has been stolen. So, without further ado, here we go.

You Should Never EVER Steal Someone Else’s Ideas

I’d like to say this straight up front, and I cannot stress just HOW important this is. It is never ok to steal someone else’s ideas and hard work. It’s perfectly fine to be inspired by someone else’s book. It’s ok to borrow elements here and there from someone’s work, as long as you’re not just ripping it word for word from their writing. But outright stealing someone else’s ideas is something no writer should ever do. Apart from the fact that it’s an incredibly lazy way of getting an idea, it can be really hurtful to other writers.

Writing is a very solitary pursuit. We spend a lot of time on our own coming up with characters and worlds, and pouring words out on the page. So it’s very important for us as writers to be able sharing our books and ideas with other writers so we can have support and companionship on the journey. It can be hard enough for writers to gather enough courage to share their writing as it is. Stealing someone else’s ideas breaks our fragile trust, and makes it that much harder for writers to share their work next time, out of fear of someone stealing their ideas.

The bottom line is, if you wouldn’t like it to happen to you, don’t do it to someone else, no matter how good their idea is.

What Exactly Is Idea Stealing?

Idea stealing is when you see what someone else is writing, then take their ideas and use them as your own. It's usually only a big problem when it's obvious where the ideas have come from, or when an entire plot has been stolen. There’s nothing new in writing, so it’s not unusual for two writers to write a book with a very similar concept. It’s the way the idea is handled that makes the story unique. But starting from the same idea and stealing a whole plot are two different things.

Stealing

“Hey, I love what you’re doing with your story about people genetically modifying dinosaurs and creating dragons. In fact I like it so much I’m going to have a go at writing it myself. But the main character’s name is going to be Joe, not Chuck. It’s going to be completely different.”

Not Stealing

“Hey, I love what you’re doing with your story with people genetically modifying dinosaurs and creating dragon. I’d love to do something similar, only it won’t be dinosaurs but horses, and actually it’s going to be set way in the future, so they’re more like robot ponies and let’s add this handful of other things while we’re at it.”

It’s ok to be inspired by someone else’s idea, as long as you don’t just take it verbatim. If you’re just copying someone’s idea directly, then you’re stealing, especially if you don’t ask for permission. If you like an idea and are inspired by it, go for it, but you have to make it your own Just changing a couple of details doesn’t count if the core of the story is exactly the same.

How Do You Make Sure You’re Not Stealing Someone’s Ideas?

If you’re worried about whether you’re stealing someone’s idea, there are a few ways to tell whether you’re borrowing inspiration, or stealing from them.

Are they offering this idea as inspiration? Some writers like to share writing prompts on their blog, Pinterest, or social media. These are designed for you to use in your own writing. If you’re taking an idea from one of these, you’re fine.

Is part of their own book? If the writer is sharing some of their own work and you get inspired by one of the ideas, you can still use, providing you’re not writing the exact same thing they are. Being inspired and using a similar idea worked into the rest of your book is not stealing.

How similar is what you’re writing to what they shared? How much of your idea has come from someone else’s book? How much have you changed it to make it your own? If you’ve been inspired to write a book along similar lines, but have created a different story and made the idea your own, you’re ok. If your book is recognisably taken from someone else’s work, you’re probably stealing.

Have you taken a large chunk of someone’s plot? Borrowing elements of a story is completely different to stealing a whole plot. Writers borrow ideas from other books all the time. We see a bit of a story we like and we borrow a bit from here and a bit from there, mix it all up and make it our own. Taking a whole plot is a different matter, and that’s what really hurts, because creating a plot takes so much time and energy and love.

Have you borrowed a concept, or a plot? Writing the same base concept and writing the same plot are two different things. Harry Potter and Star Wars have the same base concept: An orphan finds out they have powers and goes off to fight a huge evil. That’s fine. Writing a story about a boy on a distant planet who meets an old man who gives him a sword made of light and guides him on an epic quest across the galaxy to defeat a great evil is just taking someone else’s plot. And that’s not ok.

If you’re worried, check with the writer to see if they’re ok with it. If you’re worried that you may have stolen another writer’s idea, talk to them about it. Explain what idea you liked, what you’ve done with it, or plan to do with it to make it different, and see whether they mind. Most writers are really nice people, and if you show that you’re inspired and working to make the idea different and unique, they usually won’t mind. But it never hurts to check if you’re concerned.

Ultimately, if you take an idea and work on it and make it your own, then you should be safe. Stealing ideas is a lazy way of getting a plot without working for it. Having your ideas stolen can be a pretty upsetting experience though. And in part 2 I’m going to be talking about what you should do if your ideas are stolen.

Do you agree with what I’ve said? What issues would you like me to cover in part 2? Have you ever had your ideas stolen? How do you make sure that you’re not just stealing someone else’s ideas? Looking forward to part 2? 

What is this? A writing update? It has been rather a while since I posted one of these. Seeing as this month is Camp NaNoWriMo and I’m doing rather a lot of writing (well, editing) at the moment, I thought that this might be the perfect time to post an update on what I’m doing writing-wise, how I’m doing, and what I’m planning on doing in the future. Seeing as how there’s progress being made and all.

First things first, as I said, I’m doing Camp NaNoWriMo this month. This time round though, I’m editing a book rather than drafting a new one. Look at me being all responsible over here. I’m really missing the rush of drafting a new book or two during the NaNo craziness, but I’ve got more than enough books that need editing at the moment. The last thing I need is to be writing a new one. November now, now that’s a different story…

Anyway, for Camp NaNoWriMo, I’m continuing my edit of my sci-fi/superhero-ish/retelling novel Snow in the vague hope of actually completing the draft this month. If you’re not familiar with this project, here’s a quick synopsis to catch you up:

A while ago (read, nearly two years ago) I wrote a post listing three reasons writers should commit to writing regularly. Having rediscovered said post today, I thought, well, I know of a few more reasons why we should all be writing regularly, maybe this post needs a second part. So that’s what I’m doing today, writing a part two. So, here we have three more reasons why you should write regularly

It Will Force You To Be Creative

Writing regularly is hard because you need to be creative All. The. Time. For the first few days, you might have loads of ideas. But eventually, the well will run dry and you’ll have used up that initial burst of inspiration.  Which means that you will have to work at being creative and generating ideas on demand, rather than waiting for the muse to drop some in your lap like the benevolent spirit it isn’t. Which is turn means that you won’t get stuck as often waiting for the right solution to pop up, and you can make better progress.

It Will Make You More Disciplined With Your Work

Committing to a writing schedule and sticking to it requires discipline. Lots of discipline. That’s why it’s so hard to form the habit in the first place. You can’t just take a day off because you don’t really feel like writing today. It forces you to work in all conditions, whether you’re tired, not inspired, or simply not feeling the words today. And that in turn will help you to be more productive when you really need to be.

It Will Help You Find You Writing Zone Easier

You know that place you get to sometimes in your writing where you’re finally immersed in your book and you’re really focused and working hard? It can be so hard to get to sometimes. But writing regularly means that your brain is actively trying to get into that headspace more often. And the more you try to get there, the more of a habitat becomes and the easier it is to find the writing zone when you really need it.

These are just three of the reasons writers should commit to writing as often as possible. What are some of the others reasons you can think of? How often do you write? Do you find yourself writing better when you write more often? Anyone else trying to rebuild their writing routine, like me?

Related Posts:

3 Reasons You Should Write Regularly

10 Tips for Building A Regular Writing Routine

I’ve been away for the past five days, visiting family, and while I’ve been away, I’ve been doing a whole bunch of things I’ve never tried before. Things like off-roading in a 4x4, or flying for the first time. Some of these things I really enjoyed, and others, quite frankly, made me more than a little nervous. And it got me thinking about writing fear, how it can be portrayed realistically. And how a character’s fears can be used to flesh out their personalities and inform their actions. Today I wanted to share some of these musings.

Response to Fear

Fear of the unknown is a pretty common fear. A lot of us are afraid of doing things we’ve never tried before, or going places we’ve never been. But, while a lot of people have this fear, we all respond to it differently. Some people might meet it as a challenge, while others find it difficult to get out of their comfort zone, and still others cancel any plans that involve the unknown because they’re afraid. How does your character respond to things they are afraid of? Does it stop them from doing things, or do they prefer to meet their fear head on? Knowing this can really help writers understand how their characters work in less pleasant situations, and make them more unique.

Coping With Fear

While everyone is afraid of something, no one deals with fear in quite the same way as anyone else. And most people have a strategy for dealing with their fears. Your characters should too. Does your character deliberately put on a brave face to fool others? Are they the sort of person who prefers to distract themselves and ignore the fact that they're afraid? Maybe they always have two or three back-up plans to reassure themselves with. How a character copes with their fear says a lot about them.

Physical Symptoms

One of the best ways to show fear is to use physical responses. A character may feel overly hot, or feel really sick deep inside. They might develop a rapid headache from overthinking things. They might sweat a lot or find it hard to sit still because of nervous. We’ve all been afraid of something at some point, and we can identify strongly with a good physical response to fear because we know how it feels. Using one or two physical descriptions can give your fear more punch.

People Respond Differently In Similar Situations

Everyone is afraid of something different, and this means that people will react quite differently in the same situation. For example, I am afraid of things I have no experience with. One of my sisters is afraid of heights. Put us on a flight together, and we will both be scared, but we’ll act differently. I might be stressed during the security checks and boarding, but will then relax as the plane takes off. On the other hand, she might be fine right up until the plane starts moving when she is likely to freak out. Another person might not be afraid at all. Because we are afraid of different things, our responses to the same event are likely to be different. Keeping a character's fears in mind while writing can help you get a better grasp on how they would react differently to the same events.

Use Personal Experience

You might not be afraid of heights like your character is. Or maybe fear of the unknown doesn't make you freeze in panic. While you might not have experience in the same sort of fear as your characters, I can pretty much guarantee that you've been afraid of something at some point. And when you come down to it, our most basic responses to fear are pretty similar, even if the way we deal with that fear is different. Use your knowledge of it, and combine that with what you know about you character and their personality, and you can use your personal experience to create an experience of fear that readers will believe.

These are some of the thoughts I've had about how to writing fear. What advice would you add to this list? And tell me, what is your character afraid of? What scares YOU (if you dare to share)?

I’ve been writing for quite a long time. I’ve written 20-ish manuscripts, and I’ve even been to university to study writing. But that’s not to say that I’m particularly good at writing. In fact, for the amount of time I’ve been writing for, I have failed quite spectacularly more times than I would really care to admit to. Except that today I’m actually admitting to some of the mistakes I’ve made the most often (because how can you be quite sure that it’s a real mistake unless you’re tried it several times?). Maybe you can relate to some of these? (Please don’t let me be the only one…)

Refusing To Give Up On A Failed Idea

You know that idea that’s simply not working, no matter how many times you rewrite it, but you still can’t bear to let go because if you could just do it slightly different, just rewrite it one more time, it’s sure to work? Yeah, that’s me with most of my failed books. My first MS was like that. I must have tried rewriting it four or five different times before I finally managed to scrap it. And then there was the book about enhanced teens escaping from a world of virtual reality. That one got a good few goes round before I shelved it. To be completely honest, I do get the urge to go back to them sometimes, but for now they’ll stay gathering dust while I work on books I can actually write.

Dismissing Writing Advice Instantly

There’s so much writing advice out there. Obviously that particular piece can’t be meant for me. It sounds nice in theory, but there’s no way it’ll work if I tried it. Haha, poor silly naïve Imogen. I’ve done this far too many times. Most of the advice I dismiss comes from smart people too, who actually know what they’re talking about. Something I’m learning (very slowly) is that even when a piece of advice doesn’t work for you exactly, there’s usually something you can take away from it.

Shiny New Idea Chasing

This usually happens right when I’m in the depths of editing. I’ll be working away like the industrious little writer I’m supposed to be, and all of a sudden a shiny new idea will float by, NaNoWriMo gives me a look, or I get bored for two seconds and suddenly I’m drafting three more books and my editing pile is growing as deep as the Marianas Trench. I’m fighting this mistake at the moment actually. Oh that lovely Red Riding Hood retelling is beckoning SO hard for Camp. Must. Resist. Must. Edit…

Worrying More About Word Count Than Story

Honest talk. I hate seeing my word count shrink while I’m editing. Not that there’s any logical reason for this, but the moment a scene or two need the axe, I get all anxious, checking the book length and trying to figure out if I’m going to be able to make them up anywhere. It makes exactly no sense, but I do it every. Single. Time.

Judging My Books (And Myself) Against Other People’s

I try to present myself on this blog as a writer who knows what she’s doing at least most of the time. In actual fact, most of the time I’m reading other people’s excerpts and wondering how I can get mine to look as nice as theirs, bewailing the fact I can’t seem to get a draft good enough to give to beta readers and comforting myself with chocolate while wondering why I can’t have it all together like everyone else. I do of course realise that most people haven’t quite all got it together as we’d like people to believe, but that doesn’t always quite stop the comparisons.

So, now you know my terrible secrets. Please tell me I’m not the only one who makes mistakes like these. If you’re feeling brave, let me know one of your worst writing mistakes! Let’s be terrible (or just real) writers together. 

As writers, we’re constantly having to come up with ideas, brainstorm solutions, and think our way out of problems in highly creative ways. And if you blog as well, like many of us do, that’s an added creative outlet. Which is awesome. But sometimes it can be really, really exhausting. For most people, there eventually comes a time when the well runs dry and you struggle to come up with ideas or be excited about working on creative projects. At times like these, it can often be better to take a little break and recharge.

For me, my creative recharge is usually found in several ways. Firstly, if possible, I like to take a break from creative work. Or, if not a complete break, I try to take a little extra time out of my day to do something enjoyable and not particularly creative. Secondly, I read. Especially when I’m writing, I don’t read nearly enough, so taking the time to read and expose myself to other people’s work and ideas can be very refreshing. Thirdly, I talk to people. Not about problems or anything like that, but just talk in general, about their projects, what people are doing, the ideas they’re having, anything really. Being around creative people is amazingly contagious.

These are some of the ways that I like to recharge my creative batteries, which is a subject I’d love to talk more about in the future. But I’d love to hear from you. Do you ever feel burnt out creatively? If so, how do you recharge? If not, what’s your secret? How do you maintain the creativity in your life? Let’s discuss!

Sequels are awesome. A continuation of an awesome book or movie that allows you to spend more time with the character you love in a world you adore? Sign me up please! There’s something amazing about being able to really sink into a world through multiple instalments, getting to know the people, the places, and the struggles better. Well-written sequels compliment and extend the story built in the first book. But, on the flip side, badly written sequels can put readers off the entire series. Writing a great sequel is definitely not any easy to thing to do. You have to try and live up to the first book while making the second book engaging, familiar, and unique in its own right. Every book is different, but there are some things that you should definitely keep in mind while writing the next instalment. Here is a list of a few I’ve come up with:

Break-Ups Shouldn’t Be Added Just For Conflict

This is a trend I personally have seen too much of, and really don’t enjoy. You’ve just spent an entire book or even more watching these characters FINALLY get together, or grow as a couple. And all of a sudden that hard work and emotional attachment is rendered void by a sudden, unnecessary break-up between instalments. It feels almost like a betrayal. We loved this pair, and now you split them up just for a bit of tension? Having characters break-up can work if it’s set up right, building up to it gradually either throughout the course of the sequel, or in the book before. But starting your sequel with the characters having magically broken up just so you can add a bit of angst or conflict is lazy writing and can seriously annoy your readers.

Characters Progress, Not Regress

Throughout the first book, the characters should be growing and changing so that, at the end of the book, they’re to how they were at the beginning. Not perfect certainly, but having learned something and developed as a person. This means that, in the second book, these same characters should be starting as the people they were at the end of the previous book. They will need to face new challenges and learn new things over the course of the sequel. The reset button shouldn’t exist for their personalities. Having a character learn to put other people before themselves, and then coming into book two and finding they’re a selfish little so-and-so again is frustrating for readers.

Major Changes Should Feel Natural

Having read the previous book/s, readers feel like they have a pretty good handle on the world and the characters. So springing a surprise on them like a character suddenly switching sides, a large personality change, or a switch in focus from one major problem to another, has to feel natural for readers to accept it. This doesn’t mean that you have to signpost it overtly, but the changes do need to be foreshadowed carefully, either in the previous book, if you plan your series in advance, or throughout the course of the sequel, so that when the reveal happens, readers can see that this isn’t spur of the moment, but actually makes sense.

The Sequel Should Contain A Full Story

A sequel is, of course, a continuation in some form, of the story that you presented in the first book. However, just like the first book needs to have a complete story that has a climax and a resolution, so too does your sequel. Readers have to be able to finish the book feeling satisfied that what you gave them was a story in its own right, as well as being part of a series. Every book in the series needs to have a point, a story to tell, rather than just being there as filler, its only purpose to get you on to the cool action in book three.

Continuity is Key

Readers are smart people and they remember a whole lot more details than even the writer does sometimes. So they’re going to notice if you suddenly change a part of a character’s backstory, rewrite events that happened in a previous book, or if you start adding elements that make sense in the world you presented previously. A good sequel continues the storyline and world seamlessly.

These are just a few of the elements that stand out to me as things writers should consider when writing a sequel. There are certainly plenty of other helpful things to think about. These blog posts and articles have a bunch of helpful advice if you’re looking for more:

Go Teen Writers: How To Write A Sequel

Screencraft: The Ten Commandments Of Writing A Great Sequel

Helping Writers Become Authors: How To Write A Sequel That’sBETTER Than The First Book

Looking for more in the series? Check out some of the other posts HERE.

What other elements do you think go into making a great sequel? What are some sequels you think are really well written (books or movies)? Have you ever written a sequel? Are you planning to write one in the future? Do you enjoy series, or are you more of a stand-alone book kind of person?

It may be the end of the month, but there’s still time for me to join in with this month’s Beautiful People link up, hosted by the ever amazing Cait@Paper Fury and Sky@FurtherUp And Further In (gold star me for leaving it so very late in the month). I’m currently editing my Snow White/superhero retelling, so I’ll be answering the questions for the two main characters, Eric and Nicola. If you want to know more about the book, click HERE. Here we go!

How often do they smile? Would they smile at a stranger?

Eric: He’s a pretty serious type of guy, and doesn’t smile much, especially after the death of his month. He’s much more likely to give a stranger a blank look than a smile. Eric also has quite a few trust issues so he’s not likely to be welcoming to strangers.

Nicola: She smiles constantly. Humour of all kinds is her weapon. Would she smile at a stranger? Absolutely. Especially if she needed to make them like her in order to gain their trust. Does she trust the strangers? Absolutely not! But a smile is like a mask sometimes.

What is the cruelest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?

Eric: Probably the cruellest thing anyone’s ever told him is that his mutantness is unnatural and wrong and he’s less because of it. His reaction is to bottle everything up until it all bursts out in a huge flood, so he doesn’t retaliate at once, but takes it all out on bullies later.

Nicola: The cruellest thing anyone’s ever said to her was that she was never going to amount to anything, which pretty much sums up the way her childhood went. She reacted by rebelling, and acting like she didn’t care. When really inside she’s absolutely terrified that it’s true.

What is the kindest thing they’ve ever been told? And what was their reaction?

Eric: The kindest thing anyone has ever said to him would be that they love him. Which was his mother. Being loved and accepted is a big thing to him. Back then he really accepted and believe it.

Nicola: Thank you. Nicola comes from a pretty rough background, and having people appreciate anything she does is a big deal for her. Her reaction is usually a nice warm feeling that she usually keeps to herself.

What is one strong memory that has stuck with your character from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?

Eric: His strongest memories are always sad ones. Probably his strongest one is when his dad died when he was small. Not that he remembers the death. Just his mother crying when she thought he couldn’t see her. He does have a lot or strong happy memories with his mum, but that’s definitely his strongest childhood memory

Nicola: Facing off against her father for the first time when she was twelve. He’s not a very pleasant man, and little Nicola finally decided she’d had enough and took him on. Which ended badly, and it’s wasn’t a nice fight all-round. But it was the first time she’d been brave enough to stand up for herself. She remembers it, firstly for all the problems it caused later, and secondly because that was the first time she really found some courage.

What book (a real actual published book!) do you think your character would benefit from reading?

Eric: Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books. People with unusual abilities are awesome. That would really appeal to him.

Nicola: Basically anything by Derek Landy. The sense of humour would really appeal to her. All that delicious sarcasm.

Have they ever been seriously injured? How severely? How did they react?

Eric: Before the book starts, he’s been beaten up after a few times garnering a good few bruises. Nothing severe though, and he gives as good as he gets. Black eyes all round! During the book, well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it?

Nicola: Before the book starts, she’s had her fair share of bumps and bruises, and even broke her collarbone at one point doing stupid tricks. In the book, she gets her fair share of injuries, including trying to destroy a wardrobe with her head. She usually shrugs injuries off and keeps going.

Do they like and get along with their neighbours?

Eric: He only likes one of his neighbours. Most of them are snooty, stuck up people. The general agreement is that they’ll move in their separate orbits and not bother each other. Except for Mr Frank who bakes brownies. Mm, brownies…

Nicola: Her neighbours are her team now and she has to get on with them for the most part. But back when she actually had neighbours, she didn’t really get on with the people around her. Usually everyone tried to ignore everyone else, but occasionally people got mean and she got mean right back.

On a scale from 1 to 10 (1 being easy and 10 being difficult) how easy are they to get along with?

Eric: 7. He’s usually pretty accommodating and easy to live with. Don’t bother him and he won’t bother you. He’s not really interested in making trouble, except when it comes to mutants and bullies and school. Then you’d better watch out.

Nicola: 5. She can be really fun. Or she’ll take on the world if she feels like someone’s picking on her, or someone she likes. Or if she doesn’t like you much. She’s a pretty warlike little thing when she gets going.

If they could travel anywhere in the world, where would they go?

Eric: He’d take a backpacking trip across Europe and see all the famous sites and cities. The independence and adventure would really appeal to him.

Nicola: Hawaii, or anywhere with awesome beaches and waves. As a former surfer and mutant with aquatic abilities, she appreciates a good surf.

Who was the last person they held hands with?

Eric: Probably his mother, before she died. There isn’t really anyone in his life that he would want to hold hands with now.

Nicola: Her younger sister. One of the few members of her family that she really likes and gets along with. She’s not much of the hand holding type though.

Phew, some of those questions were pretty tricky to answer. And I just realised what sad lives I tend to give my poor characters! Are you taking part in Beautiful People this month? Link me to your post! If your main character could travel anywhere in the world, where would they go, and why? And tell me, based on just these answers, who do you like better, Nicola or Eric? Or neither!

Occasionally, in my musical discoveries, I’ll stumble across a piece that then becomes my theme tune for the next few weeks. It’ll be that piece that I always have open, and I’ll listen to it about 6,774,221 before I finally move on. This week’s Writing Music is one of those pieces. Now, I’ve never actually seen A Goofy Movie, but I did find this song, and basically it sums up a lot of what I’ve been thinking about recently.

For me, this piece isn’t so much about the inspiration for writing, or how good it is for listening to while writing (which, to be perfectly honest, it’s not really suited for) but more about what it actually says. We writers are always working hard, trying to reach people, trying to write a book, get it published, connect with an audience, achieve something towards our goals. And sometimes, to me certainly, it doesn’t feel like I’m making much progress at all. This song is a reminder to not give up but to keep pushing on, working towards dreams, even if it doesn’t seem like we’re actually getting anywhereAnd to me, this song is a reminder that I might not be there now, but if I keep going, I might get there one day. And that’s a reminder I think we all need sometimes.

What are you listening to at the moment? What do you listen to when you need a creative boost? 

Wow, it’s been quite a while since I wrote any kind of an update post. Not since Camp NaNo I think actually. And, as everything’s been rather quiet on the blog for the past couple of weeks, it’s probably time to write a goodly update post to explain everything that’s been happening for me in the past couple of weeks in all important areas.

Blogging: Has been very quiet, obviously. I have plans for posts and ideas for things to do and everything, just very little time to do any of them. I am very behind on post writing, comment answering and blog visiting at the moment *sigh* However! I am attempting to sort my schedule out better so I actually have a chance of keeping up with blogging things. I feel so out of the loop at the moment…

Writing Editing: Is happening. Slowly. I’m back to editing Snow at the moment, which currently means taking about a million years over finishing the initial readthrough and making notes. To be fair, the amount of notes I’m making rivals the length of the actual book. I’m actually feeling really good about the book at the moment. Not that I’m saying it’s great yet by any means. But it’s inching closer and I can feel it and I have so many awesome plans and ideas that I’m getting rather excited.

Also I’m hoping that maybe after this round of edits it might be close to a point where I can bribe some people into beta reading it for me. Which is a terrifying and exciting thought. But we’ll see. Gotta finish this round of edits first. Which is moving a lot slower than I’d like.

As well as that, somehow I appear to be planning a Red Riding Hood retelling. I blame the people on Twitter for that one. Peer pressure! I have no idea what it’s about at the moment, but the Pinterest board looks exciting.

Music: This is kind of ruling my life at the moment. Music everywhere! From concerts to upcoming singing exams, (those things are so sneaky at creeping up on you…) and especially running my Youtube channel, which I adore, but takes a lot of time to make videos for (if you like music, maybe go over and check it out?). I'm loving all my musical things at the moment though. And, light of the fact that this is probably the area I've achieved the most progress in recently, here, have a song.

And that’s about everything that’s been happening recently. I’m being kept very busy at the moment, but in the best possible way, and with all the things that I love to do. I do apologise for being so behind on comments, and generally everything to do with blogging. I’m working on being back on track very soon.

What have you been doing lately? What are you working on? What blog posts should I be reading right now? Do you ever have times where you’ve got too many awesome things to work on all at once and can’t quite keep up?

I’m editing Snow at the moment, which means that I’m feeling rather vulnerable as I face the awfulness that is my own writing (I swear editing read-throughs are one of the hardest parts of writing). Which means that this is obviously the perfect time for me to be participating in this month’s Snazzy Snippets link-up, hosted by the amazing Alyssa@The Devil Orders Takeout and Emily@Loony Literate, the prompts for which are simply made for making you feel vulnerable. However, be that as it may, I shall gather the shreds of my courage and share some snippets from last month’s Camp NaNo novel, The Dragon Thief, in all their unedited glory.

A snippet that was difficult to write

The door slid open, and Xavier appeared round it. He didn’t come the whole way through, but held some of the door between them, almost like he was trying to shield himself. Smart thinking, because Maya was about to kill him if she didn’t get a good explanation very soon.

“What was that all about?” she said.

“It was easier,” he said. “You get sick easy.” At least he had the grace to look awkward and ashamed. “You’re back at least.”

“Doesn’t make me any happier.”

“I brought food.” Maya considered this. “Ok, you can come in. I promise I won’t try to hurt you.”

I’m editing again at the moment, so of course I’m thinking a lot about the editing process. Mine is evolving all the time as I try new things and as each new book has different needs. For example, in the past, whenever I’ve edited a draft, I’ve edited it straight through, just like how I do when I write them, fixing whatever major issues it had, and making notes about any problems I discovered partway through that affected whatever I had edited before, leaving those changes until the next draft. Now I do a lot more going back and forth, fixing the draft as much as possible before leaving it, trying to perfect the plot as it stands so there is less work for next time.

I’ve written about my editing process on the blog before, and if you’d like to see my humorous rendition of the way I edit, I highly recommend you check out my post HERE. But basically, my editing process goes a little something like this:

What I don’t do is fuss over the language in the first drafts. I like to get my plot and characters hammered out first, and then worry about making it all pretty when the storyline actually hangs together (and boy doesn’t that end up taking a while). But while that’s how I edit, it’s probably not your process, so today I thought we could discuss editing processes.

Do you make a single pass through your book, or do you go back and forth fixing problems as you discover more? Do you like to make sure the text reads smoothly as you go, or do you save that for later drafts? What does your overall process look like? How many passes does it usually take for you to get that pesky plot in order? And what piece of advice would you give to someone (i.e. me) going into a new round of edits? Let’s discuss!

Non-writers are amazing people. They can be super supportive, even if they don’t quite get what you’re doing, interested in everything you’re up to, and happy to dissect books/characters/plots all day. Or they can say the most annoying things writers ever have to endure in a casual conversation. I think every writer has their own list of comments non-writers make to them on a regular basis that they wish people would stop saying. Even the most well-meaning people can unthinkingly annoy a writer through an off-hand comment. I, like most people, have a list of these comments, and today I thought I’d share some of them with you. So, here are 6 of my least favourite things non-writers say to me.

“Oh you’re a writer. So you’re doing journalism then?”

No. No I am not. I have the highest respect for journalist. I did two units in university that involved journalism and from that I know two facts: a) journalists are awesome people, and b) I am not one of them. There are plenty of other kinds of writers apart from journalists. I happen to be of the novel writing variety. Those novels don’t write themselves you know.

“There’s no money in writing you know.”

This is often the follow up to the last remark, after I’ve cleared up the misunderstanding of exactly what it is I write. And I get it. You mean well. But anyone who goes into writing for the money is either delusional or not really a writer. We know most writers don’t make a fortune out of their books. We also don’t care. Writing is our passion and we’re going to write, money or no.

“So, what have you published?”

This is the point where I start squirming and wishing I hadn’t said so forthrightly that I am a writer. I mean, it’s nice you’re asking about my work, but please, not everyone who calls themselves a writer has achieved a published status yet. And every time someone says this to me, I feel like I have somehow failed as a writer.

“Haven’t you finished writing that book yet?/When will you be published?”

Used interchangeably and equally frustrating. No, I haven’t finished writing this book, because books take a very long time to get right. They don’t come out of my head in perfect polished prose. I so wish they did. And getting published takes equally as long. I so wish I knew when I was going to be published. But alas, the writing gods haven’t granted me that knowledge. Trust me, when they do, you’ll be the first to know.

“Oh, I read a book just like that.”

Thank you for crushing my beloved idea. A little piece of my writerly soul dies whenever people say they’ve already read the idea. It’s like my book is being written off before they’ve even tried it. Yes, you probably have read a book with a similar idea. Doesn’t mean mine can’t be good too. This statement is a lot less encouraging than this random person thinks it is.

*blank stare*

Well, you did ask. I am a writer of books, a creator of worlds and a lover of words. And I am very proud of that fact. Good day to you

These are some of the comments that most annoy me. Your list is probably different. What comment do you hear the most often that annoys you? What is the worst comment you’ve ever received from a non-writer?

Cait@Paper Fury has an amazing post on things you should never say to bookworms if you want more of these random comments outsiders say. You should definitely check it out if you haven't already. 

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the advice writers are most often given. Things like ‘show don’t tell’ or ‘don’t use adverbs’. Advice which in and of itself is a great starting point. But there’s so much more to this advice than just these hackneyed phrases they get boiled down to. So today I thought I might unpack one such statement. And, having just been on an epic voyage to the library, I thought I might talk about why writers are always being told to read a lot. You know, apart from the fact that books are awesome things and every single person in the world should be devouring them.

I’m always a little surprised and quite sad when I hear writers say that they don’t really read. Firstly because they’re missing out on so many good stories and adventures. But also because they’re missing out on one of the biggest tools writers have to help grown their writing skills. Next to taking writing courses or reading books on the craft, reading other fiction books aside from the one you’re currently writing is one of the best ways to learn how to write better. So here are some great reasons all writers should keep reading as well as writing.

Firstly, because these books have all, for one reason or other, been considered good enough for publication. They’ve been written and rewritten, edited by professionals and scrutinized by a multitude of knowledgeable people. They’re a few steps ahead of where your book is right now, and they’re a great place to learn what a finished book looks like. And, if they’re not that great, you can always learn what to avoid doing.

Secondly, because being surrounded by many books is the best way to learn what works, what doesn’t, what you like, and what you really don’t. You’re able to gain a more discerning taste for plot devices, characters, writing styles, and voices. The more you read the more you understand about what works from a reader’s perspective, and can start translating this into your own writing.

Thirdly, because we writers do have to be aware of what other books are out there, what’s popular, what’s been overwritten, and what’s gone out of fashion. It’s not quite so important if you just write for fun,  but if you have any intentions of publishing in the future you should have at least some knowledge of what’s already out there.

Fourthly, because reading is the best way to discover things. Genres, character types, narrative structures, awesome writers and books, pretty much anything bookish. Because when it comes down to it, whatever the reason you’re reading, you have to admit, books are pretty amazing things really.

Why do you think writers should read a lot? Do you think it’s possible to be a good writer without reading much? And tell me, what are you reading at the moment?