Tag: writing process

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Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Be Disciplined

After I hit my head earlier this year, it took me a few days to get back to my normal routines. Having stitches on my face threw me off mentally and physically. I couldn’t focus and my creative juices didn’t flow.

Living with a disability means you are better off sticking to your routines if you want to be more productive. Persons with brain injuries really need to understand the benefits of daily routines. Benefits like . . .

  • Easier to focus
  • Motor memory kicks in
  • Less stressful

Most of us as children, hated the daily chores our parents gave us when we were little. We didn’t understand what disciplines they were trying to instill in us. After my accident, I learned the importance of staying disciplined daily.

Because of my TBI, I pay closer attention to my surroundings and try to use all of my senses to compensate for my lack of feeling and limited eyesight.

I also learned to pay closer attention to my body and feelings, to be aware of any potentially negative changes that may cause further harm to myself. Persons with brain injuries are commonly hypersensitive for the rest of their lives.

Over the years I have learned other disciplines that help me feel and function much better. For instance, limiting my caffeine, getting at least eight hours of sleep each night, and staying hydrated are daily disciplines I practice.

Discipline

Growing up we didn’t like the rules or the discipline our parents gave us, but as adults, we better understand how both discipline and rules help us mature. Discipline is defined as, “Training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental facilities or moral character; instruction.”

Discipline isn’t just a consequence for bad behavior; it is also for encouraging better habits. Healthy disciplines are the practices we employ to be productive, safe, and have a strong body. Sometimes these practices may be routine or boring. However strong disciplines increase focus and productivity. These are especially beneficial for writers.

Writing Disciplines

Every writer knows writing isn’t as easy as simply sitting down at a computer and magically creating wonderful prose with little effort. It may take hours, days, or weeks to breathe life into our writing and get it where we want it to be.

We understand writing is a process that requires specific skillsets and disciplines to make our words shine, which take time to develop. We also must protect and respect the disciplines of the writing life.  Below are some disciplines from successful writers on how to stay healthy and productive.

  1. Maintain a dedicated workspace and routine.
  2. Writing is a business, not a hobby.
  3. Stay connected with other writers and editors.

Since every writer is different, we may need different disciplines or habits to produce our best work. The point is to find what works best for you.

Some people like writing late at night, but I prefer to sleep at night for at least eight hours. Some people like listening to music while they write, I prefer peace and quiet to help me focus. Some people eat while they write, I prefer to enjoy my food and words separately and view eating at my computer as a bad habit.

Habits

Habits can be hard to break, but bad habits can break us. This may surprise you if you have followed my column for a while, but before my accident, I wasn’t a health fanatic and I didn’t take care of myself. I had a lot of bad habits from childhood and some I picked up in college. I drank soft drinks and alcohol and never drank water. I ate more junk food than nutritious food. At most, I would get only four hours of sleep each night.

I read more comic books than I did actual books. I rarely exercised, except hanging out at the gym with my friends. And the biggest shocker is, I hadn’t ridden a bicycle in over a decade before my accident. After my accident, I realized I needed to grow up and be more health conscious. I stopped smoking and drinking alcohol. Ironically, now my normal adult bedtime is the time my parents taught me to go to bed when I was a kid, 9 PM.

Living with a brain injury has forced me to develop healthier lifestyle disciplines over the last 27 years, including . . .

  • Limit caffeine
  • Drink a gallon of water per day
  • Eat healthier
  • Get more sleep and rest
  • Exercise daily

I have learned “adulting” means developing better health habits and taking care of myself physically and mentally. As we age, most of us learn to make lifestyle changes to live healthier lives. Our fitness goals become survival goals. Most of us look back and wish we made better choices in life when we were younger.

What are some habits you can learn as a writer to be more disciplined?

Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJohnson.com  and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for December

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, and Melissa Stroh, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Learning With Mentor Texts

Co-hosts Melissa Stroh, Brandy Brow, and Johnnie Alexander present examples of fictional works that can be used as “mentor texts,” published fiction that demonstrates specific techniques and skill. Melissa read the opening paragraphs from Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead, to show how to establish sense of place, introduce the protagonist, and set a tone for the story. Brandy read excerpts from Lowcountry Bribe by C. Hope Clark, which effectively uses description to establish characters and the setting. Johnnie read the prologue to All Things Matter by Susie Finkbeiner, and the opening paragraphs from her own short story, A Souvenir In My Pocket, to show the difference in tone of two works written in the first person. As writers, we know how important it is to read in our genres. By purposefully studying the stories our readers love, we can improve our own skills.

Watch the December 5th Replay

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Best wishes for 2024 from Writers Chat.

Regularly scheduled episodes return on January 9th.

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Trust the Process?

lighter look at a writer's life

Recently I was going through some old documents and found a piece about the writing process. It was similar to other things I have read in books and heard at conferences, listing everything in proper order: 1. Prewriting; 2. Drafting; 3. Rewriting; 4. Editing; 5. Sharing.

These steps are the way writing SHOULD be, but, as I talk about in my classes at school and at conferences, it doesn’t always go that way. Life happens, other responsibilities happen, and, let’s face it, procrastination happens.

Here’s how my process often goes:

  1. Prewriting: I get an idea at the most inopportune time. Sometimes I am able to grab my phone and do a note; other times, I reach for anything—a sticky note, a napkin, a random sheet of paper in the middle of the night—to write it down before I forget it. At times I am driving, and, by the time I reach my destination, I forget the wonderful, awesome, earth-shaking idea.
  2. Drafting: Assuming I remember my great idea, I plan a time to write. I open my laptop and a blank document. I type a title. I remember the towels need to be moved from the washer to the dryer. I go to the dryer and find clothes that need to be folded. I take out those clothes, fold them, add the towels to the dryer. By that time, I am hungry. I fix something to eat. Now, the dog needs to be fed. I return to my computer, see the title I typed, and try to remember what it meant.
  3. Rewriting: Once I remember my idea and write a few lines, I don’t like what I have written, so I start over. I repeat this process over and over and over . . .
  4. Editing: I know I am not supposed to, but I tend to edit as I go, noticing commas out of place, clunky wording, left out words, etc. This part of the process depends on if I finally land on an idea in the previous two steps.
  5. Sharing: I try to find a place to share or publish my work. It’s like interstate construction traffic in the summer . . . I wait and wait and wait.

I am thankful for the gift of writing, knowing is something not everyone receives. It’s not for the faint of heart, but, when the process works, we writers get the satisfaction of others being blessed by our words. Just as no two people are the same, no two people have the same writing process, and that’s okay.

What’s your process?

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.

Categories
Building Your Creative Space

The Day After The Day

Building your creative space

“Each of us have moments when we are swept away by an inner sense of excitement about something we are doing or want to do.  In this state, whatever we are working on seems to come alive with significance and even necessity, and our contribution seems to validate who we are or, perhaps more accurately, who we can be.”

Martha Graham, dancer and choreographer

Say you have a truly perfect day. 

Your art sings with such passionate ease you feel it flowing with your breath.  Time becomes a measurement applied to mere mortals.  You become genuinely united with the creative moment.  The heavens open, the angels descend, and they sing with you.  It is, in a word, glorious. 

Then there is the next day. 

Because you have returned to the mortal realm, your first temptation is to review the previous day’s work.  But let’s be honest here.  You’re not doing this because you actually want to change anything. 

You’re after a cheap high. 

You want to feel that same incredible union, without the blood and sweat and tears.

But then you realize that the product of your intense experience is not quite perfect.  What you created has a flaw.  You pluck at this tiny imperfect strand, and gradually your beautiful work becomes shredded. 

The result is inevitable.  All the glorious emotional impact fades away.

You doubt it ever happened.  You become tempted to dismiss the entire experience as a passing illusion. 

There is a scene in my recent novel, Miramar Bay, when the main character goes racing off on his motorcycle in the dark with the headlights off.  How I happened to write it goes like this:

I was at the end of a very long day.  Tired, strung out, a lot going on, and I was running away from two half-finished scenes that I simply could not get right.  So I went to the gym.  And there in the middle of my workout…

The main character, a man named Connor, talked to me. 

It was just so incredible, hearing this guy confess his deepest secret.  I felt so moved.  I borrowed a pen and pad from the gym’s manager and scribbled out the entire scene, like I was listening to Connor confess.  Broken, afraid, totally uncertain as to what he should do next.  But it was this moment that propelled him to do what he did.  Take the midnight bus to Miramar Bay.

Connor raced bikes.  His own ride of choice was the fastest street-legal bike in the world, a Ducatti.  And while Connor had been rising up the impossible glass mountain of LA fame, his escape had been rides through desert hideaways with outlaw buddies. 

But that night Connor had been alone.

He pushed his bike up the desert cliffs north of Palm Springs, one switchback after another, and did so with his lights off.  The motor screaming, his blood pumping, illuminated by the moon.  Why?

Because he did not care whether he lived or he died. 

That was the confession he shared with me.  I wrote it down, and when I was finished, I felt as though I had been given an incredible gift by a guy who was a lot better, and far greater, than he gave himself credit for.

Welcome to Miramar Bay.

So why am I sharing this with you?

Because of the next day. 

When I sat down at my desk the following morning, I faced the same quandary as I had before I left for the gym.  The same two unfinished scenes.  The same imperfect structure that I had to get right.  The same doubts, the same fears, the same…

Do This Now:

  • The issue here, the crux to arriving at the point when inspiration happens, is this:  Work through the hours of drudgery. 
  • You need to fashion a means of maintaining this discipline when the hour is hardest.  Not when it comes easy.  You must do this.  You must.
  • For myself, the answer has come through not allowing myself to reread what I have written until the first draft is completed.  I want to go back.  I hunger to see what I am creating.  But I don’t give in.  I can’t, and maintain my daily productivity, my drive.  I just can’t.
  • You must design your own method for making it through the slog.  I suggest you start with my concept, and hold to it until you fashion your own. 
  • Whatever it is, however you make this work, consider this one of the most vital steps you will ever take as an artist.
  • Do this now.

Davis Bunn’s novels have sold in excess of eight million copies in twenty-four languages.  He has appeared on numerous national bestseller lists, and his titles have been Main or Featured Selections with every major US book club.  In 2011 his novel Lion of Babylon was named Best Book of the Year by Library Journal.  The sequel, entitled Rare Earth,  won Davis his fourth Christy Award for Excellence in Fiction in 2013.  In 2014 Davis was granted the Lifetime Achievement award by the Christy board of judges.  His recent title Trial Run has been named Best Book of The Year by Suspense Magazine. Lately he has appeared on the cover of Southern Writers Magazine and Publishers Weekly, and in the past three years his titles have earned him Best Book and Top Pick awards from Library Journal, Romantic Times, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus. His most recent series, Miramar Bay, have been acquired for world-wide condensation-books by Readers Digest. Currently Davis serves as Writer-In-Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University. Until Covid struck, he was speaking around the world on aspects of creative writing. 

Watch an excerpt from his new book The Cottage on Lighthouse Lane here.

Learn about his new home at Blenheim Castle here.

Categories
Devotions for Writers

Beginnings and Endings

devotions

In the beginning.

Genesis 1:1

Aren’t those delicious words? “In the beginning God…” Wouldn’t you have loved to be there when He crafted the rays of the sun and the dips in the moon? Wouldn’t you have chuckled with Him when God stretched the giraffe’s neck and the elephant’s nose? How about when Adam catalogued creation? How did he think of rhinoceros and chimpanzee?

God’s creativity knew no limits as He spoke the world into existence and molded a human out of the dust of the earth. But it was not a scattered plan. No, 1 Corinthians 14:33 says God is a God of order, and I like to think that means He has an organized plan (Jeremiah 29:11). Take for instance the order of creation. He didn’t form plants first, no, He provided the boundaries of time (Genesis 1:5), space (Genesis 1:8), and land (Genesis 1:10).

What does that  have to do with our words?

When we have a system for writing, it also becomes a work of art.

Exercise:

What do you do to prepare to write? Some options might include

  • Hang a sign on your door to notify family it’s a work zone.
  • Read a writing devotional to prime the pump.
  • Prepare your favorite beverage to sip while pondering words.
  • Review the Writers’ Guidelines for the article you’ll write.
  • Sketch out an outline to guide your progression of thoughts.
  • Write a goal for your story, to propel the direction taken.
  • Visualize your intended readers, to speak to their needs.

What do you do to prime the pump?

The story is told of a desert wanderer who stumbled upon a well. A note was posted on a bucket of water with instructions to pour it out on the handle and to pump water into the empty bucket for an endless supply. Can you imagine the dilemma of parched lips and a full bucket of water? However, overcoming the impulse to satisfy a craving results in a bucket overflowing for the next weary traveler. Prime the pump by

  • Reading the works of other writers.
  • Doing a mind-dump to clear your brain of other projects.
  • Journaling a daily writing prompt.

When you create a solid beginning for your works in progress, your words will sing with a satisfying ending and wrap up your thoughts and organize your plan. Invite the Author of words to the process and you’ll stand in awe of His creativity!

What helps you prepare to write?

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at www.sallyferguson.net

Categories
Becoming an Author

Acting Techniques to Deepen Your Writing – Part 3

So far in this series, I’ve shared with you techniques I’ve learned as an actress that has strengthened my writing. These techniques have helped me deepen characterization, tap into emotion, and break down scenes and plot. But did you know there’s even more we can learn from actors, apart from the craft?

Let’s take a look at what actors can teach us about our approach to the writing process.

On Approaching the Writing Process…

1. If actors want to experiment with a range of possibilities for delivering a certain line or scene, they might experiment with different moment-before scenarios. They will brainstorm a range of ideas as to where their character just came from and what happened to them previously. Doing this will result in unique and fresh responses, reactions, and ways of delivering the scene and their lines. As writers, we can try the same trick. Can you brainstorm new ideas of where your character comes from the moment before a scene takes place? Then allow the scene to unfold in response to each unique moment-before scenario, and take a look at how these moment-before scenarios affect the character and the dialogue, resulting in multiple possibilities of approaching the scene.

2. When an actor is assigned a role in a project, he must understand the overall tone and style of the film (or show). This may require speaking with the director, inquiring about his vision. Understanding the tone will then help the actor adhere to this in each of his scenes, resulting in an overall stylistically cohesive film. Let’s remember to do the same in our projects as well. Let’s ask ourselves, What is the tone of this book, and how will the scene I’m writing now emphasize that tone?

3. Method actors are constantly reminded that good acting is not equivalent to a good “performance” of their lines. In other words, actors should not memorize the inflection of the voice in delivering lines, the mechanics of performing; doing this actually results in unauthentic acting. This bad acting is often a result of an actor relying too heavily on the left side of their brain while they are delivering their lines. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed the same fault amongst writers as well. When we write—especially those firsts drafts—let’s not focus so much on the appearance of our art. The way that we string words together to result in a beautiful, flowery language. Oftentimes, this comes across as though the writer is trying too hard to “perform” and show off their writing abilities. Instead, if we hope to deliver an authentic story that touches our readers, we must remember that, when it comes to writing a good story, beautiful writing comes second. That can be embellished after we deliver the heart of the story. Because it’s this heart of the story that will connect with readers and stick with them.

4. Actors must avoid being “in their head” as they act. Thinking is an enemy to method acting. We often do the same when it comes to writing. The more writing techniques we learn, the more tempted we are to become paralyzed by these “writing rules.” But if we try so hard to avoid making a mistake as we write, we risk “being in our head” throughout the entire writing process. The acting coach, Warner Loughlin, suggests that actors “go for the emotional journey of the character, not the result.” I recommend we do the same. Let’s remain in the right side of our brain as we write, allowing our imagination to lead us through the story.

5. Even though a script may already assign lines for an actor to deliver, often a director will allow the actor to bring their own interpretation, reaction, and emotion—as long as it feels natural to who their character is in that moment. In writing, let’s give ourselves the freedom to improvise in our scenes as well, allowing our characters to come to life. Instead of being strictly tied to our plot/scene outlines, let’s grant these characters the freedom to act on their natural impulses and follow their instincts. Then we can see where these choices lead the scene and story.

Which of these tips do you struggle with the most? Let me know in the comments!

Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic books for teens to remind them they’re not alone. She writes both fiction and devotionals for teens, including her upcoming release, LOVE YOUR SELFIE (October 2020, Ellie Claire). Her latest devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, encourages teens to pursue a personal relationship with Christ. Tessa’s passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as a Literary Agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 128 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is through connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: tessaemilyhall.com.

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Mastering Middle Grade

In Which We Use Memes to Represent the Writing Process

We all know what a distraction the internet can be for a writer. In the space of a split-second, serious research can devolve into a sideshow that steals your focus and energy.

However, sometimes the internet can be a source of inspiration, motivation, and even a little bit of fun. In that spirit, this month’s blog is a light-hearted look at the writing process represented by memes.

The Writing Process:

Step One: Idea

Maybe you’ve had friends tell you “You should write a kids’ book.” Or maybe you’ve had a story take residence in your head. Either way, this step is the launching pad.

(Source: Writers Write )

Step One A: Research

Your story idea may be the most amazing idea in the history of ideas, but if you don’t *actually* know your topic (setting, characters, time period) inside and out, it’s time to research.

(Source: pinterest.com/sara_tranum/writing-memes/)

Step Two:  The First Draft

Finish your celebratory ice cream and cozy up to the keyboard because Step Two is where things get real.

Source: Pinterest

Step Three:  Beta Readers and Critique Groups

Congratulations on finishing your first draft! Now sit back, relax, and let trusted partners read it and offer you feedback! This stage can be challenging, but with the right readers (and the right attitude), critiques can help your writing grow in ways you never imagined.

(Source:  https://tjwithers.com/how-to-run-an-effective-writers-critique-group/)

Step Four: Revision

Your critique partners have gently and constructively informed you that your precious manuscript baby isn’t perfect. Now what? It’s time to dig deep and edit.

(Source: Pinterest )

Step Five:  Repeat Steps Three and Four

You’ve heard the expression “best foot forward?” This is the work that produces your best foot – I mean, manuscript.

(Source: Pinterest )

Step Six: Submit

Step six is about preparing your proposal and query letter. It’s not quite as ominous as it sounds, especially when there are so many great resources to help guide you through the process. Do your research, and follow each agent’s submission guidelines to the letter. Don’t be like the guy in the meme below – give your proposal the same level of proofreading as your manuscript so you don’t wind up sending a query letter full of typos and bad grammar.

(Source: relentlesswriters.blogspot.com)

Do you have a favorite writing meme? Post it in the comments below!

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

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Guest Posts

Writing with Family

Writing a book is a process.

It began as a school assignment for my granddaughter when she was in third grade. She is now a seventh grader.

She was supposed to write 100 words and grace her pages with artwork. From her hand-written pages, I typed. Then she drew.

A little girl collected buttons and had a favorite that she had misplaced. She searched and searched, and searched some more–and found it! That was her story.

She put her finished work in a binder decorated with buttons. She earned a very good grade.

And I said, “I think you have something here. Let’s keep going.”

So we worked to understand the girl. Why was the button important? What did the girl look like? What did she like? Who was her family? Who were her friends?

We switched from third person (she) to first person (I). We developed a reason the button was important. We added family, friends, dialogue, description, repeating symbolism, and motives.

I thought we had a picture book, so I shared it with an author/friend. She said, “It’s not a picture book. It’s a chapter book. Keep working.”

So we did.

Writing a book is a process.

 

We shifted from the perspective of the little girl to the viewpoint of one of the previously peripheral characters–a boy–a new kid in town.

We drew in a team of helpers–her brother and some of their cousins. Sometimes, a committee of us met in a very professional manner discussing the story and deciding how to enhance it—even once debating a character’s name.

Around my dining room table, the family at large discussed the hair color of one character—calling a cousin down from the playroom to be our model.

Sometimes, ideas popped up during car rides.

Sometimes, I wrote alone.

One day, I typed as a grandson and I developed a chapter together.

Just last evening, another grandson gave us our revised title.

Now, we have more than 12,000 words. And so begins the process of cutting fat that may weigh it down and slow its journey to print. During that process, we search for places to add flesh and blood where the text is dry bone.

Then we will ask others to invest in it—to help us send it on its way. Will it float and fly? Or will our labors continue? To do otherwise is to let our project die. And our dream is that it will live in the imaginations of many.

Wordcraft is a process in which we grow along with our characters, a process that weaves bonds by telling stories real and imagined.

William Faulkner said writing is “agony and sweat of the human spirit, not for glory and least of all for profit, but to create out of the materials of the human spirit something which did not exist before.”

We are making a piece of work that did not exist before. Something from our human spirits. And in that process, we’ve explored life and characters and human character and tightened the bonds between us.

Writing a book is a wonderful process.

 

Writer and teacher Nancy E. Head is the author of the soon-to-be-published Restoring the Shattered: Illustrating Christ’s Love Through the Church in One Accord. Nancy was a single mother with five children under the age of 14 when she attended Penn State to earn a bachelor’s degree in English and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.  Her career took a journalistic turn from radio news to newspaper reporting, then education before she returned to the classroom to secure a master’s degree in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.  Currently an instructor at Penn State Altoona and Great Commission Schools, she also spent two summers teaching English in Asia.  She is a member of the Altoona Writers’ Guild, the Christian Writers’ Roundtable, and Toastmasters.

When not teaching or writing, she restores antique quilts, crafts projects for her grandchildren, and helps her husband lead a small group devoted to ministering to the needy in their community.

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Songwriting

Songwriting: Learning by Listening to The Masters

If you take a songwriting class, the first thing you will learn is to read the top 40 charts in your chosen genre, and then listen to the chart-topping songs over and over for analyzation and to get songwriting ideas. You will be encouraged to listen to similarities in all of the songs and watch for format.

If you are just starting out, there is nothing wrong with taking a shell of a song and then replacing the words with your own words. That is a great tool for learning how to write melodies rhythmically and formulating words together to fit a specific meter, but a bad idea if you are planning to publish the song—because you can get sued.

As a child, I learned by becoming a junior Weird Al Yankovic. I would take famous songs on the radio and change the words to something silly. And then I would perform them for my older sister and her friends and they thought I was hilarious. I dreamed of performing them for the world to see (too bad Youtube was not invented yet!)

If you are a musician, you start by learning theory, learning what chords go together, and then putting together a chord pattern to be a foundation for a lyrical melody. If you don’t play an instrument, you can guide your musical partner by verbally sharing your melody idea. A good place to start is by listening to songs in your genre and start dissecting the melody from the bare lyrics. What works? What doesn’t? As I mentioned in a previous article, sometimes it is easiest to start with a chorus, because that is what your song is about.

Like any bit of writing, you learn the most by watching others, dissecting their work to see why it works or why it doesn’t, and then implementing what you learn. Most recorded albums start from a pool of about thirty songs, and then are narrowed down to fourteen or less to sell to the public. And usually, the pool of thirty songs come from a songbook of about 100 songs scribbled in the writer’s songbook journal.

If you want to be a songwriter, write every single day. Keep a songwriter journal where you jot down your ideas, possible lyrics, melodies, themes, poems, etc. Your songs may suck at first. But writing every day is how you get better. Just like exercising your physical muscles, your growth comes from exercising your writing muscle. I usually write a notebook full of songs per year—most aren’t even complete. And sometimes I pull a Frankenstein where I take two or three songs I wrote and combine them.

When U2 wrote their hit song, Beautiful Day, they actually wrote another song using the exact same music, but with completely different lyrics and melody. Then they chose which melody and chorus they liked for the album best after listening to both versions over and over and over. The band Jars of Clay did the same thing on their If I Left the Zoo album. They made a bunch of demos with different melody lines and choruses. The final project was a culmination of taking the best part of the songs and re-writing the weakest part to improve the song or by creating Frankenstein, chopping up the best parts of two or three songs and adding them together to formulate one incredible song.

If you listen to Jars of Clay’s studio album, If I Left the Zoo, and then again listen to their limited demo album (if you can find it) called White Elephant Sessions, you will hear the same songs, but with different verses, choruses, or melodies. They are letting you in on their songwriting process. After the time slaved to write the physical songwriting portion and then playing the song at many rehearsals comes the recorded demo. Bands will listen to their demo a thousand times, get feedback, and then put the song in the hands of a polished producer to rewrite the song and record the final, polished version. Sometimes that version is an entirely different song from conception.

Whether you are writing songs, novels, or screenplays, the biggest key to survival is being fluid and giving yourself (and producers, editors, publishers, directors, agents, etc.) permission to let go and change what you have written to make it better.

Write it. Step away. Visit it again. Rewrite it. Step away. Rewrite it again.

Don’t marry your first version or first draft. That’s like marrying the first person you ever had a crush on, which may work, but more than not, it can be naïve and suicidal. I know both screenwriters and songwriters who lost a job because they wouldn’t give producers or directors flexibility to change their work.

Do you have a songwriting topic you would like me to discuss? Let me know at matthewhawkeldridge@yahoo.com! Get that songwriting journal and start writing!

Matthew Hawk Eldridge is a coffee loving, calico-cat hugging, Renaissance man. When he’s not passionately penning screenplays or stories rich in musical history, he’s writing songs on his guitar or working on a film as an actor, double, musician, or stand-in. He is a Creative Writing graduate student at Full Sail University.

Categories
The Picky Pen

How to Think Like an Editor

Writing is a funny art, isn’t it? Agents and editors (freelance and publishing house) tell us to write, write, write . . . and also make sure that our manuscript is edited well. “Edited well?” But what if we don’t like the word editing because it’s too daunting? What if our minds turn to jelly or we seize up when an agent or mentor tells us to edit our manuscript?

Well. Editing may seem daunting and scary and intimidating, but it’s really just one piece of the writing process. Editing doesn’t have to be so intimidating. Every writer should have an editor, but before sending a manuscript to a personal freelance editor or mentor (or even critique group), we need to make sure that the manuscript is fluid. Simply put, editing is just going through a more detailed process to make sure our manuscript is ready for the public eye. So . . . how do we think like an editor when we aren’t one? I’ll give you some quick tips for thinking like an editor. Ready?

Three Rules for Thinking Like an Editor

1. Am I a one-book author?

Now this is a scary question because agents especially want to ensure that the author seeking representation has more than one story or book idea. If you only have one story idea now and you are finding it hard to come up with another one, please don’t panic.

That’s what your critique group or mentor or friend(s) is for. That’s why you see questions on social media, “Would you read a book about flying saucers in the Carribean?” The author is trying to get feedback on their idea. If you aren’t an idea person (but rather someone who runs with an idea after it’s been fleshed out), you may want to sign up for coaching sessions or find a friend who will listen to your idea strain and then ask you questions about it to get you thinking.

If you have a handful of exceptional one-sentence hooks, that’s a good indication to an editor that you’re not a one-book author.

2. Will my book sell?

Another big question, but an important one. As the author, you will have done your research on other books in the market in the past year that are similar to yours in subject, theme, timeline, and content. If you find many like yours, that’s good. It only means that your idea is being published. Now the trick is to make sure that your hook is ear-grabbing enough to catch an agent’s or editor’s attention. Hooks like “A woman struggles to sell her house but can’t because there’s a hippie living in her basement who refuses to move out” might work. Doesn’t that raise all kinds of questions?

On the other hand, if you can’t find a book like yours out on the market, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it may mean that your book isn’t ready for publication quite yet, or that your genre or subject is too narrow. That said, consider broadening your subject focus or story question. And keep writing!

3. Will I work with an agent or editor to meet deadlines, manuscript edits, and other details?

While the other two questions were super important, this one probably outranks them. Why? Because agents and editors crave for authors who are easy to work with and who aren’t afraid to make necessary changes for the book’s best interest for the needs of the readers. I am not saying you should make every single change that an agent or editor want you to make, for you know where your book stands as far as its core message, and there will be things you will not want to change. However, you can graciously explain why a change cannot be made but keep an open mind in case the suggested change is a good change. A good change will enrich your story, grow you as a writer, and really wow your readers.

If an author can meet deadlines, make clear edits, work with the publisher’s marketing team, and do their part in getting the book into readers’ hands, then that’s the author an agent or editor wants to work with. That’s exactly what thinking like an editor is all about, and chances are, you’ll never be without a writing project or a published book available on your favorite bookstore shelf.

Next month, I’ll share some more tips on how to think like an editor.

But for now, please join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Take a few minutes and ruminate. What are some other ways you can think like an editor?

About Tisha Martin

Tisha Martin is a writer and editor, and she lives to encourage authors and editors to bridge their relationships and work together for the publishing industry cause, where readers will treasure books for always. With a bachelor’s in Professional Writing, a master’s in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, she has equal passions for writing and editing. Active in ACFW and The PEN, she appreciates both communities. She is the former Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, where she was instrumental in seeing attendee growth in 2018, up 150% from 2017. She’s also a contest judge for Writer’s Digest. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and on social media. She looks forward to the conversation!

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Love Your Writing, But . . .

lighter look at a writer's life

The other day I got a rejection letter for a writing submission. Oh, and, by the way, the sky is blue.

Thought I would continue the thread of stating the obvious.

I have been “hacking away” at this writing thing for several years, and I have learned rejection letters are a part of the process. I do not like that part of the process, but it is there. Like a pimple or an extra pound on the scale.

Sure, I have had my share of acceptances, and I am grateful for those times when someone “got me” and my style of writing. You would think I would be used to the rejection by now and brush it off, but it still gets to me from time to time. Even Paul had a thorn but had to learn to live with it. If I were a contestant on What’s Your Thorn?, mine would be rejection letters.

Most editors/publishers try their best to be nice, interjecting something positive to lessen the blow. After all, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. So I hear.

In this spirit, I thought I would share the Top Ten Nice Phrases for Rejection Letters. Editors, publishers, and agents–take notes:

  1. Your typing is consistent.
  2. Your writing resembles Max Lucado’s, in that you both use actual words and punctuation marks.
  3. Lovely story—if only your characters were Amish . . .
  4. What a creative email tag!
  5. The Oxford Comma and the ellipsis are alive and well with you.
  6. You have clearly mastered the art of the Microsoft Word header.
  7. Lovin’ that title font!
  8. It’s a wonderful concept, but we don’t publish __________  (Fill in the blank: zombie redemption stories, Amish speculative novels, soap opera devotionals, HUMOR, etc.).
  9. It is great that you have a day job.
  10. While you have a nice platform, it needs to be larger than a two-by-four.

The medicine is going down, but it is not easy. Maybe I should get my tongue out of my cheek . . .

Carlton Hughes wears many hats. By day, he’s a professor of communication at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he does object lessons and songs with motions as Children’s Pastor of Lynch Church of God. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including Chicken Soup for the Soul and several devotional books from Worthy Publishing—Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and the recently released Everyday Grace for Men. Carlton and his wife Kathy have two college-age sons, Noah and Ethan. He is on the planning committee for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference and is a year-round volunteer for Operation Christmas child.

Categories
Talking Character

Why Won’t My Main Characters Cooperate?

Photo Credit: Brooks was here via Compfight cc

Do your characters sometimes refuse to cooperate in the middle of a scene?

Why is that? You know your characters inside and out. You created them. You determined their temperament, their abilities, their fears. After all that work, they should at least have the decency to cooperate.

But sometimes they don’t.

When characters get ornery, try not to get frustrated. It isn’t because you’re a bad writer. In fact, it’s a sign your doing things right, that your characters are coming to life and standing up for themselves.

Call it your muse, your subconscious, or whatever, but trust the process. Your story will be better for it.

What to do when your main character threatens to rebel:

See if they really mean it. Sometimes characters do random stuff on the spur of the moment, just like real people. Allow them to wander down a rabbit trail, but if you discover their path will cause unnecessary complications, stop them.  Back up, return to your plot and see what happens. If they cooperate then put their crazy idea down to a bit of indigestion and stick to your original ideas.

If they refuse to cooperate, it’s time to listen to them. …

Have faith in your characters. Characters are like children: We see they have certain talents and temperaments and we decide they would be well-suited for certain professions, or ought to love certain hobbies. However, children have a way of surprising their parents with the vocations  and activities they choose to pursue. So it is with our fictional characters. No matter how well we think we know their personalities and preferences, when we push them into tough situations they may surprise us. The wise writer knows that if we allow our characters to be true to themselves rather than forcing them to comply with our outlines, our stories will feel more authentic. Trust them.

First find out what your hero wants. Then just follow him. Ray Bradbury

Follow their lead. When they insist on forging their own path, follow them and see where they want to go. Spend a day or two daydreaming or free-writing scenes until you get a sense of where this new path is leading and how everyone feels about it.

Ask the character why. Once you’ve explored this new path, you need to understand why they want to do it that way. Interrogate your character. Talk to them out loud, envision yourself and the character chatting over tea, write a list of questions—do whatever works for you, but get to the bottom of why the character is at odds with your ideas. Why do they refuse to go out with Maddie? Why do they insist on saying such nasty things about the postmistress? Why aren’t they excited about the prize that was supposed to be the main motivation?  Push until you understand why they choose plan B over plan A, and then figure out how plan B can make a stronger story—even if it means a lot more work for you.

If we are brave enough to let our characters disrupt our plot ideas, and clever enough to figure out how to make their ideas work instead, we have the ingredients for a great story.

[bctt tweet=”Are you brave enough to allow your characters disrupt your plot? #amwriting”]